Counties in Finland

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The Counties of Finland (lääni in singular) was the administrative division of Finland from 1634 to 1997. The counties were introduced by Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna when Finland was a part of Sweden, to supersede an older division into the Provinces of Sweden. A major change occurred in 1808 when Sweden after being defeated in the Finnish War was forced to cede the Finnish counties to Russia under the Treaty of Fredrikshamn. The counties nevertheless continued to be the basic geographical and administrative subdivisions of the country during the period of the Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire, and also after independence in 1917 until 1997, when a reform introduced the Provinces of Finland.

The state divided its organizations geographically into the counties and further into state local districts. Local police, in particular, was under the authority of the county and divided into state local districts. These tasks were inherited by the provinces in the reform.

The counties survive in telephone numbering areas^[1] and in electoral districts for the parliamentary elections.^[2] The exception is the capital Helsinki, which is counted separately.

[edit] Counties in Finland 1634

Åbo and Björneborg County Åbo och Björneborgs län/Turun ja Porin lääni
Nyland and Tavastehus County Nylands och Tavastehus län/Uudenmaan ja Hämeen lääni
Viborg and Nyslott County Viborgs och Nyslotts län/Viipurin ja Savonlinnan lääni
Österbotten County Österbottens län/Pohjanmaan lääni
Kexholm County Kexkholms län/Käkisalmen lääni