Jump to content

Southwest Finland

Coordinates: 60°30′N 22°45′E / 60.500°N 22.750°E / 60.500; 22.750
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Dexbot (talk | contribs) at 09:16, 1 December 2016 (Bot: Using official website template). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Finland Proper" redirects here. For other uses, see Finland Proper (disambiguation).
Southwest Finland
Varsinais-Suomen maakunta
Egentliga Finlands landskap
Region
Coat of arms of Southwest Finland
Coat of arms
Finland Proper on a map of Finland
Finland Proper on a map of Finland
CountryFinland
Historical provinceFinland Proper
Area
 • Total
10,910.05 km2 (4,212.39 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
470,880
 • Density43/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
ISO 3166 codeFI-19
NUTS183
Regional birdJackdaw
Regional fishBaltic herring
Regional flowerOak
Websitevarsinais-suomi.fi

Southwest Finland, also known in English as Finland Proper[1] (Template:Lang-fi, Template:Lang-sv) is the region in south-western Finland that borders the regions of Satakunta and Tavastia Proper. Its capital and biggest city is Turku with 182,000 inhabitants, which was also the capital of Finland from its establishment around the 13th century until 1812.

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. 5.7% of population of the region speaks Swedish natively.

Origin of the name

The name of Finland Proper has a historial 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]

Historical provinces

Main article: Finland Proper (historical province)

Municipalities

Finland Proper Sub-regions, towns and municipalities
Main article: Municipalities of Finland Proper

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

Politics

Results of the Finnish parliamentary election, 2015 in Finland Proper:

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
    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
    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
    Louhisaari Manor in Masku was the birthplace of Finland's marshal and president Mannerheim
  • The Old Castle of Lieto and rural landscape
    The Old Castle of Lieto and rural landscape
  • Naantali Harbour with the former Bridgettine monastery church in the background
    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
    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
    Bengtskär Lighthouse in Kimitoön is the highest one in the Nordic countries
  • Nautelankoski Rapids in River Aura in Lieto
    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
    The medieval Turku Castle on the banks of River Aura is one of the most influential buildings in Finnish history
  • Moomin World, Naantali
    Moomin World, Naantali
  • A limestone quarry in Pargas
    A limestone quarry in Pargas
  • Historical salt warehouses in Uusikaupunki town centre
    Historical salt warehouses in Uusikaupunki town centre
  • A bridge from 1850 in Taivassalo
    A bridge from 1850 in Taivassalo
  • Korpo Church; there are 25 remaining medieval churches in the region
    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
    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
    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
    Traffic connections between islands are mostly served with ferries in the archipelago
  • The National Romantic style Karuna Church
    The National Romantic style Karuna Church
  • The mobile phone manufacturer Microsoft had originally its factory and headquarters in Salo; state-of-the-art models are still manufactured there
    The mobile phone manufacturer Microsoft had originally its factory and headquarters in Salo; state-of-the-art models are still manufactured there
  • A street view in Turku; old wooden houses and modern block of flats
    A street view in Turku; old wooden houses and modern block of flats
  • Marshland in Loimaa
    Marshland in Loimaa
  • Naantali Old Town has been well preserved
    Naantali Old Town has been well preserved
  • The functionalistic Paimio Sanatorium by Alvar Aalto
    The functionalistic Paimio Sanatorium by Alvar Aalto
  • A silo in Salo; the region still has a strong agricultural feel
    A silo in Salo; the region still has a strong agricultural feel
  • Windmills in Uusikaupunki
    Windmills in Uusikaupunki
  • The popular ferries travel twice a day around the year from Turku to Stockholm, Sweden
    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
    Ruins of the medieval Kuusisto Bishops' Castle demolished in 1528 during the Protestant Reformation in Kaarina
  • Pargas Old Town
    Pargas Old Town
  • River Paimionjoki and rural landscape in Marttila
    River Paimionjoki and rural landscape in Marttila
  • Teijo Church in Salo is the smallest stone church in Finland
    Teijo Church in Salo is the smallest stone church in Finland

Notes

  1. ^ The regional council of the region uses the name "Southwest Finland". Despite this, the Language Planning Department of Finland recommends the name "Varsinais-Suomi" as suggested in the statement by the Interior Ministry of Finland in 1988. The Institute for Languages of Finland lists the official English name as "Varsinais-Suomi".
  2. ^ Suomalainen paikannimikirja. Jyväskylä: Gummerus. 2007. ISBN 978-951-593-976-0.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Finland Proper.

Finland Proper travel guide from Wikivoyage

60°30′N 22°45′E / 60.500°N 22.750°E / 60.500; 22.750

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Southwest_Finland&oldid=752451717"