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Regions of Finland#Åland

{{short description|none}}

{{Distinguish|provinces of Finland|historical provinces of Finland|Wellbeing services counties of Finland|Regional State Administrative Agency}}

{{use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox subdivision type

| name = Regions
{{native name|fi|maakunta}}
{{native name|sv|landskap}}

| map = Regions of Finland labelled EN.svg

| category = Unitary state

| territory = Finland

| start_date =

| current_number = 19

| number_date =

| population_range = 30,344 (Åland) — 1,714,741 (Uusimaa)

| area_range = 1,553 km2 (Åland) — 92,674 km2 (Lapland)

| government = Regional council

| subdivision = Municipality

| status =

| exofficio =

}}

{{Politics of Finland}}

Finland is divided into 19 regions ({{langx|fi|maakunta}}; {{langx|sv|landskap}}){{efn|{{langx|se|eanangoddi}}, {{langx|smn|eennâmkodde}}, and {{langx|sms|mäddkåʹdd}}.{{cite web|url=http://dicts.uit.no/|title=Sátnegirjjit, Dictionaries of Finnish, Swedish, the Sami Languages, English and Russian|website=dicts.uit.no|access-date=21 February 2019|archive-date=18 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218022747/http://dicts.uit.no/|url-status=live}}}}

which are governed by regional councils that serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of each region. The councils are composed of delegates from the municipal councils. The main tasks of regional councils are regional planning, the development of enterprises, and education. Between 2004 and 2012, the regional council of Kainuu was elected via popular elections as part of an experimental regional administration.{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-6420300|title=Historiallinen maakuntahallinto opetti valtiota|website=Yle uutiset|date=17 December 2012|access-date=22 May 2021|archive-date=10 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210193430/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-6420300|url-status=live}}

In 2022, new Wellbeing services counties were established as part of a health care and social services reform. The wellbeing services counties follow the regional borders, and are governed by directly elected county councils.{{cite web |title=Health and social services reform |url=https://soteuudistus.fi/en/frontpage |publisher=Finnish Government |access-date=22 May 2021 |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516155005/https://soteuudistus.fi/en/frontpage |url-status=live }}

Åland

One region, Åland, has a special status and has a much higher degree of autonomy than the others, with its own Parliament and local laws, due to its unique history and the fact that the overwhelming majority of its people are Finland Swedes. The sole language of Åland is Swedish/Finland Swedish, unlike the rest of the country where Finnish and Swedish share official status. It has its own elected head of government who carries the title of Premier and heads the Lantråd, the regional executive. Most powers that would be exercised by the Government of Finland on the mainland are instead exercised by Åland-specific authorities which execute independent policy in most areas. The Åland islanders elect a single representative to the national legislature, while the Government of Finland appoints a Governor to represent the national government on Åland. Åland is a demilitarized zone and Åland islanders are exempt from conscription.

Representation of the state

In addition to inter-municipal cooperation, which is the responsibility of regional councils, there are 15 Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (Finnish: elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus, abbreviated ely-keskus), which are responsible for the local administration of labour, agriculture, fisheries, forestry and entrepreneurial affairs. 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. The Finnish Defence Forces regional offices are responsible for the regional defence preparations and for the administration of conscription within the region.

List of regions

{{Finnish Regions|options=float:center}}

class="wikitable sortable"

!class="unsortable"| Flag

!class=unsortable| Coat of arms

! English name{{cite web |title=Suomen hallintorakenteeseen ja maakuntauudistukseen liittyviä termejä sekä maakuntien ja kuntien nimet fi-sv-en-(ru) |url=https://vnk.fi/documents/10616/3457861/Suomen+hallintorakenteeseen+ja+maakuntauudistukseen+liittyvi%C3%A4+termej%C3%A4+sek%C3%A4+maakuntien+ja+kuntien+nimet+fi-sv-en-%28ru%29/974f7fc5-1466-c667-9787-381c5bd57603/Suomen+hallintorakenteeseen+ja+maakuntauudistukseen+liittyvi%C3%A4+termej%C3%A4+sek%C3%A4+maakuntien+ja+kuntien+nimet+fi-sv-en-%28ru%29.pdf |access-date=23 August 2019 |website=vnk.fi |pages=8–9 |archive-date=11 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611150344/https://vnk.fi/documents/10616/3457861/Suomen+hallintorakenteeseen+ja+maakuntauudistukseen+liittyvi%C3%A4+termej%C3%A4+sek%C3%A4+maakuntien+ja+kuntien+nimet+fi-sv-en-%28ru%29/974f7fc5-1466-c667-9787-381c5bd57603/Suomen+hallintorakenteeseen+ja+maakuntauudistukseen+liittyvi%C3%A4+termej%C3%A4+sek%C3%A4+maakuntien+ja+kuntien+nimet+fi-sv-en-%28ru%29.pdf |url-status=live }}

! Finnish name

! Swedish name

!ISO

! Capital

! Area
(km2)

!Population
(2021){{Cite web|url=https://pxdata.stat.fi/PxWeb/pxweb/en/Kuntien_avainluvut/Kuntien_avainluvut__2021/kuntien_avainluvut_2021_viimeisin.px/|title=Municipal key figures / With the 2021 regional division / Municipal key figures|publisher=Statistics Finland|access-date=19 August 2023|archive-date=13 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813073706/https://pxdata.stat.fi/PxWeb/pxweb/en/Kuntien_avainluvut/Kuntien_avainluvut__2021/kuntien_avainluvut_2021_viimeisin.px/|url-status=live}}

!Density (per km2)

|File:Lapin_maakunnan_vaakuna.svg

| Lapland

| {{lang|fi|Lappi}}

| {{lang|sv|Lappland}}

|FI-10

| align="right" | Rovaniemi

|align=right| 92,674

|align=right|176,494

|1.90

|File:Pohjois-Pohjanmaan_vaakuna.svg

| North Ostrobothnia

| {{lang|fi|Pohjois-Pohjanmaa}}

| {{lang|sv|Norra Österbotten}}

|FI-14

| align="right" | Oulu

|align=right| 36,815

|align=right|415,603

|11.29

File:Flag_of_Kainuu.svg

|File:Kainuu.vaakuna.svg

| Kainuu

| {{lang|fi|Kainuu}}

| {{lang|sv|Kajanaland}}

|FI-05

| align="right" | Kajaani

|align=right| 20,197

|align=right|71,255

|3.53

File:North_karelia_flag.svg

|File:Pohjois-Karjala.vaakuna.svg

| North Karelia

| {{lang|fi|Pohjois-Karjala}}

| {{lang|sv|Norra Karelen}}

|FI-13

| align="right" | Joensuu

|align=right| 17,761

|align=right|163,281

|9.19

File:Flag_of_Northern_Savonia.svg

|File:Pohjois-Savo.vaakuna.svg

| North Savo

| |{{lang|fi|Pohjois-Savo}}

| {{lang|sv|Norra Savolax}}

|FI-15

| align="right" | Kuopio

|align=right| 16,768

|align=right|248,363

|14.81

40x40px

|File:Etelä-Savo.vaakuna.svg

| South Savo

| {{lang|fi|Etelä-Savo}}

| {{lang|sv|Södra Savolax}}

|FI-04

| align="right" | Mikkeli

|align=right| 14,257

|align=right|131,688

|9.24

|File:Etelä-Karjala.vaakuna.svg

| South Karelia

| {{lang|fi|Etelä-Karjala}}

| {{lang|sv|Södra Karelen}}

|FI-02

| align="right" | Lappeenranta

|align=right| 5,327

|align=right|126,107

|23.67

File:Keski-suomi_lippu.svg

|File:Keski-Suomi_Coat_of_Arms.svg

| Central Finland

| {{lang|fi|Keski-Suomi}}

| {{lang|sv|Mellersta Finland}}

|FI-08

| align="right" | Jyväskylä

|align=right| 16,703

|align=right|272,683

|16.33

File:Flag_of_Southern_Ostrobothnia.svg

|File:Etelä-Pohjanmaan_maakunnan_vaakuna.svg

| South Ostrobothnia

| {{lang|fi|Etelä-Pohjanmaa}}

| {{lang|sv|Södra Österbotten}}

|FI-03

| align="right" | Seinäjoki

|align=right| 13,444

|align=right|191,762

|14.26

|File:Pohjanmaan_maakunnan_vaakuna.svg

| Ostrobothnia

| {{lang|fi|Pohjanmaa}}

| {{lang|sv|Österbotten}}

|FI-12

| align="right" | Vaasa

|align=right| 7,753

|align=right|176,041

|22.71

File:Keski-Pohjanmaa.lippu.svg

|File:Keski-Pohjanmaa.vaakuna.svg

| Central Ostrobothnia

| {{lang|fi|Keski-Pohjanmaa}}

| {{lang|sv|Mellersta Österbotten}}

|FI-07

| align="right" | Kokkola

|align=right| 5,020

|align=right|67,915

|13.53

File:Flag_of_Pirkanmaa.svg

|File:Pirkanmaa.vaakuna.svg

| Pirkanmaa

| {{lang|fi|Pirkanmaa}}

| {{lang|sv|Birkaland}}

|FI-11

| align="right" | Tampere

|align=right| 12,585

|align=right|527,478

|41.91

File:Satakunta-flag.svg

|File:Satakunta.vaakuna.svg

| Satakunta

| {{lang|fi|Satakunta}}

| {{lang|sv|Satakunta}}

|FI-17

| align="right" | Pori

|align=right| 7,820

|align=right|214,281

|27.40

File:Päijät-Häme.lippu.svg

|File:Päijät-Häme.vaakuna.svg

| Päijät-Häme

| {{lang|fi|Päijät-Häme}}

| {{lang|sv|Päijänne-Tavastland}}

|FI-16

| align="right" | Lahti

|align=right| 5,125

|align=right|205,124

|40.02

File:Flag_of_Tavastia_Proper.svg

|File:Kanta-Häme.vaakuna.svg

| Kanta-Häme

| {{lang|fi|Kanta-Häme}}

| {{lang|sv|Egentliga Tavastland}}

|FI-06

| align="right" | Hämeenlinna

|align=right| 5,199

|align=right|170,213

|32.74

|File:Kymenlaakson_maakunnan_vaakuna.svg

| Kymenlaakso

| {{lang|fi|Kymenlaakso}}

| {{lang|sv|Kymmenedalen}}

|FI-09

| align="right" | Kotka and Kouvola{{efn|Kymenlaakso is the only region with two capitals, of which Kotka is the official regional centre and Kouvola is the administrative one.}}

|align=right| 5,149

|align=right|161,391

|31.34

File:Flag_of_Uusimaa.svg

|File:Uusimaa.vaakuna.svg

| Uusimaa

| {{lang|fi|Uusimaa}}

| {{lang|sv|Nyland}}

|FI-18

| align="right" | Helsinki

|align=right| 9,097

|align=right|1,714,741

|188.50

|File:Varsinais-Suomen.vaakuna.svg

| Southwest Finland

| {{lang|fi|Varsinais-Suomi}}

| {{lang|sv|Egentliga Finland}}

|FI-19

| align="right" | Turku

|align=right| 10,663

|align=right|483,477

|45.34

File:Flag_of_Åland.svg

|File:Coat of arms of Åland 3.svg

| Åland

| {{lang|fi|Ahvenanmaa}}

| {{lang|sv|Åland}}

|AX and
FI-01

| align="right" | Mariehamn

|align=right| 1,553

|align=right|30,344

|19.54

= Former region =

File:Finland.regions.2000.svg

class="wikitable"
Coat of arms

! Name

! Official English name{{cite web|url=https://www.stat.fi/meta/luokitukset/maakunta/001-2010/index_en.html|title=Regions of Finland 2010|website=Statistics Finland|access-date=21 February 2019|archive-date=29 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929160049/https://www.stat.fi/meta/luokitukset/maakunta/001-2010/index_en.html|url-status=live}}

! Finnish name

! Swedish name

! Capital

! Dissolution (date)

40px

|Eastern Uusimaa

|Itä-Uusimaa

| {{lang|fi|Itä-Uusimaa}}{{cite web |url=http://www.valtioneuvosto.fi/ajankohtaista/tiedotteet/tiedote/fi.jsp?oid=274585 |title=Valtioneuvosto päätti Uudenmaan ja Itä-Uudenmaan maakuntien yhdistämisestä |date=22 October 2009 |publisher=Ministry of Finance |language=fi |access-date=30 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807084712/http://www.valtioneuvosto.fi/ajankohtaista/tiedotteet/tiedote/fi.jsp?oid=274585 |archive-date=7 August 2011 }}

| {{lang|sv|Östra Nyland}}

| Porvoo

| 1 January 2011

= Regional border changes =

Border changes between the regions:{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Statistics Finland |url=https://www2.stat.fi/en/luokitukset/maakunta/ |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=www2.stat.fi |language=en |archive-date=2022-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807154923/https://www2.stat.fi/en/luokitukset/maakunta/ |url-status=live }}

== 1997 ==

  • Kiikoinen transferred from Pirkanmaa to Satakunta.

== 2001 ==

  • Kuorevesi transferred from Pirkanmaa to Central Finland by merging with Jämsä.

== 2002 ==

  • Kangaslampi transferred from South Savo to North Savo.

== 2005 ==

== 2007 ==

== 2010 ==

== 2013 ==

  • Kiikoinen transferred from Satakunta to Pirkanmaa by merging with Sastamala.
  • Suomenniemi transferred from South Karelia to South Savo by merging with Mikkeli.

== 2016 ==

  • Vaala transferred from Kainuu to North Ostrobothnia.

== 2021 ==

  • Heinävesi transferred from South Savo to North Karelia.
  • Iitti transferred from Kymenlaakso to Päijät-Häme.
  • Isokyrö transferred from Ostrobothnia to South Ostrobothnia.
  • Joroinen transferred from South Savo to North Savo.
  • Kuhmoinen transferred from Central Finland to Pirkanmaa.

{{Subdivisions_of Finland}}

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|Regions of Finland}}

  • [https://avi.fi/en/frontpage Regional State Administrative Agency]

{{Maakunta}}

{{Finland topics}}

{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of European countries}}

{{Europe topic|Regions of}}

Category:Subdivisions of Finland

Regions

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Regions, Finland