Public administration in Sweden is executed by the Riksdag (the state) at national level; by the County Council at regional level; and by the Municipal Council (the municipality) at local level. The state is represented at all three levels; the county councils are represented at both regional and local level; and the municipalities are responsible at local level. Sweden has a tradition of local self-government. In the course of time, municipalities and county councils have become important elements of Swedish public administration. The modern local government system had been founded with the 1862 Local Government Ordinance, which assigned municipality status to each parish and town. The Swedish administrative system is characterized by an effort to decentralize public responsibilities. The activities and the decisions concerning these activities are tried to be undertaken at local level -as far as possible. The division of labor between national and local governments is defined by law.