Kalmar County
Encyclopedia
Kalmar County is a county
or län
in southern Sweden
. It borders the counties of Kronoberg
, Jönköping
, Blekinge
and Östergötland
. To the east in the Baltic Sea
is the island Gotland
.
The counties are mainly administrative units. Geographically Kalmar County covers the eastern part in the Småland
province, and the entire island of Öland
. For the areas history and culture, see those areas.
has been designated as a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO
. This southern part of Oland is known for a large number of rare species
; early paleolithic
settlement at Alby; other prehistoric remains such as the Gettlinge
Gravefield and Eketorp
Fortress; and the Ottenby
Nature Preserve.
until 1672. Blekinge
was a part of Kalmar County between 1680 and 1683, due to the foundation of the naval base at Karlskrona
.
The seat of residence for the Governor or Landshövding is Kalmar. The Governor is the head of the County Administrative Board
or Länsstyrelse. The County Administrative Board is a Government Agency
headed by a Governor. The current Governor is Sven Lindgren
. See List of Kalmar County Governors.
Since 1997 The municipalities and the county council cooperate through the indirectly politically controlled Regional Council of Kalmar County. The regional council represents the municipalities interests in regional growth issues, coordinates infrastructure planning, higher education, common cultural issues and administers various governmental an EU grants.
On the mainland:
On Öland
:
The County of Kalmar was formally granted its arms in 1944. Before this the county carried the arms of Småland and Öland side by side. The current arms is a combination of the arms for Småland and Öland. Blazon: "Quartered, the arms of Småland and Öland"
Counties of Sweden
The Counties of Sweden are the first level administrative and political subdivisions of Sweden. Sweden is divided into 21 counties. The counties were established in 1634 on Count Axel Oxenstierna's initiative, superseding the historical provinces of Sweden to introduce a modern administration...
or län
Län
Län and lääni refer to the administrative divisions used in Sweden and previously in Finland. The provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010....
in southern Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. It borders the counties of Kronoberg
Kronoberg County
Kronoberg County is a County or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Skåne, Halland, Jönköping, Kalmar and Blekinge. Its capital is the city Växjö.- Province :For History, Geography and Culture see: Småland...
, Jönköping
Jönköping County
Jönköping County is a county or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Halland, Västra Götaland, Östergötland, Kalmar and Kronoberg. The capital is Jönköping.- Provinces :...
, Blekinge
Blekinge County
Blekinge County is a county or län in the south of Sweden. It borders the Counties of Skåne, Kronoberg, Kalmar and the Baltic Sea. The capital is Karlskrona...
and Östergötland
Östergötland County
Östergötland County is a county or län in southeastern Sweden. It borders the counties of Kalmar to the southeast, Jönköping to the southwest, Västra Götaland to the west, Örebro to the northwest, Södermanland to the northeast, and the Baltic Sea to the east.Östergötland County has a population of...
. To the east in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
is the island Gotland
Gotland County
Gotland County is a county or län of Sweden. Gotland is located in the Baltic Sea to the east of Öland, and is the largest of Sweden's islands. Counties are usually sub-divided into municipalities, but Gotland County only consists of one municipality: Gotland Municipality. Gotland County at...
.
The counties are mainly administrative units. Geographically Kalmar County covers the eastern part in the Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
province, and the entire island of Öland
Öland
' is the second largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of 1,342 km² and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. The island has 25,000 inhabitants, but during Swedish Midsummer it is visited by up to 500,000 people...
. For the areas history and culture, see those areas.
Culture
Much of Öland's present day landscape known as the Stora AlvaretStora Alvaret
The Stora Alvaret is a limestone barren plain on the island of Öland, Sweden. Because of the thin soil mantle and high pH levels, a great assortment of vegetation is found including numerous rare species. Stora Alvaret has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its...
has been designated as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. This southern part of Oland is known for a large number of rare species
Rare species
A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon or scarce. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term "endangered" or "threatened species" but not "extinct"....
; early paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
settlement at Alby; other prehistoric remains such as the Gettlinge
Gettlinge
Gettlinge is a village in the southwest portion of the island of Öland, Sweden. It is known for its impressive Viking stone ship burial ground. Gettlinge is situated on the western fringe of the Stora Alvaret, a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO. The site is readily visible from the...
Gravefield and Eketorp
Eketorp
Eketorp is an Iron Age fort in southeastern Öland, Sweden, which was extensively reconstructed and enlarged in the Middle Ages. Throughout the ages the fortification has served a variety of somewhat differing uses: from defensive ringfort, to medieval safe haven and thence a cavalry garrison...
Fortress; and the Ottenby
Ottenby
Ottenby is a nature reserve at the southern tip of the island of Öland in Sweden. Ottenby was previously a royal game reserve stocked with fallow deer, and King Charles X Gustav of Sweden built a drystone wall to confine the native deer...
Nature Preserve.
Administration
Kalmar County was integrated with Kronoberg CountyKronoberg County
Kronoberg County is a County or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Skåne, Halland, Jönköping, Kalmar and Blekinge. Its capital is the city Växjö.- Province :For History, Geography and Culture see: Småland...
until 1672. Blekinge
Blekinge County
Blekinge County is a county or län in the south of Sweden. It borders the Counties of Skåne, Kronoberg, Kalmar and the Baltic Sea. The capital is Karlskrona...
was a part of Kalmar County between 1680 and 1683, due to the foundation of the naval base at Karlskrona
Karlskrona
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 35,212 inhabitants in 2010. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the...
.
The seat of residence for the Governor or Landshövding is Kalmar. The Governor is the head of the County Administrative Board
County Administrative Boards of Sweden
A County Administrative Board is a Government appointed board of a County in Sweden. It is led by a Governor or Landshövding appointed for a term of six years and the list of succession, in most cases, stretches back to 1634 when the counties were created...
or Länsstyrelse. The County Administrative Board is a Government Agency
Government agencies in Sweden
The Government agencies in Sweden are state controlled organizations who act independently to carry out the policies of the Swedish Government. The Government Ministries are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, allowed to control agencies by policy decisions but not by direct...
headed by a Governor. The current Governor is Sven Lindgren
Sven Lindgren
Sven Lindgren is the current Governor of Kalmar County, Sweden, and a former Moderate Party politician.He was born in Västervik and later pursued an academic career at Linköping University. He was later elected Leader of the Opposition on Linköping Municipal Council. Between 1991 and 1994 he led...
. See List of Kalmar County Governors.
Since 1997 The municipalities and the county council cooperate through the indirectly politically controlled Regional Council of Kalmar County. The regional council represents the municipalities interests in regional growth issues, coordinates infrastructure planning, higher education, common cultural issues and administers various governmental an EU grants.
Municipalities
- EmmabodaEmmaboda MunicipalityEmmaboda Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, in south-eastern Sweden. Its seat is located in the town Emmaboda....
- HultsfredHultsfred MunicipalityHultsfred Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, in south-eastern Sweden. The seat is in the town of Hultsfred....
- HögsbyHögsby MunicipalityHögsby Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden. Its seat is located in the town Högsby.The latest nation-wide subdivision reform in Sweden was centred around the year 1971...
- KalmarKalmar MunicipalityKalmar Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, southeastern Sweden. The city of Kalmar is the municipal seat.The present municipality was created in 1971, when the City of Kalmar was amalgamated with five surrounding rural municipalities...
- MönsteråsMönsterås MunicipalityMönsterås Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden, with its seat located in the town Mönsterås....
- NybroNybro MunicipalityNybro Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden, with its seat in the town Nybro.The amalgamation of the City of Nybro with its surrounding municipalities took place in 1969....
- OskarshamnOskarshamn MunicipalityOskarshamn Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County in south-eastern Sweden, where the city Oskarshamn is seat....
- TorsåsTorsås MunicipalityTorsås Municipality is the southernmost municipality of Kalmar County, Sweden. Its seat is located in the town Torsås.The present municipality was created in 1971, when "old" Torsås was merged with Söderåkra....
- VimmerbyVimmerby MunicipalityVimmerby Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Vimmerby.Stångån is a small river running through the municipality....
- VästervikVästervik MunicipalityVästervik Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden, with its seat in the city of Västervik....
On Öland
Öland
' is the second largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of 1,342 km² and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. The island has 25,000 inhabitants, but during Swedish Midsummer it is visited by up to 500,000 people...
:
- BorgholmBorgholm MunicipalityBorgholm Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden, constituting the northern half of the island of Öland in the Baltic Sea...
- MörbylångaMörbylånga MunicipalityMörbylånga Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, in south-eastern Sweden, located on the island of Öland in the Baltic Sea. The seat is located in the town of Mörbylånga, while the largest town is Färjestaden....
Heraldry
Main article: Heraldry of SmålandHeraldry of Småland
Småland, is a province of Sweden and at the funeral of Gustav Vasa in 1560 the province was granted its arms. Today there are also county arms that are based on the arms of Småland.-Småland:...
The County of Kalmar was formally granted its arms in 1944. Before this the county carried the arms of Småland and Öland side by side. The current arms is a combination of the arms for Småland and Öland. Blazon: "Quartered, the arms of Småland and Öland"