Region of Finland
Region in Savonia, Finland
South Savo[3] (orSouthern Savonia;Finnish:Etelä-Savo;Swedish:Södra Savolax) is aregion in the south-east ofFinland. It borders the regions ofNorth Savo,North Karelia,South Karelia,Kymenlaakso,Päijät-Häme, andCentral Finland. The total area of South Savo is 18,768.33 km2 (7,246.5 sq mi), with a population of 153,738 (2011). South Savo is located in the heart of theFinnish lake district, and containsLake Saimaa, the largest lake in Finland. The three major towns in the region areMikkeli,Savonlinna andPieksämäki.
Historical provinces
[edit]For history, geography and culture see:Savonia
South Savo was the main part of the oldMikkeli Province, established in 1831. Some municipalities were transferred from the county toCentral Finland Province, which was established in 1960. Mikkeli Province was abolished in theprovince reform of 1997, whenRegions were established. The province of South Savo belonged to theEastern Finland Province. In 2002,Kangaslampi moved from the province of South Savo to the province ofNorth Savo.Suomenniemi became part of Etelä-Savo in 2013 when it merged withRistiina to form the city ofMikkeli. At the beginning of 2021,Joroinen moved to the province of North Savo andHeinävesi to the province ofNorth Karelia as a result of provincial andsocial and health care reforms.
The region of South Savo consists of 12municipalities, three of which have city status (marked in bold).
List of municipalities
[edit]
Talkkuna withPorkCoat of
arms | Municipality | Population | Land area
(km2) | Density
(/km2) | Finnish
speakers | Swedish
speakers | Other
speakers |
|---|
 | Enonkoski | 1,288 | 306 | 4 | 99 % | 0.2 % | 4 % |
 | Hirvensalmi | 2,058 | 465 | 4 | 97 % | 0.5 % | 3 % |
 | Juva | 5,673 | 1,163 | 5 | 97 % | 0.2 % | 4 % |
 | Kangasniemi | 5,063 | 1,069 | 5 | 98 % | 0.2 % | 3 % |
 | Mikkeli | 51,893 | 2,548 | 20 | 94 % | 0.2 % | 5 % |
 | Mäntyharju | 5,534 | 981 | 6 | 95 % | 0.2 % | 4 % |
 | Pieksämäki | 17,186 | 1,569 | 11 | 94 % | 0.1 % | 5 % |
 | Puumala | 2,100 | 794 | 3 | 97 % | 0.3 % | 3 % |
 | Rantasalmi | 3,245 | 560 | 6 | 96 % | 0.2 % | 6 % |
 | Savonlinna | 31,464 | 2,238 | 14 | 96 % | 0.1 % | 5 % |
 | Sulkava | 2,360 | 584 | 4 | 96 % | 0.2 % | 4 % |
| Total | 127,864 | 12,278 | 10 | 95 % | 0.2 % | 5 % |
|---|
Results of the2019 Finnish parliamentary election in South Savo:
The best known local cuisine is friedvendace, often served withpotato puree, and a semicircle-shapedpastry calledlörtsy.[4][5]
