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The topic of Finnish regions is somewhat complicated. The 20 Finnish regions are more culturally based than the provinces which were purly administrative units and imposed by the Sweedes. They did affect the concentration of finnish dialects. . The regions in contrast represent cultural diversity. This includes linguistic, economic, ethnic and other differences. The modern regions are based on nine historical regions: Finland Proper, Karelia, Laponia (Lappland), Ostrobothnia, Satakunta, Savonia, Tavastia, Uusimaa, and Åland. The two best known are Karelia and Laponia. Karelia, much of which was lost to the Soviet Union was a World War II battelground. Lappland is of course famed for the destinctive culture of the Lapplanders who inhabit northern Finland and Sweden.
Karelia at the the beginning of the second millenium as an undivided . With the rise of Novgorod and Sweden, Karelia became a contested province. For a time the Karelians allied themselves with Novgorod. Sweeden waged the northern crusades to Christinize and seize much of Finlamd. This included much od western and norhern Karelia. Novgorad seized and held control of southern Karelia. This claim was acquired by Tsarist Russia as a successor state of Novgorad. Karelia became a prize in a series of wars between Russia and Sweden. Western Karelia, as a Province of Swedish Finland devdeloped religiously and politically different from Russian Eastern Karelia. Western Karelia was at first Catholic, but during the Reformsation became Luthern. Russian Karelia becamne Orthodox. The two parts of Karelia had, however, ethnic and linguistic similarities. The populationa spoke Carelian--a Finnish dialect. Russia during these wars acquired wjat became known as "Old Finland". After seizing the Swedish Grand Duch of Finland (1809), Russia joined to the Grand Duchy and Old Finland as a gesture of good will to the Finns. At this time what had been Russian (eastern) Karelia became part of the Grandy Duchy of Finland. Thus when Finland achieved its independence (1918), most of Karelia becae part of the new Finnish republic. The Soviet Union seized most of the Karelia during the World War II. The Soviets after joining the NAZIs in the invasion of Poland, next moved against the Baltic Repunlics. Finland was the first victim. The Soviets launched the Winter War (1939-40). The Soiviets were surprised when the Finns offered stiff resistance. Soviet superiority in men and material eventually prevailed. In the end, Finland lost 10 percent of its territory, including most of Karelia. Most of the population decided to leave their homes and move west into the unoccupied area of Finlznd. The Soviets set up a Provisional Finnish People’s Government in Karelia as a precursor to Soviet rule in all of Finland which would have been converted to a Finnish SSR (March 1940). The Soviets proclaimed a Finn-Karelian SSR, but after the failure to take ober Finland, downgraded it to an Autonomous Republic. Finland joined NAZI German in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, to regain its lost territory. The Finns refer to ythis as the Continuation War (1941-44). The Finns occupied almost all of the lost territory. Soviet vicytories in the East forced the Finns to sign a separate n armistice with the Soviets in which Karelia was teturned to Soviet control (1944).
Lapland or Lappland in Swedish is the northermost region of Finland. It is perhaps the best known of Finland's regions. Lapland is well known because American, British, and other children see it as the home of Santa Claus. As a result of World war II, the Soviets forced the Finns to cede the Petsamo and Salla areas. were ceded to the Soviet Union. Lapland covers a large area, but accouts for less than4 percent of the coubntry's population. It is Finland's least densely populated area. The largest towns are Rovaniemi (the capital), Kemi, and Tornio. Only about 5 percent of the population are the Lapplabdwrs (Sami people).
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