View source for Dalsland

{{Short description|Historical province of Sweden}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->| name               = Dalsland
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Dalslands landskapsflagga-jpg.png
| image_shield       = Dalslands vapen crowned.svg
| shield_size        = 100px
| motto              = 
| image_map          = Sverigekarta-Landskap Dalsland.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = 
| coordinates        = 
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| settlement_type    = [[Provinces of Sweden|Historical province]]
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{SWE}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Lands of Sweden|Land]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Götaland]]
| subdivision_type2  = Counties
| subdivision_name2  = [[Västra Götaland County]]<br>[[Värmland County]]
| unit_pref          = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 3,708
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_percent = 
| area_note          = 
| population_footnotes = <ref name="population">{{cite web |url=https://www.statistikdatabasen.scb.se/pxweb/sv/ssd/START__BE__BE0101__BE0101A/FolkmangdDistrikt/table/tableViewLayout1/ |title=Folkmängd 31 december; ålder |website=Statistikdatabasen |access-date=1 June 2024 }}</ref>
| population_total   = 48,602
| population_as_of   = December 31, 2023
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = 
| population_note    = 
| timezone1          = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1        = +1
| timezone1_DST      = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST    = +2
| postal_code_type   = [[List of postal codes in Sweden|Postal codes]]
| postal_code        = 
| area_code_type     = [[Telephone numbers in Sweden|Area codes]]
| area_code          = 
| demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
| demographics1_title1 = Language
| demographics1_info1 = [[Swedish language|Swedish]]
| demographics1_title2 = Dialect
| demographics1_info2 = [[Götamål dialect|Götamål]]
| demographics_type2 = Culture
| demographics2_title2 = Flower
| demographics2_info2 = [[Forget-me-not]]
| demographics2_title3 = Animal
| demographics2_info3 = [[Common raven|Raven]]
| demographics2_title4 = Bird
| demographics2_info4 = —
| demographics2_title5 = Fish
| demographics2_info5 = —
| website            = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| footnotes          = 
}}
[[File:Geographisk Charta öfwer Landswägarne igenom Elfsborgs Lähn och Dahl.jpg|alt=Map of the country roads through Älvsborg county and Dalsland in 1731.|thumb|300x300px|Map of the country roads through Älvsborg county and Dalsland in 1731.]]
'''Dalsland''' ({{IPA|sv|ˈdɑ̌ːlsland}}) is a [[Provinces of Sweden|Swedish traditional province]], or ''landskap'', situated in [[Götaland]] in southern [[Sweden]]. Lying to the west of [[Vänern|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/km<sup>2</sup> and just one town of significant size: [[Åmål]]. The total population numbers 50,604.<ref name="population"/> 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.

== Administration ==
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 [[Counties of Sweden|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]].

== Heraldry ==
Dalsland was granted its arms at the time of the funeral of [[Gustav I of Sweden|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 of Sweden|Privy Council]] gave all provinces the right of use to a [[Duke|Dukal]] coronet for their coat of arms. [[Blazon]]:  "Argent an Ox passant armed and hoofed Or."

== Etymology ==
Dalsland was originally called Dal, "Valley", originally referring only to the flat southeastern part. The name Dal is still in part used locally, about all Dalsland. The name Dalsland, "valley land", might have been given by central authorities, to distinguish from [[Dalarna]].

== Geography ==
[[Image:Countryside1.JPG|left|thumb|300px|A typical lake in Dalsland]]
[[Image:Kroppefjäll i Dalsland, Jaemlee.jpg|right|thumb|300px|View from the Kroppefjäll [[Table (landform)|tableland]], wherein an enclosed area is designated as [[nature reserve]].]]

No other part of Sweden has its area covered with as many lakes as Dalsland does.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}} Of its total area, around {{convert|450|km2|abbr=on}} is water, but a part of lake [[Vänern]] (Sweden's largest lake) is also belonging to the province.

From the shores of Vänern, one can sail through the river systems up to the mythical lake [[Stora Le]]. Stora Le has a length of {{convert|66|km|abbr=on}}, whereof {{convert|37|km|abbr=on}} are within Dalsland, and the remaining part within the [[Värmland]] province, with a bay into Norway.

The terrain consists of 1/4 agricultural lands and 2/3 forested lands. The province's southern part are suitable for agriculture, but there is a shortage of man-power to cultivate it.

[[Tresticklan National Park|Tresticklan]] is a national park in Dalsland. There are also several [[nature reserve]]s.

The [[Dalsland Canal]] was completed in 1868 and has 28 locks in its length of {{convert|254|km|abbr=on}}.

=== Sub-divisions ===
[[Municipalities of Sweden|Municipalities]] are local districts of administration, with elected councils.
Within Dalsland's borders these are the municipalities:

# [[Bengtsfors Municipality]]
# [[Dals-Ed Municipality]]
# [[Färgelanda Municipality]]
# [[Mellerud Municipality]]
# [[Åmål Municipality]]
# Parts of [[Munkedal Municipality|Munkedal]], [[Säffle Municipality|Säffle]], [[Vänersborg Municipality|Vänersborg]] and [[Årjäng Municipality|Årjäng Municipalities]], although all municipal seats of these four are outside Dalsland's borders.

Dalsland was historically divided into one [[Stad (Sweden)|chartered city]] and five [[Hundreds of Sweden|hundreds]]. The hundreds were  provincial sub-divisions from the Middle Ages, but were discontinued in the early 20th century.

Dalsland's chartered city was [[Åmål]] ([[royal charter]] in 1643). Its hundreds were: [[Nordal Hundred]], [[Sundal Hundred]], [[Tössbo Hundred]], [[Valbo Hundred]] and [[Vedbo Hundred]]. They correspond approximately to today's municipalities: Nordal → Mellerud, Sundal → part of Vänersborg, Tössbo+Åmål → Åmål, Valbo → Färgelanda and Vedbo → Bengtsfors+Dals-Ed.

== Elections ==
Dalsland is part of [[Västra Götaland County]] and does not have its own assembly. However, these are combined results from the five municipalities whose seats are in the province in Riksdag elections since the [[1973 Swedish general election|1973]] election, the first since the municipal merger.

=== [[Riksdag]] ===  
{| class="wikitable sortable" style=text-align:right
!Year
!%
!Votes
![[Left Party (Sweden)|V]]
![[Social Democrats (Sweden)|S]]
![[Green Party (Sweden)|MP]]
![[Centre Party (Sweden)|C]]
![[Liberals (Sweden)|L]]
![[Christian Democrats (Sweden)|KD]]
![[Moderate Party (Sweden)|M]]
![[Sweden Democrats|SD]]
![[New Democracy (Sweden)|NyD]]
!Other
|-
|align=left|[[1973 Swedish general election|1973]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1973-Del-1-Riksdagsvalet.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1973|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 90.6
| 31,885
| 1.7
| 38.3
| 
| 39.0
| 7.9
| 2.1
| 10.8
| 
| 
| 0.1
|-
|align=left|[[1976 Swedish general election|1976]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1976-Del-1-Riksdagsvalet.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1976|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 91.6
| 33,199
| 1.7
| 36.7
| 
| 39.2
| 8.1
| 1.8
| 12.5
| 
| 
| 0.1
|-
|align=left|[[1979 Swedish general election|1979]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1979-Del-1-Riksdagsvalet.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1979|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 90.4
| 33,314
| 2.2
| 38.0
| 
| 33.1
| 8.0
| 1.9
| 16.7
| 
| 
| 0.2
|-
|align=left|[[1982 Swedish general election|1982]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1982-Del-1-Riksdagsvalet.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1982|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 90.8
| 33,503
| 2.2
| 40.4
| 1.3
| 29.3
| 5.4
| 2.3
| 19.1
| 
| 
| 0.1
|-
|align=left|[[1985 Swedish general election|1985]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1985-Del-1-Riksdagsvalet.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1985|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 88.7
| 32,724
| 2.6
| 40.3
| 1.4
| 25.7
| 12.3
| 
| 17.5
| 
| 
| 0.1
|-
|align=left|[[1988 Swedish general election|1988]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1988-Del-1-Riksdagsvalet.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1988|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 84.5
| 30,825
| 3.1
| 41.0
| 5.4
| 24.1
| 9.6
| 3.4
| 13.4
| 
| 
| 0.1
|-
|align=left|[[1991 Swedish general election|1991]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1991-Del-1-Riksdagsvalet.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1991|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 85.5
| 31,079
| 2.7
| 35.7
| 2.5
| 18.2
| 6.5
| 9.6
| 16.3
| 
| 8.1
| 0.3
|-
|align=left|[[1994 Swedish general election|1994]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1994-Del-1-Riksdagsvalet.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1994|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 84.8
| 30,330
| 4.4
| 44.6
| 5.3
| 16.6
| 5.2
| 5.0
| 17.5
| 
| 1.1
| 0.4
|-
|align=left|[[1998 Swedish general election|1998]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/historisk%20statistik/SOS%201911-%2FValstatistiken%2FAllm%C3%A4nna%20valen%20(SOS)%201970-1998%2FValstatistik-Allmanna-valen-1998-Del-1-Riksdagen.pdf|title=Allmänna valen 1998|language=sv|publisher=[[Statistiska Centralbyrån|SCB]]}}</ref>
| 79.5
| 27,527
| 10.4
| 37.3
| 4.3
| 11.6
| 3.4
| 14.8
| 16.1
| 
| 
| 2.0
|-
|align=left|[[2002 Swedish general election|2002]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.val.se/val/val_02/slutresultat/14R/1418KR.html|title=Västra Götalands län norra - summering|language=sv|publisher=[[Valmyndigheten]]|access-date=2020-02-26|archive-date=2020-02-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226161959/https://data.val.se/val/val_02/slutresultat/14R/1418KR.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| 77.4
| 26,025
| 6.4
| 42.2
| 3.2
| 14.8
| 9.3
| 11.7
| 10.2
| 1.0
| 
| 1.3
|-
|align=left|[[2006 Swedish general election|2006]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.val.se/val/val2006/slutlig/R/riksdagsvalkrets/18/roster.html|title=Allmänna val 17 september 2006 - Västra Götalands län norra|language=sv|publisher=[[Valmyndigheten]]|access-date=26 February 2020|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218133543/https://data.val.se/val/val2006/slutlig/R/riksdagsvalkrets/18/roster.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| 79.2
| 26,173
| 5.0
| 39.7
| 3.5
| 14.7
| 5.2
| 7.6
| 18.4
| 3.0
| 
| 2.9
|-
|align=left|[[2010 Swedish general election|2010]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.val.se/val/val2010/slutresultat/R/rvalkrets/18/index.html|title=Västra Götalands län - Röster Val 2010|language=sv|publisher=[[Valmyndigheten]]|access-date=2020-02-26|archive-date=2019-11-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128143743/https://data.val.se/val/val2010/slutresultat/R/rvalkrets/18/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| 81.6
| 26,665
| 4.9
| 35.2
| 4.7
| 11.3
| 5.5
| 6.0
| 25.0
| 6.5
| 
| 0.8
|-
|align=left|[[2014 Swedish general election|2014]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.val.se/val/val2014/slutresultat/R/rvalkrets/18/index.html|title=Västra Götalands län norra - Röster Val 2014|language=sv|publisher=[[Valmyndigheten]]|access-date=2020-02-26|archive-date=2019-06-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620205140/https://data.val.se/val/val2014/slutresultat/R/rvalkrets/18/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| 83.7
| 26,802
| 4.0
| 35.1
| 3.6
| 10.6
| 3.3
| 4.5
| 16.5
| 19.8
| 
| 2.5
|-
|align=left|[[2018 Swedish general election|2018]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.val.se/val/val2018/slutresultat/R/rvalkrets/18/index.html|title=Västra Götalands län norra - Röster Val 2018|language=sv|publisher=[[Valmyndigheten]]|access-date=2020-02-26|archive-date=2019-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101174713/https://data.val.se/val/val2018/slutresultat/R/rvalkrets/18/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| 85.7
| 26,941
| 5.1
| 29.6
| 2.5
| 10.2
| 3.0
| 7.0
| 14.6
| 26.8
| 
| 1.3
|}

== History ==
The first recorded use of the term "Dalsland" dates to 1508.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dalsland - Uppslagsverk - NE.se |url=https://www.ne.se/uppslagsverk/encyklopedi/l%C3%A5ng/dalsland |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.ne.se}}</ref> Before then, the term used was "Dal", or "de Dal", literally meaning "Valley" or "the Valleys", which referred to two specific valleys in the southern area closest to [[Vänern]].

The area has around 5,000 localized ancient remains. They indicate the origin of the inhabitants to stem from the south and the province [[Bohuslän]]; dialectal studies and social aspects have come to a similar conclusion.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1906 |title=1131-1132 (Nordisk familjebok / Uggleupplagan. 5. Cestius - Degas) |url=https://runeberg.org/nfbe/0606.html |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=runeberg.org |language=sv}}</ref>

In the 13th century, the inhabitants were referred to as "West [[Geats]] west of Vänern" by King [[Magnus Ladulås]]. The oldest provincial law from 1442 called the region "Dal in Västergötland". All sources point to them being a – remote – part of the province of [[Västergötland]].<ref name=":0" /> The mountainous parts were at the time known as "markerna", meaning "hinterlands".

Its exposed location near the Norwegian border made it subject to invasion, although to a lesser degree than the southern [[Bohuslän]] and Västergötland. It was first conquered around 1100 by the Norwegian [[Magnus Barefoot]], who only held the province until King [[Valdemar Atterdag]] re-drew provincial borders.<ref name=":0" />

The [[Nordic Seven Years' War]] was particularly hard, especially 1568 when 281 farms were burnt. Other feuds that were negative for the province were those of [[Kalmar War|1611-1612]], [[Torstenson War|1644-1645]] and [[Scanian War|1675–1679]].<ref name=":0" />

The population has seen a decline since the 1880s, at the time numbering over 83,000, with emigration to North America and Norway accounting for most decreases early on. A census counts the local population to be 70,486 in 1905.<ref name=":0" /> These days, population numbers lie around 50,000.<ref name="population" />

[[Åmål]], the province's largest town, has however seen an increase from 3,858 residents 1905 <ref name=":0" /> to a current approximate 9,000.

== Culture ==
People in the western part of Dalsland were believed to have migrated from [[Bohuslän]], although probably long before that area was Norwegian. A distinctive feature in the Högsäter-area of [[Valbo Hundred]] was an inclination to brown eyes and dark hair, and a slightly rounder facial shape.<ref name=":0" />

The municipalities in Dalsland still makes frequent use of the provincial name, as the means to distinguish their history and culture from the rest of West Sweden. Culturally, Dalsland is as connected to [[Värmland]] as it is to the other neighbouring provinces [[Västergötland]] and Bohuslän.

=== Tongue ===
The dialect is a [[Swedish language]] variety known as the Dalbo-dialect. It is a variation of the [[Götamål dialect]], and closest related to the other Götaland provinces, although it differs from them in the absence of a [[guttural R]].

Its location by the Norwegian border has also added some features. The dialects vary over the province, since it is mostly hilly but has some more densely populated areas near its borders. These areas have been influenced by the neighbour areas.

One dialectal oddity is the norm for locals to say "bo på Dal", in English "live on [the] Valley", as opposed to the usual "bo i Västergötland", in English "live in Västergötland".<ref name=":0" />

==Sports==
Football in the province is administered by [[Dalslands Fotbollförbund]].

==See also==
*[[Egenäs]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikivoyage}}
* [https://runeberg.org/nfbe/0608.html ''Dal''] in [[Nordisk familjebok|Nordisk familjebok, Uggleupplagan]]. In Swedish only.
* [http://www.dalsland.com/ Dalsland] -  from ''West Sweden Tourist Board''. In Swedish, English and German.

{{Provinces of Sweden}}
{{Coord|59.274|N|12.448|E|source:svwiki_region:SE|format=dms|display=title}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dalsland| ]]
[[Category:Provinces of Sweden]]