Gotland

Gotland or Gottland, island in southeastern Sweden, the largest island in the Baltic Sea. Gotland and the adjacent islets of Fårö, Karlsö, and Gotska Sandön compose Gotland County. The greatest length of the island, from north to south, is 130 km (80 mi), and the maximum width is 56 km (35 mi). The surface is level, the soil fertile. A great part of the surface is forested, with arable land constituting about one-fifth of the total area. Sugar beets, rye, barley, wheat, and oats are the principal crops of the island. Visby, an important seaport on the western coast, is the capital of Gotland County.

Hoards of coins and other treasures found on the island indicate its importance in maritime trade as far back as the Bronze Age. Gotland was nominally Swedish as early as the 9th century but long remained autonomous. In the Middle Ages Visby had many splendid churches and elaborate fortified walls, and it was a rich and important member of the Hanseatic League, a commercial federation of European cities. Gotland was conquered by Denmark in 1361 and returned to Swedish rule in 1645. Area (Gotland County), 3,140 sq km (1,210 sq mi); population (Gotland County; 1998) 57,812.