Western Finland Province

The province of Western Finland (Finnish Suomen Länsi- lääni, Västra Finlands län swedish ) from 1997 to 2009, a province ( lääni ) of Finland. It included the landscapes ( Maakunta ) Varsinais -Suomi, Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Central Finland, Ostrobothnia, Southern Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia. The area was 81 149 square kilometers, the population was around 1.9 million ( 2009). Administrative headquarters was the town of Turku.

The province of Western Finland was built in the administrative reform of 1997 from the previous provinces of Vaasa, Turku - Pori, Central Finland and the northern part of the province of Häme. At the beginning of 2010, the provinces were abolished. The state administration of the territory is now exercised by the regional administrative authorities ( aluehallintovirasto ) Southwest Finland as well as Western and Inland Finland.

The province of Western Finland comprised the historic landscapes Varsinais -Suomi, Satakunta, the southern part of Ostrobothnia and the western part of Häme. From the historical coat of arms of the first three arms of the province is composed. The description reads: The coat of arms is divided and split up. Forward up in a red gold -winning, golden Spangenhelm en face ( facing the viewer ) found behind the each side of a blue flag flies with small, triangular incision at the air side and with golden cross on the golden floor. Up the back of the split of blue and gold shield a gold -winning, rotbewehrter, langued and rotgeaugter black bear is accompanied with a silver sword in both paws goldgegrifften of two silver seven pointed stars. Down in the sign in blue are three ( 2, 1) white, fleeing stoats with black tail tips. On the coat of arms rests a golden crown.