This is an educational exploration based on the Wikipedia article on Värmland County. Read the full source article here. (opens in new tab)

Värmland's Tapestry

Unveiling the geography, administration, climate, and culture of Sweden's western county.

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County Overview

Geographic Context

Värmland County, known in Swedish as Värmlands län, is a prominent administrative region situated in west-central Sweden. It shares its western border with Norway, and domestically, it is bordered by Dalarna, Örebro, and Västra Götaland counties. This strategic location places it within a significant cross-border region.

Administrative Foundation

Established in 1779 through its separation from the historical Närke and Värmland County, Värmland County has evolved as a distinct administrative entity. Its capital and administrative center is the city of Karlstad, a vital hub for the region.

Scale and Scope

The county encompasses a total area of approximately 17,591 square kilometers (6,792 square miles). As of December 31, 2023, its population was recorded at 283,548 residents, resulting in a population density of about 16.1 individuals per square kilometer (41.7 per square mile). In 2015, the county's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was estimated at SEK 91 billion, equivalent to €9.695 billion.

Historical Province

Connection to Värmland Province

The administrative boundaries of Värmland County largely mirror those of the historical Värmland Province. However, a notable divergence exists: the municipalities of Karlskoga and Degerfors, which are geographically situated within Värmland, are administratively part of Örebro County. This distinction highlights the interplay between historical regions and modern administrative divisions.

Governance Structure

County Administrative Board

The County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelse) serves as the primary governmental agency responsible for implementing national policies within Värmland County. Its core mission involves coordinating regional development interests, ensuring the adherence to due process in legal matters, and facilitating the county's overall progress. The board is headed by a Governor, with Georg Andréen noted as the current incumbent.

Regional Governance

The regional council, known as Region Värmland, functions as the local government body responsible for public services such as healthcare and public transport. This entity plays a crucial role in the day-to-day governance and development of the county's populace.

Political Landscape

Riksdag Election Trends

The electoral performance in Värmland County reflects broader national political shifts. The table below details the turnout and vote distribution for major political parties in Riksdag elections since the establishment of the unicameral system in 1970. Analyzing these trends provides insight into the region's political evolution over several decades.

Year Turnout Votes V S MP C L KD M SD NyD Left Right
197088.9183,7574.351.120.114.32.27.655.942.7
197391.6188,5654.948.326.08.81.010.553.245.4
197692.2196,1834.046.125.89.80.713.250.148.8
197991.2195,7044.947.720.28.60.817.252.546.1
198291.6196,4154.850.41.417.05.31.120.055.242.2
198589.8192,8924.849.41.413.512.118.654.244.3
198885.3182,4275.449.24.614.110.11.814.759.138.9
199186.4184,8194.642.92.610.77.56.317.97.047.542.4
199486.6185,1456.849.74.49.46.23.418.61.060.937.5
199881.0169,72314.141.14.16.44.010.718.459.239.5
200279.8165,4138.743.44.09.211.58.112.41.456.041.1
200681.3168,4266.442.03.910.06.05.820.92.952.342.7
201084.1177,2155.838.95.67.66.04.725.74.850.144.0
201486.0182,0775.239.15.27.44.14.019.612.649.535.2
201887.3183,9667.033.93.39.34.46.316.418.053.245.3
202285.2184,6075.034.63.66.33.75.817.122.849.549.4

Municipalities and Seats

Administrative Divisions

Värmland County is comprised of sixteen municipalities, each with its designated administrative seat. These divisions form the foundational units of local governance within the county.

Municipalities and their seats:

  • Årjäng Municipality - Årjäng
  • Arvika Municipality - Arvika
  • Eda Municipality - Charlottenberg
  • Filipstad Municipality - Filipstad
  • Forshaga Municipality - Forshaga
  • Grums Municipality - Grums
  • Hagfors Municipality - Hagfors
  • Hammarö Municipality - Skoghall
  • Karlstad Municipality - Karlstad
  • Kil Municipality - Kil
  • Kristinehamn Municipality - Kristinehamn
  • Munkfors Municipality - Munkfors
  • Säffle Municipality - Säffle
  • Storfors Municipality - Storfors
  • Sunne Municipality - Sunne
  • Torsby Municipality - Torsby

Demographic Profile

Foreign-Born Population

Statistics Sweden (SCB) collects data on residents' backgrounds, including those with foreign-born parents or born abroad themselves. The following table illustrates the percentage of the population with a foreign background in various municipalities within Värmland County across different years, providing insight into demographic shifts.

Municipality 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2019
Årjäng15.017.419.421.724.825.5
Arvika8.810.411.813.014.915.1
Eda20.723.826.127.731.131.7
Filipstad8.610.112.116.422.822.5
Forshaga6.07.07.38.811.010.8
Grums8.18.89.811.013.013.5
Hagfors6.27.89.712.215.616.1
Hammarö7.07.07.47.69.18.9
Karlstad9.511.012.814.016.817.6
Kil6.46.97.38.29.09.5
Kristinehamn8.39.611.114.217.117.5
Munkfors5.36.98.310.516.516.3
Säffle5.77.28.511.917.117.1
Storfors14.716.718.622.122.620.8
Sunne4.85.56.68.411.511.6
Torsby6.78.310.312.214.114.7
Total8.610.011.513.316.116.5

Regional Climate

Climate Characteristics

Värmland County's inland location influences its climate, leading to more pronounced temperature variations compared to Sweden's coast or Norway's adjacent regions. Southern areas typically experience a humid continental climate with significant oceanic influences, particularly near Lake Vänern due to recent warming trends. Northern parts of the county exhibit a subarctic climate, characterized by cooler summers, especially noticeable in the mean temperatures during September, which often fall below 10°C (50°F).

Karlstad Climate Data

Detailed climate data for Karlstad, the county capital, provides a baseline for understanding the region's meteorological patterns.

Climate data for Karlstad, 2002-2015, extremes from 1901, precipitation 1961-1990
Month JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Year
Record high °C (°F) 10.2
(50.4)		 12.6
(54.7)		 20.1
(68.2)		 25.8
(78.4)		 29.0
(84.2)		 32.5
(90.5)		 34.0
(93.2)		 32.0
(89.6)		 25.2
(77.4)		 20.0
(68.0)		 14.7
(58.5)		 11.5
(52.7)		 34.0
(93.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −0.2
(31.6)		 0.6
(33.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 11.5
(52.7)		 16.2
(61.2)		 20.1
(68.2)		 22.6
(72.7)		 21.3
(70.3)		 16.8
(62.2)		 9.9
(49.8)		 5.0
(41.0)		 1.1
(34.0)		 10.8
(51.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) −2.6
(27.3)		 −2.3
(27.9)		 0.9
(33.6)		 6.1
(43.0)		 10.9
(51.6)		 14.7
(58.5)		 17.6
(63.7)		 16.5
(61.7)		 12.3
(54.1)		 6.5
(43.7)		 2.5
(36.5)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 6.7
(44.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −5.1
(22.8)		 −5.2
(22.6)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 0.8
(33.4)		 5.6
(42.1)		 9.4
(48.9)		 12.7
(54.9)		 11.7
(53.1)		 7.7
(45.9)		 3.1
(37.6)		 0.1
(32.2)		 −4.3
(24.3)		 2.7
(36.9)
Record low °C (°F) −32.5
(−26.5)		 −36.0
(−32.8)		 −26.9
(−16.4)		 −18.4
(−1.1)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −1.8
(28.8)		 3.5
(38.3)		 1.0
(33.8)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −12.0
(10.4)		 −19.9
(−3.8)		 −28.0
(−18.4)		 −36.0
(−32.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 46.1
(1.81)		 32.8
(1.29)		 38.8
(1.53)		 39.0
(1.54)		 43.9
(1.73)		 56.3
(2.22)		 65.4
(2.57)		 76.1
(3.00)		 73.0
(2.87)		 70.7
(2.78)		 72.6
(2.86)		 50.7
(2.00)		 665.3
(26.19)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 47 70 174 220 254 287 265 223 181 103 48 44 1,916

Arvika Climate Data

Further north, Arvika presents slightly different climatic averages, reflecting the transition towards cooler conditions.

Climate data for Arvika (roughly 50 km north of Karlstad) — Extremes 1945-present, precipitation 1961-1990
Month JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Year
Record high °C (°F) 10.2
(50.4)		 11.8
(53.2)		 20.4
(68.7)		 25.5
(77.9)		 29.8
(85.6)		 33.8
(92.8)		 32.8
(91.0)		 33.9
(93.0)		 28.0
(82.4)		 20.4
(68.7)		 15.2
(59.4)		 13.0
(55.4)		 33.9
(93.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −0.6
(30.9)		 0.5
(32.9)		 5.6
(42.1)		 11.8
(53.2)		 16.6
(61.9)		 20.7
(69.3)		 22.9
(73.2)		 21.4
(70.5)		 16.9
(62.4)		 9.9
(49.8)		 4.9
(40.8)		 0.3
(32.5)		 10.9
(51.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −4.4
(24.1)		 −3.8
(25.2)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 5.4
(41.7)		 10.2
(50.4)		 14.2
(57.6)		 16.9
(62.4)		 15.4
(59.7)		 11.0
(51.8)		 5.3
(41.5)		 1.6
(34.9)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 5.6
(42.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −8.2
(17.2)		 −8.2
(17.2)		 −6.0
(21.2)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 3.8
(38.8)		 7.7
(45.9)		 10.8
(51.4)		 9.5
(49.1)		 5.1
(41.2)		 0.8
(33.4)		 −1.7
(28.9)		 −7.0
(19.4)		 0.4
(32.7)
Record low °C (°F) −35.5
(−31.9)		 −38.0
(−36.4)		 −30.0
(−22.0)		 −16.0
(3.2)		 −6.7
(19.9)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 1.2
(34.2)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −7.0
(19.4)		 −14.5
(5.9)		 −24.0
(−11.2)		 −31.9
(−25.4)		 −38.0
(−36.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 43.5
(1.71)		 30.8
(1.21)		 31.5
(1.24)		 37.6
(1.48)		 44.6
(1.76)		 62.0
(2.44)		 71.6
(2.82)		 80.8
(3.18)		 73.5
(2.89)		 71.5
(2.81)		 64.3
(2.53)		 44.5
(1.75)		 656.0
(25.83)

Blomskog Climate Data

The Blomskog data, representing a more southerly location near the Norwegian border, offers further climatic context.

Climate data for Blomskog (southerly near Norwegian border) (2002-2015 temp averages, 1964-1990 precipitation, extremes since 1964)
Month JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Year
Record high °C (°F) 8.8
(47.8)		 11.3
(52.3)		 17.7
(63.9)		 25.2
(77.4)		 28.5
(83.3)		 31.1
(88.0)		 32.7
(90.9)		 34.4
(93.9)		 27.2
(81.0)		 20.2
(68.4)		 13.1
(55.6)		 9.8
(49.6)		 34.4
(93.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 0.0
(32.0)		 0.4
(32.7)		 4.7
(40.5)		 10.7
(51.3)		 15.3
(59.5)		 19.2
(66.6)		 21.5
(70.7)		 20.2
(68.4)		 15.9
(60.6)		 8.5
(47.3)		 3.4
(38.1)		 0.9
(33.6)		 8.7
(47.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) −2.7
(27.1)		 −2.6
(27.3)		 0.4
(32.7)		 5.5
(41.9)		 10.0
(50.0)		 13.7
(56.7)		 15.8
(60.4)		 14.4
(57.9)		 11.9
(53.4)		 6.1
(43.0)		 2.2
(36.0)		 −1.8
(28.8)		 4.4
(39.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −9.6
(14.7)		 −9.6
(14.7)		 −7.4
(18.7)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 2.7
(36.9)		 6.3
(43.3)		 9.6
(49.3)		 8.4
(47.1)		 3.9
(39.0)		 0.0
(32.0)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 −8.5
(16.7)		 −0.7
(30.7)
Record low °C (°F) −42.0
(−43.6)		 −38.0
(−36.4)		 −31.7
(−25.1)		 −26.6
(−15.9)		 −9.4
(15.1)		 −3.9
(25.0)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 −8.2
(17.2)		 −17.6
(0.3)		 −27.9
(−18.2)		 −35.4
(−31.7)		 −38.0
(−36.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 41.7
(1.64)		 29.4
(1.16)		 34.6
(1.36)		 39.3
(1.55)		 48.2
(1.90)		 68.0
(2.68)		 79.9
(3.15)		 80.2
(3.16)		 75.6
(2.98)		 65.2
(2.57)		 62.3
(2.45)		 47.0
(1.85)		 671.3
(26.43)

Heraldic Representation

Coat of Arms

The heraldic symbol for Värmland County is derived from the coat of arms of the historical Värmland Province. When surmounted by a royal crown, it signifies the authority of the County Administrative Board. The blazon describes it as: Argent, an Eagle displayed Azure, beaked, langued, and membered Gules.

Authority Control

Standardized Identifiers

These identifiers link to authoritative databases, ensuring consistency and facilitating research across various platforms.

  • VIAF (opens in new tab)
  • GND (opens in new tab)
  • WorldCat (opens in new tab)
  • U.S. Library of Congress (opens in new tab)
  • BnF data (opens in new tab)
  • Libris (opens in new tab)
  • MusicBrainz Area (opens in new tab)

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References

References

  1.  Regions and Cities > Regional Statistics > Regional Economy > Regional GDP per Capita, OECD.Stats. Accessed on 16 November 2018.
A full list of references for this article are available at the Värmland County Wikipedia page

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