page_title: Counties of Sweden
section_title: Proposed regions
hierarchical_section_title: Counties of Sweden / Proposed regions
context_page_description: The counties of Sweden are the top-level geographic subdivisions of Sweden. Sweden is today divided into 21 counties; however, the number of counties has varied over time, due to territorial gains/losses and to divisions and/or mergers of existing counties. This level of administrative unit was first established in the 1634 Instrument of Government on Lord Chancellor Count Axel Oxenstierna's initiative, and superseded the historical provinces of Sweden in order to introduce a more efficient administration of the realm. At that time, they were what the translation of län into English literally means: fiefdoms. The county borders often follow the provincial borders, but the Crown often chose to make slight relocations to suit its purposes.
  In every county there is a county administrative board headed by a governor, appointed by the government, as well as a separate regional council. In the county of Gotland however, the county's only municipality has adopted regional responsibilities.
  The aims of the county administrative board are to supervise local state administration, and to coordinate political goals with the central government.
context_section_description: Under the aegis of the Swedish government, Ansvarskommittén has been investigating the possibilities of merging the current 21 counties into 6 to 9 larger regions. These proposals are from their final report, delivered in 2007:
  
  
   
  Norra Sverige: Norrbotten County + Västerbotten County + Jämtland County + Västernorrland County + Nordanstig and Hudiksvall
  Bergslagen: the rest of Gävleborg County + Dalarna County + Örebro County + Värmland County
  Mälardalen: Stockholm County + Uppsala County + Södermanland County + Västmanland County + Gotland County
  Västra Götaland: Västra Götaland County + Halland County
  Östra Götaland: Östergötland County + Jönköping County + Kronoberg County + Kalmar County
  Södra Götaland: Skåne County + Blekinge County
   
  Norra Sverige: Norrbotten County + Västerbotten County + Örnsköldsvik
  Mellannorrland: Jämtland County + Västernorrland County (except Örnsköldsvik) + Nordanstig and Hudiksvall
  Dalarna-Gävleborg: Dalarna County + Gävleborg County (except Nordanstig and Hudiksvall)
  Västra Svealand: Värmland County + Örebro County
  Mälardalen: Stockholm County + Uppsala County + Södermanland County + Västmanland County + Gotland County
  Västra Götaland: Västra Götaland County + Halland County
  Östergötland: Östergötland County + Västervik
  Småland: Jönköping County + Kronoberg County + Kalmar County (except Västervik)
  Södra Götaland: Skåne County + Blekinge County
   
  A model for this comes from the merger of some counties into Skåne County and Västra Götaland County in 1997 and 1998, respectively, which is now considered a success.
  The counties are discussing the proposal. An obstacle is that Stockholm County does not want to merge with any other county, while its neighbours want to merge with Stockholm.
  After this discussion the following proposal has in 2016 emerged:
  Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Västernorrland and Jämtland county
  Dalarna, Gävleborgs, Södermanlands, Uppsala, Västmanland and Örebro county
  Östergötland, Jönköping, Kalmar and Kronoberg county
  Gotland and Stockholm county
  Halland, Värmland and Västra Götaland county
  Blekinge and Skåne county
  The main difference is that the proposed Berglagen is divided to other counties, and Stockholm is on its own (plus the small Gotland which has air connections to Stockholm)
caption: Six or nine new administrative regions.