Provinces of Finland#Provinces before 1997

{{Distinguish|regions of Finland|historical provinces of Finland| Regional State Administrative Agency}}

Between 1634 and 2009, Finland was administered as several provinces, or counties{{Cite book

| last1 = Häkli

| first1 = Jouni

| last2 = Paasi

| first2 = Anssi

| chapter = Geography, space and identity

| title = Voices from the North

| publisher = Routledge

| year = 2018

| pages = 141–155

}} ({{langx|fi|Suomen läänit}}, {{langx|sv|Finlands län}}). Finland had always been a unitary state: the provincial authorities were part of the central government's executive branch and apart from Åland, the provinces had little autonomy. There were never any elected provincial parliaments in continental Finland. The system was initially created by the Instrument of Government of 1634 when Finland was a part of Sweden. Its makeup was changed drastically on 1 September 1997,{{cite web|url=https://www.heili.fi/uutiset/item/7705-kun-ita-suomen-laani-syntyi|title=Kun Itä-Suomen lääni syntyi|work=Karjalan Heili|date=19 August 2020|access-date=31 August 2022}} when the number of the provinces was reduced from twelve to six. This effectively made them purely administrative units, as linguistic and cultural boundaries no longer followed the borders of the provinces. The provinces were eventually abolished at the end of 2009. Consequently, different ministries may subdivide their areal organization differently. Besides the former provinces, the municipalities of Finland form the fundamental subdivisions of the country. In current use are the regions of Finland, a smaller subdivision where some pre-1997 {{Lang|fi|lääni}}s are split into multiple regions. Åland retains its special autonomous status and its own regional parliament.

Duties

Each province was led by a governor (Finnish maaherra, Swedish landshövding) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the cabinet. The governor was the head of the State Provincial Office (Finnish lääninhallitus, Swedish länsstyrelse), which acted as the joint regional authority for seven ministries in the following domains:

social services and health care
education and culture
police administration
rescue services
traffic administration
competition and consumer affairs
judicial administration

The official administrative subentities under the Provincial Office authorities were the Registry Offices (Finnish maistraatti, Swedish magistrat). Formerly there was also a division to state local districts (Finnish kihlakunta, Swedish härad), which were districts for police, prosecution, and bailiff services, but there was reorganization such that 24 police districts were founded. These usually encompass multiple municipalities.

Provinces governed only state offices, such as the police. Most services, such as healthcare and maintenance of local streets, were and remain today the responsibility of municipalities of Finland. Many municipalities are too small for a hospital and some other services, so they cooperate in municipality groups, e.g. health care districts, using borders that vary depending on the type of service. Often Swedish-language municipalities cooperate even if they do not share a border.

List of all provinces that ever existed

In 1634, administratives provinces were formed in Sweden, and therefore in Finland, which was a part of Sweden until 1809. Five of the provinces covered what is now Finland; some of these also covered parts of what are now Russia. The exact division of the country into provinces has fluctuated over time.

The boundaries of the old provinces partly survive in telephone area codes and electoral districts. The exception is Helsinki: there is a telephone numbering area that comprises Greater Helsinki (code 09), while only the city of Helsinki proper comprises the electoral district of Helsinki, the rest of Greater Helsinki belonging to the Uusimaa electoral district.

class="wikitable sortable"
valign=top ! English name ! Finnish name ! Swedish name ! Residence city ! Dates of existence ! Notes
Province of Turku and Pori	Turun ja Porin lääni	Åbo och Björneborgs län	Turku	1634–1997	• one of the original provinces formed in 1634, though parts were split off since then • merged into the Province of Western Finland
Province of Nyland and Tavastehus	Uudenmaan ja Hämeen lääni	Nylands och Tavastehus län	Helsinki/Hämeenlinna	1634–1831	• one of the original provinces formed in 1634
Province of Ostrobothnia	Pohjanmaan lääni	Österbottens län	Oulu/Vaasa	1634–1775	• one of the original provinces formed in 1634
Province of Viborg and Nyslott	Viipurin ja Savonlinnan lääni	Viborgs och Nyslotts län	Vyborg	1634–1721	• one of the original provinces formed in 1634
Province of Kexholm	Käkisalmen lääni	Kexholms län	Kexholm	1634–1721	• one of the original provinces formed in 1634
Province of Kymmenegård and Nyslott	Savonlinnan ja Kymenkartanon lääni	Kymmenegårds och Nyslotts län	Lappeenranta	1721–1747	• former Province of Viborg and Nyslott
Province of Savolax and Kymmenegård	Kymenkartanon ja Savon lääni	Savolax och Kymmenegårds län	Loviisa	1747–1775	• former Province of Kymmenegård and Nyslott
Province of Vaasa	Vaasan lääni	Vasa län	Vaasa	1775–1997	• split off from the Province of Ostrobothnia • merged into the Province of Western Finland
Province of Oulu	Oulun lääni	Uleåborgs län	Oulu	1775–2009	• split off from the Province of Ostrobothnia
Province of Kymmenegård	Kymenkartanon lääni	Kymmenegårds län	Heinola	1775–1831	• split off from the Province of Savolax and Kymmenegård
Province of Savolax and Karelia	Savon ja Karjalan lääni	Savolax och Karelens län	Kuopio	1775–1831	• split off from the Province of Savolax and Kymmenegård
Province of Viipuri	Viipurin lääni	Viborgs län	Vyborg	1812–1947	• Russian Vyborg Governorate 1744-1812; transferred as Province of Viipuri to autonomic Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812 • most of its area was lost to the Soviet Union in World War II, and the remainder became the Province of Kymi
Province of Uusimaa	Uudenmaan lääni	Nylands län	Helsinki	1831–1997	• produced by splitting the Province of Nyland and Tavastehus • merged into the Province of Southern Finland
Province of Häme	Hämeen lääni	Tavastehus län	Hämeenlinna	1831–1997	• produced by splitting the Province of Nyland and Tavastehus • merged into the Provinces of Southern Finland and Western Finland
Province of Mikkeli	Mikkelin lääni	St. Michels län	Mikkeli	1831–1997	• former Province of Kymmenegård • merged into the Provinces of Eastern Finland and Southern Finland
Province of Kuopio	Kuopion lääni	Kuopio län	Kuopio	1831–1997	• former Province of Savolax and Karelia • merged into the Province of Eastern Finland
Province of Åland	Ahvenanmaan lääni	Ålands län	Mariehamn	1918–2009	• had a special status: even though the province was discontinued at the end of 2009 along with the others, there was (and still is) a coextensive "maakunta" (a translation of "province" with a slightly different meaning from the usual) that is semi-autonomous and demilitarized by international treaties
Province of Petsamo	Petsamon lääni	Petsamo län	Pechenga	1921–1921	• gained from Soviet Russia • merged into the Province of Oulu • the entire area of the former Province of Pechenga was lost to the Soviet Union in World War II
Province of Lapland	Lapin lääni	Lapplands län	Rovaniemi	1938–2009	• split off from the Province of Oulu
Province of Kymi	Kymen lääni	Kymmene län	Kouvola	1945–1997	• formed from the part of the Province of Viipuri that remained on the Finnish side of the border with Russia • merged into the Province of Southern Finland
Province of Central Finland	Keski-Suomen lääni	Mellersta Finlands län	Jyväskylä	1960–1997	• split off from the Provinces of Vaasa, Häme, Mikkeli and Kuopio • merged into the Province of Western Finland
Province of Northern Karelia	Pohjois-Karjalan lääni	Norra Karelens län	Joensuu	1960–1997	• split off from the Province of Kuopio • merged into the Province of Eastern Finland
Province of Southern Finland	Etelä-Suomen lääni	Södra Finlands län	Hämeenlinna	1997–2009	• merged from Provinces of Uusimaa, Kymi, Häme (part) and Mikkeli (part)
Province of Western Finland	Länsi-Suomen lääni	Västra Finlands län	Turku	1997–2009	• merged from Provinces of Turku and Pori, Vaasa, Central Finland and Häme (part)
Province of Eastern Finland	Itä-Suomen lääni	Östra Finlands län	Mikkeli	1997–2009	• merged from Provinces of Kuopio, Northern Karelia and Michelle

Geographical evolution of Finnish provincial administration 1634-2009

= Finland under Swedish rule =

file: Provinces of Finland 1634 - 1640, 1650 - 1721.svg|1634-1640
1 Turku
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Ostrobothnia
4 Karelia
5 Käkisalmi

file: Provinces of Finland 1640 - 1641.svg|1640-1641
1 Turku
2 Uusimaa
3 Ostrobothnia
4 Karelia
5 Käkisalmi
6 Tavastia

file: Provinces of Finland 1641 - 1642.svg|1641-1642
1 Turku
2 Uusimaa
3 Ostrobothnia
4 Viipuri
5 Käkisalmi
6 Tavastia
7 Savonlinna
8 Pori

file: Provinces of Finland 1642 - 1646.svg|1642-1646
1 Turku
2 Uusimaa
3 Oulu
4 Viipuri
5 Käkisalmi
6 Tavastia
7 Savonlinna
8 Pori
9 Vaasa

file: Provinces of Finland 1647 - 1648.svg|1647-1648
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa
3 Oulu
4 Viipuri
5 Käkisalmi
6 Tavastia
7 Savonlinna
8 Vaasa

file: Provinces of Finland 1648 - 1650.svg|1648-1650
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Ostrobothnia
4 Viipuri
5 Käkisalmi
6 Savonlinna

file: Provinces of Finland 1634 - 1640, 1650 - 1721.svg|1650-1721
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Ostrobothnia
4 Viipuri and Savonlinna
5 Käkisalmi

file: Provinces of Finland 1721 - 1743.svg|1721-1743
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Ostrobothnia
4 Savonlinna and
Kymenkartano

file: Provinces of Finland 1743 - 1747.svg|1743-1747
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Ostrobothnia
4 Savonlinna and
Kymenkartano

file: Provinces of Finland 1747 - 1776.svg|1747-1776
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Ostrobothnia
4 Kymenkartano and
Savonia

file: Provinces of Finland 1776 - 1809.svg|1776-1809
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Oulu
4 Kymenkartano
5 Vaasa
6 Savonia and Karelia

= Grand Duchy of Finland =

file: Provinces of Finland 1809 - 1812.svg|1809-1812
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Oulu
4 Kymenkartano
5 Vaasa
6 Savonia and Karelia

file: Provinces of Finland 1812 - 1831.svg|1812-1831
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa and Tavastia
3 Oulu
4 Kymenkartano
5 Vaasa
6 Savonia and Karelia
7 Viipuri

file: Provinces of Finland 1831 - 1833.svg|1831-1833
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa
3 Oulu
4 Mikkeli
5 Vaasa
6 Kuopio
7 Viipuri
8 Tavastia

file: Provinces of Finland 1833 - 1918.svg|1833-1917
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa
3 Oulu
4 Mikkeli
5 Vaasa
6 Kuopio
7 Viipuri
8 Tavastia

= Independent Finland =

file: Provinces of Finland 1833 - 1918.svg|1917-1918
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa
3 Oulu
4 Mikkeli
5 Vaasa
6 Kuopio
7 Viipuri
8 Tavastia

file: Provinces of Finland 1918 - 1920, 1921.svg|1918-1920/1921
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa
3 Oulu
4 Mikkeli
5 Vaasa
6 Kuopio
7 Viipuri
8 Tavastia
9 Åland

file: Provinces of Finland 1921.svg|1921
  1 Turku and Pori
  2 Uusimaa
  3 Oulu
  4 Mikkeli
  5 Vaasa
  6 Kuopio
  7 Viipuri
  8 Tavastia
  9 Åland
10 Petsamo

file: Provinces of Finland 1922 - 1938.svg|1922-1938
1 Turku and Pori
2 Uusimaa
3 Oulu
4 Mikkeli
5 Vaasa
6 Kuopio
7 Viipuri
8 Tavastia
9 Åland

file: Provinces of Finland 1938 - 1940.svg|1938-1940; 1941–1944
  1 Turku and Pori
  2 Uusimaa
  3 Oulu
  4 Mikkeli
  5 Vaasa
  6 Kuopio
  7 Viipuri
  8 Tavastia
  9 Åland
10 Lapland

file: Provinces of Finland 1940 - 1944.svg|1940-1941
  1 Turku and Pori
  2 Uusimaa
  3 Oulu
  4 Mikkeli
  5 Vaasa
  6 Kuopio
  7 Viipuri
  8 Tavastia
  9 Åland
10 Lapland

file: Provinces of Finland 1944 - 1945.svg|1944-1945
  1 Turku and Pori
  2 Uusimaa
  3 Oulu
  4 Mikkeli
  5 Vaasa
  6 Kuopio
  7 Viipuri
  8 Tavastia
  9 Åland
10 Lapland

file: Provinces of Finland 1945 - 1947.svg|1945-1947
  1 Turku and Pori
  2 Uusimaa
  3 Oulu
  4 Mikkeli
  5 Vaasa
  6 Kuopio
  7 Kymi
  8 Tavastia
  9 Åland
10 Lapland

file: Provinces of Finland 1947 - 1960.svg|1947-1960
  1 Turku and Pori
  2 Uusimaa
  3 Oulu
  4 Mikkeli
  5 Vaasa
  6 Kuopio
  7 Kymi
  8 Tavastia
  9 Åland
10 Lapland

file: Provinces of Finland 1960 - 1997.svg|1960-1997
  1 Turku and Pori
  2 Uusimaa
  3 Oulu
  4 Mikkeli
  5 Vaasa
  6 Kuopio
  7 Kymi
  8 Tavastia
  9 Åland
10 Lapland
11 Central Finland
12 Northern Karelia

file: Provinces of Finland 1997 - 2009.svg|1997-2009
1 Western Finland
2 Southern Finland
3 Oulu
4 Eastern Finland
5 Åland
6 Lapland

Provinces of Finland at abolition

class="wikitable"
bgcolor=efefef !No.	Coats of arms	Provinces	Finnish and Swedish names	Residence city	Largest city	Population (2003)	Area (km²)	Merged Provinces (1997)	Map
valign=center \|align=center\|1	File:Länsi-Suomen läänin vaakuna.svg	Western Finland	Länsi-Suomen lääni Västra Finlands län \|Turku Åbo	Tampere	align=right\|1,848,269	align=right\|74,185	Vaasa, Turku and Pori, Central Finland, Tavastia \| rowspan="6" \| 220px
valign=center \|align=center\|2	File:Etelä-Suomen läänin vaakuna.svg	Southern Finland	Etelä-Suomen lääni Södra Finlands län \|Hämeenlinna Tavastehus	Helsinki	align=right\|2,116,914	align=right\|34,378	Uusimaa, Kymi, Tavastia
valign=center \|align=center\|3	File:Oulun läänin vaakuna.svg	Oulu	Oulun lääni Uleåborgs län \|Oulu Uleåborg	Oulu	align=right\|458,504	align=right\|57,000	No changes
valign=center \|align=center\|4	File:Itä-Suomen läänin vaakuna.svg	Eastern Finland	Itä-Suomen lääni Östra Finlands län \|Mikkeli S:t Michel	Kuopio	align=right\|582,781	align=right\|48,726	Kuopio, Northern Karelia, Mikkeli
valign=center \|align=center\|5	File:Coat of arms of Åland.svg	Åland{{Ref label\|aaa\|a}}	Ahvenanmaan lääni Ålands län{{Ref label\|bbb\|b}} \|Mariehamn{{Ref label\|bbb\|b}} Maarianhamina	Mariehamn	align=right\|26,000	align=right\|6,784	No changes
valign=center \|align=center\|6	File:Lapin läänin vaakuna.svg	Lapland	Lapin lääni Lapplands län \|Rovaniemi Rovaniemi	Rovaniemi	align=right\|186,917	align=right\|98,946	No changes

a. {{note|aaa}} Some duties, which in Mainland Finland are handled by the provinces, are on the Åland Islands transferred to the autonomous Government of Åland.
b. {{note|bbb}} The Åland Islands are unilingually Swedish.

After abolition

The provinces were abolished altogether effective 1 January 2010. Since then, the regional administration of the Finnish state has two parallel top-level organs in the hierarchy: the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment on the one hand, and the Regional State Administrative Agencies on the other.

Six Regional State Administrative Agencies (aluehallintovirasto, regionförvaltningsverk, abbr. avi) – in addition to the State Department of Åland – are primarily responsible for law enforcement. Among these, South-Western Finland and Western and Central Finland cover the former province of Western Finland, and the former province of Oulu was revamped as Northern Finland; other old provincial boundaries remain much the same in the new disposition.

In parallel, there are 15 Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (Finnish: elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus, usually abbreviated ely-keskus), which are responsible for other state administration: employment, road and transport infrastructure, and environmental monitoring. They are each responsible for one or more of regions of Finland, and include offices of the Ministries of Employment and the Economy, Transport and Communications and Environment.