Uusimaa gains the most people as fourteen of Finland's nineteen regions shrink
22 October 2026
Statistics Finland has reported that the population grew in five of Finland's regions and fell in fourteen. Uusimaa, the region around the capital, gained the most with 12 041 people. Southwest Finland followed with 3 024 and Pirkanmaa with 2 506. South Karelia lost the most, 1 276 people, followed by South Savo with 1 095. The island region of Åland recorded a gain of 97.
Regions that grew:
five
Regions that shrank:
fourteen
Gain in Uusimaa:
12 041
Loss in South Karelia:
-1 276
Why it matters for exams: Finland's regional structure and the status of Åland are asked when a country-focus section covers Finnish geography.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Uusimaa The Finnish region containing Helsinki — Finland's most populous region, which surrounds the national capital.
Åland Åland Islands — An autonomous, Swedish-speaking island region of Finland in the Baltic Sea.