Gotland | Sweden, History, Map, & Facts

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class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gotland/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Gotland">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gotland/images-videos">Images & Videos</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/17/146617-050-0BF279DB/Fishing-village-Gotland-island-Sweden.jpg" data-href="/media/1/239822/151277" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/17/146617-004-8C3341BB/Fishing-village-Gotland-island-Sweden.jpg" alt="Gotland" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/Overview-archaeologists-efforts-treasure-Viking-Sweden-island/191919" data-href="/media/1/239822/191919" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/179860-138-DAD1EA38/Overview-archaeologists-efforts-treasure-Viking-Sweden-island.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Gotland, Sweden: The Vikings' treasure island" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/250860-050-E58296F4/Locator-map-Gotland.jpg" data-href="/media/1/239822/297381" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" 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</figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>Gotland</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">island, Sweden</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="239822"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2 text-nowrap" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More Actions </button> <div class="md-more-popover popover popover-sm p-0 font-14 z-1"> <div> <a class="js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" href="/print/article/239822" target="_blank" > <em class="material-icons 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://gotland.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Official Site of Gotland, Sweden</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/se-09-80.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">CRW Flags - Flag of the Municipality of Gotland, Sweden</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.historytoday.com/archive/viking-island" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">History Today - The Viking Island</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-01-31T00:00:00CST" >Jan 31, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Gotland/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/239822/ccaf08f5e2ea56260cceb8f235d9558b" rel="nofollow">Norway stops a ship suspected of involvement in damage to a Baltic Sea cable</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Jan. 31, 2025, 10:18 AM ET (AP) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/239822/0f1d8be9fa61f8ff7e8aed8256d3b8b2" rel="nofollow">A Bulgarian shipping company denies its vessel sabotaged a Baltic Sea cable</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Jan. 27, 2025, 10:54 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/239822/63da5ef0d577bca12bbe118d527d3a14" rel="nofollow">Sweden seizes vessel suspected of 'sabotage' after undersea data cable rupture in Baltic Sea</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Jan. 27, 2025, 2:45 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref3231"></span>Gotland</strong>, island, <em>län</em> (county), and coextensive <em>landskap</em> (province), <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sweden" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sweden</a>, in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Baltic-Sea" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Baltic Sea</a>. Several wide bays indent the island’s low coastline, which is characterized by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/limestone" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">limestone</a> columns, while the interior is an undulating plateau of Silurian limestone, some of which lacks good drainage. Bogs are found in areas having a clay cover; conifers occur particularly on the steep cliffs of the west. <span id="ref1207978"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Visby" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Visby</a> is the administrative centre.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="191919" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="video" video-id="179860"><a data-id="179860" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/Overview-archaeologists-efforts-treasure-Viking-Sweden-island/-191919"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/179860-138-DAD1EA38/Overview-archaeologists-efforts-treasure-Viking-Sweden-island.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="Gotland, Sweden: The Vikings' treasure island" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/JkYgxCT8.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/60/179860-138-DAD1EA38/Overview-archaeologists-efforts-treasure-Viking-Sweden-island.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/POXTzNon", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/Bb80Gh2P.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="179860">Gotland, Sweden: The Vikings' treasure island</span><span>Overview of archaeologists' efforts to uncover Viking treasure on Gotland island, Sweden.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/place/Gotland/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">As early as the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Bronze-Age" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bronze Age</a>, Gotland’s inhabitants traded extensively with peoples on the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic. Later they were in contact with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Rome" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Rome</a> and with the Islamic and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="Byzantine" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Byzantine" data-type="MW">Byzantine</a> empires. By the 12th century <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span> Gotland’s traders, representing an essentially independent <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/peasantry" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">peasant society</a> on the island, had their trading house at Novgorod, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Russia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Russia</a>, and dominated the routes between Russia and western <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Europe" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Europe</a>. This activity attracted German merchants, who settled in the major town, Visby, and brought it into the <span id="ref1207979"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hanseatic-League" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hanseatic League</a>. Until the mid-14th century most of the Novgorod trade passed through the island, creating a prosperity undisturbed by the strong antagonism that grew between the German citizens of Visby and the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="indigenous" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indigenous" data-type="MW">indigenous</a> Scandinavian peasantry.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="297381" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/250860-050-E58296F4/Locator-map-Gotland.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/239822/297381"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/250860-050-E58296F4/Locator-map-Gotland.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/250860-050-E58296F4/Locator-map-Gotland.jpg?w=300" alt="Gotland, Sweden" data-width="2000" data-height="2000" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/60/250860-050-E58296F4/Locator-map-Gotland.jpg" data-href="/media/1/239822/297381">Gotland, Sweden</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Since about 900 Gotland had been a part of Sweden, paying an annual tax for protection but otherwise remaining an independent peasant <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="community" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community" data-type="MW">community</a> with its own language and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="culture" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture" data-type="MW">culture</a>. In 1361, however, the Danish king <span id="ref1207980"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Valdemar-IV-Atterdag" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Valdemar IV Atterdag</a>, tempted by the riches of the island, conquered it in a famous battle outside the walls of Visby. Thereafter the trade routes shifted and Gotland declined. For the next three centuries it was variously controlled by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Denmark" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Denmark</a>, Hanseatic and other privateers, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Teutonic-Order" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Teutonic Knights</a>. When it was awarded again to Sweden, in 1645, it was impoverished, but under Swedish rule conditions improved. Toward the end of the 19th century it was fortified strongly because of its strategic importance.</p><div class="module-spacing"> </div><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Primary production on the island is based on agriculture (grains and sugar beets, diversified market gardening, and flower cultivation), as well as on stone <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="quarrying" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/quarrying" data-type="EB">quarrying</a> and fishing. There is a large cement factory and some other industry. Tourism is significant. Sheep grazing is important on Fårö, a sandy island to the north. Area 1,229 square miles (3,184 square km). Pop. (2010 est.) 57,269.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span> <span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Amy-Tikkanen/6393">Amy Tikkanen</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":239822,"pageLength":366,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.9"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.9' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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