Southwest Finland

Southwest Finland,[1] calqued as Finland Proper (Finnish: Varsinais-Suomi; Swedish: Egentliga Finland), is a region in the Southwest of Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper (Kanta-Häme), Uusimaa, and Åland. The region's capital and most populous city is Turku.

"Finland Proper" redirects here. For other uses, see Finland Proper (disambiguation).

Southwest Finland

Varsinais-Suomen maakunta
landskapet Egentliga Finland
Region
Coat of arms
Finland Proper on a map of Finland
CountryFinland
Historical provinceFinland Proper
CapitalTurku
Area
 • Total10,910.05 km2 (4,212.39 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total479,341
 • Density44/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
ISO 3166 codeFI-19
NUTS183
Regional animalRed fox
Regional birdWestern jackdaw
Regional fishBaltic herring
Regional flowerOak
Regional lakePyhäjärvi
Websitevarsinais-suomi.fi

The area comprising the Southwest is largely the same as the historical province of Finland Proper, so named because it is the original home of the tribe known as the Finns.

Origin of the name Finland Proper

The name of Finland Proper has a historical function. In historic times, in the area of the present Southern Finland lived three tribes, which were the Finns, the Tavastians and the Karelians. The southwestern part of the country, the province where the Finns lived, was called simply Finland (Finnish: Suomi). In the 17th century the name began to be used to refer to the whole land and a specified name for the lesser Finland was required. The first notes Fennigia specialiter dicta and Fennigia presse dicta were recorded in Latin in the 1650s and the Swedish Finland för sig sielft and Egenteliga Finland later in the 18th century the modern form Egentliga Finland being in official use at the end of the century. The Finnish term Varsinais-Suomi became established only around the 1850s.[2]

Geography

Southwest Finland's nature differs from other regions. The most notable biotopes are the Archipelago Sea and groves. 80% of Finland's insect species can be found in Southwest Finland.[3] There are around 20,000 islands near the coast.[4]

The southernmost point of Southwest Finland and the southernmost inhabited island is Utö.[5] Highest point is 164 meters in Kiikala.[6]

Aurajoki is one of the most notable rivers in Finland.

Historical provinces
Main article: Finland Proper (historical province)

Municipalities
Southwest Finland sub-regions, towns and municipalities
Main article: Municipalities of Southwest Finland

The region of Southwest Finland is made up of 27 municipalities, of which 11 have city status (marked in bold).

Demographics
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1980406,360—    
1985415,899+2.3%
1990425,282+2.3%
1995435,119+2.3%
2000447,103+2.8%
2005455,584+1.9%
2010465,183+2.1%
2015474,323+2.0%
2018478,582+0.9%
Source: Statistics Finland

As of 2018, Southwest Finland had an population of 478,582, making it the third most populated Finnish region after Uusimaa and Pirkanmaa. 87.18% speak Finnish, 5.67% Swedish and 7.15% speak other languages, the most common being Russian, Estonian, Arabic, Kurdish and Albanian.

It has the most summer cottages out of any Finnish region, with 49,000 as of 2012.[8]

Nationality [9]
31 December 2017
1 Finland444,171
2 Soviet Union5,801
3 Estonia4,079
4 Albania3,148
5 Sweden2,746
6 Yugoslavia2,714
7 Iran1,855
8 Iraq1,590
9 Vietnam938
10 Macedonia874
11 Poland842
12 Ukraine834
13 China774
14 Afghanistan679
15 Romania679
16 Germany511
17 United Kingdom436
18 Turkey428
19 Syria425
20 Bosnia and Herzegovina394

Politics

Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in Southwest Finland:

Heraldry

The region uses the coat of arms of the historical province of Finland Proper.

  • Turku Cathedral dating back to the 13th century is Finland's national shrine and one of Finland's most recognized buildings
  • A typical view from Turku Archipelago, the largest archipelago (by number of islands) in the world
  • Louhisaari Manor in Masku was the birthplace of Finland's marshal and president Mannerheim
  • The Old Castle of Lieto and rural landscape
  • Naantali Harbour with the former Bridgettine monastery church in the background
  • A general view of the City of Turku from the tower of the cathedral
  • Bengtskär Lighthouse in Kimitoön is the highest one in the Nordic countries
  • Nautelankoski Rapids in River Aura in Lieto
  • The medieval Turku Castle on the banks of River Aura is one of the most influential buildings in Finnish history
  • Moomin World, Naantali
  • A limestone quarry in Pargas
  • Historical salt warehouses in Uusikaupunki town centre
  • A bridge from 1850 in Taivassalo
  • Korpo Church; there are 25 remaining medieval churches in the region
  • Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum is an 18th-century district of the city that survived the Great Fire of Turku which burnt down four-fifths of the city in 1827
  • May Day celebrations in Turku centre; the Arts Museum on the top of Street Aurakatu
  • Traffic connections between islands are mostly served with ferries in the archipelago
  • The National Romantic style Karuna Church
  • The mobile phone manufacturer Nokia had originally its factory and headquarters in Salo
  • A street view in Turku; old wooden houses and modern block of flats
  • Marshland in Loimaa
  • Naantali Old Town has been well preserved
  • The functionalistic Paimio Sanatorium by Alvar Aalto
  • A silo in Salo; the region still has a strong agricultural feel
  • Windmills in Uusikaupunki
  • The popular ferries travel twice a day around the year from Turku to Stockholm, Sweden
  • Ruins of the medieval Kuusisto Bishops' Castle demolished in 1528 during the Protestant Reformation in Kaarina
  • Pargas Old Town
  • River Paimionjoki and rural landscape in Marttila
  • Teijo Church in Salo is the smallest stone church in Finland
  • Turku Market Hall from 1896 in Turku is the second oldest market hall in Finland

Notes
  1. https://www.stat.fi/uutinen/alueluokitusmuutokset-112019
  2. Suomalainen paikannimikirja. Jyväskylä: Gummerus. 2007. ISBN 978-951-593-976-0.
  3. http://www.vihreapolku.info/kestava_kehitys/parempia_valintoja_-_turkulaisen_toiminta-_ja_kulutusopas/kuntoillaan_kestavasti_ja_nautitaan_lahiluonnosta
  4. http://www.saaristoon.fi/
  5. Turun Sanomat
  6. http://www.salo.fi/ymparistojaluonto/luontojaretkeily/luontokohteetjareitit/hyypparanharjukultalahdejasaramaki/
  7. "Suomen virallinen tilasto (SVT): Väestön ennakkotilasto [verkkojulkaisu]. Tammikuu 2019" (in Finnish). Statistics Finland. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  8. http://www.iltalehti.fi/mokkiextra/2013052417065336_mo.shtml
  9. Statistics Finland
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Finland Proper travel guide from Wikivoyage

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