Number of  Sub-national governments
Number of Sub-national governments
2012
2016
2021
LOCAL
336
313
309
INTERMEDIATE
REGIONAL
19
19
19
State Structure
State Structure
Unitary state
Capital city
Capital city
Helsinki
Currency
Currency
Euro
Population
Population
5,533,793 (1.2% EU)
Vote
Vote
Non-compulsory
Geographical size
Geographical size
338,440 km2
1995
1995
EU Member State since
14
14
Seats in the European Parliament
9
9
Seats in the European Committee of the Regions

Local governments

309 municipalities (kunta)

The municipal council (kunnanvaltuusto) is composed of members elected via a proportional representation system for a period of four years. This deliberative body appoints the executive board and elects the mayor.

The executive board (kunnanhallitus) is made up of members appointed by the municipal council. It is responsible for running the municipal administration and managing its finances. The executive board is assisted in its work by sector-specific committees.

The mayor (kunnanjohtaja) is elected by the municipal council for a fixed or indefinite term of office, as decided upon by the municipal council. He/she is at the head of the municipality’s administration and prepares the decisions to be adopted by the executive board. The mayor can be appointed from amongst the members of the council. As of April 2021, six cities (municipalities) have done so.

    • Health care (primary, secondary, and dental services)
    • Social services (child day care, services for the aged and the disabled)
    • Education (pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational training, adult education and libraries)
    • Culture and leisure
    • Sports
    • Territorial planning
    • Building and maintenance of technical infrastructure and environment (roads, energy, water and sewage, waste, harbours and public transport)
    • Business and employment
    • Independent taxation rights and finances
State Structure
State Structure
Unitary state
Capital city
Capital city
Helsinki
Currency
Currency
Euro
Population
Population
5,533,793 (1.2% EU)
Vote
Vote
Non-compulsory
Geographical size
Geographical size
338,440 km2
1995
1995
EU Member State since
14
14
Seats in the European Parliament
9
9
Seats in the European Committee of the Regions

Regional governments

18 Regional Councils (maakunnanliitto) and the Autonomous province of the Åland Island

The regional council is the region's statutory joint municipal authority; every local authority must be a member of a regional council.

Each Regional Council is governed by a regional assembly (maakuntavaltuusto) and a regional board (maakuntahallitus) assisted by the council's office run by the director of the council. The total number of staff of all offices is about 650 persons, and the budgets about 50 million euros, or slightly less than 10 euros/resident.

    • Regional development
    • Regional land use planning
    • International affairs of the regions
    • Promoting region’s interest
    • Responsibility for the EU’s structural Fund Programmes and its implementation
    • Protection and promotion of culture and regional traditions
    • Promote mental and economic well-being

Other Governments

Autonomous province: the Åland Island

The Åland Islands is an autonomous province. The autonomous government (Landskapsstyrelse) is the province’s executive body, presided over by a president (lantråd). This provincial authority also has a legislative assembly (lagting), whose members are elected by direct universal suffrage.

    • Education
    • Culture
    • Police
    • Health care
    • Social affairs
    • Employment