| Central Finland | |
| Native Name: | |
| Official Name: | Region of Central Finland Finnish: Keski-Suomen maakunta Swedish: Landskapet Mellersta Finland |
| Settlement Type: | Region |
| Flag Size: | 75px |
| Mapsize: | 150px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Finland |
| Subdivision Type1: | Historical province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Tavastia, Satakunta |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Jyväskylä |
| Parts Type: | Other towns |
| Parts: | Äänekoski, Jämsä, Keuruu, Saarijärvi and Viitasaari |
| Area Total Km2: | 19950.38 |
| Population Total: | 275,104 |
| Population As Of: | 2019 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | GDP |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [1] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics1 Info1: | €8.725 billion (2015) |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Per capita |
| Demographics1 Info2: | €31,662 (2015) |
| Timezone1: | EET |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | EEST |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +3 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | NUTS |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 193 |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Regional animal |
| Blank Info Sec2: | Tundra hare (Lepus timidus) |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Regional bird |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) |
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Regional fish |
| Blank2 Info Sec2: | Lake trout (Salmo trutta lacustris) |
| Blank3 Name Sec2: | Regional flower |
| Blank3 Info Sec2: | Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) |
| Blank4 Name Sec2: | Regional stone |
| Blank4 Info Sec2: | Diorite |
| Blank5 Name Sec2: | Regional lake |
| Blank5 Info Sec2: | Lake Keitele |
| Iso Code: | FI-08 |
| Website: | keskisuomi.fi |
Central Finland (Finnish: Keski-Suomi; Swedish: Mellersta Finland) is a region (Finnish: maakunta / Swedish: landskap) in Finland. It borders the regions of Päijät-Häme, Pirkanmaa, South Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, North Ostrobothnia, North Savo, and South Savo. The city of Jyväskylä is the regional centre and by far the largest city in the area. The Central Finland lies slightly south of the geographical centre of Finland. The landscape is hilly and a large part of the province belongs to the Finnish Lakeland.[2]
The largest lake in the very water-based region is Lake Päijänne (1,080 km2). Other large lakes are Lake Keitele (490 km2), Lake Konnevesi (190 km2) and Lake Kivijärvi (150 km2). The highest point in the region is Kiiskilänmäki in the municipality of Multia, which reaches an altitude of 269 meters above sea level.[3] Kuokanjoki, Finland's shortest river and one of the world's shortest rivers is in the region.[4] [5]
Central Finland has been one of the slowly growing regions in terms of population, but the growth has been based on the Jyväskylä sub-region's position as a significant growth center, and most of the region's municipalities are declining in population.[6] [7] Also, of these, Kyyjärvi has landed on the Finnish state's crisis financial management list due to its economic hardship.[8] [9] Luhanka, the smallest municipality in the whole Mainland Finland in terms of population, is also located in the region.[10] [11]
The idea of a province of Central Finland was born at the end of the 19th century. The concept was developed by the district doctor Wolmar Schildt, whose article for Suometar first appeared in 1856. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the provincial identity of Central Finland was strengthened by associations, organisations and companies that expanded into the provinces. The Central Finland Province was established in 1960, but was abolished in the county reform of 1997.[2]
A province is a common administrative unit based on the autonomous decision-making power of municipalities and embodies local democracy at the regional level vis-à-vis the state, while a county is a regional administrative unit of the state. The Central Finland covers almost the same geographical area as the former Central Finland Province. At that time, the province of Central Finland was merged with the provinces of Turku and Pori and Vaasa and the northern parts of Tavastia to form the Western Finland Province. The current Central Finland is larger than the former province of Central Finland, as Jämsä was joined with Kuorevesi and part of Längelmäki, which previously belonged to Pirkanmaa.[2] Kuhmoinen was also part of Central Finland until 2021, when it joined the region of Pirkanmaa.
For history, geography and culture see: Tavastia, Savonia, Ostrobothnia
See main article: Municipalities of Central Finland. The region of Central Finland consists of 22 municipalities, six of which have city status (marked in bold).
Saarijärvi-Viitasaari sub-region
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Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in Central Finland: