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Satakunta (region)
Encyclopedia
Satakunta is a region
(maakunta / landskap) of Finland
, part of the former Western Finland Province. It borders the regions of Finland Proper
, Pirkanmaa
, Southern Ostrobothnia
and Ostrobothnia
. The main city of the region is Pori
. The name of the region literally means Hundred
. The historical province of the same name
was a larger area within Finland, covering modern Satakunta as well as much of Pirkanmaa
.
in Satakunta:
in coastal Satakunta (e.g. Noormarkku
< ). During the Middle Ages, the major cities of the province were Ulvila
, established in the 14th century and Rauma
, established 1442. Due to the rising of land, the former was left inland and lost its access to the sea. Consequently, the city of Pori
was founded to the coast by Johan, Grand Duke of Finland in 1558. Administratively, the province lost its function in 1649 when it was combined with Finland Proper
to form Turku and Pori County. In the 19th century, the eastern parts of the province were transferred to the Tavastia
County. At the present, the eastern part of the old province has formed the region of Pirkanmaa
and the western part forms the region of Satakunta.
Satakunta, with the rest of Finland, was separated from Sweden when Finland was ceded to Russia
in 1809. During the era of Autonomy (1809–1917), the province experienced slow industrialization, Pori becoming the most important industrial city of the region. The forest and textile industries dominated the business life. In addition, the merchants of Rauma and Pori had impressively large fleets of sailpowered merchantmen, which made up a large fraction of the total merchant navy of the Russian empire. The large-scale use of sail ships continued until the 1930s, even while the steampower started to dominate the international seatraffic. The building of the Tampere
–Pori
and Kokemäki
–Rauma
railroads connected the province into Finnish inland and diminished the importance of unnavigable Kokemäenjoki
river as a means of transport. After this, the ports of Rauma and Pori have remained among the most important export ports for the Finnish industry.
The development of agriculture towards market-based economy was started during the 18th century, when crop rotation and large-scale drainage projects were initiated. At the same time, clearing of forests for agricultural use continued, leading into the formation of a large crofter class , living on small-holdings rented from larger farms. During the 19th century the social divisions among the rural population deepened. Consequently, in Finnish Civil War
of 1918, Satakunta formed an important part of Red Finland.
Since independence, the development of Satakunta has followed the general Finnish pattern. The rural areas have suffered from the drain of young population towards population centers, which until the early 1990s benefited the industrial cities of Rauma, Harjavalta
and Pori with their surroundings. The metal and forest industries expanded steadily, necessitating the building of the nuclear plant at Olkiluoto
. The increase of industrial production was not fully without problems, however. Especially the area around Harjavalta copper–nickel smelting plant suffered heavily from acid rain
and Kokemäenjoki became heavily polluted. Fortunately, these problems have become to large extent controlled since 1980s.
Since 1990s, the traditional industries of the region have more or less stagnated and the relative importance of her cities has dwindled. One of the perceived reasons for this development has been the fact that Satakunta lacks a university of its own.
. This is because northern parts of Pirkanmaa were only sparsely inhabited wilderness and the borders of the provinces were never well defined before the introduction of county system
in 1634. In that year, the border between Turku and Pori County which included Satakunta, and Uusimaa and Tavastia county was rather arbitrarily drawn in Tammerkoski
. To further complicate matters, Tampere
with her surroundings was transferred to Tavastia Province in the 19th century. As a result, the region around Ikaalinen
and Parkano
is variously described as being part of Satakunta, Tavastia, Sata-Häme or Pirkanmaa.
Satakunta is characterized by a strong contrast of coast and inland areas. The southernmost part of the coast is flanked by the archipelago
of Rauma
but towards north, the number of coastal islands decreases markedly. The seabed is flat and due to this, the still-continuing post-glacial rising is perceivable even during a single person's lifetime. The dominating feature of the northern coast of Satakunta is the delta
of Kokemäenjoki
northeast of the town of Pori
.
The valley of river Kokemäenjoki and the area south of it form one of the most important agricultural regions of Finland. The main crops are rye
, barley
, potato
and sugar beet
. On the other hand, north of Kokemäenjoki valley, forests dominate the landscape and population density is much lower than in southern Satakunta. Towards inland, the flat agricultural plain gives way to a more hilly landscape blotted by lakes. In this area, the population centers are located along the most important waterways, as a result of the original inhabitation period.
Regions of Finland
Finland consists of 19 regions called in Finnish and 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,...
(maakunta / landskap) of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, part of the former Western Finland Province. It borders the regions of Finland Proper
Finland Proper
Finland Proper or Southwest Finland , is a region in south-western Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Ahvenanmaa and Uusimaa.- Municipalities :...
, Pirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa , or the Tampere Region , is a region of Finland. It borders on the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Ostrobothnia and Central Finland....
, Southern Ostrobothnia
Southern Ostrobothnia
Southern Ostrobothnia is one of the 20 regions of Finland.Seinäjoki is the regional centre and by far the largest city in the area.- Historical provinces :For History, Geography and Culture see: Ostrobothnia- Municipalities :...
and Ostrobothnia
Ostrobothnia (region)
Ostrobothnia is a region of Finland. It is located in Western Finland. It borders the regions Central Ostrobothnia, Southern Ostrobothnia, and Satakunta and is one of the four regions making up the historical province of Ostrobothnia....
. The main city of the region is Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
. The name of the region literally means Hundred
Hundred (division)
A hundred is a geographic division formerly used in England, Wales, Denmark, South Australia, some parts of the United States, Germany , Sweden, Finland and Norway, which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller administrative divisions...
. The historical province of the same name
Satakunta (Historical province)
Satakunta is a historical province of Finland. It borders the historical provinces of Finland Proper, Tavastia and Ostrobothnia, also the Gulf of Bothnia....
was a larger area within Finland, covering modern Satakunta as well as much of Pirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa , or the Tampere Region , is a region of Finland. It borders on the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Ostrobothnia and Central Finland....
.
Municipalities
The region of Satakunta is made up of 21 municipalities.- EuraEuraEura 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 ....
- EurajokiEurajokiEurajoki is a municipality of Finland located in the region of Satakunta in the province of Western Finland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
- HarjavaltaHarjavaltaHarjavalta is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Satakunta region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
- HonkajokiHonkajokiHonkajoki is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Satakunta region. The population of Honkajoki is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water . The population density is ....
- HuittinenHuittinenHuittinen is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the Satakunta region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
- JämijärviJämijärviJämijärvi 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...
- KankaanpääKankaanpää-People born in Kankaanpää:*Toni Vilander , racing driver*Elwood , demoscene musician*Cristal Snow, musician-External links:* – Official website...
- KarviaKarviaKarvia is a municipality of Finland founded in 1865.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Satakunta region. The population of Karvia is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water . The population density is .Twin town of Karvia is Viru-Nigula...
- KiikoinenKiikoinenKiikoinen 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 ....
- KokemäkiKokemäkiKokemäki is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Satakunta region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
- KöyliöKöyliöKöyliö 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...
- Lavia
- LuviaLuviaLuvia 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 ofwhich is water. The population density is....
- MerikarviaMerikarviaMerikarvia is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the Satakunta region.The municipality has a population of and it covers an area of , ofwhich is water...
- NakkilaNakkilaNakkila 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...
- PomarkkuPomarkkuPomarkku 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 ....
- PoriPoriPori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
- RaumaRauma, FinlandRauma is a town and municipality of ca. inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, north of Turku, and south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 , Rauma is known of its high quality lace , and of the old wooden architecture of its centre , which is a Unesco world heritage...
- SiikainenSiikainenSiikainen 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 the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water . The population density is...
- SäkyläSäkyläSäkylä 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 the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water...
- UlvilaUlvilaUlvila is a town and municipality of Finland. It is one of the six medieval cities of Finland. Its position as city was taken over by Pori in the 16th century....
Politics
Results of the Finnish parliamentary election, 2011Finnish parliamentary election, 2011
An election to the Eduskunta was held on 17 April 2011 after the termination of the previous parliamentary term. Advance voting, which included voting by Finnish expatriates, was held between 6 and 12 April with a turnout of 31.2%....
in Satakunta:
- Social Democratic PartySocial Democratic Party of FinlandThe Social Democratic Party of Finland is one of the three major political parties in Finland, along with the Centre Party and the National Coalition Party. Jutta Urpilainen is the current SDP leader. The party has been in the Finnish government cabinet for long periods and has set many...
24.0% - True FinnsTrue FinnsTrue Finns or The Finns is a populist and nationalist political party in Finland, founded in 1995 following the dissolution of the Finnish Rural Party. The head of the movement is Timo Soini. In the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election, The party won 19.1% of votes, becoming the third largest party...
23.6% - National Coalition Party 17.6%
- Centre PartyCentre Party (Finland)The Centre Party is a centrist and Nordic agrarian political party in Finland. It is one of the four largest political parties in the country, along with the Social Democratic Party , the National Coalition Party and the True Finns , and currently has 35 seats in the Finnish Parliament...
16.1% - Left AllianceLeft Alliance (Finland)The Left Alliance is a left-wing political party in Finland. It was founded on the basis of the Finnish People's Democratic League and the Communist Party of Finland in 1990....
10.9% - Green LeagueGreen LeagueThe Green League is a centrist green liberal political party in Finland. It has ten seats in the Finnish Parliament and two in the European Parliament. The current chairperson is Ville Niinistö....
3.8% - Christian DemocratsChristian Democrats (Finland)The Christian Democrats is a Christian democratic political party in Finland. Formerly known as the Finnish Christian League , the Christian Democrats have six seats in the Finnish Parliament and one in the European Parliament.The party was founded in 1958, chiefly from the Christian faction of...
3.4%
Heraldry
The arms are crowned by a ducal coronet, though in Finnish tradition this resembles a Swedish count's coronet. Blazon: "Per fess Azure and Or, a bear rampant Sable, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or, holding in both paws a sword Argent, sword handle Or; surmounted by two mullets of seven Argent".History
According to one theory, Satakunta was a political and military entity already in the Late Iron Age of Finland (550 - 1150 AD). During the 13th century, the Swedish rule was consolidated. At the same time, the coastal strip received some Swedish inhabitants, who however were assimilated in the mainstream Finnish population. The remnant of the influx can be seen in some of the toponymsToponyms of Finland
The toponyms of Finland result mainly from the legacy left by three linguistic heritages: the Finnish language , the Swedish language and Sami languages . Finland’s place names range from those of unknown or unrecognizable origins to more clearly derivable onomastics...
in coastal Satakunta (e.g. Noormarkku
Noormarkku
Noormarkku 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 and covered an area of of which is water. The population density was .Noormarkku is the birthplace of the Ahlstrom...
< ). During the Middle Ages, the major cities of the province were Ulvila
Ulvila
Ulvila is a town and municipality of Finland. It is one of the six medieval cities of Finland. Its position as city was taken over by Pori in the 16th century....
, established in the 14th century and Rauma
Rauma, Finland
Rauma is a town and municipality of ca. inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, north of Turku, and south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 , Rauma is known of its high quality lace , and of the old wooden architecture of its centre , which is a Unesco world heritage...
, established 1442. Due to the rising of land, the former was left inland and lost its access to the sea. Consequently, the city of Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
was founded to the coast by Johan, Grand Duke of Finland in 1558. Administratively, the province lost its function in 1649 when it was combined with Finland Proper
Finland Proper
Finland Proper or Southwest Finland , is a region in south-western Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Ahvenanmaa and Uusimaa.- Municipalities :...
to form Turku and Pori County. In the 19th century, the eastern parts of the province were transferred to the Tavastia
Tavastia
Tavastia may refer to:* Tavastia , a historical province of the kingdom of Sweden, located in modern-day Finland* Tavastia Proper, a modern region of Finland* Päijänne Tavastia, another region of Finland...
County. At the present, the eastern part of the old province has formed the region of Pirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa , or the Tampere Region , is a region of Finland. It borders on the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Ostrobothnia and Central Finland....
and the western part forms the region of Satakunta.
Satakunta, with the rest of Finland, was separated from Sweden when Finland was ceded to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1809. During the era of Autonomy (1809–1917), the province experienced slow industrialization, Pori becoming the most important industrial city of the region. The forest and textile industries dominated the business life. In addition, the merchants of Rauma and Pori had impressively large fleets of sailpowered merchantmen, which made up a large fraction of the total merchant navy of the Russian empire. The large-scale use of sail ships continued until the 1930s, even while the steampower started to dominate the international seatraffic. The building of the Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
–Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
and Kokemäki
Kokemäki
Kokemäki is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Satakunta region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
–Rauma
Rauma, Finland
Rauma is a town and municipality of ca. inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, north of Turku, and south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 , Rauma is known of its high quality lace , and of the old wooden architecture of its centre , which is a Unesco world heritage...
railroads connected the province into Finnish inland and diminished the importance of unnavigable Kokemäenjoki
Kokemäenjoki
The Kokemäenjoki is a river and its drainage basin in southwestern Finland.-Geography:The river originates at Lake Liekovesi in the Pirkanmaa region, and flows to the Gulf of Bothnia at Pori in the Satakunta region...
river as a means of transport. After this, the ports of Rauma and Pori have remained among the most important export ports for the Finnish industry.
The development of agriculture towards market-based economy was started during the 18th century, when crop rotation and large-scale drainage projects were initiated. At the same time, clearing of forests for agricultural use continued, leading into the formation of a large crofter class , living on small-holdings rented from larger farms. During the 19th century the social divisions among the rural population deepened. Consequently, in Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
of 1918, Satakunta formed an important part of Red Finland.
Since independence, the development of Satakunta has followed the general Finnish pattern. The rural areas have suffered from the drain of young population towards population centers, which until the early 1990s benefited the industrial cities of Rauma, Harjavalta
Harjavalta
Harjavalta is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Satakunta region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
and Pori with their surroundings. The metal and forest industries expanded steadily, necessitating the building of the nuclear plant at Olkiluoto
Olkiluoto
The Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant is on Olkiluoto Island, which is on the shore of the Gulf of Bothnia in the municipality of Eurajoki in western Finland. It is one of Finland's two nuclear power plants, the other being the two-unit VVER Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant...
. The increase of industrial production was not fully without problems, however. Especially the area around Harjavalta copper–nickel smelting plant suffered heavily from acid rain
Acid rain
Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions . It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen...
and Kokemäenjoki became heavily polluted. Fortunately, these problems have become to large extent controlled since 1980s.
Since 1990s, the traditional industries of the region have more or less stagnated and the relative importance of her cities has dwindled. One of the perceived reasons for this development has been the fact that Satakunta lacks a university of its own.
Geography
The exact borders of Satakunta towards Finland Proper, Ostrobothnia and Southern Tavastia are rather well-defined. However, this is not the case with the Northern Tavastia, i.e. in the modern day region of PirkanmaaPirkanmaa
Pirkanmaa , or the Tampere Region , is a region of Finland. It borders on the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Ostrobothnia and Central Finland....
. This is because northern parts of Pirkanmaa were only sparsely inhabited wilderness and the borders of the provinces were never well defined before the introduction of county system
Counties of Sweden
The Counties of Sweden are the first level administrative and political subdivisions of Sweden. Sweden is divided into 21 counties. The counties were established in 1634 on Count Axel Oxenstierna's initiative, superseding the historical provinces of Sweden to introduce a modern administration...
in 1634. In that year, the border between Turku and Pori County which included Satakunta, and Uusimaa and Tavastia county was rather arbitrarily drawn in Tammerkoski
Tammerkoski
Tammerkoski is a channel of rapids in Tampere, Finland. The city of Tampere is located between two lakes, Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. The difference in altitude between these two is 18 metres and the water flows from Näsijärvi to Pyhäjärvi through the Tammerkoski rapids.The banks of the Tammerkoski...
. To further complicate matters, Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
with her surroundings was transferred to Tavastia Province in the 19th century. As a result, the region around Ikaalinen
Ikaalinen
Ikaalinen is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Pirkanmaa region. The town has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water...
and Parkano
Parkano
Parkano is a town and municipality in Finland.It is located north of Tampere in the province of Western Finland, and is part of the Pirkanmaa region. The population of Parkano is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water...
is variously described as being part of Satakunta, Tavastia, Sata-Häme or Pirkanmaa.
Satakunta is characterized by a strong contrast of coast and inland areas. The southernmost part of the coast is flanked by the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
of Rauma
Rauma, Finland
Rauma is a town and municipality of ca. inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, north of Turku, and south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 , Rauma is known of its high quality lace , and of the old wooden architecture of its centre , which is a Unesco world heritage...
but towards north, the number of coastal islands decreases markedly. The seabed is flat and due to this, the still-continuing post-glacial rising is perceivable even during a single person's lifetime. The dominating feature of the northern coast of Satakunta is the delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
of Kokemäenjoki
Kokemäenjoki
The Kokemäenjoki is a river and its drainage basin in southwestern Finland.-Geography:The river originates at Lake Liekovesi in the Pirkanmaa region, and flows to the Gulf of Bothnia at Pori in the Satakunta region...
northeast of the town of Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
.
The valley of river Kokemäenjoki and the area south of it form one of the most important agricultural regions of Finland. The main crops are rye
Rye
Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
and sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
. On the other hand, north of Kokemäenjoki valley, forests dominate the landscape and population density is much lower than in southern Satakunta. Towards inland, the flat agricultural plain gives way to a more hilly landscape blotted by lakes. In this area, the population centers are located along the most important waterways, as a result of the original inhabitation period.