Counties of Sweden
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The Counties of Sweden, or län, are the first level administrative and political subdivisions of Sweden. Sweden is divided into 21 counties.
The counties were established in 1634 on Count Axel Oxenstierna's initiative, superseding the provinces of Sweden to introduce a modern administration. The county borders often trail the provincial borders, but the Crown often chose to make slight relocations to suit their purposes.
Two counties are officially called 'regions': Skåne and Västra Götaland, and there are controversial proposals to divide the rest of Sweden into large regions, replacing the current counties.
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[edit] Function
In each county there is a County Administrative Board as well as a County Council and several other government organisations.
The County Administrative Board, or Länsstyrelse, is appointed by the Government to coordinate administration with national political goals for the county.
The county council or landsting on the other hand is a regional government, i.e. a political assembly appointed by the electorate to deliberate on the municipal affairs of the county, primarily regarding the public healthcare system.
A number of several other government agencies are organised on a county basis, including the main bodies of police, employment, social insurance, and forestry services.
[edit] Map
With official county codes.
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Each county is further divided into municipalities (or kommuner). The existence of those are partly at the discretion of the county, but since 2004 their number has been 290, thus an average of 13.8 / county. See further Municipalities of Sweden.
[edit] History
[edit] Older subdivisions
The provinces of Sweden, or landskap, and the lands of Sweden, or landsdelar, lack political importance today but are common denominations culturally and historally.
Historically, the provinces were divisioned into three lands: Götaland, being southern and western Sweden; Svealand being eastern and south-eastern, and Norrland being the entire northern half. The two former referred to ancient tribes, and the third is a geographical reference. They are still commonly used as geographical references.
[edit] Österland
After the Finnish War, Sweden was forced to cede the counties in Österland, current-day Finland, to Russia following the Treaty of Fredrikshamn in (1809). However, the counties were upheld in Finland until a reform in 1997. They are still in use in Sweden, 370 years hence.
The counties in current-day Finland established in 1634 were: Åbo and Björneborg County, Nyland and Tavastehus County, Viborg and Nyslott County, Österbotten County and Kexholm County. Over time the number of subdivisions in Finland increased to twelve, until a reorganization in 1997 reduced their number to six provinces, while keeping the administrative model intact.
[edit] Abolished counties
Abolished counties in current day Sweden proper are:
- Skaraborg County + Gothenburg and Bohus County + Älvsborg County (merged as Västra Götaland County in 1999)
- Kopparberg County (became Dalarna County in 1999)
- Malmöhus County + Kristianstad County (merged as Skåne County in 1997)
- Norrland County (in 1645 divided into Västerbotten County, Hudiksvall County and Härnösand County)
- Nyköping County, Gripsholm County and Eskilstunahus County (united in 1683 to become Södermanland County)
- Närke County (became Örebro County)
- Härnösand County (1645-1654, formed Västernorrland County)
- Hudiksvall County (1645-1654, formed Gävleborg County)
- Stockholm Överståtshållarämbete (1634-1967, united with Stockholm County)
- Svartsjö County (1786-1809, united with Stockholm County)
- Öland County (1819-1824, united with Kalmar County)
[edit] Riksområden
The European Union is divided into a Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics where the counties in Sweden correspond to the third level of division. For the purpose of creating regions corresponding to the second level, counties have been grouped into eight Riksområden, or National Areas: Stockholm, East Middle Sweden, North Middle Sweden, Middle Norrland, Upper Norrland, Småland and the islands, West Sweden and South Sweden.
[edit] Future regions?
On the account of the Swedish government, Ansvarskommittén is investigating the possibilities of merging the current 21 counties into circa 9 larger regions along the lines of the current riksområden used for statistical purposes. If approved, these would come into effect around 2015. On September 23, 2005 they have this suggestion on the agenda:
- Region 1: Norrbotten County + Västerbotten County
- Region 2: Jämtland County + Västernorrland County
- Region 3: Gävleborg County + Dalarna County
- Region 4: Stockholm County + Uppsala County + Södermanland County + Västmanland County + Gotland County
- Region 5: Östergötland County
- Region 6: Örebro County + Värmland County
- Region 7: Jönköping County + Kalmar County + Kronoberg County + Hylte Municipality
- Region 8: Västra Götaland County + Kungsbacka Municipality + Varberg Municipality + Falkenberg Municipality
- Region 9: Blekinge County + Skåne County + Halmstad Municipality + Laholm Municipality
According to this proposal, the county of Halland would be abolished altogether and divided between three of the new regions, which has been met with protests from people living in Halland.
