Södermanland (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈsø̂ːdɛrmanˌland] or [ˈsø̌ː-] ⓘ),[2] locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latinized form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province (or landskap) on the south eastern coast of Sweden.

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

Blazon: "Or, a Griffin rampant Sable beaked, langued, membered and armed Gules."

Södermanland is situated between lake Mälaren to the north and the Baltic Sea to the south and east.

[5] The terrain largely consists of water filled hollows covered with woods on the heights.

It is distributed over three counties as follows:[1] Södermanland is, with 160 inhabitants per square kilometre (410/sq mi), the most densely populated of the provinces.

People probably settled there in the early Stone Age, from which time the earliest remains date.

This period ended when Ingjald the Ill-Ruler allegedly had a number of local rulers arsoned around 640.

In 1523 the King Gustav Vasa, referred to as the Sweden's Father of the Nation, was crowned in Strängnäs.

Charles IX, a son of Gustav Vasa, favoured the province, fortifying castles and establishing early industries.

The largest of very many paintings made by David von Krafft is the Hildebrand family portrait from 1713 (at Nynäs Manor, in Södermanland), depicting the merchant and industrialist Henrik Jacob Hildebrand and his wife Anna Sofia Amya on the occasion of their 50th anniversary surrounded by their over twenty children and grandchildren, as well as some deceased relatives in paintings on the wall in the background.

The area has been inhabited since the Stone Age, and medieval churches, runestones and graveyards are plentiful throughout the countryside.