Regional Effects of the Eastern Trade: an Example From Northern Finland

Abstract

In the many-sided economic cooperation between Finland and the Soviet Union, northern Finland has with years found a role fitting its resources. This has not, however, happened quite without problems. The problems involved have primarily arisen from the characteristic features of the regional economy of northern Finland and partly also from the fact that neither northern Finland nor the neighouring Soviet territories represent kernel areas in the respective national economies. Furthermore, the northern Finland wood processing industry, which is mainly situated on the Gulf of Bothnia coast, is at a disadvantage as far as transportation to the Soviet markets is concerned when compared with the corresponding industry on the Gulf of Finland.

This chapter uses results from the study made by Eino Siuruainen, Saara Häyrynen and Jukka Kärrymäki.