Saltvik
Saltvik is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. The total area is 1 161,8 km2, of which 150,7 km2 is land, 4,7 km2 lakes and 1006,4 km2 sea.
Saltvik | |
|---|---|
Municipality | |
| Saltviks kommun | |
Saltvik Church | |
Coat of arms | |
Location of Saltvik in Finland | |
Saltvik Location in Åland | |
| Coordinates: 60°16.5′N 020°03.5′E / 60.2750°N 20.0583°ECoordinates: 60°16.5′N 020°03.5′E / 60.2750°N 20.0583°E | |
| Country | Finland |
| Region | Åland |
| Sub-region | Åland Countryside sub-region |
| Government | |
| • Municipal manager | Ewa Danielsson |
| Area (2018-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 1,166.54 km2 (450.40 sq mi) |
| • Land | 152.07 km2 (58.71 sq mi) |
| • Water | 1,014.63 km2 (391.75 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 275th largest in Finland |
| Population (2023-02-28)[2] | |
| • Total | 1,793 |
| • Rank | 269th largest in Finland |
| • Density | 11.79/km2 (30.5/sq mi) |
| Population by native language | |
| • Swedish | 94% (official) |
| • Finnish | 3.9% |
| • Others | 2.1% |
| Population by age | |
| • 0 to 14 | 16.4% |
| • 15 to 64 | 57.9% |
| • 65 or older | 25.7% |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Municipal tax rate[5] | 18% |
| Website | www.saltvik.ax |
The archipelago north of Saltvik is perhaps the most beautiful one in Åland. Closest to land are the big islands Boxö, Sommarö, Flatö and Ryssö. Beyond, the horizon opens up and after passing Saggö it is more or less unbroken.
History
The municipality has a rich history. When Åland emerged from the sea about 8,000 BC, Saltvik was the first land to be seen. During the Viking ages, Kvarnbo used to be a central crown court- and place of merchandise. Today, people can visit the medieval church and at the court place see the memorial monument.
The church St:a Maria is located by Kvarnboviken in the east of Saltvik. The red granite church is one of the oldest in Åland, and was once the main church in the province. The church has been rebuilt and extended several times. The oldest parts are from the late 13th century, but various reconstructions have been made from the 14th century until today. For example, the chalk drawings on the walls have first been painted, then covered and then uncovered again. Around and under the church, there are traces of houses from Viking Age. This is not so strange, considering the church is located in the middle of the biggest grave field from Iron Age in Åland.
A former Finnish government lands official claims a 17,800-square-meter (0.004 acre) plot on the island of Saltvik "had been handed over to Russia's Foreign Ministry in 2009, in accordance with a 1947 post-war peace treaty that saw German holdings in Finland transferred to the Soviet Union".[6][7]
Business
About 50% of the people living in Saltvik work in the service industry or in the public sector. 15% work in transport and 14% in industry. Construction and farming/fishing employ, respectively, 10% and 7%.
The head office and one factory of the Chips Group is located in the municipality. The company begun its operations in Saltvik in 1969 and was the first potato chip producer in Finland. Through acquisitions, new establishments and growth, the group has grown and is today the market leader within snacks in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The best-known brands are Taffel, OLW, KiMs and Oolannin. In 2005, the Norwegian industrial group Orkla ASA acquired all the shares in the Chips Group.
Points of interest
- Orrdalsklint, the highest point on Åland Islands
- Saltvik Church, Medieval church built in the 1370s
Notable people
- Pehr Henrik Nordgren, composer
- Atos Wirtanen, journalist and member of parliament
References
- ^ "Area of Finnish Municipalities 1.1.2018" (PDF). National Land Survey of Finland. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ "Preliminary population structure by area, 2022M01*-2023M02*". StatFin (in Finnish). Statistics Finland. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Population according to language and the number of foreigners and land area km2 by area as of 31 December 2008". Statistics Finland's PX-Web databases. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
- ^ "Population according to age (1-year) and sex by area and the regional division of each statistical reference year, 2003–2020". StatFin. Statistics Finland. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ "List of municipal and parish tax rates in 2021" (PDF). Tax Administration of Finland. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ "Vladimir Putin's secret 'Swedish' beach plot". The Local. No. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "Finnish Official Reveals Putin as 'Secret' Owner of Swedish-Speaking Island". The Moscow Times. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
External links
Media related to Saltvik at Wikimedia Commons
- Municipality of Saltvik – Official website