Västra Götaland County (Swedish: Västra Götalands län [ˈvɛ̂stra ˈjøːtaˌlɑːnds lɛn]) is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.
The county is the second most populous of Sweden's counties and it comprises 49 municipalities (kommuner). Its population of 1,616,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population. The formal capital and seat of the governor of Västra Götaland County is Gothenburg. The political capital and seat of the Västra Götaland Regional Council is Vänersborg.
The county was established on 1 January 1998, when Älvsborg County, Gothenburg and Bohus County and Skaraborg County were merged.
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Provinces
Sweden's counties are generally of greater importance than its provinces. The counties are the main administrative units for politics and population census counts.
Due to its size and young age, the Västra Götaland County has no common heritage. Of cultural and historical significance are the provinces that Västra Götaland County consists of: Västergötland, Bohuslän and Dalsland. There is also an insignificant part of the province Halland within the county.
In addition, the previous counties that were abolished in 1998 had been in use since the 17th century, and therefore have some cultural and historical significance.
Neighbours
Västra Götaland County borders to the counties of Värmland, Örebro, Östergötland, Jönköping and Halland. It is also bounded by the Norwegian counties of Østfold and Vestfold both with a land and maritime border, lakes Vättern and Vänern, as well as the strait of Skagerrak.
Administration
Västra Götaland was created in 1998 by a merger of the three former counties of Gothenburg and Bohus County, Älvsborg County and Skaraborg County. The seat of residence for the Governors or Landshövding is Gothenburg, while the seat of political administration and power is Vänersborg. The Governor is the head of the County Administrative Board or Länsstyrelse.
The 2010 election in Västra Götaland was rerun when the Election Review Board of the Swedish Parliament voided the original election "due to mistakes and irregularities in the handling of ballots."
Politics
The Västra Götaland Regional Council or Västra Götalandsregionen is an evolved County Council that for a trial period has assumed certain tasks from the County Administrative Board. Similar trial councils are applied for Skåne County and Gotland County.
Notable people
Anton Julius Carlson (1875–1956), Swedish American physiologist, was born in Svarteborg, Västra Götaland County.
Kjell Johansson (born 1951), tennis player
Heraldry
The arms for the County of Västra Götaland were granted in 1998 when the county was formed. They are a combination of the provincial arms of Västergötland, Bohuslän and Dalsland and the arms of the city of Gothenburg. When the arms are shown with a royal crown they represent the County Administrative Board, which is the regional presence of (royal) government authority. Blazon: "Quartered, I. the arms of Gothenburg II. the arms of Bohuslän III. the arms of Dalsland turned in courtoisie, IV. the arms of Västergötland."