Oulu Province

(Redirected from Oulu County)

The Province of Oulu (Finnish: Oulun lääni, Swedish: Uleåborgs län) was a province of Finland from 1775 to 2009. It bordered the provinces of Lapland, Western Finland and Eastern Finland and also the Gulf of Bothnia and Russia.

Province of Oulu
Oulun lääni
Uleåborgs län
County of Sweden 1775–1809
Province of Grand Duchy of Finland 1809–1917
Province of independent Finland 1917–2009
1775–2009
Coat of arms of Oulu
Coat of arms

Province of Oulu (in red)
CapitalOulu
Area 
• 1 January 1993
61,582 km2 (23,777 sq mi)
• 31 December 2009
61,582 km2 (23,777 sq mi)
Population 
• 1 January 1993
445,706
• 31 December 2009
471,774
History 
• Established
1775
• Disestablished
2009
Preceded by
County of Ostrobothnia

History

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For History, Geography and Culture see: Ostrobothnia

The Province of Oulu was established in 1775 when Finland was an integrated part of Sweden from the northern part of Ostrobothnia County. The new province was named after its administrative seat of Oulu.

As a consequence of the tumultuous conflicts of the Napoleonic Wars, Sweden had allied itself with the Russian Empire, United Kingdom and the other parties of the Fourth Coalition against Napoleonic France. However, following the treaty of Treaty of Tilsit in 1807, Russia made peace with France and left the coalition. This enabled Russia in 1808 to challenge Sweden in the Finnish War, over the control of Finland. In the Treaty of Fredrikshamn on 17 September 1809 Sweden was obliged to cede all its territory in Finland, to Russia.

The ceded territories became a part of the Russian Empire and were reconstituted into the Grand Duchy of Finland, with the Russian Tsar as Grand Duke. The Province of Oulu was expanded in 1809 with the parts of the Västerbotten County (eastern part of the Torne Valley and historical Lapland).

After Finland became independent from Russia, in 1917, there were no changes in Oulu Province until 1938, when the northern part was split off and established as the Lapland Province.

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

 
Provinces of Finland 1634: 1: Turku and Pori, 14: Nyland and Tavastehus, 18: Ostrobothnia, 20: Viborg and Nyslott, 21: Kexholm
 
Provinces of Finland 1776: 1: Turku and Pori, 4: Vaasa, 10: Oulu, 14: Uusimaa and Häme, 15: Kymenkartano, 16: Savo and Karelia
 
Provinces of Finland 1938: 1: Turku and Pori, 2: Uusimaa, 3: Häme, 4: Vaasa, 6: Mikkeli, 8: Kuopio, 10: Oulu, 11: Lapland, 12: Åland, 13: Viipuri
 
Provinces of Finland 1996: 1: Turku and Pori, 2: Uusimaa, 3: Häme, 4: Vaasa, 5: Kymi, 6: Mikkeli, 7: Central Finland, 8: Kuopio, 9: Northern Karelia, 10: Oulu, 11: Lapland, 12: Åland
 
Provinces of Finland 1997: 10: Oulu, 11: Lapland, 12: Åland, 22: Southern Finland, 23: Western Finland, 24: Eastern Finland
 
Map of Oulu County from 1795.

Administration

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The State Provincial Office was a joint regional authority of seven different ministries. It promoted national and regional objectives of the State central administration.

Regions

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The Province of Oulu was divided into two regions:

Municipalities in 2009 (cities in bold)

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The Province of Oulu was divided into 43 municipalities in 2009.

Former municipalities (disestablished before 2009)

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Governors

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References

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  1. ^ "New regional administration model abolishes provinces in 2010". Helsingin Sanomat International Edition. Sanoma Corporation. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
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64°30′N 27°00′E / 64.500°N 27.000°E / 64.500; 27.000