Värmland | ||
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Country | Sweden | |
Land | Svealand | |
Counties |
Värmland County Örebro County Västra Götaland County |
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Area | ||
• Total | 18,164 km2 (7,013 sq mi) | |
Population (2009) | ||
• Total | 311,652 | |
• Density | 17/km2 (44/sq mi) | |
Ethnicity | ||
• Languages |
Värmländska Götamål |
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Culture | ||
• Flower | Chickweed wintergreen | |
• Animal | Wolf | |
• Bird | Red-throated diver | |
• Fish | Smelt | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
Värmland is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland, and Närke, and is bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, its modern land is Svealand. The origin of the name is uncertain; it may refer to the large local lake by the name of , although the lake's name is parsed as vär- + -meln (not värm 'heat' + eln).
Provinces serve no administrative function in Sweden today. Instead, that function is served by counties; however, in many instances a county has virtually the same border as the province, which is the case with Värmland and its corresponding county Värmland County. The main exception is a smaller part to the southeast which belongs to Örebro County.
Arms were granted in 1560 depicting a wolverine. This was, however, too similar to that of Medelpad, and in 1567 it was revised to an eagle. In the late 17th century the eagle was black. In 1936, it got its current blazon, when the eagle became blue. Blazon: "Argent, an Eagle displayed Azure beaked, langued and membered Gules."