landstingsgränser

Landstingsgränser refer to the administrative borders of the former landsting, which were regional health care and education authorities in Sweden. They were established in the 1960s to create a more efficient structure for delivering public services across larger geographical areas than the former municipalities. Each landsting was responsible for hospitals, elder care, childcare, and some cultural institutions, as well as certain educational tasks, within its jurisdiction.

The boundaries of a landsting were drawn to cover multiple municipalities, sometimes crossing historical provinces (landskap). They were defined mainly on the basis of socioeconomic ties and transportation infrastructures, aiming to ensure a balanced distribution of resources. The landstingsgränser were displayed on official maps and used for statistical purposes, regional planning, and the allocation of government subsidies.

In 1997 a significant reform merged the landsting with the counties (regeringsregeringar), forming new county administrative boards (landsting). This change simplified the administrative landscape, but the term landstingsgränser is still used in historical contexts and in legal frameworks concerning the former responsibilities of landsting. Today, Sweden’s regional administration is handled by county councils (landstingsråd) and regional health authorities (regioner), but the legacy of the landstingsgränser remains in legal and historical references.

For researchers and policy analysts, landstingsgränser provide a useful reference for analysing historical public service provision, demographic changes, and the evolution of Sweden’s administrative geography over the past half‑century.