The traditional provinces of Sweden serve no administrative or political purposes, but are historical and cultural entities.

On January 18, 1884 the Privy Council gave all provinces the right of use to a Dukal coronet for their coat of arms.

They correspond approximately to today's municipalities: Nordal → Mellerud, Sundal → part of Vänersborg, Tössbo+Åmål → Åmål, Valbo → Färgelanda and Vedbo → Bengtsfors+Dals-Ed.

They indicate the origin of the inhabitants to stem from the south and the province Bohuslän; dialectal studies and social aspects have come to a similar conclusion.

Its exposed location near the Norwegian border made it subject to invasion, although to a lesser degree than the southern Bohuslän and Västergötland.

It was first conquered around 1100 by the Norwegian Magnus Barefoot, who only held the province until King Valdemar Atterdag re-drew provincial borders.

[17] The population has seen a decline since the 1880s, at the time numbering over 83,000, with emigration to North America and Norway accounting for most decreases early on.

People in the western part of Dalsland were believed to have migrated from Bohuslän, although probably long before that area was Norwegian.

A distinctive feature in the Högsäter-area of Valbo Hundred was an inclination to brown eyes and dark hair, and a slightly rounder facial shape.

[17] The municipalities in Dalsland still makes frequent use of the provincial name, as the means to distinguish their history and culture from the rest of West Sweden.

It is a variation of the Götamål dialect, and closest related to the other Götaland provinces, although it differs from them in the absence of a guttural R. Its location by the Norwegian border has also added some features.