The region largely corresponds to the historical province ofFinland Proper. Until 2019, its official English name wasFinland Proper,[2] a designation still used in Finnish (Varsinais-Suomi) and Swedish (Egentliga Finland).
The nameFinland Proper has historical roots. InEarly Middle Ages, in the area of the present-day Southern Finland was inhabited by three main tribes: theFinns, theTavastians and theKarelians. The southwestern part of the country, where the Finns lived, was originally called simplyFinland (Suomi in Finnish).
By the 17th century, the nameFinland began to be used for a broader area, creating a need for a more specific name for this region. The earliest recorded terms for "Finland Proper" appeared in Latin in the 1650s asFennigia specialiter dicta andFennigia presse dicta. Later, in the 18th century, the Swedish termsFinland för sig sielft andEgenteliga Finland emerged. The modern Swedish nameEgentliga Finland became officially recognized by the end of the century, while the Finnish equivalent,Varsinais-Suomi, was established around the 1850s.[3]
Southwest Finland's nature differs from other regions. The most notable biotopes are theArchipelago Sea and groves. 80% of Finland's insect species can be found in Southwest Finland.[4] There are around 20,000 islands near the coast.[5]
The southernmost point of Southwest Finland and the southernmost inhabited island isUtö.[6] Its highest point is 164 meters inKiikala.[7]
The region uses the coat of arms of thehistorical province ofFinland Proper. The knight's helmet motif on the coat of arms has been interpreted as symbolizing the court ofDuke of Finland, the in the southern part of the duchy, as well as the region's position as the administrative centre of the land.[8]
As of 2020, Southwest Finland had a population of 481,403, making it the third most populated Finnish region afterUusimaa andPirkanmaa. 86.45% speakFinnish, 5.68%Swedish and 7.86% speak other languages, the most common beingRussian,Estonian,Arabic,Kurdish andAlbanian.
It has the most summer cottages out of any Finnish region, with 49,000 as of 2012.[10]
.jpg)
