# Tarja Halonen

> President of Finland from 2000 to 2012 (born 1943)

**Wikidata**: [Q29213](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29213)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarja_Halonen)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/tarja-halonen

## Summary
Tarja Kaarina Halonen is a Finnish politician and lawyer who served as the President of Finland from 2000 to 2012. Born in 1943, she held the office of head of state in Finland, a parliamentary republic and Nordic country, during the first decade of the 21st century. Her career is defined by her leadership of the nation and her recognition as a legal professional, alongside extensive international diplomatic honors.

## Biography
- **Born:** December 24, 1943
- **Nationality:** Finnish
- **Education:** University of Helsinki
- **Known for:** Serving as the President of Finland from 2000 to 2012
- **Employer(s):** Government of Finland (as President); University of Helsinki (affiliated)
- **Field(s):** Politics, Law

## Contributions
Tarja Halonen's primary contribution was her twelve-year tenure as the head of state of Finland. As President, she led the country's executive branch within a parliamentary republic system. Her administration coincided with Finland's continued integration into the European Union and the early 21st-century geopolitical shifts in Northern Europe. Additionally, her professional background as a lawyer underpins her engagement with the legal and political frameworks of her country. She has also contributed to academic and international discourse, evidenced by her affiliations with the University of Helsinki and honorary doctorates from Umeå University and the Chinese Academy of Forestry.

## FAQs
**When did Tarja Halonen serve as President of Finland?**
Tarja Halonen served as the President of Finland for two terms, spanning from 2000 until 2012.

**What is Tarja Halonen's professional background?**
She is a trained lawyer and a career politician, having been educated at the University of Helsinki.

**What are some of the international awards Tarja Halonen has received?**
She has received numerous high-level decorations, including the Order of the White Eagle (Poland), the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (France), the Royal Order of the Seraphim (Sweden), and the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum (Japan).

**Is Tarja Halonen affiliated with any specific organizations?**
She is affiliated with the University of Helsinki and is connected to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Club of Rome.

**What is Tarja Halonen's full name and date of birth?**
Her full name is Tarja Kaarina Halonen, and she was born on December 24, 1943.

## Why They Matter
Tarja Halonen matters as the longest-serving female President of Finland, holding the nation's highest office during a transformative period for Northern Europe and the European Union. Her leadership represented Finland on the global stage, fostering diplomatic ties that resulted in a vast collection of state honors from countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. As a head of state in a parliamentary republic, she played a crucial role in the governance and international representation of Finland, a nation known for its high democratic standards and strategic geopolitical position. Her legal background and political career have established her as a significant figure in modern Finnish history.

## Notable For
- **Presidency:** Served as President of Finland from 2000 to 2012.
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (France).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (Sweden).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum (Japan).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (Luxembourg/Netherlands).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Knight of the Order of the Elephant (Denmark).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Grand Order of King Tomislav (Croatia).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Order of King Abdulaziz al Saud (Saudi Arabia).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Order of the Golden Eagle (Kazakhstan).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Order of Independence (Qatar).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Order of the Pioneers of Liberia (Liberia).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Pushkin Medal (Russia).
- **State Honors:** Recipient of the Decoration for Exceptional Merits (Slovenia).
- **National Honors:** Recipient of the Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.
- **National Honors:** Recipient of the Medal of Merit of the Association of Voluntary Defence Guilds (Finland).
- **National Honors:** Recipient of the Medal of merit with clasp of customs service (Finland).
- **National Honors:** Recipient of the Cross of merit with clasp of Reservists' association (Finland).
- **Academic Honors:** Honorary doctorate of Umeå University.
- **Academic Honors:** Honorary doctor of the Chinese Academy of Forestry.
- **Physical Attributes:** Height of 1.72 meters.

## Body

### Identity and Personal Background
Tarja Kaarina Halonen is a human being and a prominent political figure classified as both a politician and a lawyer. She was born on December 24, 1943. Physically, she stands 1.72 meters tall. Her official representations include a coat of arms (Tarja Halonen Coat of Arms.svg) and a signature (Tarja Halonen signature.svg). She maintains a personal website at http://www.presidenthalonen.fi/.

### Political Career and Presidency
Tarja Halonen is best known for her role as the President of Finland, a position she held from 2000 to 2012. During this period, she served as the head of state of Finland, a sovereign nation and parliamentary republic located in Northern Europe. As President, she was the head of state in a country with a population of approximately 5.6 million and a capital in Helsinki. Her tenure covered the leadership of a nation that is a member of the European Union, the United Nations, and later NATO. Finland operates under a parliamentary system where the President acts as the head of state alongside a Prime Minister as the head of government.

### Education and Professional Affiliations
Halonen's educational background includes attendance at the University of Helsinki, a public university founded in 1640. She is professionally defined as a lawyer, a legal profession classified under ISCO-08 code 2611, and as a politician. Her affiliations extend beyond the Finnish government to include connections with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Club of Rome, a political and economic think tank established in 1968. She is also associated with the entity "MS Megastar," a ship built in 2017.

### Awards and Honors
Halonen has received a comprehensive array of national and international awards, reflecting her diplomatic standing.

**European Honors:**
*   **Poland:** Order of the White Eagle, a single-grade decoration of merit established in 1705.
*   **France:** Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the fifth rank of the French Legion of Honour.
*   **Sweden:** Royal Order of the Seraphim, an order of chivalry established in 1748.
*   **Denmark:** Knight of the Order of the Elephant, the only grade of the order.
*   **Croatia:** Grand Order of King Tomislav, established in 1992.
*   **Slovenia:** Decoration for Exceptional Merits, a state order established in 2004.
*   **Luxembourg/Netherlands:** Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau, a chivalric order established in 1858.
*   **Finland:** Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland; Medal of Merit of the Association of Voluntary Defence Guilds; Medal of merit with clasp of customs service; Cross of merit with clasp of Reservists' association.

**Global Honors:**
*   **Japan:** Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, a civilian award established in 1876.
*   **Kazakhstan:** Order of the Golden Eagle, established in 1995.
*   **Saudi Arabia:** Order of King Abdulaziz al Saud, established in 1971.
*   **Qatar:** Order of Independence, established in 1978.
*   **Liberia:** Order of the Pioneers of Liberia, established in 1955.
*   **Russia:** Pushkin Medal, an award established in 1999.

**Academic and Institutional Honors:**
*   **Umeå University:** Honorary doctorate.
*   **Chinese Academy of Forestry:** Honorary doctor.

### Media and Documentation
Various media assets document her public life. These include photographic portraits such as "Tarja Halonen 1c389 8827-2.jpg" and "Tarja Halonen 2021. aasta Arvamusfestivalil.jpg." Her identity is cataloged in numerous databases and authority systems, including ISNI, VIAF, ORCID, and various national library identifiers (e.g., BNF, BNE, NDL). She is also indexed in academic and professional networks such as Scopus and ResearcherID.

## References

1. [Finnish MP database](https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/kansanedustajat/Sivut/122.aspx)
2. BiographySampo
3. The National Biography of Finland
4. [Tarja Halonen. Biografiskt lexikon för Finland](http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:sls-4903-1416928957509)
5. [pace.coe.int](http://www.assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/AssemblyList/MP-Details-EN.asp?MemberID=3006)
6. [Source](https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/71924/Julk200605.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y)
7. Biografiskt lexikon för Finland
8. Finnish MP database
9. [Source](https://wrotapodlasia.pl/pl/region_i_gospodarka/region/urodziny_wojewodztwa/Order%20Orla%20Bialego%20w%20Rzeczypospolitej.html)
10. The orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland
11. Latvijas Vēstnesis. 2010
12. [Source](https://www.forseti.is/f%C3%A1lkaor%C3%B0an/orduhafaskra#)
13. [Source](https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/297654)
14. [Source](https://president.ee/et/teenetemargid/teenetemarkide-kavalerid/11365-tarja-halonen)
15. [Source](http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154)
16. [Source](https://www.lrp.lt/lt/prezidento-veikla/apdovanojimai/apdovanotu-asmenu-duomenu-baze/27252?sqid=34c199717510822ed43a885860553d782d5f80ed)
17. [Source](http://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/71418)
18. [Source](http://www2.gov.si/up-rs/2007-2012/turk-ang-arhiv.nsf/dokumentiweb/37CAEF15515EDB4CC12576E30051A8C5?OpenDocument)
19. [Source](https://www.predsednica-slo.si/sl/odlikovanja/odlikovanci?AwardType=1&start=15)
20. [Source](https://vapaudenristinritarikunta.fi/ritarikunta/annetut-kunniamerkit/)
21. [Source](https://archiv.prezident.sk/gasparovic/index2bee.html?rad-bieleho-dvojkriza-i-trieda)
22. [Source](http://kongehuset.dk/modtagere-af-danske-dekorationer)
23. [Source](https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/9002006-4983)
24. [Source](https://president.ee/et/teenetemargid/teenetemarkide-kavalerid/14135-tarja-halonen)
25. [Source](https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2009_07_93_2331.html)
26. Q113837913
27. State Calendar of Finland. 2021
28. [Source](https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXIV/AB/10542/imfname_251156.pdf)
29. [Source](https://www.balagurov.com/archive/uutiset/2008-03-04-blog-post_6944.htm)
30. [Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China](http://www.moe.gov.cn/s78/A22/xwb_left/moe_829/tnull_44386.html)
31. Q121921899
32. [Source](https://www.presidentti.fi/halonen/public/defaultc889.html?contentid=200399&nodeid=41416&contentlan=1&culture=fi-FI)
33. [Source](https://sgg.gouv.bj/doc/decret-2009-266/download)
34. Helsingin Sanomat. 1990
35. [Source](https://www.ts.fi/uutiset/1074165879)
36. International Standard Name Identifier
37. Virtual International Authority File
38. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
39. Proleksis Encyclopedia
40. Munzinger Personen
41. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
42. [Source](https://bodysize.org/en/tarja-halonen/)
43. Davos 2004 List of Participants
44. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1927705/)
45. The Movie Database