Gotlands

Gotlands is a term commonly used to refer to Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic Sea and an administrative region of Sweden. It lies off the southeast coast of the Swedish mainland and forms Gotland Municipality within Gotland County. The island's principal town is Visby, a fortified medieval city that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name Gotlands is also used to denote the island’s inhabitants, the Gotlanders, and the surrounding county.

Gotland covers about 3,140 square kilometers and features a limestone bedrock with extensive rauk sea stacks along the shoreline. Its landscape includes rolling fields, meadows, woodlands, and a rugged coastline. The climate is maritime, with cool summers and relatively mild winters compared with inland Sweden.

Human settlement on Gotland dates to the Stone Age, with a history extending through the Viking era and medieval trade. Visby grew as a major Hanseatic town in the 12th to 14th centuries. The town’s medieval walls and churches survive today, and Visby was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The island has a distinct Gotlandic dialect of Swedish and a tradition of sheep farming, notably the Gotland sheep breed.

Gotland County is sparsely populated, with around 60,000 residents. The economy centers on tourism, agriculture, and services, supported by cultural events and an active harbor and ferry network. Tourism peaks in summer, when visitors explore Visby’s historical sites, rauk fields, and coastline.

Gotland is connected to the Swedish mainland by regular car and passenger ferries, primarily from Nynäshamn to Visby and from Oskarshamn, operated by Destination Gotland. Gotland Airport near Visby provides flights to Stockholm, Gothenburg, and other destinations, complementing the ferry services.