Finland Proper (historical province)

Historical province of Finland This article is about the historical province. For the modern region, see Varsinais-Suomi. For other uses, see Varsinais-Suomi (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Mainland Finland.

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Finland Proper or Southwest Finland (Finnish: Varsinais-Suomi; Swedish: Egentliga Finland; Latin: Ducatus Finlandiae Meridionalis, literally "Duchy of Southern Finland") is a historical province in southwestern Finland, administered by its historic capital of Turku (Swedish: Åbo). It borders Satakunta, Tavastia, and Uusimaa. It is also bounded by the Baltic Sea facing Åland. There was also a modern region by the name Finland Proper.

Southwest Finnish dialects are spoken in Southwest Finland.

Administration

Southwest Finland was within the boundaries of the administrative province of Turku and Pori from 1917 to 1997 and that of Western Finland from 1997 to 2009, when the provinces of Finland were abolished.

History

The province, which had been a part of Sweden from the 13th century, separated when Finland was ceded to the Russian Empire in 1809. The provinces have no administrative function today but live on as a historical legacy in both countries. Originally "Finland" referred only to this region but later replaced the traditional Österland ("Eastern land") in meaning.

Heraldry

Arms granted at the burial of Gustav I of Sweden in 1560. The arms is crowned by a ducal coronet, though by Finnish tradition this more resembles a Swedish comital coronet. Blazon: "Gules, a crowned jousting helmet in front of two lances in saltire, all Or. On each lance is attached a forked hanging flag azure, charged with a Scandinavian cross Or."

v t e Historical provinces of Finland
Finland Proper	Finland Proper (except Loimaa and Somero municipalities)
Karelia	North Karelia (except Heinävesi municipality) South Karelia eastern Kymenlaakso easternmost North Savo southwestern South Savo
Laponia	Lapland, northern (Enontekiö, Inari, Kittilä, Pelkosenniemi, Savukoski, Sodankylä and Utsjoki municipalities)
Ostrobothnia	Central Ostrobothnia Coastal Ostrobothnia Kainuu Lapland, southern (Kemi, Kemijärvi, Keminmaa, Kolari, Muonio, Pello, Posio, Ranua, Rovaniemi, Salla, Simo, Tervola, Tornio and Ylitornio municipalities) North Ostrobothnia South Ostrobothnia (except Soini and Ähtäri municipalities)
Satakunta	Satakunta predominantly Pirkanmaa Keuruu and Multia of Central Finland Loimaa of Finland Proper Soini and Ähtäri of South Ostrobothnia
Savonia	predominantly North Savo predominantly South Savo
Tavastia	Central Finland (except Keuruu and Multia municipalities) Kanta-Häme Päijät-Häme Somero of Finland Proper northwestern Kymenlaakso westernmost North Savo southern and easternmost Pirkanmaa southwesternmost South Savo
Uusimaa	Uusimaa southwestern Kymenlaakso
Åland	Åland

60°29′37″N 22°17′48″E / 60.4936°N 22.2967°E / 60.4936; 22.2967

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