Editing Counties of Sweden (section)

== History ==
=== Older subdivisions ===
Sweden's [[provinces of Sweden|provinces]], or ''landskap'', and the [[lands of Sweden|"lands"]], or ''landsdelar'', lack political importance today but are common denominations culturally and historically. The provinces had their own laws and justice systems and could have large cultural and religious differences. The province of [[Småland]] (literally ''small land'') historically was several provinces with its own laws. Here burial tradition in the era before the [[Viking Age]] could differ significantly from province to province. The province of [[Norrbotten]] is a relatively recent creation; it was part of [[Västerbotten]] which extended all the way to [[Ostrobothnia (historical province)|Österbotten]] in today's [[Finland]] before 1809. Finnish and Swedish [[Laponia (historical province)|Lapland]] formed a single province until 1809.

Historically, the provinces were grouped in three lands: [[Götaland]], being southern and western Sweden; [[Svealand]] being eastern and south-eastern, and [[Norrland]] being the entire northern half. The names of the first two refer to ancient tribes, and the third is a geographical reference. They are still commonly used as geographical references. The boundaries have changed over time, with the most significant in 1658 (the cession of provinces from Denmark-Norway to Sweden) and 1812 (due to the loss of Finland to Russia in 1809). In 1812, some provinces were moved from [[Götaland]] to [[Svealand]].

=== Finland ===
After the [[Finnish War]], Sweden was forced to cede the counties in [[Finland]] to [[Russian Empire|Russia]] following the [[Treaty of Fredrikshamn]] in (1809). However, the counties were upheld in Finland until a [[Counties in Finland|reform]] in 1997. They are still in use in Sweden, 370 years later.

The counties in Finland established in 1634 were: [[Turku and Pori County]], [[Nyland and Tavastehus County]], [[Viborg and Nyslott County]], [[Ostrobothnia 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 of Finland|provinces]], while keeping the administrative model intact. The counties in Finland were abolished in 2010.

=== Abolished counties ===
Abolished counties in current-day [[Sweden proper]] were:

* [[Skaraborg County]] + [[Gothenburg and Bohus County]] + [[Älvsborg County]] (merged as [[Västra Götaland County]] in 1998)
* [[Kopparberg County]] (became [[Dalarna County]] in 1997)
* [[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 and Värmland County]] (became [[Örebro County]])
* [[Härnösand County]] (1645–1654, formed [[Västernorrland County]])
* [[Hudiksvall County]] (1645–1654, formed [[Gävleborg County]])
* [[Governor of Stockholm|Office of the Governor of Stockholm]] (1634–1967, united with [[Stockholm County]])
* [[Svartsjö County]] (1786–1809, united with [[Stockholm County]])
* [[Öland County]] (1819–1826, united with [[Kalmar County]])

Counties in Swedish-ruled [[Finland]] were:

* [[Turku and Pori Province|Turku and Pori County]] (1634–1809)
* [[Nyland and Tavastehus County]] (1634–1809)
* [[Ostrobothnia County]] (1634–1775)
* [[Viborg and Nyslott County]] (1634–1721)
* [[Kexholm County]] (1634–1721)
* [[Kymmenegård and Nyslott County]] (1721–1747)
* [[Savolax and Kymmenegård County]] (1747–1775)
* [[Vasa County]] (1775–1809)
* [[Oulu County]] (1775–1809)
* [[Kymmenegård County]] (1775–1809)
* [[Savolax and Karelia County]] (1775–1809)