Counties in Finland

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. Territorial changes following Soviet Union's occupation of Finnish Karelia, including the city of Viipuri, also brought an end to the Viipuri county, with most of the area redefined as Kymi county ("Kymen lääni").

In 1997, a reform introduced the Provinces of Finland, which are much larger units than counties. Also, the smaller unit of region was defined.

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 [ [http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/alkup/1990/19900888 FINLEX ® - Säädökset alkuperäisinä: 888/1990 ] ] and in electoral districts for the parliamentary elections. [ [http://www.vaalit.fi/34846.htm Vaalipiirit - Vaalit.fi ] ] The exception is the capital Helsinki, which is counted separately.

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"

'Counties' in Finland 1997

# Ahvenanmaan maakunta / Ålands län
# Hämeen lääni / Tavastehus län
# Keski-Suomen lääni / Mellersta Finlands län
# Kuopion lääni / Kuopio län
# Kymen lääni / Kymmene län
# Lapin lääni / Laplands län
# Mikkelin lääni / St. Michels län
# Oulun lääni / Uleåborgs län
# Pohjois-Karjalan lääni / Norra Karelens län
# Turun ja Porin lääni / Åbo och Björneborgs län
# Uudenmaan lääni / Nylands län
# Vaasan lääni / Vasa län

"See also: Counties of Sweden, Historical provinces of Finland"

References