Southern Finland (, ) was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2009. It bordered the provinces of Western Finland and Eastern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Finland and Russia.
History
On September 1, 1997 the Uusimaa Province, the Kymi Province and the southern parts of the Häme Province were joined to form the new Southern Finland Province.
All the provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010.
Administration
The State Provincial Office was a joint regional authority of seven different ministries. It promoted national and regional objectives of the State central administration. The State Provincial Office of Southern Finland employed about 380 persons. Its service offices were located in the cities of Hämeenlinna, Helsinki, and Kouvola. The administrative seat was placed at Hämeenlinna.
Regions
Southern Finland was divided into six regions: South Karelia (Etelä-Karjala / Södra Karelen) Päijänne Tavastia (Päijät-Häme / Päijänne Tavastland) Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland) Uusimaa (Uusimaa / Nyland) Eastern Uusimaa (Itä-Uusimaa / Östra Nyland) Kymenlaakso (Kymenlaakso / Kymmenedalen)
Municipalities in 2009 (cities in bold) Southern Finland was divided into 72 municipalities in 2009.
Artjärvi
Asikkala
Askola
Espoo
Forssa
Hamina
Hanko
Hartola
Hattula
Hausjärvi
Heinola
Helsinki
Hollola
Humppila
Hyvinkää
Hämeenkoski
Hämeenlinna
Iitti
Imatra
Ingå
Janakkala
Jokioinen
Järvenpää
Karjalohja
Karkkila
Kauniainen
Kerava
Kirkkonummi
Kotka
Kouvola
Kärkölä
Lahti
Lapinjärvi
Lappeenranta
Lemi
Liljendal
Lohja
Loppi
Loviisa
Luumäki
Miehikkälä
Myrskylä
Mäntsälä
Nastola
Nummi-Pusula
Nurmijärvi
Orimattila
Padasjoki
Parikkala
Pernå
Pornainen
Porvoo
Pukkila
Pyhtää
Raseborg
Rautjärvi
Riihimäki
Ruokolahti
Ruotsinpyhtää
Savitaipale
Sipoo
Siuntio
Suomenniemi
Sysmä
Taipalsaari
Tammela
Tuusula
Vantaa
Vihti
Virolahti
Ylämaa
Ypäjä
Former municipalities (disestablished before 2009)
Anjalankoski
Ekenäs
Elimäki
Hauho
Jaala
Joutseno
Kalvola
Karis
Kuusankoski
Lammi
Pohja
Renko
Saari
Sammatti
Tuulos
Uukuniemi
Valkeala
Vehkalahti
Governors
Tuula Linnainmaa 1997-2003
Anneli Taina 2003-2009
Heraldry
The coat of arms of Southern Finland was composed of the arms of Tavastia, Karelia and Uusimaa.
Notes
External links
Southern Finland State Provincial Office - Official site
Provinces of Finland (1997–2009) States and territories established in 1997 States and territories disestablished in 2009