In the 1977 reform, all municipalities were given fully equal legal standing.
Previous maalaiskuntas associated with a city retained their name.
From 2009, no municipalities carried this name any more, after the merger of Jyväskylä and Jyväskylän mlk.
Rural municipalities were legally independent from the cities carrying the same name.
Rural municipalities have also changed their names to create an identity distinct from the city.