Region Skåne is the region of Skåne County in Sweden. Region Skåne was formed on 1 January 1999 by the amalgamation of the county councils of Malmöhus County and Kristianstad County and some of the tasks handled by Malmö Municipality. The regional assembly is the highest political body in the region and its members are elected by the population of Skåne Country, as opposed to the County Administrative Board (länsstyrelsen) which guards the interests of the state in the region under the chairmanship of the county governor. The region's main responsibility is for the public healthcare system, public transport and development within the region, which includes co-ordination of development of commerce, communication, culture and collaboration with other regions both in and outside of Sweden. By devolution the newly formed region assumed some powers from the Skåne County Administrative Board, the state authority in Skåne County. Before Region Skåne was formed in 1999 on a trial basis, the regional development was the responsibility of a Regional Association, comprising the 33 municipalities together with the then current health services principals, namely the Kristianstad and Malmöhus county councils and the Health Services authority in the City of Malmö. Similar provisions had also been extended to the Region Västra Götaland and the Region Gotland during a trial period. Source: Wikipedia (en)