Western Finland (, ) was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2009. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Eastern Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Bothnia towards Åland. Tampere was the largest city of the province.
History
On September 1, 1997 the Province of Turku and Pori, the Province of Vaasa, the Province of Central Finland, the northern parts of the Province of Häme and the western parts of the Mikkeli Province were joined to form the then new Province of Western Finland.
All the provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010.
Administration
The State Provincial Office was a joint regional administrative authority of seven ministries. The State Provincial Office served at five localities; the main office was placed in Turku, and regional service offices were located in Jyväskylä, Tampere, Vaasa, and Pori. Approximately 350 persons worked at the State Provincial Office. The agency was divided into eight departments.
Regions
Western Finland was divided into seven regions: South Ostrobothnia (Etelä-Pohjanmaa / Södra Österbotten) Ostrobothnia (Pohjanmaa / Österbotten) Pirkanmaa (Pirkanmaa / Birkaland) Satakunta (Satakunta / Satakunda) Central Ostrobothnia (Keski-Pohjanmaa / Mellersta Österbotten) Central Finland (Keski-Suomi / Mellersta Finland) Finland Proper (Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland)
Municipalities in 2009 (cities in bold) Western Finland was divided into 142 municipalities in 2009.
Akaa Alajärvi Alavus Aura Eura Eurajoki Evijärvi Halsua Hankasalmi Harjavalta Himanka Honkajoki Huittinen Hämeenkyrö Ikaalinen Ilmajoki Isojoki Isokyrö Jakobstad Jalasjärvi Joutsa Juupajoki Jyväskylä Jämijärvi Jämsä Kaarina Kangasala Kankaanpää Kannonkoski Kannus Karijoki Karstula Karvia Kaskinen Kauhajoki Kauhava Kaustinen Keuruu Kihniö Kiikoinen Kimitoön Kinnula Kivijärvi Kokemäki Kokkola Konnevesi Korsholm Korsnäs Koski Tl Kristinestad Kronoby Kuhmalahti Kuhmoinen Kuortane Kurikka Kustavi Kylmäkoski Kyyjärvi Köyliö Laihia Laitila Lappajärvi Lapua Larsmo Laukaa Lavia Lempäälä Lestijärvi Lieto Loimaa Luhanka Luvia Malax Marttila Masku Merikarvia Multia Muurame Mynämäki Mänttä-Vilppula Naantali Nakkila Nokia Noormarkku Nousiainen Nykarleby Närpes Oravais Oripää Orivesi Paimio Parkano Pedersöre Perho Petäjävesi Pihtipudas Pirkkala Pomarkku Pori Punkalaidun Pyhäranta Pälkäne Pöytyä Raisio Rauma Ruovesi Rusko Saarijärvi Salo Sastamala Sauvo Seinäjoki Siikainen Soini Somero Säkylä Taivassalo Tampere Tarvasjoki Teuva Toholampi Toivakka Turku Töysä Ulvila Urjala Uurainen Uusikaupunki Vaasa Valkeakoski Vehmaa Vesilahti Veteli Viitasaari Vimpeli Virrat Vähäkyrö Väståboland Vörå-Maxmo Ylöjärvi Ähtäri Äänekoski
Former municipalities (disestablished before 2009)
Alahärmä Alastaro Askainen Dragsfjärd Halikko Houtskär Iniö Jurva Jyväskylän mlk Jämsänkoski Karinainen Kiikala Kimito Kisko Kiukainen Kodisjoki Korpilahti Korpo Kortesjärvi Kullaa Kuorevesi Kuru Kuusjoki Kälviä Lappi Lehtimäki Leivonmäki Lemu Lohtaja Loimaan kunta Luopioinen Längelmäki Maxmo Mellilä Merimasku Mietoinen Mouhijärvi Muurla Mänttä Nagu Nurmo Pargas Perniö Pertteli Peräseinäjoki Piikkiö Pylkönmäki Rymättylä Sahalahti Sumiainen Suodenniemi Suolahti Suomusjärvi Särkisalo Toijala Ullava Vahto Vammala Vampula Velkua Viiala Viljakkala Vilppula Västanfjärd Vörå Ylihärmä Ylistaro Yläne Äetsä
Governors Heikki Koski 1997–2003 2003–2009
Heraldry The coat of arms of Western Finland was composed of the arms of Finland Proper, Satakunta and Ostrobothnia.
Notes
External links
Western Finland State Provincial Office – Official site (archived copy)