Statistical grouping of municipalities

The statistical grouping of municipalities is a classification developed by Statistics Finland for describing the degree of urbanisation and it has been in use since 1989. It divides municipalities by the proportion of the population living in urban settlements and by the population of the largest urban settlement into urban, semi-urban and rural municipalities. It is used both as the regional division of statistics compilation and in chargeable special surveys.

An urban settlement is not dependent on the administrative regional division, so it can stretch over the area of several municipalities.

Starting from 24 October 2011, the statistical grouping of municipalities is based on the definition of urban settlements made once a year and on data thus obtained about the population living in urban settlements.

An older statistical grouping of municipalities than this is based on the definition of urban settlements made in connection with population censuses every five years and on data thus obtained about the population living in urban settlements.

The classification describes municipalities by degree of urbanisation and rurality better than the administrative division into towns and other municipalities (municipality form classification). Since 1995, a municipality has been able to decide independently whether to become a town and when the decision enters into force. In the statistics, the statistical grouping of municipalities replaces the division into towns and other municipalities.

Concept of urban settlement:

The definition of urban settlement used in population censuses has been approved by the Nordic committee on population and labour statistics. According to the definition, all groups of buildings with at least 200 inhabitants, where the distance between the buildings is usually no more than 200 metres are considered urban settlements.

In 1990, urban settlements were defined automatically on the basis of the coordinate data of the buildings in the Central Population Register and the persons living in them. Urban settlements are defined once every five years in connection with statutory population censuses. The definition of urban settlements is based on the population and building stock data according to the situation on 31 December 1995.

The municipal classifications for 1997-99 belong to the municipal grouping 1996-99.

Changes 1996-1999

Regions

The official names of regions became effective by a Council of State decision on 1 March 1998. At that time, two regions changed their names:
05 The new name of the region of Häme is Kanta-Häme.
15 The new name of Coastal Vaasa is Ostrobothnia.

With the exception of the regional councils of Häme and Savo, the names of the regions correspond with the names of the present regional councils.

Changes effective as of 1 September 1997:
New division into provinces: Province of Southern Finland (1), Province of Western Finland (2), Province of Eastern Finland (3), Province of Oulu (4), Province of Lapland (5), and Åland (6).

New region: Region of Itä-Uusimaa (Eastern Uusimaa) (20).

Entirely new 15 employment and industrial development centres.

In addition, the municipalities of Art-järvi and Orimattila were transferred from the major region (NUTS 2) of Uusimaa to that of Etelä-Suomi (Southern Finland) and from the region
(NUTS 3) of Uusimaa to that of Päijät-Häme.

Changes in sub-regional unitseffective as of 18 April 1997:

In the territory of the federation of Lapland
The sub-regional unit of Posio-Ranua (195) was abolished. Posio was annexed to the sub-regional unit of Koillis-Lappi (194) and Ranua to the sub-regional unit of Rovaniemi (191).

In the territory of the federation of Etelä-Karjala (Southern Karelia):
Luumäki and Ylämaa were annexed from the sub-regional unit of Lappeenranta (091) to that of Savitaipale (092).
Lappeenranta and Joutseno (091) formed a new sub-regional unit.

In the territory of the federation of Pirkanmaa:
Mouhijärvi was transferred from the sub-regional unit of Tampere (064) to that of Lounais-Pirkanmaa (068).

In the territory of the federation of Satakunta:
Harjavalta was transferred from the sub-regional unit of Kaakkois-Satakunta (042) to that of Pori (043). The municipality of Kiikoinen was transferred from the sub-regional unit of Lounais-Pirkanmaa (068) to that of Pohjois-Satakunta (044).

In the territory of the federation of Päijät-Häme:
The urban municipality of Heinola and the sub-regional unit of Sysmä (073) joined to form one sub-regional unit
(072). Artjärvi and Orimattila were annexed to the sub-regional unit of Lahti (071).

In the territory of the federation of Itä-Uusimaa (Eastern Uusimaa):
Myrskylä and Pukkila were annexed to the sub-regional unit of Loviisa (016).

In the territory of the federation of Uusimaa:
Mäntsälä was annexed to the sub-regional unit of Helsinki (O11).
Pornainen was transferred from the sub-regional unit of Porvoo (015) to that of Helsinki (011).

Changes that have taken effect in sub-regional units after 1 September 1997:

The code for the sub-regional unit of Porvoo has been changed from 015 to 201.

The code for the sub-regional unit of Loviisa has been changed from 016 to 202

The name of the sub-regional unit of Heinola (072) has been changed to that of Itä-Häme.

The name of the sub-regional unit of Savitaipale (092) has been changed to that of Länsi-Saimaa.

The statistical grouping of municipalities is a classification compiled for national needs.