Encyclopedia > Administrative provinces of Finland
Finland consists of 6 provinces (Finnish: läänit, Swedish: län), following a 1997 redesign that reduced their number from 12.
The province authority is part of the central government's executive branch; a system that hasn't changed drastically since its creation in 1634. The State of Finland is since the late 19th century bilingual. Its governmental offices and agencies use both domestic languages in contacts with the public
1/ Some duties, which in Mainland Finland are handled by the provinces, are on the Åland Islands transferred to the autonomous Government of Åland. 2/ The Åland Islands are unilingually Swedish.
Each province has a State Provincial Office (lääninhallitus/länsstyrelse) which act as the joint regional authority for seven ministries in the following domains:
social and health care
education and culture
police administration
rescue services
traffic administration
competition and consumer affairs
judicial administration
The official entities under the Provicial Office authority are the jurisdictional districts (police) and city administrative courts (registries). Each State Provincial Office authority is led by a governor (maaherra, landshövding) who is appointed by the president after a proposal by the cabinet.
See also
Historical provinces of Finland
External links
State Provincial Offices (http://www.laaninhallitus.fi/lh/home.nsf/pages/index_eng) - Official site
The historical provinces (Finnish: maakunnat or provinssit – singular maakunta or provinssi), Swedish: landskap) of Finland is a legacy of the country's joint history with Sweden.
The provinces ceased to be an administrative entity already in 1634 when they were superseded by the Counties, a reform which remained in force in Finland until 1997.
Finland maintains the distinction between Dukal and Countal dignity shown in the coronets for arms of the historical provinces while all the Swedish provinces carry the Swedish style Dukal coronet since 1884.
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