Western Finland Province

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Western Finland
Länsi-Suomen lääni
Västra Finlands län

Coat of arms
Country Finland
Established September 1, 1997
Abolished January 1, 2010
Capital Turku
Government
 • Governor Rauno Saari
Area
 • Total 74,185 km2 (28,643 sq mi)
Population (December 31, 2009)
 • Total 1,889,542
 • Density 25/km2 (66/sq mi)
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
ISO 3166 code LS
NUTS code 19

Western Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2009. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Eastern Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Bothnia towards Åland.

History

For history, geography, and culture, see Finland Proper, Satakunta (historical province), and Ostrobothnia (region).

On September 1, 1997 the Province of Turku and Pori, the Province of Vaasa, the Province of Central Finland and the northern parts of the Province of Häme were joined to form the new Province of Western Finland.

All the provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010.[1]

Administration

The State Provincial Office was a joint regional administrative authority of seven ministries. The State Provincial Office served at five localities; the main office was in Turku, regional service offices were located in Jyväskylä, Tampere and Vaasa, and finally there was an office in Pori. Approximately 350 persons worked at the State Provincial Office. The agency was divided into eight departments.

Regions

Main article: Regions of Western Finland

Western Finland was divided into seven regions:

Municipalities in 2009 (cities in bold)

Western Finland was divided into 142 municipalities in 2009.

Former municipalities (disestablished before 2009)

Governors

  • Heikki Koski 1997-2003
  • Rauno Saari 2003-2009

Heraldry

The coat of arms of Western Finland was composed of the arms of Finland Proper, Satakunta and Ostrobothnia.

Notes

  1. ↑ "New regional administration model abolishes provinces in 2010". Helsingin Sanomat International Edition. Sanoma Corporation. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2010. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Western Finland.
Former provinces of Finland
In parentheses are years when provinces were established and disestablished.
1634–1775
1775–1831
1831–1918
1918–1997
  • Turku and Pori (1634–1997)
  • Vaasa (1775–1997)
  • Oulu (1775)
  • Viipuri (1812–1945)
  • Häme (1831–1997)
  • Uusimaa (1831–1997)
  • Mikkeli (1831–1997)
  • Kuopio (1831–1997)
  • Åland (1918)
  • Petsamo (1921–1921)
  • Lapland (1938)
  • Kymi (1945–1997)
  • Central Finland (1960–1997)
  • Northern Karelia (1960–1997)
1997–2009

Coordinates: 62°N 24°E / 62°N 24°E / 62; 24

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