Southern Finland was a province

Provinces of Finland

The state of Finland consisted of six provinces between the years 1997 and 2009. The provincial authority was part of the central government's executive branch, not directly elected. The system was created in 1634, and its makeup was changed drastically in 1997, when the number of the provinces...

 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...

 from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Western Finland

Western Finland

Western Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Eastern Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Bothnia towards Åland.- History :...

 and Eastern Finland

Eastern Finland

Eastern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Western Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered Russia.- History :...

. It also bordered the Gulf of Finland

Gulf of Finland

The Gulf of Finland is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland and Estonia all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn...

 and 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...

.

History

On September 1, 1997 the Uusimaa Province

Uusimaa Province

The Province of Uusimaa was a province of Finland from 1831 to 1997.In 1831 the Nyland-Tavastehus Governorate was divided into the Tavastehus Governorate and Nyland Governorate, and was thus formed....

, the Kymi Province and the southern parts of the Häme Province

Häme Province

The Province of Häme was a province of Finland from 1831 to 1997.In 1997 the southern parts with Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia was merged together with the province of Uusimaa and Kymi into the new Province of Southern Finland...

 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 units were located in the cities of Hämeenlinna

Hämeenlinna

Hämeenlinna is a city and municipality of about inhabitants in the heart of the historical province of Häme in the south of Finland and is the birthplace of composer Jean Sibelius. Today, it belongs to the region of Tavastia Proper, and until 2010 it was the residence city for the Governor of the...

, Helsinki

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

 and Kouvola

Kouvola

Kouvola is a town and municipality in southeastern Finland. It is located northeast of the capital, Helsinki.The city has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....

, Hämeenlinna being the capital of Southern Finland.

Regions

Southern Finland was divided into 6 regions:

• South Karelia
  South Karelia
  South Karelia is a region of Finland. It borders to the regions of Kymenlaakso, Southern Savonia, North Karelia and to Russia. The term "South Karelia" might also be used to refer to the southern parts of the entire Karelia — the Region of South Karelia is termed "South" because it is the...
  
   (Etelä-Karjala/ Södra Karelen)
• Päijänne Tavastia
  Päijänne Tavastia
  Päijänne Tavastia is a region in Southern Finland south of the lake Päijänne. It borders the regions Uusimaa, Tavastia Proper, Pirkanmaa, Central Finland, Southern Savonia and Kymenlaakso.- Historical provinces :...
  
   (Päijät-Häme/ Päijänne Tavastland)
• Tavastia Proper
  Tavastia Proper
  Tavastia Proper is a region of Finland. It borders to the regions Finland Proper, Pirkanmaa, Päijänne Tavastia, and Uusimaa.Hämeenlinna is the largest urban area in the region...
  
   (Kanta-Häme/ Egentliga Tavastland)
• Uusimaa (Uusimaa/ Nyland)
• Eastern Uusimaa
  Eastern Uusimaa
  Eastern Uusimaa was a region in Finland, until it was consolidated with the region of Uusimaa on January 1, 2011. It bordered to the regions Uusimaa, Päijänne Tavastia, and Kymenlaakso.- Municipalities :...
  
   (Itä-Uusimaa/ Östra Nyland)
• Kymenlaakso
  Kymenlaakso
  Kymenlaakso is a region in Finland. It borders to the regions Uusimaa, Päijänne Tavastia, Southern Savonia, and South Karelia.- Historical provinces :For history, geography and culture see: Uusimaa , Karelia- Municipalities :...
  
   (Kymenlaakso/ Kymmenedalen)

Southern Finland was divided into 88 municipalities.

Heraldry

The coat of arms of Southern Finland was composed of the arms of Tavastia

Tavastia (historical province)

Tavastia, Tavastland or Häme, Russian Emi or Yemi, is a historical province in the south of Finland. It borders Finland Proper, Satakunta, Ostrobothnia, Savonia and Uusimaa.- Administration :...

, Karelia

Finnish Karelia

Karelia is a historical province of Finland. It refers to the Western Karelia that during the second millennium has been under western dominance, religiously and politically. Western, i.e. Finnish Karelia is separate from Eastern, i.e...

 and Nylandia

Nylandia

Uusimaa , is a historical province in the south of Finland. It borders to Finland Proper, Tavastia, Savonia, and Karelia. The English translation would be "new land". From the Middle Ages to 1809, most of the present-day Finland was a part of Kingdom of Sweden...

.

External links

• Southern Finland State Provincial Office - Official site