# Värmland County

Värmland County (Swedish: Värmlands län) is a county or län in west central Sweden. It borders the Swedish counties of Dalarna, Örebro and Västra Götaland, as well as the Norwegian counties of Østfold, Akershus and Innlandet to the west. The title of Duke of Värmland is claimed by His Royal Highness Prince Carl Philip.

## Province

The county has more or less the same boundaries as Värmland Province, except that the municipalities of Karlskoga and Degerfors are part of Örebro County.

## Administration

Värmland County was formed in 1779, when it was separated from Närke and Värmland County.
The main aim of the County Administrative Board is to fulfil the goals set in national politics by the Riksdag and the Government, to coordinate the interests of the county, to promote the development of the county, to establish regional goals and safeguard the due process of law in the handling of each case. The County Administrative Board is a Government Agency headed by a Governor. See List of Värmland Governors.

## Politics

The County Council of Värmland is called Region Värmland.

## Riksdag elections

The table details all Riksdag election results of Värmland County since the unicameral era began in 1970. The blocs denote which party would support the Prime Minister or the lead opposition party towards the end of the elected parliament.
| Year | Turnout | Votes | V | S | MP | C | L | KD | M | SD | NyD | Left | Right |
| 1970 | 88.9 | 183,757 | 4.3 | 51.1 | | 20.1 | 14.3 | 2.2 | 7.6 | | | 55.9 | 42.7 |
| 1973 | 91.6 | 188,565 | 4.9 | 48.3 | | 26.0 | 8.8 | 1.0 | 10.5 | | | 53.2 | 45.4 |
| 1976 | 92.2 | 196,183 | 4.0 | 46.1 | | 25.8 | 9.8 | 0.7 | 13.2 | | | 50.1 | 48.8 |
| 1979 | 91.2 | 195,704 | 4.9 | 47.7 | | 20.2 | 8.6 | 0.8 | 17.2 | | | 52.5 | 46.1 |
| 1982 | 91.6 | 196,415 | 4.8 | 50.4 | 1.4 | 17.0 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 20.0 | | | 55.2 | 42.2 |
| 1985 | 89.8 | 192,892 | 4.8 | 49.4 | 1.4 | 13.5 | 12.1 | | 18.6 | | | 54.2 | 44.3 |
| 1988 | 85.3 | 182,427 | 5.4 | 49.2 | 4.6 | 14.1 | 10.1 | 1.8 | 14.7 | | | 59.1 | 38.9 |
| 1991 | 86.4 | 184,819 | 4.6 | 42.9 | 2.6 | 10.7 | 7.5 | 6.3 | 17.9 | | 7.0 | 47.5 | 42.4 |
| 1994 | 86.6 | 185,145 | 6.8 | 49.7 | 4.4 | 9.4 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 18.6 | | 1.0 | 60.9 | 37.5 |
| 1998 | 81.0 | 169,723 | 14.1 | 41.1 | 4.1 | 6.4 | 4.0 | 10.7 | 18.4 | | | 59.2 | 39.5 |
| 2002 | 79.8 | 165,413 | 8.7 | 43.4 | 4.0 | 9.2 | 11.5 | 8.1 | 12.4 | 1.4 | | 56.0 | 41.1 |
| 2006 | 81.3 | 168,426 | 6.4 | 42.0 | 3.9 | 10.0 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 20.9 | 2.9 | | 52.3 | 42.7 |
| 2010 | 84.1 | 177,215 | 5.8 | 38.9 | 5.6 | 7.6 | 6.0 | 4.7 | 25.7 | 4.8 | | 50.1 | 44.0 |
| 2014 | 86.0 | 182,077 | 5.2 | 39.1 | 5.2 | 7.4 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 19.6 | 12.6 | | 49.5 | 35.2 |
| 2018 | 87.3 | 183,966 | 7.0 | 33.9 | 3.3 | 9.3 | 4.4 | 6.3 | 16.4 | 18.0 | | 53.2 | 45.3 |
| 2022 | 85.2 | 184,607 | 5.0 | 34.6 | 3.6 | 6.3 | 3.7 | 5.8 | 17.1 | 22.8 | | 49.5 | 49.4 |

## Municipalities

In Värmland Province:
* Arvika
* Eda
* Filipstad
* Forshaga
* Grums
* Hagfors
* Hammarö
* Karlstad
* Kil
* Kristinehamn
* Munkfors
* Storfors
* Sunne
* Säffle
* Torsby
* Årjäng

## Demographics
### Foreign background

SCB have collected statistics on backgrounds of residents since 2002. These tables consist of all who have two foreign-born parents or are born abroad themselves. The chart lists election years and the last year on record alone.
| Location | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2019 |
| Arvika | 8.8 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.0 | 14.9 | 15.1 |
| Eda | 20.7 | 23.8 | 26.1 | 27.7 | 31.1 | 31.7 |
| Filipstad | 8.6 | 10.1 | 12.1 | 16.4 | 22.8 | 22.5 |
| Forshaga | 6.0 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 8.8 | 11.0 | 10.8 |
| Grums | 8.1 | 8.8 | 9.8 | 11.0 | 13.0 | 13.5 |
| Hagfors | 6.2 | 7.8 | 9.7 | 12.2 | 15.6 | 16.1 |
| Hammarö | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 9.1 | 8.9 |
| Karlstad | 9.5 | 11.0 | 12.8 | 14.0 | 16.8 | 17.6 |
| Kil | 6.4 | 6.9 | 7.3 | 8.2 | 9.0 | 9.5 |
| Kristinehamn | 8.3 | 9.6 | 11.1 | 14.2 | 17.1 | 17.5 |
| Munkfors | 5.3 | 6.9 | 8.3 | 10.5 | 16.5 | 16.3 |
| Storfors | 14.7 | 16.7 | 18.6 | 22.1 | 22.6 | 20.8 |
| Sunne | 4.8 | 5.5 | 6.6 | 8.4 | 11.5 | 11.6 |
| Säffle | 5.7 | 7.2 | 8.5 | 11.9 | 17.1 | 17.1 |
| Torsby | 6.7 | 8.3 | 10.3 | 12.2 | 14.1 | 14.7 |
| Årjäng | 15.0 | 17.4 | 19.4 | 21.7 | 24.8 | 25.5 |
| Total | 8.6 | 10.0 | 11.5 | 13.3 | 16.1 | 16.5 |
| Source: SCB |||||||

## Climate

Värmland being a landlocked county results in greater temperature differences than at the nearby west coast of Sweden and south coast of Norway. As a result, the southern areas of the county has a humid continental climate with strong oceanic influences. The latter climate type is prevalent in a small area at the shores of Lake Vänern due to recent warming. More northerly areas see a subarctic climate with relatively mild winters for the climate type. The subarctic classification of areas such as Hagfors and Torsby is more due to the cool summer nights that renders September below 10 °C (50 °F) in mean temperatures.
Climate data for Karlstad, 2002-2015, extremes from 1901, precipitation 1961-1990 :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 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 |
| Source 1: ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: ||||||||||||||
Climate data for Arvika (roughly 50 km north of Karlstad) — Extremes 1945-present, precipitation 1961-1990 :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 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) |
| Source 1: ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: ||||||||||||||
Climate data for Blomskog (southerly near Norwegian border) (2002-2015 temp averages, 1964-1990 precipitation, extremes since 1964) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 10.0 (50.0) | 12.7 (54.9) | 20.0 (68.0) | 26.6 (79.9) | 28.6 (83.5) | 31.1 (88.0) | 32.7 (90.9) | 32.9 (91.2) | 25.6 (78.1) | 20.0 (68.0) | 13.8 (56.8) | 10.0 (50.0) | 32.9 (91.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.0 (32.0) | 0.4 (32.7) | 4.7 (40.5) | 10.8 (51.4) | 15.3 (59.5) | 19.2 (66.6) | 21.5 (70.7) | 20.2 (68.4) | 15.9 (60.6) | 9.5 (49.1) | 4.8 (40.6) | 0.9 (33.6) | 10.2 (50.4) |
| 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) | 16.5 (61.7) | 15.5 (59.9) | 11.9 (53.4) | 6.1 (43.0) | 2.2 (36.0) | −1.8 (28.8) | 6.2 (43.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −5.3 (22.5) | −5.7 (21.7) | −3.8 (25.2) | 0.2 (32.4) | 4.7 (40.5) | 8.3 (46.9) | 11.5 (52.7) | 10.8 (51.4) | 6.9 (44.4) | 2.7 (36.9) | −0.3 (31.5) | −4.6 (23.7) | 2.1 (35.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −32.4 (−26.3) | −36.5 (−33.7) | −27.0 (−16.6) | −15.3 (4.5) | −5.6 (21.9) | −2.7 (27.1) | 0.9 (33.6) | −2.0 (28.4) | −6.8 (19.8) | −14.2 (6.4) | −25.4 (−13.7) | −30.3 (−22.5) | −36.5 (−33.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 52.2 (2.06) | 37.1 (1.46) | 41.4 (1.63) | 38.1 (1.50) | 42.6 (1.68) | 55.9 (2.20) | 59.3 (2.33) | 70.1 (2.76) | 76.3 (3.00) | 78.8 (3.10) | 72.4 (2.85) | 52.1 (2.05) | 676.5 (26.63) |
| Source 1: SMHI Precipitation normals 1961-1990 ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: SMHI average data 2002-2015 ||||||||||||||
Climate data for Gustavsfors (central Värmland) (2002-2015 temp averages, 1961-1990 precipitation, extremes since 1917) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 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) | 33.4 (92.1) | 33.4 (92.1) | 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) | −1.9 (28.6) | −0.6 (30.9) | 3.4 (38.1) | 10.7 (51.3) | 15.4 (59.7) | 19.6 (67.3) | 22.0 (71.6) | 20.3 (68.5) | 15.6 (60.1) | 8.5 (47.3) | 3.4 (38.1) | −1.3 (29.7) | 8.7 (47.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −5.8 (21.6) | −5.2 (22.6) | −2.0 (28.4) | 4.3 (39.7) | 9.0 (48.2) | 12.9 (55.2) | 15.8 (60.4) | 14.4 (57.9) | 9.8 (49.6) | 4.3 (39.7) | 0.2 (32.4) | −4.9 (23.2) | 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) | −42.0 (−43.6) |
| 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) |
| Source 1: SMHI Precipitation normals 1961-1990 ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: SMHI average data Jan 2002 - Dec 2015 ||||||||||||||

## Heraldry

The county of Värmland inherited its coat of arms from the province of the same name. When it is shown with a royal crown it represents the County Administrative Board. Blazon: "Argent, an Eagle displayed Azure beaked, langued and membered Gules."