Stockholm Archipelago

{{Short description|Archipelago east of Stockholm, Sweden}} {{Multiple issues| {{More citations needed|date=August 2017}} {{Expand Swedish|topic=geo|Stockholms skärgård|date=March 2010}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}

{{Infobox islands | name = Stockholm Archipelago | native_name = Stockholms skärgård | native_name_link = Swedish language | native_name_lang = | image_name = Stockholms skärgård.png | image_caption = Map of the Stockholm Archipelago, covering the area from Arholma in the north to Landsort in the south | image_alt = | image_map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Sweden South | coordinates = {{Coord|59.38778|N|18.73581|E|source:placeopedia|display=inline,title}} | etymology = | location = [[Baltic Sea]] | waterbody = | total_islands = 34,316 | major_islands = [[Dalarö]], [[Finnhamn]], {{ill|Nässlingen|sv}}, [[Grinda]], [[Husarö]], [[Ingarö]], [[Ljusterö]], [[Möja]], {{ill|Nämdö|sv}}, [[Rödlöga]], [[Tynningö]], [[Utö, Sweden|Utö]], [[Svartsö]], [[Värmdö (island)|Värmdö]] | area_km2 =  | area_footnotes = | length_km =  | length_footnotes = | width_km =  | width_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_footnotes = | highest_mount = | country = [[Sweden]] | country_admin_divisions_title = [[Counties of Sweden|County]] | country_admin_divisions = [[Stockholm County]] | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country_admin_divisions_1 = | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = | country_admin_divisions_2 = | website = | additional_info = | footnotes = | module = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Ramsar | designation1_offname = Svenska Högarna-Nassa | designation1_date = 12 June 1989 | designation1_number = 435<ref name="RSIS">{{Cite web|title=Svenska Högarna-Nassa|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/435|access-date=16 July 2019}}</ref>}} }}

The '''Stockholm Archipelago''' ({{langx|sv|Stockholms skärgård}}) is the largest [[archipelago]] in [[Sweden]], and the second-largest archipelago in the [[Baltic Sea]] (the largest being the [[Archipelago Sea]] across the Baltic in Finland). Part of the archipelago has been designated as a [[Ramsar site]] since 1989.<ref name="RSIS"/>

Stockholm Archipelago has been found to have slightly over 24,000 [[islands]], islets and skerries and covers approximately 1,700 km² of which approximately 530 km² is land. There are around 10,000 permanent residences and 50,000 holiday homes in the archipelago. Residents are found on all the larger islands closest to the coast that have fixed bridges or ferry connections with road ferries, such as [[Vaxholm Municipality|Vaxholm]], [[Ingarö]], [[Värmdö (island)|Värmdö]], [[Yxlan]], [[Blidö]], [[Ljusterö]] and [[Väddö]], but also on many of the larger islands farther out from the coast, as [[Ingmarsö]], [[Möja]], [[Runmarö]], {{ill|Nämdö|sv}}, [[Ornö]] and [[Utö, Sweden|Utö]], which are served by passenger ships with fixed itineraries.

==Water== The water has a [[pH]] value of 7.0 (neutral) or slightly lower, to be compared with approximately 8.0 for seawater. Together with [[humic substance]]s this sometimes causes a bit brownish water colour, especially in the inner parts. The salinity varies between freshwater and [[brackish water]] with poor salinity. In the outer parts of the archipelago, the salinity reaches around 0.6–0.7 per cent by weight, to be compared with at least 1.5 for beginning to taste salty and around 3.0 or more for proper oceanic water. Sea ice is regularly formed in the inner parts every winter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.havet.nu/|title=Havet.nu | Nyheter, forskning och fakta om havet|website=www.havet.nu}}</ref>

==Geography== [[File:Korsö Kroksö Sandön February 2013.jpg|thumb|Korsö, Kroksö and Sandhamn islands]]

The archipelago extends from [[Stockholm]] roughly {{convert|60|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} to the east. In a north–south direction, it mainly follows the coastline of the [[Södermanland]] and [[Uppland]] provinces, reaching roughly from [[Landsort|Öja]] island, south of [[Nynäshamn]], to [[Väddö]], north of [[Norrtälje]]. It is separated from [[Åland]] by a stretch of water named [[South Kvarken]]. A separate group of islands lies further north, near the town of [[Öregrund]]. Between [[Arholma]] and [[Landsort]] there are approximately 24,000 islands and [[islet]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.scb.se/statistik/MI/MI0812/2008A01/MI0812_2008A01_SM_MI50SM0901.pdf | title=Swedish islands | publisher=SCB, The Swedish Statistics Agency | access-date=18 March 2011}}</ref> Some of the better-known islands are [[Dalarö]], [[Finnhamn]], {{ill|Nässlingen|sv}}, [[Grinda]], [[Husarö]], [[Ingarö]], [[Ljusterö]], [[Möja]], {{ill|Nämdö|sv}}, [[Rödlöga]], [[Tynningö]], [[Utö, Sweden|Utö]], [[Svartsö]] and [[Värmdön|Värmdö]].

The biggest towns of the archipelago, apart from Stockholm, are [[Nynäshamn]], [[Vaxholm]] and [[Norrtälje]]. The village of [[Ytterby]], famous among chemists for naming no fewer than four [[chemical element]]s ([[erbium]], [[terbium]], [[ytterbium]] and [[yttrium]]), is situated on [[Resarö]] in the Stockholm Archipelago.

The shipping routes from the Baltic to Stockholm pass through the archipelago. There are three main entrances suitable for deep-[[draught (hull)|draught]] craft, namely, those near [[Landsort]], [[Sandhamn]], and [[Söderarm]].

==History== [[File:Accurate Carte der Uplandischen Scheren mit der Situation und Gegend umb die Konigle Schwedische Haupt und Residentz Stadt Stockholm RMG F0376.tiff|thumb|Depiction of the Stockholm Archipelago, c. 1740]]

The Stockholm Archipelago is a [[joint valley landscape]] that has been shaped – and is still being shaped – by [[post-glacial rebound]].<ref name=Karna>{{cite journal |last=Lidmar-Bergströrm |first=Karna |author-link=Karna Lidmar-Bergström|date=1995 |title=Relief and saprolites through time on the Baltic Shield |journal=[[Geomorphology (journal)|Geomorphology]] |publisher=Elsevier |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=45–61 |doi=10.1016/0169-555X(94)00076-4 |bibcode=1995Geomo..12...45L }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Sporrong |first=Ulf |chapter=The Scandinavian landscape and its resources |editor-last=Helle |editor-first=Knut|date=2003 |title=The Cambridge History of Scandinavia |publisher=Cambridge University Press |issue=1 |pages=37 }}</ref> It was not until the [[Viking Age]] that the archipelago began to assume its present-day contours. The islands rise by about three millimeters each year. In 1719 the archipelago had an estimated population of 2,900, consisting mostly of [[fisherman|fishermen]]. Today the archipelago is a popular holiday destination with some 50,000 holiday cottages (owned mainly by Stockholmers). The {{ill|Stockholm Archipelago Foundation|sv|Skärgårdsstiftelsen i Stockholms län}}, dedicated to the preservation of the nature and culture of the archipelago, owns some 15% of its total area.

The inhabitants in the archipelago, from around the mid-1400s to the end of the [[World War II|second world war]], were combined farmers and fishermen. Spring and autumn fishing was quite intensive in the outer archipelago from 1450 until the mid-1800s, and many fishermen lived for long periods in the outer islands because of the long distances to their permanent houses in the inner archipelago. The combined farming and fishing culture lasted until around 1950–1955 when the younger generation, born during and directly after the war, started to leave the archipelago and look for jobs in the cities on the mainland. Today most of the small farms on the islands are closed and the fishing industry has almost disappeared.

==Culture== Many poets, authors and artists have been influenced and fascinated by the Stockholm Archipelago. Among them are [[August Strindberg]], [[Ture Nerman]], [[Roland Svensson]], [[Ernst Didring]] and [[Aleister Crowley]]. [[Björn Ulvaeus]] and [[Benny Andersson]] from the group [[ABBA]] wrote most of their songs in a cabin located on the archipelago.

Boating is an extremely popular activity with the sailing race [[Ornö]] runt (or Around the island of Ornö) being the largest in the archipelago. This annual race, organised by the Tyresö Boat Club, has taken place every year since 1973. It is open to anyone with a sailing boat but requires registration. There are different entry classes, with the family class being the least competitive.

In the winter [[Tour skating|skaters]] make excursions over the ice.

==Travel== [[File:SödraIngmarsö2010.JPG|thumb|right|[[MV Söderarm]] arrives at south of [[Ingmarsö]] in March, 2010.]] Visiting the larger islands in the archipelago is easy all year round, but during winter period the routes depend on the ice conditions. Several companies have regular routes. The largest of these is [[Waxholmsbolaget]] owned by the [[Stockholm County]] government. Taxi boats are also available. The bigger and more populated islands of the archipelago, such as [[Vaxholm]], [[Resarö]] and [[Kullö]] are easy to reach via bridges and thus local bus services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SL: Kollektivtrafik i Stockholms län – res miljövänligt |url=https://sl.se/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=sl.se |language=sv}}</ref> In summer the archipelago bristles with private boats filled with people who often take advantage of ''[[Allemansrätt]]'' (or "everyman's right"), a law which gives anyone the right to go ashore or anchor on any ground not in the direct vicinity of buildings.

==Image gallery== <gallery> File:Gällnönäs brygga.jpg|Pier 'Gällnönäs' File:Lilla Nassa.JPG|Natural harbour at the island 'Sprickopp', 'Lilla Nassa' archipelago File:SvenskaHogarnaHamn.JPG|Natural harbour at the island 'Svenska Högarna' File:Landsort lotshamnen.jpg|Maritime [[pilot station]] at 'Landsort' File:Huvudskar fyr.JPG|The lighthouse and buildings at the island 'Huvudskär' File:Sandhamn February 2013 04.jpg|[[Sandhamn]] island File:Bastugrundet January 2013.jpg|Bastugrundet in ice File:Stavsudda1.JPG|The island of Norra Stavsudda File:Stockholm Archipelago as seen from viewing tower platform in Björnö nature reserve 1.jpg|Islands in the Archipelago as seen from Björnö nature reserve </gallery>

== See also == * [[List of archipelagos]] * [[Strömma Canal]] * [[Stockholm Archipelago Trail]]

== References == {{reflist}}

== Reference nautical chart == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150907105026/http://www.sjofartsverket.se/upload/378/Sjokortsbilder/61.pdf Nautical chart: International no. 1205, SE61, Baltic Sea, North, Sea of Åland.]

==Further reading== * Jeppe Wikström, title ''Havsskärgård'', 2004. Mainly images from the outer parts of Stockholm Archipelago. {{ISBN|91-89204-80-8}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Stockholm archipelago}} {{Wikivoyage}} * [http://www.skargardsstiftelsen.se/ The Archipelago Foundation]

[[Category:Stockholm archipelago| ]] [[Category:Geography of Stockholm]] [[Category:Landforms of Stockholm County]] [[Category:Ramsar sites in Sweden]]