Facts & Figures. The coast and archipelagos 1 of Sweden

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1 Facts & Figures The coast and archipelagos 1 of Sweden

2 Many islands with few inhabitants on each Of all the EU countries, Sweden has the most inhabited islands. Sweden has many different archipelago areas, not just around the coast but also in the country s lakes. The typical Swedish archipelago has many islands, with few inhabitants on each. According to figures collated by the National Rural Development Agency in 1997 in consultation with the County Administrative Boards, approximately people live in archipelago areas which comprise both islands and parts of the coast. However, the statistics provided in this brochure only refer to islands which are not connected to the mainland. A survey carried out by the National Rural Development Agency in 2006 showed that: 52 municipalities and 13 counties had maritime archipelagos. In total, 574 islands which are not connected to the mainland were home to inhabitants included in Sweden s population records. 50 of these were located in the country s six largest lakes. In total, people were listed in the population records as living on islands in

3 Islands lacking a permanent mainland connection with a resident population. 3

4 What is an archipelago? There are many different definitions of the term archipelago. A key issue in this respect is the extent to which an archipelago stretches into the mainland. The official definition adopted by the National Rural Development Agency reads as follows: The term archipelago describes an area containing islands along the coast, including the adjacent mainland, and islands in Sweden s larger lakes where conditions are comparable with those of an archipelago. For practical reasons, the statistics provided in this brochure are limited to islands which are not connected to the mainland. Six regions To describe the similarities and differences which prevail in Sweden s archipelagos, we have divided them into six regions: 1. The Norrland Coast (the Counties of Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Västernorrland and Gävleborg) 2. Archipelagos in the Counties of Stockholm, Uppsala and Södermanland 3. Archipelagos in the Counties of Östergötland and Kalmar 4. South Coast archipelagos (the Counties of Blekinge and Skåne) 5. West Coast archipelagos (the Counties of Västra Götaland and Halland) 6. Islands in the country s lakes (the largest islands, in terms of population, which are not connected to the mainland can be found in Lake Vänern, Lake Vättern, Lake Hjälmaren, Lake Mälaren, Storsjön and Ivösjön) 4

5 Figure 1. Division of archipelago regions adopted by the National Rural Development Agency County boundary Municipal boundary Gotland In terms of surface area and population, Gotland is Sweden s largest island. However, as Gotland forms a region in itself, it is not included in the statistics here. 5

6 Deficit of women In 2006, 87% of island inhabitants lived in the West Coast and Stockholm-Uppsala-Södermanland regions. It is here that the island population is growing. In total, the population increased by 0.3% between 2002 and There is a deficit of women in all the regions. This deficit is most marked in the Norrland Coast region, but is also apparent in Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland. As far as age and gender are concerned, the population structures vary greatly. The West Coast and Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland regions and the Lake Islands have relatively robust birth rates. The Norrland Coast, Östergötland-Kalmar and Blekinge-Skåne regions are characterised by an ageing population. People are moving both to and from the islands. Such movement generally involves a small number of people, but relatively large differences can occur year on year. 6

7 Table 1. Population of islands not connected to the mainland in 2006 and change between 2002 and Change Region total total Men Women total number % Norrland Coast ,7 Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland ,8 Östergötland-Kalmar ,8 Blekinge-Skåne ,2 West Coast ,6 Lake Islands ,7 Total ,3 Population means people included in Sweden s population records. Source: Statistics Sweden. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency. Table 2. Net change population numbers by region, , on islands not connected to the mainland Region Norrland Coast Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland Östergötland-Kalmar Blekinge-Skåne West Coast Lake Islands Total Population means people included in Sweden s population records. Source: Statistics Sweden. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency. Photo: Birgitta Rhodin 7

8 Different transportation models Transport in the archipelagos is based on many different models. Services may be operated by central government, county councils, municipalities or private companies. The variety of models and their different financing systems means that different rules and applications are in place in different regions. Public transport services range from the large yellow car ferries operated by the Swedish Road Administration to small boats which can only carry a couple of school children. In recent years, improvements have been made in certain places but in others, problems persist. Transportation of goods The situation concerning the transportation of goods for island inhabitants also varies greatly. Several counties have introduced a freight grant to bring costs in line with those incurred by companies on the mainland to ensure competitiveness. In counties such as Norrbotten and Gävleborg, no such scheme has been adopted however. In other counties such as Södermanland, Östergötland and Kalmar freight grants are paid to cover a certain percentage of freight costs. Freight to those islands served by the Swedish Road Administration s yellow ferries is without charge in most cases. 8 Photo: Birgitta Rhodin

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10 Ever increasing education levels enjoyed by young people in the archipelagos Schools in the archipelagos are very important for both the living environment and development. Schools often act as local resource centres and village meeting places used for a wide range of activities. As a percentage of the island population, 74.8% had access to a school offering Year 1-6 education on their own island in The percentage is highest in the West Coast region and in Blekinge-Skåne. In Östergötland-Kalmar there are no schools at all on the islands. Table 3. Number and percentage of population on islands not connected to the mainland with access to a school offering Year 1-6 education, 2006 With school Population Region in region No. of islands Population % of population Norrland Coast ,3 Stockholm-Uppsala Södermanland ,7 Östergötland-Kalmar ,0 Blekinge-Skåne ,5 West Coast ,1 Lake Islands ,0 Total ,8 Population means people included in Sweden s population records. Source: Statistics Sweden, National Agency for Education. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency. 10

11 Education levels vary across the different regions. The Blekinge- Skåne, Stockholm-Uppsala-Södermanland and West Coast regions have the highest percentages of post-secondary education. The Blekinge-Skåne region has a higher percentage than the country as a whole. The highest increase in post-secondary education has been along the Norrland Coast. It should, however, be mentioned in this respect that the island population in the Blekinge-Skåne, Norrland Coast and Östergötland-Kalmar regions is relatively small. Figure 2. Highest education level in the population aged years on islands not connected to the mainland, 2000 and % 0 Norrland Coast Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland Östergötland-Kalmar Lake Islands West Coast Blekinge-Skåne Secondary education 2000 Country as a whole Secondary education 2006 Post-secondary education 2000 Post-secondary education 2006 Source: Statistics Sweden. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency 11

12 Strong employment figures The percentage of people in work is higher in the archipelago regions than in the country as a whole. Employment rates in the Östergötland-Kalmar region are highest. If the number of those in work is examined instead, figures are obviously higher where the most people are i.e. in the West Coast and Stockholm- Uppsala-Södermanland regions. Table 4. People in work between 2000 and 2005 in the population aged yea % in work Region Total Men Women Total Norrland Coast 60,5 64,0 64,6 64,2 Stockholm-Uppsala-Södermanland 77,3 74,8 73,2 74,0 Östergötland-Kalmar 69,6 73,9 58,5 67,3 Blekinge-Skåne 70,8 75,4 68,8 72,3 West Coast 81,2 83,9 78,3 81,2 Lake Islands 76,7 78,7 77,5 78,1 Total for all islands 78,9 80,0 76,0 78,1 Country as a whole 75,2 77,0 73,1 75,1 % in work Region Total Men Women Total Norrland Coast 68,9 76,6 72,7 74,9 Stockholm-Uppsala-Södermanland 78,1 78,5 77,1 77,9 Östergötland-Kalmar 74,3 88,8 76,6 83,7 Blekinge-Skåne 76,4 80,5 74,6 77,7 West Coast 82,1 84,2 79,8 82,0 Lake Islands 78,5 78,8 77,2 78,0 Total for all islands 80,2 82,1 78,6 80,4 Country as a whole 75,8 77,5 73,7 75,6 12

13 As of 2004, some changes were adopted by Statistics Sweden in the way the employment data is processed. Amongst other things, a new source for identifying entrepreneurs was introduced. Two different tables are therefore provided, for before and after the changes. rs on islands not connected to mainland Source: Statistics Sweden. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency Number in work Change Total Men Women Total Number % , , , , , , , ,2 Number in work Change Total Men Women Total Number % , , , , , , , ,3 13

14 Many sole traders and micro-firms In general, the labour market in the archipelagos is characterised by a high proportion of people combining occupations, many sole traders and micro-firms (0-9 employees), seasonal work and activities within the not-for-profit sector. A high percentage of commuters can also be found on islands located near the larger towns. The further an archipelago population is from the towns, the more reliant it is on the traditional industries of fishing, agriculture and forestry. Table 5. Number of licensed commercial fishermen County Change Stockholm Uppsala Södermanland Östergötland Jönköping Kronoberg Kalmar Gotland Blekinge Skåne Halland Västra Götaland Värmland Örebro Västmanland Dalarna Gävleborg Västernorrland Jämtland Västerbotten Norrbotten Totalt Source: Swedish Board of Fisheries

15 The fishing industry has undergone extensive change. In 1948, there were approximately commercial fisherman in operation, in 2006 fewer than were left. Between 2002 and 2006 alone, the number of commercial fishermen fell by 364. The tourism industry has grown significantly in the archipelago areas and increasingly provides employment for the population. Different rules and restrictions make it hard however to combine different types of entrepreneur. During the winter, approximately 30 people live in Kristianopel on the Blekinge Archipelago. In summer, the settlement welcomes visitors. There are a large number of companies in the hamlet, including a café, restaurant, accommodation, camping facilities, shop, rose garden and a heating, ventilation and sanitation company. Photo: Annika Lidgren 15

16 Importance of agriculture on the islands On the islands, agriculture plays an important role, not just in terms of providing food but also when it comes to preserving the archipelago s cultural landscape. A study conducted by the National Association for Swedish Archipelagos in 2005 found that there were 239 farmers operating at the time, spread across approximately 118 islands. This is equivalent to approximately 20% of the country s inhabited islands, i.e. there is no agriculture on 80% of the islands. This means that problems arise involving unexploited and uncultivated areas. The problem is most apparent in Stockholm s archipelago. In the area from Södermanland down to and including Kalmar County, the situation is less severe. A large percentage of the inhabited islands in the lakes, except Lake Vänern, are also actively farmed. 16

17 Wide variations in service With regard to the demand for and supply of services, wide variations exist across the different archipelago areas. In the archipelagos closer to population centres, primarily in Gothenburg s and Stockholm s archipelagos, the population base is sufficient to maintain services in most cases. Proximity to the mainland also means that demand for services can be satisfied there. In those parts of archipelagos where there are no daily transportation options, where the frequency of transport services is low or journey times are high, a considerable shortage of basic services often exists. Access to petrol is a prerequisite for many entrepreneurs in archipelagos. There is much concern that the restructuring in the fuel sector will also affect lake filling stations. This petrol station is located on the island of Vinön in Lake Hjälmaren. Photo page 16-17: Eva Widlund 17

18 Hard to operate shops all year round 82.9% of island inhabitants had access to a shop on their own island in The difference between the various archipelago regions is pronounced. It largely depends on the population structure of the different areas. In most cases, it is the more sparsely distributed populations in the Östergötland-Kalmar region and along the Norrland Coast which do not have access to a shop on their own island. Between the two most recent measurement years, 2005 and 2006, one shop had been added. An insufficient customer base in many places makes it hard to keep shops operating in the long term, especially those which are open all year round. Table 6. Number and percentage of population who have a shop on their island, 2006 With shop on own island Population Region in region No. of islands Population % of population Norrland Coast ,2 Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland ,9 Östergötland-Kalmar ,0 Blekinge-Skåne ,9 West Coast ,4 Lake Islands ,8 Total ,9 Population means people included in Sweden s population records. Source: Swedish Consumer Agency. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency. 18

19 Viewed overall, 68.7% of island inhabitants listed in Sweden s population records have access to a pharmacy or a pharmacy representative on their own island. It is worth pointing out that only Öckerö and Marstrandsön on the West Coast have regular pharmacies. Other islands only have representatives. There is no such service in the Östergötland-Kalmar region. Access to such services is also low on islands along the Norrland Coast, on the Lake Islands and in parts of the Stockholm-Uppsala-Södermanland region. The situation has largely remained the same in recent years. Pharmacy representative services have been added in some places, whilst disappearing from others. Table 7. Number and percentage of population who have a pharmacy or a pharmacy representative on their island, 2006 With pharmacy/representative Population Region in region No. of islands Population % of population Norrland Coast ,2 Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland ,9 Östergötland-Kalmar ,0 Blekinge-Skåne ,5 West Coast ,0 Lake Islands ,0 Total ,7 Population means people included in Sweden s population records. Source: Apoteket AB. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency. 19

20 Broadband a key issue Location-bound services are increasingly being replaced by internet-based services. High-capacity broadband also brings with it new ways of creating employment opportunities. Fixed communications, which are often problematic, make it particularly important that the new IT technologies are developed properly to ensure high quality. The National Association for Swedish Archipelagos carried out an inventory in This showed that some archipelagos have excellent technology provisions in place, but there are also those where fixed broadband services cannot be accessed at all. Where the technology works well, it has been possible to create new types of jobs. Table 8. Number and percentage of population with access to a postal/parcel service on their island, 2006 With postal/parcel service Population Region in region No. of islands Population % of population Norrland Coast ,0 Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland ,9 Östergötland-Kalmar ,0 Blekinge-Skåne ,8 West Coast ,1 Lake Islands ,0 Total ,5 Population means people included in Sweden s population records. Source: Posten AB. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency. 20

21 There is, however, a continued need for local services. For many small businesses for example it is important to have access to a cashier s service which can accept cash funds. Cashier s services on the islands have reduced quite considerably in recent years, above all on the Lake Islands. In 2006, the percentage of inhabitants with access to a cashier s service on their own island was 39%. In 2006, 55.5% of inhabitants had access to a postal/parcel service on their own island. There are wide variations across the regions, but these can be easily explained. In the West Coast region, where the population is largest, access to such services is also the best. Along the Norrland Coast and in the Östergötland-Kalmar region, where the island population is low, there are no services of this kind. Table 9. Number and percentage of population who have a service centre with a cashier s service on their island, 2006 With cashier s service Population Region in region No. of islands Population % of population Norrland Coast ,0 Stockholm-Uppsala- Södermanland ,3 Östergötland-Kalmar ,0 Blekinge-Skåne ,8 West Coast ,0 Lake Islands ,0 Total ,7 Population means people included in Sweden s population records. Source: Swedish Cashier Service. Edited by the National Rural Development Agency. 21

22 Threat posed by lack of permanent accommodation One of the largest challenges which poses a threat to archipelago living in the future is the lack of appropriate accommodation. This is particularly a problem in archipelagos located near large towns. The conversion of permanent accommodation into holiday homes is a significant contributing factor in this respect. In the future, solutions must be found to allow accommodation designed for habitation all year round to be built in attractive recreation areas where property prices are very high. On the west coast, many communities are built so close together that competition for undeveloped land is driving up prices if there is any land left which has yet to be built on. Gullholmen, Municipality of Orust. Photo: Harry Westermark. 22

23 Isle of Skye, Scotland. Photo: Mikael Svensson/Bildarkivet.se European cooperation The problems and challenges faced by the inhabitants of small islands are often similar, regardless of national borders. Under the initiative of the National Association for Swedish Archipelagos, the European Small Islands Federation (ESIN) was therefore formed in The ESIN currently (2008) has members in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Scotland, Estonia, Greece and Italy. The Federation has two main objectives. One is to facilitate the exchange of information concerning island-issues between the different organisations. The other is to inform the various institutions of the EU and influence their policies by increasing awareness and understanding of the conditions on small islands. 23

24 In Sweden s archipelago areas there are unique opportunities, but also specific problems. To a large extent, conditions are similar to those in other sparsely populated and rural areas, but there are also distinctive features which need to be highlighted and reported. This brochure aims to provide basic facts and figures on Sweden s archipelagos in terms of population, the labour market, education, services, accommodation and communications. THE NATIONAL RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY Box 3044, SE Östersund, Sweden a d d r e s s f o r v i s i t o r s Fyrvallavägen 1 t e l e p h o n e +46 (0) Printed by: Bräcke Tryckeri 2008 of Vinön in Lake Hjälmaren. Broadband cable to the island Cover photo: RoseMarie Olsson Graphic design: Periferi film o. form