Skåne

Skåne, or Scania, is the southernmost traditional province or landskap in Sweden. It borders to Halland, Småland and Blekinge. To the east, west and south it also borders to the Baltic Sea and the Öresund strait (also known as The Sound). There is also a County of Skåne.

County For current affairs see: County of Skåne

The County of Skåne has virtually the same boundaries as the province of Skåne.

History Main article: History of Skåne[?]

Chartered cities before 1971:

• Eslöv (1911)
• Falsterbo[?] (approximately 1200)
• Helsingborg (1085)
• Hässleholm (1914)
• Höganäs (1936)
• Kristianstad (1622)
• Landskrona (1413)
• Lund (approximately 990)
• Malmö (approximately 1250)
• Simrishamn (approximately 1300)
• Skanör[?] (approximately 1200)
• Trelleborg (approximately 1200)
• Ystad (approximately 1200)
• Ängelholm (1516)

Historically the province of Skåne was a part of Skåneland, which together with Jutland and "the islands" constituted Denmark. Following the Treaty of Roskilde Skåneland became a possession of the Swedish crown, retaining its old laws and diet (Lantdag), but was soon to be split. Bornholm was returned to Denmark, and the other provinces were successively incorporated into Sweden. Skåne was in 1719 the last to become a province of Sweden.

Geography Main article: Geography of Skåne[?]

• Highest mountain: Söderåsen 212 meters
• Largest lake: Ivösjön
• National parks: Dalby Söderskog, Stenshuvud

Culture Main article: Culture of Skåne[?]

Heraldry Main article: Heraldry of Skåne[?]

Skåne was granted its arms at the funeral of Charles X Gustav of Sweden in 1660, based on the arms of the City of Malmö. The arms is represented with a dukal coronet. Blazon: "Or, a Griffin's head erased Gules, crowned Azure and armed Azure, when it should be armed".

External Links

• Skåne Tourist Site (http://www.skanetur.se/)