Kanta-Häme

Kanta-Häme (Egentliga Tavastland), sometimes referred to by the obsolete Tavastia Proper or as the Häme region, is a region (maakunta / landskap) of Finland. It borders the regions of Southwest Finland, Pirkanmaa, Päijät-Häme, and Uusimaa.

Hämeenlinna is the largest urban area in the region. There are two other municipalities that have township status: Riihimäki and Forssa.

Historical provinces
The Kanta-Hame region has been inhabited since the Stone Age. The first written mention of the historical province of Tavastia is found in the Chronicle of Novgorod, in reference to a military campaign launched by Prince Vladimir in 1042. The region had been ruled by the Swedes since the late 13th century, when Birger Jarl led the Second Crusade against the inhabitants of the historical province of Tavastia. In the 14th century, Häme became a fiefdom with Häme Castle as its administrative seat. When Finland was taken from Sweden by the Russians in 1809, Tavastia itself became part of the Russian Empire. Russian rule ended in 1917.

Heraldry
Kanta-Häme uses the arms of the old historical province Tavastia.

Geography
The landscape of Kanta-Häme has many of the characteristics of Finnish Lakeland. The province belongs almost entirely to the Kokemäenjoki water basin. The largest lake is Lake Vanajavesi, which receives water from Lammi, Hausjärvi, Loppi and Janakkala from the southeast. The north-eastern part of the province belongs to the so-called Hauho route, whose waters flow into Vanajavesi through Pälkäne and Valkeakoski. In addition to Lake Vanajavesi, the largest lakes in this region are Lake Kuohijärvi, Lake Pyhäjärvi, Lake Iso Roinevesi, Lake Hauhonselkä, Lake Ilmoilanselkä and Lake Lehijärvi in Hattula. In the southwestern part of the province, Lake Loimijoki rises in the Tammela and Forssa areas and flows through Loima and Huittisten into Kokemäenjoki. The largest lake in the southwestern part of Häme is Lake Pyhäjärvi in Tammela, where the Loimijoki originates. In Riihimäki and the southern part of Lope, the headwaters of River Vantaanjoki flow south into the Gulf of Finland.

Torronsuo and Liesjärvi National Parks are located in Kanta-Häme, both in the southwest of the province in Tammela.

Culture
Kanta-Häme region is well known for the preserved tradition of brewing sahti.

Municipalities
The region of Kanta-Häme consists of 11 municipalities, three of which have city status (marked in bold).

Sub-regions
Forssa sub-region
 * Forssan vaakuna.svg Forssa
 * Humppilan vaakuna.svg Humppila
 * Jokioinen.vaakuna.svg Jokioinen (Jockis)
 * Tammela.vaakuna.svg Tammela
 * Ypäjä.vaakuna.svg Ypäjä

Hämeenlinna sub-region Riihimäki sub-region
 * Hattula.vaakuna.svg Hattula
 * Hämeenlinna.vaakuna.svg Hämeenlinna (Tavastehus)
 * Janakkala.vaakuna.svg Janakkala
 * Hausjärvi.vaakuna.svg Hausjärvi
 * Loppi vaakuna.svg Loppi
 * Riihimäki.vaakuna.svg Riihimäki

Politics
Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in Kanta-Häme:
 * Social Democratic Party  24.82%
 * Finns Party  19.72%
 * National Coalition Party  18.95%
 * Centre Party  10.41%
 * Left Alliance  8.81%
 * Green League  7.99%
 * Christian Democrats  5.22%
 * Movement Now  1.58%
 * Seven Star Movement  0.61%
 * Blue Reform  0.42%
 * Swedish People's Party  0.19%
 * Other parties  1.28%