Gotland (/ˈɡɒtlənd/; Swedish pronunciation: [ˈɡɔtland], older spellings include Gottland /ˈɡɒtlənd/ or Gothland /ˈɡɒθlənd/,), Gutland in the local language Gutnish, is a province, county, municipality, and diocese of Sweden. It is Sweden's largest island. The province includes the small islands of Fårö and Gotska Sandön to the north, as well as the even smaller Karlsö Islands (Lilla and Stora) to the west. The population is 57,221, of which about 23,600 live in Visby, the main town. The island of Gotland and the other areas of the province of Gotland make up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area.

The island's main sources of income are agriculture along with food processing, tourism, IT solutions, design, and some heavy industry such as concrete production from locally mined limestone. From a military viewpoint, it occupies a strategic location in the Baltic sea.

History

The island is the home of the Gutes (the tribal name of the Gotlandic people), and sites such as Ajvide show that it has been occupied since prehistory. A DNA study conducted on the 5,000-year-old skeletal remains of three Middle Neolithic seal hunters from Gotland showed that they were related to modern-day Finns, while a farmer from Gökhem parish in Västergötland on the mainland was found to be more closely related to modern-day Mediterraneans. This is consistent with the spread of agricultural peoples from the Middle East at about that time.

Gotland pony or Gotland russ is an old Swedish pony breed. Gotland ponies are claimed to descend from Tarpans that lived on the small island of Gotland that is on the South-Eastern coast of Sweden right after the last ice age. The Gotland pony is the only breed of pony native to Sweden. The Öland horse from the neighbouring island of Öland was a close relative of the Gotland, but went extinct in the early 20th century.

Characteristics

The Gotland Russ has a light and narrow build with sloping quarters and a low-set tail. Their hooves are solid and hard. This pony generally stands from 115 to 130 centimetres (11.1 to 12.3 hands; 45 to 51 in) at the withers and is ideally between 123–126 centimetres (12.0–12.2 hands; 48–50 in). Three-year-old ponies must be 115–128 centimetres (11.1–12.2 hands; 45–50 in). The pony is strong and hardy, and can be ridden by children and small adults.

Wildtype bay and mealy (Pangare) are very common in the breed. Common colors include bay, chestnut, black, buckskin, and palomino, but all colors except for dun, grey, and pinto, are allowed. Bay or black is usually preferred.

Gotland can mean:

Places

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See also