Israel and Finland
Israel and Finland maintain a diplomatic relationship accompanied by presidential and community exchanges. The chronology distinguishes recognition of Israel from the establishment of relations and their subsequent elevation to embassies.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08History and institutional framework
Finland recognized Israel on 18 March 1949, and diplomatic relations began on 14 November 1950.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Israel and Finland totalled 486.2 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Israel to Finland, at 79.9 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 486.16 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ISR |
| Goods: Israel to Finland | 119.03 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ISR |
| Goods: Finland to Israel | 367.12 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ISR |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Israel to Finland | 0.203 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / ISR |
| Export share: Finland to Israel | ||
| Investment stock: Israel in Finland | ||
| Investment stock: Finland in Israel |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ISR · Goods; full year; reporting country ISR. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Goods: Israel to Finland
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ISR · Goods; full year; reporting country ISR. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Goods: Finland to Israel
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ISR · Goods; full year; reporting country ISR. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. Mirror reports are not added together.
- Export share: Israel to Finland
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / ISR · Goods share: ISR exports to the partner / exports by the same reporting country to the world, in the same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Israel | Finland |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 610.78 billion USD2025 · WB | 317.04 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 60,336.85 USD2025 · WB | 56,148.58 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 2.93 %2025 · WB | 0.17 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 3.25 %2026-09-01 · BoI | |
| Inflation · annual average | 3.04 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 0.34 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 1.5 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · CBS Israel | |
| Unemployment | 3.49 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 9.46 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 68.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 89.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 1.4 %2025 · WB | 1.34 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 10,122,8002025 · WB | 5,646,4362025 · WB |
| Area | 22,070 km²2023 · WB | 338,480 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDIsrael: 2025 · World BankFinland: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personIsrael: 2025 · World BankFinland: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Israel: 2025 · World BankFinland: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Israel: 2026-09-01 · Bank of Israel official interest rate · Bank of Israel · Published: 2026-09-01 · Monetary Committee decision of 1 September 2026; next decision announced for 21 October.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Israel: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World BankFinland: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedIsrael: 2026-08 · Change in headline CPI against the same month of the previous year (%) · Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics · Published: 2026-09-15 · Column relative to August 2025: 1.5%. Not the monthly increase (0.7%) or cumulative increase since December 2025 (2.1%).
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionIsrael: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Finland: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Israel: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Finland: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Israel: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Finland: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPIsrael: 2025 · World BankFinland: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Population
- PeopleIsrael: 2025 · World BankFinland: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceIsrael: 2023 · Area according to the series' coverage; does not determine sovereignty or effective control · World BankFinland: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Israel to Finland
Finland to Israel
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 81.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 73.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 3.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 2.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 2.3 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Israel to Finland | Finland to Israel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 480.2 | 55.9 | 424.3 |
| 2022 | 430.5 | 79.8 | 350.6 |
| 2023 | 365 | 75.9 | 289.2 |
| 2024 | 416.1 | 96.2 | 320 |
| 2025 | 486.2 | 119 | 367.1 |
Connections between people
Contacts between people and relations between governments are distinct dimensions. Published counts appear in the table with their date and definition; a resident community is not inferred from trade or diplomatic representation. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Israel living in Finland | ||
| Residents from Finland living in Israel | ||
| Study and training: Israel in Finland | ||
| Study and training: Finland in Israel | ||
| Academic stays: Israel in Finland | ||
| Academic stays: Finland in Israel | ||
| Travel: Israel to Finland | ||
| Travel: Finland to Israel |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
History and institutional framework
Finland recognized Israel on 18 March 1949, and diplomatic relations began on 14 November 1950. The Finland–Israel association was created in December 1954. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Israel is 610.8 billion USD (2025), compared with 317 for Finland (2025). The reference populations are 10.12 and 5.65 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Israel was 1.93 times that of Finland in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
During Ben-Gurion's 1962 visit, the missions were upgraded to embassies. The profile recalls Ali Yahya, appointed ambassador to Finland in 1995, as the first Israeli ambassador of Arab origin. It also records visits by Ahtisaari, Niinistö and foreign affairs officials and a meeting between Elina Valtonen and Herzog in February 2026. These are milestones in dialogue, not a list of military agreements. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Israel and Finland) totalled 486.2 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 119 million; those in the opposite direction, 367.1 million. The difference between the two flows was 248.1 million, in favour of Finland. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Israel to the partner represented 0.203% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 480.2 million USD in 2021 and 486.2 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +1.2 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2025, at 486.2 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [3]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Israel to Finland, at 79.9 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Finland to Israel, at 81.3 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — ISR-FIN
embassies.gov.il · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 376; partners 0,528,300,764,398,40,8,32,31,120,152,191,196,246,268,320,340,404,524,566,604,620,642,702,703,858,704,170,233,231,266,591,882,762,776
UN Comtrade / ISR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / ISR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade; reporting countries IRL, ISR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — gdp
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — population
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade; reporters IRL, ISR
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.