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Dalsland

Dalsland
Coat of arms of Dalsland
Coat of arms
Sverigekarta-Landskap Dalsland.svg
Country Sweden
Land Götaland
Counties Västra Götaland County
Värmland County
Area
 • Total 3,708 km2 (1,432 sq mi)
Population (2009)
 • Total 50,527
 • Density 14/km2 (35/sq mi)
Ethnicity
 • Language Swedish
 • Dialect Götamål
Culture
 • Flower Forget-me-not
 • Animal Raven
 • Bird
 • Fish
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Dalsland is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland in southern Sweden. Lying to the west of Lake Vänern, it is bordered by Värmland to the north, Västergötland to the southeast, Bohuslän to the west, and Norway to the northwest.

The province has a low population density of around 14 inhabitants/km² and just one town of significant size: Åmål. The total population numbers 50,527. The uninhabited areas are characterized by dense forests in the northwestern uplands and lakes in the east, giving rise to the epithet, commonly used for Dalsland, of "Sweden's lake province".

The Latinized name Dalia, which was often used to name Dalsland in older prints, can still sometimes be encountered.

The traditional provinces of Sweden serve no administrative or political purposes, but are historical and cultural entities. Dalsland formed the northern part of the administrative county Älvsborg County until 1998 when the present Västra Götaland County was formed. A very small part of the province, Dalboredden, is in Värmland County.

Dalsland was granted its arms at the time of the funeral of Gustav Vasa in 1560. In the 16th century Dalsland had the status of a County (Comitatus) and was represented with an Earl's coronet. On January 18, 1884 the Privy Council gave all provinces the right of use to a Dukal coronet for their coat of arms. Blazon: "Argent an Ox passant armed and hoofed Or."


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