Western Finland ( fi, Länsi-Suomen lääni, sv, Västra Finlands län) was a

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...

from 1997 to 2009. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Eastern Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered the

Gulf of Bothnia The Gulf of Bothnia (; fi, Pohjanlahti; sv, Bottniska viken) is divided into the Bothnian Bay and Bothnian Sea, and it is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea, between Finland's west coast ( East Bothnia) and the Sweden's east coast ( We ...

towards Åland.

Tampere Tampere ( , , ; sv, Tammerfors, ) is a city in the Pirkanmaa region, located in the western part of Finland. Tampere is the most populous inland city in the Nordic countries. It has a population of 244,029; the urban area has a population ...

was the largest city of the province.

History

On September 1, 1997 the Province of Turku and Pori, the Province of Vaasa, the Province of Central Finland, the northern parts of the Province of Häme and the western parts of the Mikkeli Province were joined to form the then new Province of Western Finland. All the provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010.

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 placed in

Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...

, and regional service offices were located in Jyväskylä,

, Vaasa, and Pori. Approximately 350 persons worked at the State Provincial Office. The agency was divided into eight departments.

Regions

Western Finland was divided into seven regions: * Southern Ostrobothnia (''Etelä-Pohjanmaa / Södra Österbotten'') * Ostrobothnia (''Pohjanmaa / Österbotten'') * Pirkanmaa (''Pirkanmaa / Birkaland'') * Satakunta (''Satakunta / Satakunda'') *

Central Ostrobothnia Central Ostrobothnia ( fi, Keski-Pohjanmaa; sv, Mellersta Österbotten) is a region in Finland. It borders the regions of Ostrobothnia, North Ostrobothnia, Central Finland and South Ostrobothnia. Historical provinces Municipalities ...

(''Keski-Pohjanmaa / Mellersta Österbotten'') * Central Finland (''Keski-Suomi / Mellersta Finland'') *

Finland Proper Southwest Finland, calqued as Finland Proper ( fi, Varsinais-Suomi ; sv, Egentliga Finland), is a region in the southwest of Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme), Uusimaa, and Åland. The ...

(''Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland'')

Municipalities in 2009 (cities in bold)

Western Finland was divided into 142

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

in 2009. *

Akaa Akaa ( sv, Ackas) is a town and a municipality in Pirkanmaa, Finland. It was created on January 1, 2007 when the town of Toijala and the municipality of Viiala were united into a single town. The municipality of Kylmäkoski was consolidated w ...

* Alajärvi * Alavus *

Aura Aura most commonly refers to: * Aura (paranormal), a field of luminous multicolored radiation around a person or object * Aura (symptom), a symptom experienced before a migraine or seizure Aura may also refer to: Places Extraterrestrial * 1488 ...

Eura Eura is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Satakunta region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The mun ...

* Eurajoki *

Evijärvi Evijärvi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . Neighbouring municipalities are Kauhava, Kr ...

* Halsua *

Hankasalmi Hankasalmi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The municipality is unilingually Finnish. Ha ...

Harjavalta Harjavalta () is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Satakunta region, southeast of Pori. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The p ...

Himanka Himanka ( sv, Himango) is a former municipality of Finland. Himanka was consolidated with the neighboring town of Kalajoki on January 1, 2010. It is located in the Central Ostrobothnia region. The municipality had a population of 3,123 (31 Dece ...

Honkajoki Honkajoki (''Hongonjoki'' until 1952) is a former municipality of Finland. It was merged with the town of Kankaanpää on 1 January 2021. It was located in the province of Western Finland and was part of the Satakunta region In geography, regio ...

* Huittinen *

Hämeenkyrö Hämeenkyrö (; sv, Tavastkyro) is a municipality of Finland. It is part of the Pirkanmaa region, and is located from Tampere. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . ...

* Ikaalinen * Ilmajoki * Isojoki * Isokyrö * Jakobstad *

Jalasjärvi Jalasjärvi is a former municipality of Finland. It was merged to the town of Kurikka on 1 January 2016. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia South Ostrobothnia ( fi, Etelä-Pohjanmaa; ...

Joutsa Joutsa is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region. Jyväskylä is located about north of the Joutsa municipality. The municipality has a population of () and cov ...

* Juupajoki * Jyväskylä * Jämijärvi * Jämsä * Kaarina * Kangasala * Kankaanpää * Kannonkoski * Kannus * Karijoki * Karstula * Karvia * Kaskinen * Kauhajoki * Kauhava * Kaustinen * Keuruu * Kihniö * Kiikoinen * Kimitoön * Kinnula * Kivijärvi * Kokemäki * Kokkola * Konnevesi * Korsholm * Korsnäs * Koski Tl * Kristinestad * Kronoby * Kuhmalahti * Kuhmoinen * Kuortane * Kurikka * Kustavi * Kylmäkoski * Kyyjärvi * Köyliö * Laihia *

Laitila Laitila (; sv, Letala) is a town and a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Southwest Finland region, and it is from Laitila to Turku. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The populat ...

* Lappajärvi * Lapua * Larsmo *

Laukaa Laukaa (; sv, Laukas) is a municipality of Finland. It is located next to Jyväskylä and is part of the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . ...

* Lavia *

Lempäälä Lempäälä (; Swedish also ) is a municipality in the Pirkanmaa region of Finland with inhabitants (). Lempäälä is located south of the city of Tampere. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The ...

* Lestijärvi * Lieto * Loimaa *

Luhanka Luhanka ( sv, Luhanka, also ) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. In relation to its population Luhanka is not just the sm ...

* Luvia * Malax * Marttila *

Masku Masku () is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southwest Finland region. The municipality, which is located about just north of Turku, has a population of () and covers an area of ...

* Merikarvia * Multia * Muurame *

Mynämäki Mynämäki (; sv, Virmo) is a municipality of Finland located in the Southwest Finland region. Neighbouring municipalities are Aura, Eura, Laitila, Masku, Nousiainen, Pöytyä, Rusko, Taivassalo, Turku and Vehmaa. The municipality ha ...

* Mänttä-Vilppula * Naantali * Nakkila *

Nokia Nokia Corporation (natively Nokia Oyj, referred to as Nokia) is a Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology, and consumer electronics corporation, established in 1865. Nokia's main headquarters are in Espoo, Finland, i ...

Noormarkku Noormarkku ( sv, Norrmark) is a former municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and was part of the Satakunta region. The municipality had a population of 6,158 (31 December 2009) and covered an area of of which ...

* Nousiainen * Nykarleby * Närpes * Oravais * Oripää * Orivesi * Paimio *

Parkano Parkano is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located north of Tampere in the Pirkanmaa region. The population of Parkano is () and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water (). The population density is . The ...

* Pedersöre * Perho * Petäjävesi * Pihtipudas * Pirkkala * Pomarkku * Pori * Punkalaidun * Pyhäranta * Pälkäne *

Pöytyä Pöytyä (; sv, Pöytyä, also ) is a municipality of Finland located in the Southwest Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The municipality is unil ...

* Raisio * Rauma * Ruovesi * Rusko * Saarijärvi * Salo *

Sastamala Sastamala () is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the Pirkanmaa region. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water, making it the largest municipality in the Pirkanmaa region in terms of area ...

Sauvo Sauvo (; sv, Sagu) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Southwest Finland region. The municipality had a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . Like many waterside areas near major p ...

* Seinäjoki * Siikainen * Soini * Somero *

Säkylä Säkylä is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Satakunta region, southeast of the city of Pori. The municipality has a population of () and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water (). The population density is ...

* Taivassalo *

* Tarvasjoki * Teuva * Toholampi *

Toivakka Toivakka is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Central Finland region, near Jyväskylä. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . The municipality is unilingu ...

* Töysä * Ulvila * Urjala *

Uurainen Uurainen ( sv, Uurainen, also ) is a municipality of Finland. It is part of the Central Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is . Neighbouring municipaliti ...

* Uusikaupunki * Vaasa * Valkeakoski *

Vehmaa Vehmaa (; sv, Vemo) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southwest Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The populati ...

* Vesilahti * Veteli * Viitasaari * Vimpeli * Virrat * Vähäkyrö * Väståboland * Vörå-Maxmo *

Ylöjärvi Ylöjärvi () is a town and a municipality in the Pirkanmaa region, northwest of Tampere and north of the capital city Helsinki in Finland. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population densit ...

* Ähtäri * Äänekoski

Former municipalities (disestablished before 2009)

* Alahärmä * Alastaro * Askainen *

Dragsfjärd Dragsfjärd is a former municipality of Finland. On 1 January 2009 it was consolidated with Kimito and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southwest Finla ...

* Halikko * Houtskär * Iniö * Jurva * Jyväskylän mlk * Jämsänkoski *

Karinainen Karinainen is a former municipality of Finland. It was merged to Pöytyä in the beginning of 2005. It was located in the province of Western Finland and was part of the Southwest Finland region. The municipality had a population of 2,457 (2004 ...

* Kiikala *

Kimito Kimito (; fi, Kemiö ) is a former municipality of Finland. On January 1, 2009, it was consolidated with Dragsfjärd and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön. Prior to the consolidation, it was one of the four municipalities ...

* Kisko * Kiukainen *

Kodisjoki Kodisjoki is a village and a former municipality of Finland. At the time of the municipality's disestablishment, Kodisjoki was located in the province of Western Finland, now it is in the Satakunta region. Kodisjoki became part of the city of ...

* Korpilahti * Korpo * Kortesjärvi * Kullaa *

Kuorevesi Kuorevesi is a former municipality in Finland. It was part of the Pirkanmaa region in western Finland. In the year 2001 it was consolidated into the town of Jämsä in the Central Finland region. The name of the municipality came from the Lake Ku ...

Kuru Kuru may refer to: Anthropology and history * Kuru (disease), a type of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy associated with the cannibalistic funeral practices of the Fore people * Kuru (mythology), part of Meithei mythology * Kuru Kingdom, ...

Kuusjoki Kuusjoki () is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated with Salo Salo or Salò may refer to: Places Finland *Salo, Finland, a town in Western Finland ** Salo sub-region, a subdivision of Finland Proper and one of the Sub-regio ...

* Kälviä * Lappi * Lehtimäki * Leivonmäki * Lemu *

Lohtaja Lohtaja ( sv, Lochteå) is a former municipality of Finland. Lohtaja was consolidated with the city of Kokkola on January 1, 2009. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Ostrobothnia Central Ostrob ...

* Loimaan kunta *

Luopioinen Luopioinen is a former municipality of Finland, situated about from Tampere. It is part of the Pirkanmaa region and in 2007 it was joined to the municipality of Pälkäne. It is a rural town containing a few lakes, most famous being lake Kukki ...

* Längelmäki * Maxmo * Mellilä * Merimasku *

Mietoinen Mietoinen (; sv, Mietois) is a former A former is an object, such as a template, gauge or cutting die, which is used to form something such as a boat's hull. Typically, a former gives shape to a structure that may have complex curvature. A f ...

Mouhijärvi Mouhijärvi is a former municipality of Finland, located in the southwestern part of the country. It was an agricultural village since the 18th century. On 1 January in 2009 Mouhijärvi was consolidated with the municipalities of Vammala and Äe ...

* Muurla *

Mänttä Mänttä is a former town and municipality of Finland. It was merged with the municipality of Vilppula to form Mänttä-Vilppula on 1 January 2009. The place name ''Mänttä'' comes from an old house which Tuomas Niilonpoika Mäntsä (1570–161 ...

* Nagu * Nurmo * Pargas * Perniö *

Pertteli Pertteli (); sv, S:t Bertils) is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated with Salo on January 1, 2009. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southwest Finland region. The municipality had a population ...

Peräseinäjoki Peräseinäjoki is a former municipality of Finland. It was located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality had a population of 3,653 (2004) and covered an area of 459.13 km2 of ...

* Piikkiö *

Pylkönmäki Pylkönmäki is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated to Saarijärvi on 1 January 2009. It is located in the Central Finland region. The municipality had a population of 975 (2006) and covered an area of 392.61 km² of whic ...

* Rymättylä * Sahalahti * Sumiainen *

Suodenniemi Suodenniemi is a List of former municipalities of Finland, former municipality of southwestern Finland. Suodenniemi was first consolidated into Vammala in 2007. On 1 January 2009, Vammala itself was consolidated with Äetsä and Mouhijärvi to f ...

* Suolahti * Suomusjärvi * Särkisalo * Toijala *

Ullava Ullava is a former municipality of Finland. Ullava was consolidated with the city of Kokkola on January 1, 2009. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Ostrobothnia Central Ostrobothnia ( fi, Keski- ...

* Vahto * Vammala * Vampula * Velkua * Viiala *

Viljakkala Viljakkala is a former municipality of Finland. It was located in the province of Western Finland and was part of the Pirkanmaa region. The municipality had a population of 2,043 (2003) and covered an area of 224.70 km² of which 24.61& ...

Vilppula Vilppula was a former municipality of Finland. Neighbouring Mänttä was merged into it on 1 January 2009 to form the municipality of Mänttä-Vilppula. The municipality was unilingually Finnish. It was located in the province of Western Finl ...

* Västanfjärd * Vörå * Ylihärmä * Ylistaro * Yläne *

Äetsä Äetsä is a former municipality of southwestern Finland. The municipality was founded on 1981 when municipalities of Keikyä and Kiikka were consolidated to a single municipality. On 1 January 2009, it was consolidated with the municipaliti ...

Governors

* Heikki Koski 1997-2003 *

Rauno Saari Rauno is an Estonian and Finnish masculine given name, and may refer to: * Rauno Aaltonen (born 1938), Finnish former professional rally driver * Rauno Alliku (born 1990), Estonian professional footballer * Rauno Bies (born 1961), Finnish form ...

2003-2009

Heraldry

The coat of arms of Western Finland was composed of the arms of

, Satakunta and Ostrobothnia.

Notes

External links

Western Finland State Provincial Office
- Official site {{Coord, 62, N, 24, E, type:adm1st_region:FI, display=title Provinces of Finland (1997–2009) States and territories established in 1997 States and territories disestablished in 2009