Provinces of Finland, 1634-2009
| Map number | English name | Finnish name | Swedish name | Residence city | Dates of existence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 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 |
| 14 | 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 |
| 18 | Province of Ostrobothnia | Pohjanmaan lääni | Österbottens län | Oulu / Vaasa | 1634–1775 | • one of the original provinces formed in 1634 |
| 20 | Province of Viborg and Nyslott | Viipurin ja Savonlinnan lääni | Viborgs och Nyslotts län | Vyborg | 1634–1721 | • one of the original provinces formed in 1634 |
| 21 | Province of Kexholm | Käkisalmen lääni | Kexholms län | Kexholm | 1634–1721 | • one of the original provinces formed in 1634 |
| 19 | Province of Kymmenegård and Nyslott | Savonlinnan ja Kymenkartanon lääni | Kymmenegårds och Nyslotts län | Lappeenranta | 1721–1747 | • former Province of Viborg and Nyslott |
| 17 | Province of Savolax and Kymmenegård | Kymenkartanon ja Savon lääni | Savolax och Kymmenegårds län | Loviisa | 1747–1775 | • former Province of Kymmenegård and Nyslott |
| 4 | Province of Vaasa | Vaasan lääni | Vasa län | Vaasa | 1775–1997 | • split off from the Province of Ostrobothnia • merged into the Province of Western Finland |
| 10 | Province of Oulu | Oulun lääni | Uleåborgs län | Oulu | 1775–2009 | • split off from the Province of Ostrobothnia |
| 15 | Province of Kymmenegård | Kymenkartanon lääni | Kymmenegårds län | Heinola | 1775–1831 | • split off from the Province of Savolax and Kymmenegård |
| 16 | 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 |
| 13 | 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 |
| 2 | 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 |
| 3 | 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 |
| 6 | 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 |
| 8 | Province of Kuopio | Kuopion lääni | Kuopio län | Kuopio | 1831–1997 | • former Province of Savolax and Karelia • merged into the Province of Eastern Finland |
| 12 | 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 |
| 25 | 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 |
| 11 | Province of Lapland | Lapin lääni | Lapplands län | Rovaniemi | 1938–2009 | • split off from the Province of Oulu |
| 5 | 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 |
| 7 | 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 |
| 9 | 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 |
| 22 | Province of Southern Finland | Etelä-Suomen lääni | Södra Finlands län | Hämeenlinna | 1997–2009 | • merged from Provinces of Uusimaa, Kymi, Häme (part) and Mikkeli (part) |
| 23 | 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) |
| 24 | Province of Eastern Finland | Itä-Suomen lääni | Östra Finlands län | Mikkeli | 1997–2009 | • merged from Provinces of Kuopio, Northern Karelia and Mikkeli (part) |
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 survives 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.
Read more about this topic: Provinces Of Finland
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