 Ångermanland is a historical province (landskap) in the northern part of Sweden. It is bordered (clockwise from the north) by Swedish Lapland, Västerbotten, the Gulf of Bothnia, Medelpad, and Jämtland.
The name is derived from the Old Norse anger, which means "deep fjord" and is a reference to the deep mouth of the Ångerman River (Ångermanälven). In earlier times the province was known, in medieval Latin, as Angermannia.
Administration
The traditional provinces of Sweden, while remaining culturally and historically important, no longer serve as administrative or political entities. The heartlands of Ångermanland lie in today's Västernorrland County, with the remainder of the traditional province now forming part of Västerbotten and Jämtland Counties.
Heraldry
The heraldic description of the arms of Ã…ngermanland is: Azure three Salmons nainaint Argent finned Gules, the middle one counternainaint. These arms closely resemble those of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in England. The burgh of Peebles in Scotland also has a very similar coat of arms, but with a red background.
Geography
Ã…ngermanland is the sixth largest of Sweden's provinces with an area of some 19,800 km² â€" just under that of Wales â€" of which around 1,000 km² is water.
The nature of the western part of Ã…ngermanland is greatly influenced by the presence of the Ã…ngerman River. Although the province's soils are in general too barren for cultivation, there is arable farming in the areas adjoining the rivers â€" the Ã…ngerman River in particular.
The coast of Ã…ngermanland is mountainous and features an extensive archipelago with many steep islands, deep bays and fjords â€" among them the mouth of the Ã…ngerman River. The landscape is generally accounted picturesque, particularly in the thickly wooded Ã…dalen region around the Ã…ngerman River. The landscape is varied, with valleys, rocks, and bogs.
The largest town today is Örnsköldsvik, on the coast, with around 25,000 inhabitants. It is followed by Härnösand with 18,000.
Facts
- Highest mountain: Bunkfjället 740 metres
- Largest lake: Tåsjön
- National parks: Skuleskogen
The coast line on the Gulf of Bothnia, called the Höga Kusten, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The land still rises at the rate of about one centimetre per year, as an effect of the last ice age that ended in the 7th millennium BC.
Population
The population of Ã…ngermanland is 132,689 as of December 31, 2009. It distributes over three counties as follows:
History
Ångermanland is mentioned the first time in Historia Norwegie as "Angariuam", in 1170. It is thought to have been christened in the 12th century, as several runestones were erected in the 11th century. The Vitalie pirate brothers sieged the Styresholm fortress in 1398, holding the whole coast of Norrland. The Styresholm fort was however demolished in 1434 by the locals during the Engelbrekt Uprising. In 1490, districts Ångermanland, Alir, Sunded, Nordanstig and Medelpad constituted Storhälsingland. Härnösand receives city status in 1585. In 1721 Härnösand was burned to the ground by the Russian navy.
In 1931 four demonstrants and one bypassing were shot to death in what was to be known as the Ådal Riot. It resulted in the forming of the state police, stripping the military of policiary work. Lower Norrland received its first university in 2005 when the Mitthögskolan transformed into the Mittuniversitet. The university has its courses spread over four cities; Härnösand, Sundsvall, Örnsköldsvik and Östersund.
Historical administration
Ã…ngermanland was historically divided into chartered cities and districts.
Cities
- Härnösand (1585)
- Kramfors (1947)
- Sollefteå (1917)
- Örnsköldsvik (1893)
Districts
Sports
Football in the province is administered by Ångermanlands Fotbollförbund.
References
- article Ã…ngermanland from Nordisk familjebok. (Swedish)
- Hälsingland, Medelpad och Ångermanland from Tacitus.nu. (Swedish)
External links
- Mid Sweden - Official tourist site for Ã…ngermanland & Medelpad
- Sweden
- Sweden
- Sweden
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