Eastern Finland (, ) was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2009. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Western Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered Russia to the east.

History

On September 1, 1997, the Mikkeli Province, the Kuopio Province and Northern Karelia Province were joined to form the new Eastern Finland Province.

All the provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010.

Administration

The State Provincial Office was a joint regional authority of seven different ministries. It promoted national and regional objectives of the State central administration. Eastern Finland State Provincial Office had branch offices in Mikkeli, Joensuu, and Kuopio.

Subdivisions

At the time of its abolition, the Province of Eastern Finland was composed of three regions:

  • North Karelia (Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen)
  • North Savo (Pohjois-Savo / Norra Savolax)
  • South Savo (Etelä-Savo / Södra Savolax)

These regions were further divided into a total of 11 subregions and 54 municipalities. In the list below, the municipalities that designate themselves as cities or towns (, ) are shown in bold.

North Karelia

Joensuu sub-region

  • Ilomantsi (Ilomants)
  • Joensuu
  • Juuka (Juga)
  • Kontiolahti (Kontiolax)
  • Liperi (Libelits)
  • Outokumpu
  • Polvijärvi
  • Heinävesi

Central Karelia

  • Kesälahti
  • Kitee (Kides)
  • Rääkkylä
  • Tohmajärvi

Pielinen Karelia

  • Lieksa
  • Nurmes
  • Valtimo

North Savo

Upper Savo

  • Iisalmi (Idensalmi)
  • Keitele
  • Kiuruvesi
  • Lapinlahti
  • Pielavesi
  • Sonkajärvi
  • Varpaisjärvi
  • Vieremä

Kuopio sub-region

  • Karttula
  • Kuopio
  • Maaninka
  • Siilinjärvi

Northeast Savo

  • Juankoski
  • Kaavi
  • Nilsiä
  • Rautavaara
  • Tuusniemi

Varkaus sub-region

  • Kangaslampi
  • Leppävirta
  • Varkaus
  • Joroinen (Jorois)

Inner Savo

  • Rautalampi
  • Suonenjoki
  • Tervo
  • Vesanto

South Savo

Mikkeli sub-region

  • Hirvensalmi
  • Kangasniemi
  • Mikkeli (S:t Michel)
  • Mäntyharju
  • Pertunmaa
  • Ristiina (Kristina)
  • Puumala

Pieksämäki sub-region

  • Pieksämäki
  • Juva

Savonlinna sub-region

  • Enonkoski
  • Kerimäki
  • Punkaharju
  • Rantasalmi
  • Savonlinna (Nyslott)
  • Sulkava

Former municipalities (disestablished before 2009)

  • Anttola
  • Eno
  • Haukivuori
  • Jäppilä
  • Kangaslampi
  • Kiihtelysvaara
  • Mikkelin mlk
  • Pieksämäen mlk
  • Pieksänmaa
  • Pyhäselkä
  • Savonranta
  • Tuupovaara
  • Vehmersalmi
  • Virtasalmi
  • Värtsilä

Governors

  • Pirjo Ala-Kapee 1997–2009

Heraldry

The coat of arms of Eastern Finland was composed of the arms of Savo and Karelia.

References

  • Eastern Finland State Provincial Office - Official site