HELSINKI (AFP) - Finland's trade surplus fell to its lowest level since 1991 last year as the Nordic country's exports suffered from the global economic crisis.

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The 2009 trade surplus slumped 44 percent year-on-year to 1.77 billion euros (2.43 billion dollars) as the value of exports fell to a level last seen in 1999, preliminary data from the National Board of Customs showed.

In December, Finland had a trade deficit of 50 million euros, down from a deficit of 29 million euros in December 2008 and a surplus of 55 million euros in November 2009, it said in a statement.

Decreasing exports of electronics, cars and machinery weighed on foreign trade throughout 2009, while metals exports turned to growth at the end of the year, it said.

"Out of the big export countries, Russia has clearly lost significance both in December and during last year as a whole," the customs board said, adding that the significance of the Netherlands and China had increased.