Regions of Finland
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| Republic of Finland |
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| This article is part of the Subdivisions of Finland series |
| Provinces |
| Regions |
| Sub-regions |
| Municipalities |
| NUTS:FI |
Finland is divided into 20 regions (maakunta in Finnish, landskap in Swedish). The regions are governed by regional councils, which serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of a region. The main tasks of the regions are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition, the public health services are usually organized on the basis of regions. Currently, the only region where a popular election is held for the council is Kainuu. Other regional councils are elected by municipal councils, each municipality sending representatives in proportion to its population.
In addition to inter-municipal cooperation, which is the responsibility of regional councils, each region has a state Employment and Economic Development Centre, which is responsible for the local administration of labour, agriculture, fisheries, forestry and entrepreneurial affairs. The Finnish Defence Forces regional offices are responsible for the regional defence preparations and for the administration of conscription within the region.
Regions represent dialectal, cultural and economic variations better than the provinces, which are purely administrative divisions of the central government. Historically, regions are divisions of historical provinces of Finland, areas which represent dialects and culture more accurately.
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[edit] Regions
- Lapland (Lappi / Lappland)
- Northern Ostrobothnia (Pohjois-Pohjanmaa / Norra Österbotten)
- Kainuu (Kainuu / Kajanaland)
- North Karelia (Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen)
- Northern Savonia (Pohjois-Savo / Norra Savolax)
- Southern Savonia (Etelä-Savo / Södra Savolax)
- Southern Ostrobothnia (Etelä-Pohjanmaa / Södra Österbotten)
- Ostrobothnia (Pohjanmaa / Österbotten), also disambiguated as "coastal region of Vaasa" (Vaasan rannikkoseutu)
- Pirkanmaa (Pirkanmaa / Birkaland)
- Satakunta (Satakunta / Satakunda)
- Central Ostrobothnia (Keski-Pohjanmaa / Mellersta Österbotten)
- Central Finland (Keski-Suomi / Mellersta Finland)
- Finland Proper (Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland)
- 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)
- Åland Islands¹ (Ahvenanmaa / Åland)
¹ The role that the regional councils serve on Mainland Finland are on the Åland Islands handled by the autonomous Government of Åland.
[edit] Coats of Arms
[edit] See also
- Regions of Eastern Finland
- Regions of Oulu
- Regions of Southern Finland
- Regions of Western Finland
- County Councils of Sweden
- Household pennants of Finland
[edit] External links
Media related to Regions of Finland at Wikimedia Commons- Regional Councils of Finland – Official site
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