Bengtsfors Municipality (''Bengtsfors kommun'') is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

Västra Götaland County Västra Götaland County ( sv, Västra Götalands län) 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 ...

in western

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

. Its seat is located in the town of

Bengtsfors Bengtsfors () is a locality and the seat of Bengtsfors Municipality, Västra Götaland County Västra Götaland County ( sv, Västra Götalands län) is a county or '' län'' on the western coast of Sweden. The county is the second most popul ...

. The present municipality was formed in 1971 when the former market town (''

köping ''Köping'' was a Swedish denomination for a market town since the Middle Ages, derived from the Old Norse word ''kaupang''. The designation was officially abolished with the municipal reform of 1971, when Sweden was subdivided into the Munici ...

'') of

(instituted in 1926) was amalgamated with the municipalities of Bäckefors, Lelång and Steneby.

Geography

The municipality has much water areas, consisting of lakes and streams. It makes it a good place for

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

and

bathing Bathing is the act of washing the body, usually with water, or the immersion of the body in water. It may be practiced for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapeutic purposes. By analogy, especially as a recreational activity, the term is ...

. Every year a canoeing

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

called ''Dalslands Kanot Marathon+'', or DKM+, is held. It is an enduring 55 km long (a marathon "plus"), stretching through the many municipal streams, and one of

's largest canoeing competitions. Bengtsfors is also crossed by the

Dalsland Canal Dalsland Canal ( sv, Dalslands kanal) is a Swedish canal that enables ships to sail between Lake Vänern and central parts of the Dalsland and southwestern Värmland lake districts. The canal runs across the well-known aqueduct at Håverud and ...

Localities

Localities in the municipality and inhabitants: *

(seat), 3,600 inh. *

Billingsfors Billingsfors () is a locality situated in Bengtsfors Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 1,134 inhabitants in 2010. Billingsfors Church is in Billingsfors. Sports The following sports clubs are located in Billingsfors: * Billing ...

, 1,400 inh. *

Bäckefors Bäckefors is a locality situated in Bengtsfors Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 673 inhabitants in 2010. The Movie Kopps was filmed here in 2003. The hospital Dalslands Sjukhus is located here. Bäckefors was an important ...

, 750 inh. *

Dals Långed Dals Långed (meaning "passage between or along the water") is a locality situated in Bengtsfors Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 1,520 inhabitants in 2010. History Dals Långed was founded in the 1850s. Later, a mill was bui ...

, 1,700 inh. *

Gustavsfors Gustavsfors is a small Swedish village located next to Dalsland Canal on the border between the provinces Dalsland and Värmland along county road 172. The main part of the village is located in Torrskogs district in Bengtsfors Municipality, Vä ...

, 700 inh. *

Skåpafors Skåpafors is a locality situated in Bengtsfors Municipality, Västra Götaland County Västra Götaland County ( sv, Västra Götalands län) is a county or '' län'' on the western coast of Sweden. The county is the second most populous of ...

, 400 inh.

Politics

Result of the 2010 election: *

Moderate Party The Moderate Party ( sv, Moderata samlingspartiet , ; M), commonly referred to as the Moderates ( ), is a liberal-conservative political party in Sweden. The party generally supports tax cuts, the free market, civil liberties and economic liber ...

23,13% * Centre party 10,86% * Liberal People's Party 5,23% *

Christian Democrats __NOTOC__ Christian democratic parties are political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social tea ...

5,85% *

Swedish Social Democratic Party The Swedish Social Democratic Party, formally the Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party ( sv, Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetareparti ; S/SAP), usually referred to as The Social Democrats ( sv, link=no, Socialdemokraterna ), is a social-d ...

38,47% * Left Party 5,15% *

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...

4,90% *

Sweden Democrats The Sweden Democrats ( sv , Sverigedemokraterna ; SD ) is a nationalist and right-wing populist political party in Sweden. As of 2022, it is the largest member of Sweden's right-wing governing bloc to which it provides confidence and supply, a ...

5,65% * Other Parties 0,78%

References

External links

Bengtsfors Municipality
- Official site
Dalsland Canal
- In Swedish, English and German {{Authority control Municipalities of Västra Götaland County North Älvsborg