Tech-savvy nation packs a big punch

At just short of 5.5 million, Finland's population is even smaller than Hong Kong's - yet the northern European country has garnered a name for itself in the world of electronics that far outstrips its size.

As a single example, just about everyone has heard of Angry Birds, the video game that is as entertaining as it is addictive. It was developed by Finland's Rovio Entertainment and took the gaming world by storm following its release in 2009. 

But Finland's association with electronics stretches back more than 100 years. Electrical engineering started in the late 19th century, when Gottfried Strömberg started building generators and electric motors, a business that has since become part of global giant ABB Group. Other Finnish companies have forged ahead in areas such as industrial automation, medical and meteorological technology, while Nokia - now linked with Microsoft - has become a byword for Finnish innovation in the field of electronics time and again.

The Finnish electronics industry has always invested substantially in research and development, and it got a boost from the liberalisation of global markets. 

However, until the middle of the 20th century, Finland was a largely agrarian society. After the war, it transformed itself into a post-industrial society, focusing strongly on education and research. Industrialisation got started late, but the journey from primary production to labour and capital-intensive manufacturing and from there to a knowledge-based economy was rapid.

Nowadays, Finland ranks among the most competitive economies in the world. It maintains a strong global presence, and foreign trade is an integral part of the business culture.