Regions of Finland

Regions
*maakunta* (Finnish)
*landskap* (Swedish)
Regions; maakunta (Finnish); landskap (Swedish)
Category	Unitary state
Location	Finland
Number	19
Populations	30,344 (Åland) — 1,714,741 (Uusimaa)
Areas	1,553 km2 (Åland) — 92,674 km2 (Lapland)
Government	Regional council;
Subdivisions	Municipality;

Finland is divided into 19 regions (Finnish: maakunta; Swedish: landskap)^[a] 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.^[2]

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.^[3]

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

Lapland

Kainuu

Uusimaa

Åland

English name^[4]	Finnish name	Swedish name	ISO	Capital	Area (km²)	Population (2021)^[5]
Lapland	Lappi	Lappland	FI-10	Rovaniemi	92,674	176,494
North Ostrobothnia	Pohjois-Pohjanmaa	Norra Österbotten	FI-14	Oulu	36,815	415,603
Kainuu	Kainuu	Kajanaland	FI-05	Kajaani	20,197	71,255
North Karelia	Pohjois-Karjala	Norra Karelen	FI-13	Joensuu	17,761	163,281
North Savo	Pohjois-Savo	Norra Savolax	FI-15	Kuopio	16,768	248,363
South Savo	Etelä-Savo	Södra Savolax	FI-04	Mikkeli	14,257	131,688
South Karelia	Etelä-Karjala	Södra Karelen	FI-02	Lappeenranta	5,327	126,107
Central Finland	Keski-Suomi	Mellersta Finland	FI-08	Jyväskylä	16,703	272,683
South Ostrobothnia	Etelä-Pohjanmaa	Södra Österbotten	FI-03	Seinäjoki	13,444	191,762
Ostrobothnia	Pohjanmaa	Österbotten	FI-12	Vaasa	7,753	176,041
Central Ostrobothnia	Keski-Pohjanmaa	Mellersta Österbotten	FI-07	Kokkola	5,020	67,915
Pirkanmaa	Pirkanmaa	Birkaland	FI-11	Tampere	12,585	527,478
Satakunta	Satakunta	Satakunta	FI-17	Pori	7,820	214,281
Päijät-Häme	Päijät-Häme	Päijänne-Tavastland	FI-16	Lahti	5,125	205,124
Kanta-Häme	Kanta-Häme	Egentliga Tavastland	FI-06	Hämeenlinna	5,199	170,213
Kymenlaakso	Kymenlaakso	Kymmenedalen	FI-09	Kotka and Kouvola^[b]	5,149	161,391
Uusimaa	Uusimaa	Nyland	FI-18	Helsinki	9,097	1,714,741
Southwest Finland	Varsinais-Suomi	Egentliga Finland	FI-19	Turku	10,663	483,477
Åland	Ahvenanmaa	Åland	AX and FI-01	Mariehamn	1,553	30,344

Former region

Coat of arms	Name	Official English name^[6]	Finnish name	Swedish name	Capital	Dissolution (date)
	Eastern Uusimaa	Itä-Uusimaa	Itä-Uusimaa^[7]	Östra Nyland	Porvoo	1 January 2011

Regional border changes

Border changes between the regions:^[8]

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

Punkalaidun transferred from Satakunta to Pirkanmaa.

2007

Längelmäki merged with Orivesi in Pirkanmaa and Jämsä in Central Finland.

2010

Himanka transferred from Central Ostrobothnia to North Ostrobothnia by merging with Kalajoki.
Part of Ruotsinpyhtää in Eastern Uusimaa transferred to Pyhtää in Kymenlaakso.

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.

Notes

^ Northern Sami: eanangoddi, Inari Sami: eennâmkodde, and Skolt Sami: mäddkåʹdd.^[1]
^ Kymenlaakso is the only region with two capitals, of which Kotka is the official regional centre and Kouvola is the administrative one.