ABSTRACT
Sweden, like most unitary states, has a two-tier system of local government. The local self-government entities at the upper tier are called landsting, which is usually translated into English as counties. Another term that well might be used in English could be provinces. This chapter is about the history, structure, functions and future of the public bodies at this intermediate level, of which the counties are the most important. Others do however exist. There are also central government outposts at this territorial level. In Sweden the term ‘regions’ has also lately come into use for various types of public bodies at the intermediate level. In this chapter the term ‘regional level’ will be used for the intermediate level (that is the level between central state and localities and municipalities). Counties will then be one, albeit an important one, of many types of public bodies at ‘the regional level’.
