County Wicklow

County Wicklow ( ; ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Mid-East Region and the traditional province of Leinster. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the east and the counties of Wexford to the south, Carlow to the southwest, Kildare to the west, and Dublin to the north. It is named after its county town of Wicklow, which derives from the name "Víkingaló" (Old Norse for "Vikings' Meadow"). Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county, which had a population of 142,425 . Colloquially known as the "Garden of Ireland", it is the 17th largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area and the 16th largest by population. It is also the fourth largest of Leinster's 12 counties by size and the fifth largest in terms of population.
Physical geography.
Geology.
The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland region in Ireland. The highest mountain in the range, Lugnaquilla, rises to , giving Wicklow the second-highest county peak after Kerry.
Hydrodrology.
The River Liffey, chief river of Dublin, rises in the county, and is a major source of water for Greater Dublin. The Liffey's leading tributary, the River Dodder, rises just across the border in southern County Dublin, and receives some minor flows from extreme northern Wicklow. The River Dargle runs to the Irish Sea at Bray. The River Avoca forms from the confluence of the Avonmore and Avonbeg at the Meeting of the Waters, before discharging into the Irish Sea at Arklow. The River Aughrim is a tributary of the Avoca. The River Slaney is in the western part of the county, bordering County Carlow. One of the smaller rivers of the county, the River Vartry is important to Dublin's water supply.
Lakes are small but numerous, located mainly in mountain valleys or glacial corries. They include Lough Dan, Lough Tay, Lough Brae, the lakes of Glendalough, and the Poulaphouca reservoir (the largest by volume).
Built environment.
Wicklow is home to several major water supply and hydroelectric facilities. The Turlough Hill pumped-storage scheme, a significant civil engineering project, was carried out in the mountains in the 1960s and 1970s.
Leisure and tourism.
Wicklow, often called "The Garden of Ireland", has been a popular tourist destination for many years, due to its scenery, beaches, walking, hiking and climbing options, and attractions including the ruins of the monastic city of Glendalough, Wicklow Gaol and water-based activities on reservoirs and the coast.
The Wicklow Way is the oldest waymarked long-distance walking trail in Ireland.
The popular annual mass participation bike ride Wicklow 200 has taken place in the county every year since 1982.
History.
County Wicklow was the last of the traditional counties of Ireland to be shired in 1606 from land previously part of counties Dublin and Carlow. Established as a distinct county, it was aimed at controlling local groups such as the O'Byrnes. "The Military Road", stretching from Rathfarnham to Aghavannagh crosses the mountains, north to south, was built by the British Army to assist them in defeating the rebels still active in the Wicklow Mountains following the failed 1798 rebellion. It provided them with access to an area that had been a hotbed of Irish rebellion for centuries. Several barracks to house the soldiers were built along the route and the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation was built alongside the remains of barracks there. Battalions of the Irish Army use firing ranges in County Wicklow for tactical exercises, especially the largest one in the Glen of Imaal which was previously used by the British Army prior to independence.
The ancient monastery of Glendalough is located in County Wicklow. During the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland, local authorities immediately surrendered without a fight. During the 1798 rebellion, some of the insurgents took refuge in the Wicklow Mountains, resulting in clashes between British troops and the troops commanded by General Joseph Holt (1756–1826) near Aughrim and later at Arklow.
The boundaries of the county were extended in 1957 by the Local Government Act which "detached lands from the County of Dublin and from the jurisdiction and powers of the Council of the County of Dublin" near Bray and added them to the County of Wicklow.
Local government and politics.
The local government authority is Wicklow County Council which returns 32 councillors from five municipal districts (Arklow, Baltinglass, Bray, Greystones, Wicklow). All of the previous Town Councils (Arklow, Bray, Greystones, Wicklow) were abolished under a new Local Government Act at the 2014 Local Elections. For elections to Dáil Éireann, the entire county in included in the Wicklow constituency along with some eastern parts of County Carlow. The constituency returns five TDs to the Dáil.
Culture.
Mermaid, County Wicklow Arts Centre is based in Bray. Mermaid is the county's hub of artistic activity and creation, offering a programme in many art forms: visual arts, theatre productions, opera, dance performances, arthouse cinema, comedy and a music programme. Two of the county's festivals take place in Arklow, the Arklow Music Festival and the Arklow Seabreeze Festival.
The county is a popular film-making location in Ireland. Bray is home to Ardmore Studios, where many of Ireland's best known feature films, including "Rawhead Rex" John Boorman's "Excalibur" and "Zardoz", Jim Sheridan's Oscar-winning "In the Name of the Father", and several Neil Jordan films, have been shot. The BBC series "Ballykissangel" was also filmed in County Wicklow. Scenes from the movie "P.S. I Love You" were shot in the Wicklow Mountains National Park while several scenes from other movies, from "Barry Lyndon" to "Haywire", have been filmed in the county.
Media.
Filming locations.
Much of the television series "Vikings", (Amazon Prime), was filmed at Ashford Studios in the county, particularly scenes that required a green screen for subsequent CGI work. Some on-location filming was done elsewhere in the county. For example, certain scenes for Vikings (season 6) were filmed at and Powerscourt Waterfall and Powerscourt Estate and in Lough Tay. Ashford Studios was also the base for production of this final season. The spinoff from the series, "Vikings: Valhalla" (Netflix), will also be based at the Studios.
From 2016 to 2018, most of Into the Badlands (TV series) was filmed in County Wicklow.
Another series, , announced by Netflix in 2019, was also scheduled to shoot in the county, and would also be based at Ashford Studios.
Twinning.
County Wicklow is twinned with Würzburg, Germany and Seminole County, Florida, USA.


Nyborg Municipality

Nyborg Municipality is a municipality (Danish: "kommune") in Region of Southern Denmark on the east coast of the island of Funen in central Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 278 km2, and has a total population of 32,009 (2020). It borders Kerteminde Municipality to the north-west, Faaborg-Midtfyn Municipality to the south-west, Svendborg Municipality to the south and is connected to Slagelse Municipality by the Great Belt Bridge. Its mayor is Kenneth Muhs, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party. The main town and the site of its municipal council is the city of Nyborg.
The island of Sprogø lies in the Great Belt c. 8.5 kilometers from the shores of the town of Nyborg. The Great Belt Bridge connects the municipality to the island, and then it continues to the island of Zealand at the town of Korsør.
Holckenhavn Fjord cuts into the municipality on its eastern shore, north of the castle of Holckenhavn. A road ("Svendborgvej") connects the municipality across the fjord.
History.
Nyborg Castle was built in 1170, and the city built up around the castle around that time. Nyborg Municipality as an administrative region has existed since the rule of Valdemar II of Denmark, who granted Nyborg the rights of a market town (Danish: "Købstad"). A royal charter from 1193 indicates that the city has been granted the status of a market town even earlier. Nyborg Castle became the seat of the Danish Court (Danish: "Danehof"), giving the town numerous unique privileges. Among those privileges was the fact that the merchants of Vindinge Hundred had to go to Nyborg to sell their wares. In 1410, the market town of Nyborg was given the same privileges as that of Odense, an even older market town. The privileges were expanded in 1446, where the merchants of Gudme Hundred also had to go to Nyborg with their wares. Harbours between Kerteminde, Svendborg and Slipshavn were also outlawed, and Nyborg was given permission to arrange a large yearly market. The year after the privileges of 1446, artisans from Vindinge Hundred were told to move to the market towns, expanding the importance of the market town of Nyborg. With the king visiting regularly, due to Nyborg's central location and the castle being the seat of the Danehof, Nyborg was given many additional privileges over the years.
In 1662, Denmark's administrative divisions were changed. Fiefs (Danish: "Len") were dissolved and the country split into several amts. Nyborg County was created, and besides the market town of Nyborg, it included the hundreds of Vindinge Hundred, Sunds Hundred, Gudme Hundred, Sallinge Hundred and the eastern part of Bjerge Hundred. It also included ten birks: Hindsholm, Holckenhavn, Ravnholt, Glorup, Hesselager, Brahetrolleborg, Holstenshuus, Vantinge, Avernakø and Strynø. In 1793, Nyborg County was dissolved and merged with Tranekær County to become a part of Svendborg County, with its seat in Svendborg. This changed again in the 1970 Danish Municipal Reform, where Svendborg Country and Odense County were merged to form Funen County.
The hundreds, market towns and birks were dissolved in the municipal reform of 1970 and split Denmark into 277 municipalities. Nyborg Municipality was formed of the market town of Nyborg, and its parishes, as well as the two parish municipalities of Avnslev-Bovense and Vindinge. Ørbæk Municipality was formed of 7 parish municipalities, and Ullerslev Municipality was formed of 3 parish municipalities. In the 2007 municipal reform, these three municipalities of Nyborg, Ørkæk and Ullerslev were merged to form the present Nyborg Municipality.
Honorary citizens.
Four people are honorary citizens of the municipality. All four were granted honorary citizenship while Nyborg was still a market town.
Mayors.
Since the 2007 municipal reform, the mayors of Nyborg Municipality have been:
Towns.
Below are all settlements in the municipality with populations of at least 200 people (populations as of 2020).
Nyborg.
Nyborg is connected to Sjælland through the Great Belt Bridge to the east, with motorway exits allowing to enter the city straight from the bridge. The city also has a railway station and a marina. The railway station was opened along with the Great Belt Bridge in 1997. 17,268 people live in the city of Nyborg (2020).
To the east and south-east of the city is the Nyborg Fjord and Knudshoved Spit. The southern parts of the spit are protected areas, while the northern parts houses the former ferry docks, a golf club and restaurants. Plans have been made to turn the old ferry docks into a marina. The Holckenhavn Fjord is located south of the town, with the Holckenhavn Castle on the opposite side of the fjord. To the south-west, the neighbourhood of Pilshuse connects to the village of Vindinge and "Vindinge Forest". Further north, the city borders the forests of "Jagtenborg", "Telegrafskoven", "Juelsberg" and "Skemark". Due north the city borders the village of Skaboeshuse and the forest "Teglværkskoven". To the north-east, Nyborg borders the Great Belt Strait.
In the city of Nyborg are several attractions from its time as a fort city, including Nyborg Castle and its surrounding fortifications. A large project to renovate the castle is scheduled to be complete in 2021. Nyborg Voldspil, an acting group, perform their plays on the fortifications.
The area around Nyborg's main hall is a pedestrian zone, containing a big variety of shops and facilities. North of the center of Nyborg, is Nyborg Cemetery. Further north are a series of larger shops and supermarkets, as well as Nyborg Hospital. A series of industries, including larger companies such as Trioplast, are located in Pilshuse. Nyborg's recycling center is also located here. In Nyborg Marina are a variety of sailing cooperations. By Nyborg's train station and the motor way exit is a series of fast-food restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores, as well as industries, including Daloon. At the motorway exit is also an indoor public swimming pool and a sports- and recreation center. A series of hotels are located along the north-eastern shore of the city, facing the Great Belt Strait. Nyborg Prison is located on "Vindingevej".
Nyborg Cemetery has been used as a cemetery since 1537, where it was used for victims of the black plague. A chapel was built on the cemetery in 1605, but torn down again sixty years later in 1665 when the fortifications of Nyborg city were being expanded. Parts of these fortifications eventually became a part of the cemetery, with cemetery expansions in 1816, 1833 and 1855. A new chapel was built in 1870 and in 1900 a residence for the gravedigger was built on the grounds. In 1950, permissions to expand the cemetery further was approved, another part of the fortifications becoming part of the cemetery. These fortifications were not to be removed, however. The expansion was finished in 1957, with the fortifications used as burial sites and the ground below for urns. The cemetery today covers 30,673 m2. A book about the cemetery was written in 2013. It was named after a piece from a newspaper from 1886, naming Nyborg Cemetery as the most beautiful cemetery on Fyn.
Nyborg Prison.
Nyborg Prison is a closed state prison, located on "Vindingevej" in the outskirts of the city of Nyborg. Construction was approved by the city council in 1911, and the prison was finished in 1913. Among the locations suggested as the location of the prison was Nyborg Castle, though Minister of Justice Frits Bülow did not find the castle suitable for a prison. The prison was built by Victor Nyebølle, and intended to house young prisoners of both genders. To make this work, the prison was built as two separate buildings. Many new methods were tested during the prison's early years, including mandatory sport and education. It has been a closed state prison since 1973. Today it employs around 225 people, with around two-thirds being correctional officers. The prison offers many different jobs for the inmates, as well as a variety of educations.
Ullerslev.
Ullerslev is located 10 kilometers to the north-west of Nyborg. It has a population of 2,706 people (2020). Before the 2007 Municipal Reform, this was the seat of Ullerslev Municipality. The forests of "Kirsebærhaven", "Bondemose Skov" and "Skovmærket" are located in Ullerslev.
In the town of Ullerslev are several shops, as well as industries, including a dairy factory. Ullerslev Church is located here.
Ørbæk.
Ørbæk is located 14 kilometers south-west of Nyborg. It has a population of 1,691 people (2020). Before the 2007 Municipal Reform, this was the seat of Ørbæk Municipality.
Ørbæk has many shops and facilities, including sports facilities and a library. Ørbæk Brewery is located in the town, and the manor of Ørbæklunde is located near the town. There are also dolmen and passage graves located near the town. Ørbæk hosts a large yearly market known as 'Ørbæk Marked'.
Villages.
Aunslev, north-west of Nyborg, has been the location of several significant Viking-related archeological discoveries, including a piece of jewellery in gold, in the shape of Jesus. This figure is the oldest of its kind found in Denmark. In the village are also Aunslev Church and Aunslev Hospital, which is under the care of the church.
Hjulby is located north-west of Nyborg. Hjulby Church and Hjulby Lake are located here.
Vindinge is located west of Pilshuse in Nyborg. It has sports-facilities and is also home to Vindinge Church.
Refsvindinge is located south-west of Nyborg. In addition to Refsvindinge Church, Refsvindinge Brewery is also located in this village.
In addition to these villages, there are a number of smaller settlements in the municipality. These are all the settlements with populations of less than 200 people:
Nature.
The municipality is home to many nature areas, namely forests, bogs, meadows and coast. Much of the municipality's nature is protected.
There are three small protected nature areas within the city of Nyborg, including a series of old linden trees and an open meadow. Inside the city is also "Slotssøen" - the lake and moat surrounded Nyborg Castle. The fortifications around Nyborg Castle is home to the purseweb spider, a rare spider in Denmark. It was previously thought to be extinct in Denmark, but was in 1994 rediscovered.
East of Refsvindinge is a water mill called Lillemølle, located by Ørbæk River. It was established in the start of the 1600s, and was until 1899 part of Holckenhavn Castle. It is privately owned today. The river and the tree-covered slopes have been protected since 1964. 10 acres around Lillemølle are protected.
Some of the manors in the municipality have parts of their territory protected. These include Ørbæklunde where 42 acres were protected in 1971, and Hindemae where 110 acres were protected in 1974.
Holckenhavn Fjord was protected in the 1970s and 1980s and covers an area of 150 acres. It acts as the southern border of the city of Nyborg, where it cuts into Nyborg Fjord.
Three areas in the municipality has been protected through the European Union's Natura 2000 project. These are "Østerø Lake" on Knudshoved, "Kajbjerg Forest" south of the city of Nyborg, and 5 lakes in Tårup Strand.
Knudshoved.
Knudshoved, along with Slipshavn, make up a peninsula that creates a natural harbour in Nyborg Fjord. It is the easternmost point of Funen. It was protected in 2004, and the protection covers 210 acres. It consists of forests, beach meadows, reed beds, water holes and the lake of Østerø Sø. The Naval Home Guard of Denmark has a station on the Slipshavn peninsula. A sconce from the Second Northern War is also located on Slipshavn. There is also a lighthouse on Knudshoved.
In the Stone Age, the area of Knudshoved was shallow ocean, but has over time been transformed into the modern-day peninsula with beach meadows and lakes. The area has been transformed dramatically throughout history. It has been the location of ferry slips for the Great Belt ferries, piers, a golf course and the Great Belt Bridge. Much of the nature is still untouched, however. Parts of Knudshoved was protected in 1952 and the entire area in 2004.
Knudshoved's varied ecosystems allow a varied flora and fauna. The rare "Bassia hirsuta" (Danish: "tangurt") and "Inula britannica" (Danish: "soløjealant") can be found here.
It is also a breeding place for many ducks and shorebirds. In the autumn, the area is also a resting place for flocks of greylag goose. Kestrels hunts on the beach meadows. Knudshoved is also home to the natterjack toads, threatened in Denmark. There used to be a large colony of black-headed gulls on Knudshoved, but with the increased traffic on Knudshoved and Slipshavn over time, the population has decreased and they are no longer present in the area.
Politics.
On January 1, 2007, Nyborg municipality was, as the result of "Kommunalreformen" ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007), merged with Ørbæk and Ullerslev municipalities to form a new Nyborg municipality.
Municipal council.
Nyborg's municipal council consists of 25 members, elected every four years. The municipal council has nine political committees.
Below are the municipal councils elected since the Municipal Reform of 2007.
Economy.
The largest industries by number of employees in Nyborg Municipality are social institutions, retail and education. The 7 hotels in the municipality also employ a large number of people.
Large companies with their headquarters set in Nyborg include Daloon, a company producing spring rolls and similar food products. Another company with their headquarter in the municipality is Tenax Sild, a company producing herring and fish products. Koppers has a refinery in the outskirts of Nyborg.
Demographics.
There are 32,009 people living in Nyborg Municipality (2020). 50.63% are women and 49.37% are men. 81.46% of the municipality are members of the Church of Denmark.
Below is the age distribution of the municipality.
Education.
There are 4 ground schools, 1 efterskole and 5 independent schools in the municipality, as well as 1 youth school and 2 special schools. There is also 1 gymnasium, 1 folk high school, 1 vocational school and 1 music school.
There are 3 libraries in the municipality, with Nyborg Library acting as the municipality's main library. Nyborg Library is located next to Nyborg Castle, with the castle's moats on two sides and open green areas on the other two sides. It was built in 1935 by Flemming Lassen and Erik Møller and the interior design was done by furniture designer Hans J. Wegner and architect Arne Jacobsen.
Sights.
The city of Nyborg is heavily characterised by its history as a garrison city and a former royal residence. In addition to the sights listed below, there are also a series of statues and sculptures found in the city. The most well-known of these is known as "Den med Fisken" (English: The One with the Fish) by Harvey Martin, located next to the moat on Østerhavn.
Castles and manors.
There is a large amount of castles and manors on the island of Funen. Many parks and forests owned by the manors are open to the public, or used for private hunting. Many castles are used for events and hotels.
Nyborg Castle.
Nyborg Castle is located near the center of Nyborg city, and is surrounded by fortifications, the 'castle lake' and a moat that runs along the center of the city. The castle was first mentioned in 1193, when Canute VI held a meeting in it. Before then, the king was housed in Hjulby, outside Nyborg, and the castle was established in that period. A curtain wall was built, and there has likely been several wooden buildings within the walls. In the first half of the 1200s, a building was constructed in two floors, much of which still remains today. The king likely held his meetings in the upper floor of this construction. During the 1300s and 1400s, the castle was improved upon, with a new floor and several new buildings. In 1282, Eric V completed the constitution of Denmark in Nyborg Castle. In 1287, Eric V's alleged murderers were sentenced on the castle. In the 1520s, Frederick I planned to make Nyborg his official residence, but that never happened. Signs of his plans were obvious, however, with major projects on the castle planned.
The castle was captured by Swedish troops during the Dano-Swedish War, following the Battle of Nyborg. The Swedish troops sent all valuables home to Sweden, while they burned much of the furniture. Following this, the king was no longer interested in living in the castle, and it was handed over to the military. Nyborg worked as a garrison, with the castle now being used for military purposes. Much of the castle was no longer needed as was taken apart, and the materials used to build fortifications. The castle was used as armoury and storage.
After the garrison was disestablished in 1913, the castle was turned into a museum, which it has been since then. In 2017, a large project to renovate and expand the museum was begun, with plans to finish in 2021.
The fortifications, ramparts and moats surrounding Nyborg Castle stretch out along the center of the city. The moats appear as they did in the Middle Ages, with the same water regulation systems still in use. Three of the original bulwarks still exist, with the remaining having been torn down during city expansions. Two of those bulwarks are located around Nyborg Castle, and are known as "the Queen's Bulwark" (Danish: "Dronningens Bastion") and "the Crown Prince's Bulwark" (Danish: "Kronprinsens Bastion"). Those are surrounded by the original ramparts, which today act as park areas. On the Queen's Bulwark is a water tower from 1899, built by Emil Swanenflügel. The water tower was protected in 1997. The third bulwark is called "Prince Carl's Bulwark" (Danish: "Prins Carls Bastion"), and is slightly smaller. It also acts as a park area.
Holckenhavn Castle.
Bordering the city of Nyborg to the south is the Holckenhavn Castle. The castle owns 900 acres, and perform forestry, farming, hunting and renting out of residential houses. The castle itself can be rented for weddings and similar events, and also have hotel-services.
The manor originates from around the late 1300s, where it was owned by Anders Jacobsen Ulfeldt. The manor was kept in the Ulfeldt family, and in 1534-1536 during the Count's Feud, the manor was owned by Knud Ebbesen Ulfeldt, who defended the castle of Gjorslev on Sjælland against the peasants. He supported Christian III after the war. Knud Ebbesen Ulfeldt died in 1540, and the manor was given to his son, Corfitz Ulfeldt. He, however, was secretary at the Danish chancery, and the day-to-day management of the manor was instead performed by his mother, Anne Eriksdatter Hardenberg. Jacob Ulfeldt gained the manor after Anne Eriksdatter Hardenberg's death in 1564. Jacob Ulfeldt fought under both Herluf Trolle and Daniel Rantzau in the Seven Years' War. After performing well in the war, he was sent to Russia as a delegation, but failed to improve Denmark's relationship with Russia. This upset the king, and Jacob Ulfedt spent the rest of his days taking care of Holcekhavn Castle. He made large improvements, and expanded the manor significantly during this time. In 1616, the manor was sold to Ellen Marsvin, who made big changes to the interior of the castle. During the Dano-Swedish War, the manor was owned by Leonora Christine and Corfitz Ulfeldt. Holckenhavn Castle was largely ignored by the Swedes, due to Corfitz Ulfedt's relationship with the Swedish king, and he later joined the Swedish army. After the war, Corfitz Ulfeldt escaped to Germany to avoid the charges for treason, while Leonora Christine was imprisoned. In 1672, Holckenhavn was awarded to Eiler Holck, after his success in the Dano-Swedish War. The war had taken its economical toll on the manor though, and it wasn't until 1760 that the owner Erik Rosenkrantz Holck managed to turn this around. The manor has been owned by the Holck family since then.
Lykkesholm Castle.
Lykkesholm Castle is located near Ørbæk, where it is used for events and hunting. The manor owns 299 acres. The castle was temporarily owned by Margaret I, who gave it away to Henneke Olufsen Bjørn a few days after acquiring it. Christen Thomesen Sehested acquired the castle in 1640, and began significant plans to expand the manor. He bought a large amount of surrounding farms, and even a church in a nearby village. He was given another series of farms after lending money to the king. He eventually became so rich that he was able to donate grain to poor children in Odense. After Sehested's death and the abolishment of absolute monarchy in Denmark, the manor ran into debt and were in financial trouble until 1730 when it was bought by Theodor Adeler, who turned things around. Anne Cathrine Bendtz got control of the manor in 1778, and she made significant changes to it, selling the parts they didn't need while also establishing new plantations and constructing new buildings. In 1914, Lykkesholm was bought by Christian Ove Sehestedt Juul from neighbouring manor Ravnholt, who still own Lykkesholm today.
Churches.
See List of churches in Nyborg Municipality
Events.
The yearly Ørbæk Market (Danish: "Ørbæk Marked") began around year 1900, where it was mentioned as a market for livestock. The market was helt the 2nd Saturday in July in Ørbæk every year until 1957, where the industrialization meant that horses were no longer necessary. The yearly tradition stopped in 1957, but was brought back in 1980. The market was no longer solely for livestock, but now mainly a kræmmermarked - a type of flea market. The market has been held annually since 1980, and is the largest market on Funen.
The Danehof Market is a yearly renaissance fair held in Nyborg. It takes place the first weekend in July. It takes place around Nyborg Castle and the plaza outside the town hall. The market has its roots from the 1200s, where a yearly market was also held in the start of July.
Parishes.
There are 19 parishes in Nyborg Municipality. Shown in the table below are the populations of each parish, as well as the percentage of that population that are members of the Church of Denmark. All numbers are from 1 January 2020.
Symbols.
The coat of arms and logo of Nyborg Municipality is a modern iteration of Nyborg's original coat of arms, which originates from the 14th century. The star and moon's origins are unknown, though believed to originate from Nyborg Church, which is dedicated to Virgin Mary. They are also symbols of eternity. The castle in the modern coat of arms is a simplified version of the castle on the old coat of arms. It represents Nyborg Castle. The king's head was originally a man's head, without the king's crown. The head began appearing in the 15th century and its origins are unknown. The king's head represents Erik Klipping, who signed the first Danish constitution at the Danehof in Nyborg Castle. The blue lines under the castle was not part of the old coat of arms. They illustrate the municipality's and the castle's adjacency to water. The gate is open, to illustrate hospitality.


South Moravian Region

The South Moravian Region (; ; ) is an administrative unit () of the Czech Republic, located in the south-western part of its historical region of Moravia (an exception is Jobova Lhota which belongs to Bohemia). Its capital is Brno, the 2nd largest city in the Czech Republic. It is bordered by the South Bohemian Region (west), Vysočina Region (north-west), Pardubice Region (north), Olomouc Region (north east), Zlín Region (east), Trenčín and Trnava Regions, Slovakia (south east) and Lower Austria, Austria (south).
Administrative divisions.
The South Moravian Region is divided into 7 districts (Czech: "okres"):
There are in total 673 municipalities in the region, of which 49 have the status of towns. There are 21 municipalities with extended powers and 34 municipalities with a delegated municipal office.
The region is famous for its wine production. The area around the towns of Mikulov, Znojmo, Velké Pavlovice along with the Slovácko region provide 94% of the Czech Republic's vineyards.
Population.
The region has approximately 1,188,000 inhabitants. The net migration has been positive in all years since 2003, reaching its peak in 2007 when it reached 7,374 people. Since 2007 the region has also experienced natural population growth. In 2012 there were 37 thousand foreigners living in the region, forming 3.2% of the total population of the region.
The average age of citizens in the region was 42.4 years in 2019. The average age has grown by 5 years over the last two decades. The life expectancy at birth in 2012 was 75.2 years for men and 81.7 years for women. Life expectancy has been growing over recent years. The divorce-marriage ratio in the region was 60.3 in 2012.
One third of the region's population lives in the capital Brno. The share of inhabitants living in towns and cities on the total population of the region has been steadily decreasing due to suburbanization. The table below displays 12 municipalities with the highest number of inhabitants in the region (as of 1 January 2019):
Geography.
With an area of 7,187.8 km2 the South Moravian Region is the fourth largest region of the Czech Republic. The highest point of the region is located in the eastern part on Durda mountain (842 m). The point with the lowest elevation (150 m) is situated in Břeclav District at the meeting of the rivers Morava and Dyje.
The northern and north-western part of the region is covered by the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (Czech: "Českomoravská vrchovina") and the Moravian Karst. There is an extensive cave complex in the Moravian Karst with a 138.5 m depth in the Macocha Gorge in the Punkva Caves. In the eastern part, the region reaches to the Carpathian Mountains. The Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and the Carpathian Mountains are separated by the Lower-Moravian Valley (Czech: "Dolnomoravský úval"). The southern part of the region is predominantly flat and dominated by fields, meadows, and the remainders of riparian forests.
The largest river of the region is the Morava river. Other significant rivers are the Dyje, Svratka (and its tributary the Svitava), which are all tributaries of the Morava river. The whole region belongs to the drainage basin of the Danube and subsequently of the Black Sea.
There are a number of landscape parks (Czech: "chráněná krajinná oblast") located across the region: the White Carpathians Landscape Park, the Moravian Karst Landscape Park and Pálava Landscape Park. Moreover, Podyjí National Park is situated in the south-eastern part of the region.
Living conditions.
In 2016, three-quarters of households in the region had a computer and 75% of the households had Internet connection. There were in total 781 thousand motor vehicles, of which 482 thousand were cars and 110 thousand were motorbikes.
The unemployment rate in the region was 4.3% as of October 2017.
Economy.
The nominal gross domestic product of the South Moravian Region was 397.2 billion CZK in 2011, which is 10.3% of the national GDP. Among other regions, South Moravian Region had the third largest share on the national GDP. The GDP per capita was 341,000 CZK in the same period, which is 93.6% of the national average.
Mechanical engineering has an essential role in the economy of the region. Important centers of mechanical engineering are Brno (PBS, Siemens, Zetor Brno), Blansko (ČKD Blansko, Metra Blansko), Kuřim (TOS Kuřim), Boskovice (Minerva, Novibra) and Břeclav (OTIS). Electrical engineering has a tradition for more than a century. Significant producers are Siemens Drásov, VUES Brno and ZPA Brno. Food industry forms another important sector, especially in the southern and eastern part of the region. Important activities are the meat processing, canning of fruits and vegetables (Znojmia, Fruta), sugar industry, brewing (Starobrno, Černá Hora, Vyškov and Hostan) and winemaking (Znovín Znojmo, Vinium Velké Pavlovice). Chemical and pharmaceutical industry is concentrated especially in Brno (Pliva-Lachema), Ivanovice na Hané (Bioveta) and Veverská Bítýška (Hartmann Rico).
The South-Moravian Region has an important role in the nation and international transit. It is served by a network of motorways and roads of almost 4,500 km. The motorways D1 and D2 and the expressways R43 and R52 form the skeleton of the road network in the region. Brno is an important crossing of road and railway transport and a hub of the integrated regional public transport system.
Brno has an international airport Brno–Tuřany. The airport was opened in 1954 and in 2012 it served 535 thousand passengers.
The agricultural land covers 426 thousand ha, which is 59.3% of all land in the region. The arable land occupies 49% of the total area. Znojmo District and Vyškov District have the highest proportion of arable land in the region. The agricultural production is oriented on the production of cereals, rapeseed and sugar beet. Other important agricultural sectors in the region are viticulture, fruit farming and vegetable growing. The viticulture is especially developed in Břeclav District, which has 46% of the total area of Czech vineyards.


List of Bulgarian provinces by GDP

This is a list of Bulgarian provinces and the capital city of Sofia by GDP and GDP per capita. The equivalent countries which are comparable to the Bulgarian Provinces in GDP per capita are chosen by Worldbank data for the same year.
List of provinces by GDP.
Provinces by GDP in 2016 according to data by the OECD.
List of provinces by GDP per capita.
Provinces by GDP per capita in 2016 according to data by the OECD.


Zarasai District Municipality

Zarasai District Municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania. It borders with Latvia and Belarus.
Local government units.
The district has the following localities:
Biggest population (2001):
Geography and attractions.
30% of the territory is covered by forests (about 65% of those are pine forests), about 10% by lakes. The district has about 300 lakes. The most famous lake is Lake Sartai for its winter horse races. Part of the biggest lake in Lithuania, Lake Drūkšiai, is also in the district. Other three lakes are among the ten largest lakes in Lithuania. There are 20 artificial lakes, the biggest one is Antalieptė Lagoon (). It is a unique artificial lake in Lithuania. It was formed when a dam on Šventoji River was built and 27 different lakes joined to form one lagoon. It has about 50 islands. There are 8 rivers, the longest is Šventoji River (almost 45 km in the district). The district has two regional parks, Sartai and Gražutė.
The district is rich in beautiful nature and could become a tourist destination. However, the geographic location is very inconvenient. Zarasai district municipality is away from major highways. Also, it is quite far away from the capital, Vilnius. Vilnians would rather choose numerous lakes in Molėtai district municipality or Aukštaitija National Park for recreation.
The district has many hill forts built in the 9-12th centuries. They were used for defence against Livonian Order attacking from Daugavpils.
The oldest tree in Lithuania Stelmužė Oak grows in the district.


Saaremaa Municipality

Saaremaa Municipality, also known as Saaremaa Parish () is a municipality in Saare County in western Estonia. It is the largest municipality in Estonia by land area. The administrative centre of the municipality is its only town Kuressaare.
It is one of three parishes comprising the county, along with Muhu and Ruhnu parish. It was formed following the 2017 Estonian municipal reform on 21 October 2017 on the basis of all twelve former Saaremaa municipalities: Kuressaare town and Lääne-Saare, Kihelkonna, Laimjala, Leisi, Mustjala, Orissaare, Pihtla, Pöide, Salme, Torgu and Valjala parishes.


Lampeia

Lampeia (Greek: Λάμπεια, before 1928: Δίβρη - "Divri", between 1928 and 1929: Πρινόφυτον - "Prinofyton") is a mountain village, a community and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Archaia Olympia, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 72.447 km2. In 2011 the population of the village was 468, and of the community, which includes the village Amygdali, 529.
Lampeia is situated south of Mount Erymanthos, in the valley of a tributary of the river Erymanthos. Its elevation is about 800 m above sea level. The Greek National Road 33 (Patras - Tripoli) passes through it. Lampeia is 4 km west of Oreini, 9 km northeast of Koumanis, 28 km northeast of Olympia and 45 km south of Patras.
Subdivisions.
The municipal unit Lampeia is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets):
History.
The name "Lampeia" was taken from the mountain "Lampeia", which is part of the Erymanthos range. According to Pausanias the river Erymanthos has its source on the mountain "Lampeia", which is sacred to Pan. The area was part of Arcadia. Due to its inaccessibility, Lampeia saw few invaders. Also the Ottomans stayed in the lower areas for strategic reasons. The Zoodochos Pigi monastery in Lampeia was a centre of Greek culture and education. Several inhabitants fought in the Greek War of Independence, and some well known families of politicians (Petralias, Panagoulis, Stefanopoulos, Zafeiropoulos) came from Divri/Lampeia.
Lampeia was created as one of the eight municipalities of the Elis prefecture in the 1830s, and was disbanded in 1913. This municipality was larger than the present municipal unit, and included several villages now in adjacent municipal units (among others Koumanis, Antroni and Klindia). The municipality was recreated under the Capodistrian Plan in the late-1990s, and became a subdivision of the municipality of Archaia Olympia in 2011.


South Bohemian Region

South Bohemian Region (, ) is an administrative unit ("kraj") of the Czech Republic, located mostly in the southern part of its historical land of Bohemia, with a small part in southwestern Moravia. The western part of the South Bohemian Region is former Prachens (Prácheňsko), a huge archaic region with distinctive features with its capital, Písek. In 2011, there were 624 municipalities in the region, whereof 54 had a status of a town.
The region borders (from the west clockwise) the regions Plzeň, Central Bohemia, Vysočina and South Moravia. To the south it borders Austria (Lower Austria and Upper Austria) and Germany (Bavaria). Until 30 May 2001, the region was named as or , after its capital, České Budějovice.
Due to its geographical location and natural surroundings the region belongs to the first settlements that appeared in the distant past. Over the past centuries, the South Bohemian region has been known for fishpond cultivation and forestry. The region has been industrialized since the beginning of the twentieth century. Nowadays, it is a tourist destination due to its natural and historical richness and the fastest growing industry has been the travel industry.
Administrative divisions.
The South Bohemian Region was established with constitutional lax No. 347/97 of Collections concerning the formation of higher territorial administrative units. The region and its authorities are specified by Act No. 129-2000 of Collections concerning regions, which came into effect on the day of the regional authorities elections, 1 January 2001.
The region is divided into 7 districts:
Population and area.
The total area of the region is 10,056 km2 which is 12.8% of the total area of the Czech Republic. As of 2019, South Bohemia's population is 642,133 and with only 64 people per 1 km2 the region has the lowest population density in the whole country.
64.2% of the region's population lives in towns or cities. One-third of the inhabitants live in the five largest municipalities. Only 4% of region's population lives in municipalities with less than 200 inhabitants.
In 2011, the average age in the region is 41.2 years. Approximately 11% of inhabitants who were 15 years or older had a university degree (in 2001 this was 8%). According to the 2011 census, 20.6% of inhabitants in the region believe in God (however, almost half of the people did not answer this question). The table below gives an overview of towns and cities in the region that have at least 8,000 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2019).
Other significant towns are: Vimperk, Dačice, Kaplice, Soběslav, Sezimovo Ústí, Vodňany, Blatná, Veselí nad Lužnicí, Bechyně and Protivín. The following table provides more details on the districts of the South Bohemia:
Geography.
South Bohemia consists of the South Bohemian Basin, České Budějovice Basin, and Třeboň Basin. The Bohemian Forest (Czech: "Šumava") is a low range of mountains situated in the southwest. Other highlands that can be found in the region are the Brdy Highlands (in the very northern part of the region), the Central-Bohemian Highlands (Czech: "Středočeská vrchovina", in the northern part of the region), the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (Czech: "Českomoravská vrchovina", the eastern part of the region) and the Novohradské Mountains (in the south of the region). The highest elevation in the region is the high Plechý in the Bohemian Forest, the lowest elevation with 350 metres above sea level is at the Orlík Dam.
The region is located in the drainage basin of Vltava river. Other significant rivers are Malše, Lužnice, Otava, Nežárka and Lomnice. South Bohemia is known for its many ponds. In the past, more than seven thousand ponds were established across the region. With its 489 ha Rožmberk is the largest one, followed by Bezdrev (450 ha) and Horusice pond (415 ha). In the 20th century, a series of dams were constructed on the Vltava river. Lipno Dam is the largest dam in the Czech Republic and has an area of 4,870ha. Other dams in the region are Orlík Dam, Římov Dam and Hněvkovice Dam.
A big part of the Šumava National Park is situated in South Bohemia. The Bohemian Forest is a holiday destination, in particular, with hikers. Many natural and cultural sights are connected with more than 500 km of summer marked trails and bike trails.
Climate.
The climate in South Bohemia is of a transitional Central European type. It is affected alternatively by an oceanic influence from the west, and a continental influence from the east. Therefore, the weather can be variable. Most of the South Bohemian region belongs to the mild, warm and wet zone and at altitudes above 750 m, this passes to mild and cool. The warmest month is usually July, with temperatures averaging between 17 and 18 °C in valley areas. In higher localities (over 900 m) the temperatures can drop below 14 °C. Days with temperatures above 25 °C are most frequently in valley-basins, and the area around the confluence of the rivers Lužnice and Vltava (Moldau): on average there are 40-50 such days a year.
Economy.
In 2010, the region produced 5% of the national GDP. The GDP per capita is 84% of the national average, which is the 8th highest among all regions. In 2011, the business sector in the South Bohemian Region comprises 159,000 entities, 114,000 of which were sole traders. There are more than 300 thousand people employed in the region, whereof 31% in industry, 13% in trade and 10% in construction sector. The average salary in the region in September 2013 was CZK 21,768 (approximately EUR 850). The unemployment rate in September 2013 was 6.05%.
The Region does not rank among key industrial areas of the Czech Republic. The industrial production is concentrated particularly in the area of České Budějovice and in Tábor District and Strakonice District. The food and drink processing industries play a significant role in the region. Other important sectors are the automotive industry, production of machinery and appliances, and also the textile and clothing industries. Recently, the travel industry has become an important sector in the region.
The Czech Academy of Sciences, whose institutes operate all over the region, provides a good base for the development of science. These institutes focus mostly on biology and ecology. Scientific work is also part of the activities of the University of South Bohemia (Czech: Jihočeská univerzita) with its headquarters in České Budějovice and Jindřichův Hradec.
Approximately 11% of the national agricultural production is produced in the South Bohemian Region. The agricultural sector focuses on plant production, mostly on growing cereals, oil plants, and potatoes. In animal husbandry, the breeding of cattle and pigs prevails. Fishpond cultivation has a long tradition in South Bohemia. Fish husbandry in the total area of 25 000 ha makes up about 50% of the total national production.
Architecture.
The region is famous for its small villages with a pond in the middle. These are generally built in the style of the Rustic Baroque, also known as South Bohemian Baroque:
"Rustic Baroque is a term for the unique architecture of South Bohemia. The local folk bricklayer masters Martin Paták and František Šoch created a new type of South Bohemian farmhouse with an ornate frontispiece in the middle of the 19th century. A typical building of this style is a massive rustic farmhouse with two richly decorated frontispieces, which are joined by an arched gate with small doors. The marshland frontispieces are beautifully decorated, they have lavish contours, the surface is usually divided by allusive decorative columns, completed by arches, stylised hearts, four-leafed clovers, meadow flowers."


Province of Mantua

The Province of Mantua (; Mantovano, Lower Mantovano: ; Upper Mantovano: ) is a province in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Mantua. It is bordered to the north-east by the Province of Verona, to the east by that of Rovigo, to the south by those of Ferrara, Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma, to the west by the Province of Cremona and to the north-west by that of Brescia.
History.
Founded in the tenth century BC on the plain formed by meanders of the River Mincio, Mantua became an Etruscan town and important trading post for pottery and agricultural products. Despite its defensible position, it was unable to withstand the Celtic invaders in the sixth and fifth centuries BC who overwhelmed it, and the whole area was later conquered by the Romans.
By the fifth century AD, the Western Roman Empire was collapsing. Mantua was overrun by a series of invaders, including the Visigoths, Vandals, and Ostrogoths. After 568 the Lombards seized control of the part of northern Italy which is now known as Lombardy and included Mantua.
The current administrative boundaries of the province have deep historical roots, corresponding largely to the Duchy of Mantua, which was a fief of the Holy Roman Empire. The Napoleonic Department of the Mincio became the Province of Mantua at the birth of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia in 1815. Following the Battle of Solferino on 24 June 1859, Franco-Piedmontese troops conquered Lombardy up to the right bank of the Mincio, and the resulting Armistice of Villafranca of 11 June 1859 between France and Austria called for the new provincial boundaries, splitting in two the part of the previous Province of Mantova that was crossed by the new international border. The new provincial boundaries came into effect after laws enacted in 1868. The coat of arms of the province, containing the symbols of Mantua, Bozzolo and Castiglione delle Stiviere, embodies the union of those three areas and was adopted in place of the previous one.
Geography.
The Province of Mantua is bounded by several rivers. To the west, the River Oglio provides the border with the Province of Cremona. To the south it is bounded by the River Po, on the other side of which are the provinces of Ferrara, Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma. To the east the River Mincio provides the border with the Province of Verona and the Province of Rovigo, and to the northwest lies the Province of Brescia. The total area of the province is . The River Po is subject to flooding and much of the bank is raised by levees.
Protected areas.
There are a number of nature reserves and protected areas in the province. The Parco regionale del Mincio was established on 8 September 1984 with an area of approximately 16,000 hectares. It includes several nature reserves and has a range of habitats including moraines, hills, plains, and the meandering riverbeds in the complex of lakes of Mantua. Birds found in the park include storks, herons, purple herons, egrets, night herons, kingfishers, bee-eaters, coots, moorhens, peregrine falcons, hawks, great crested grebe and black kite.
The Parco dell'Oglio Sud is another regional park that lies on the boundary of the province with the province of Cremona. It was established in 1988 and has an area of about 12,800 hectares. It is a river park that runs along the stretch of the river Oglio which forms the boundary. It lies to the south of Lake Iseo and the administrative centre is at Calvatone. Birds present in this park include great egret, grey heron, Montagu's harrier, Eurasian scops owl, bearded reedling, woodcock, barred warbler, crested lark, sedge warbler, moustached warbler, little egret, Eurasian hobby and ferruginous duck.
The Riserva naturale Bosco Fontana is a state nature reserve with an area of about 23,300 hectares. It is a wooded area that is a remnant of the natural forests that covered the Po valley in ancient times. It is a dense marshy forest composed mainly of Turkey oaks, pedunculate oaks, hornbeams, limes, poplars, elms and alders, which are accompanied by numerous species of shrubby undergrowth. There are glades with abundant wildflowers and fungi flourish among the trees, an important factor being the richness of the groundwater. Among the mammals found in the reserve are the least weasel, beech marten and European polecat, and the birds include the common buzzard, the great spotted woodpecker and the Eurasian wryneck.
Government.
The Province of Mantua is an administrative body of intermediate level between a municipality ("comune") and Lombardy region.
The three main functions devolved to the Province of Mantua are:
As an administrative institution, the Province of Mantua has its own elected bodies. From 1948 to 1993 the President of the Province of Mantua was chosen by the members of the Provincial Council, elected every five years by citizens. From 1993 to 2016, under provisions of the 1993 local administration reform, the President of the Province was chosen by popular election, originally every four, then every five years.
On 3 April 2014, the Italian Chamber of Deputies gave its final approval to the Law n.56/2014 which involves the transformation of the Italian provinces into "institutional bodies of second level". According to the 2014 reform, each province is headed by a President (or Commissioner) assisted by a legislative body, the Provincial Council, and an executive body, the Provincial Executive. President (Commissioner) and members of Council are elected together by mayors and city councilors of each municipality of the province respectively every four and two years. The Executive is chaired by the President (Commissioner) who appoint others members, called "assessori". Since 2016, the President (Commissioner) and other members of the Council do not receive a salary.
In each province, there is also a Prefect ("prefetto"), a representative of the central government who heads an agency called "prefettura-ufficio territoriale del governo". The Questor ("questore") is the head of State's Police ("Polizia di Stato") in the province and his office is called "questura". There is also a province's police force depending from local government, called provincial police ("polizia provinciale").
This is a partial list of the Presidents of the Province since 1975:
Economy.
Despite Mantuan landscape is primarily an agricultural one and the primary sector accounted for the 6% of local GDP in 2003, much above Italian average, the province has an historically strong industrial sector, which accounts for 37% of the GDP, while the tertiary sector holds the remaining 56%. Overall, the gross domestic product of the province was estimated in 2003 at over €10 billion.
The productivity of agriculture is enhanced by a well-developed use of fertilizers and the traditional abundance of water. It is largely flat and the soil is very fertile and is intensively irrigated, boosted since the Middle Ages by the construction of a wide net of irrigation canals which were partly designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Crops grown include wheat, maize, rice, sugar beet, potatoes and vegetables. Olives, grapes, chestnuts and many other sorts of fruit are grown; mulberry plants are grown for their contribution to silk production, or sericulture. The lower plains are characterized by fodder crops, which are mowed up to eight times a year. Cattle are also bred and cheese and other dairy products are manufactured. The main exports from the province include cereals, rice, cheese and silk, but most industrial goods need to be imported.
Municipalities.
Here is a list of the most populated municipalities of the province.
Municipal government.
Here is a list of the municipal government in cities and towns with more than 15,000 inhabitants:
External links.
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Turieno

Turieno is a town in the municipality of Camaleño (Cantabria, Spain).


Arrondissements of Belgium

Arrondissements of Belgium are subdivisions below the provinces of Belgium. There are administrative, judicial and electoral arrondissements. These may or may not relate to identical geographical areas.
Belgium, a federalized state, geographically consists of three regions, of which only the Flemish Region and the Walloon Region are subdivided into five provinces each; the Brussels-Capital Region is neither a province nor is it part of one.
Administrative.
The 43 administrative arrondissements are an administrative level between the municipalities and the provinces. Brussels-Capital forms a single arrondissement for all 19 municipalities in the region by that name.
Judicial.
Belgium has 12 judicial arrondissements:
Until March 31, 2014 Belgium had 27 judicial arrondissements. These are now sections of today's 12 judicial arrondissements. In addition, the arrondissement Brussels was divided into the sections Brussels and Halle-Vilvoorde.
Electoral.
Until the end of 1999 the electoral districts for the election of the parliaments were "electoral arrondissements"; since the start of 2000 these are the ten "provinces". The arrondissement of Brussels-Capital (geographically coinciding with the Brussels-Capital Region) is not part of any province and consequently forms its own electoral district.
As the only part of Belgium, the Walloon Parliament still uses electoral arrondissements. Each electoral arrondissement consists of at least one (administrative) arrondissement. There were previously 13 such electoral districts, but they have since been reduced to 11. Each of these electoral districts take their names from the arrondissements they consist of, usually decreasing in order of population.


Norrbotten County

Norrbotten County (; , ) is the northernmost county or "län" of Sweden. It is also the largest county by land area, almost a quarter of Sweden's total area. It borders Västerbotten County to the southwest and the Gulf of Bothnia to the southeast, as well as the counties of Nordland and Troms og Finnmark in Norway to the northwest, and Lapland Province in Finland to the northeast.
The name "Norrbotten" is also used for a province of the same name. Norrbotten province covers only the eastern part of Norrbotten County – the inland mostly belongs to the Swedish Lapland province ("Lappland").
The capital of Norrbotten is Luleå, whereas other significant towns include Boden, Kiruna and Piteå. The majority of the population lives in the namesake province, whereas the Lapland part of the county is sparsely populated. In terms of land area, Norrbotten is larger than both Austria and Portugal as well as the island of Ireland.
The northern part of Norrbotten lies within the Arctic Circle.
Provinces.
Norrbotten County consists of the entire province of Norrbotten and about two thirds of Swedish Lapland.
Geography.
Norrbotten County covers almost one quarter of Sweden's surface, but is sparsely inhabited. This is especially true for inland parts of Lapland.
The climate is generally cold, because of its northern location. However, the long summer days allow crops to ripen within two to three months, and agriculture is traditionally important, particularly near the coast and along the lower reaches of the Torne River. Grains, particularly barley, potatoes and turnips are grown to some extent, but the most important crop is hay for livestock. There are around 250 000 reindeer, in the winter herd, a number regulated by the Swedish state, which are herded by the Indigenous Sámi, organised in 15 Sámi Mountain villages, 9 Forest Sámi villages and 8 concession Sámi villages. Hunting and fishing is of major importance for the local inhabitants.
Major rivers in Norrbotten County (north–south) include the Torne, the Lule River, Kalix River, and Pite River. Rivers shared with Västerbotten County include the Skellefte River and Ume River. Other rivers that flow directly to the sea and that are at least 100 km long are the Sangis River, Råne River, Åby River, and Byske River.
The county includes many islands in the Bay of Bothnia, which make up the Norrbotten archipelago.
It is divided into the archipelagos of Piteå (550 islands), Luleå (1,312 islands), Kalix (792 islands) and Haparanda (652 islands).
The largest island is Rånön in the Kalix archipelago.
Population.
The population has increased during the last hundred years. The estimated 2002 population was 250,000. In the 1912 census, the population was 166,641, (4,000 more males than females), and of this, around 120,000 belonged to the Norrbotten province part. Twenty years earlier, in 1892, the population was only 110,000. Since the 1960s, however, most municipalities of the county have experienced a decrease in population figures, particularly those inland.
History.
During the Middle Ages, Norrbotten was considered to be terra nullius ("no man's land"). The area was populated by Sami, Kvens and different people related to the Finns. From the Middle Ages on, the Swedish kings tried hard to colonise and Christianise the area. This took time, however; even today, there are Finnish and Sami minorities living in the area, who have maintained their own culture and customs.
In the first half of the 17th century several ore deposits were discovered in what is now known as Norrbotten County. The silver of Nasafjäll was discovered during the autumn of 1634 and subsequently mined from 1635 to 1659 and from the 1770s to 1810.
Following the Finnish War in 1809, Västerbotten County was split between Sweden and Finland, with the larger part remaining within the Swedish borders. In 1810, the county was divided again when "Norrbotten County" was created out of the northern part, on the Swedish side. Most people in Norrbotten County still refer to the entire county, including the areas in Swedish Lapland, when they say 'Norrbotten'.
The natural resources (hydroelectricity, timber, and minerals, especially iron) of Norrbotten have played a key role in the industrialization of Sweden. The 20th century saw strong mobility in and out of the county, with many young people moving south and people from other parts of the country moving in. In the 1970s and 1980s, the drainage of (mostly young) workers due to high unemployment was considerable, and people in the area began to voice feelings of being misunderstood or economically abused by the south and especially the capital Stockholm.
Heraldry.
The coat of arms of Norrbotten County combines the arms of the provinces Västerbotten and Lappland and was granted in 1949. Since 1995 the province Norrbotten has a coat of arms of its own, but the county arms have not been changed accordingly. When it is shown with a royal crown, it represents the County Administrative Board. Blazon: "Quartered, the arms of Västerbotten and the arms of Lappland."
Culture.
The culture of Norrbotten County is in many ways different from the rest of Sweden, since so many different cultures can be found there; Sami culture, Finnish culture (Tornedalians) and the Swedish settler-culture (combined with the Arctic climate, midnight sun, and mid-winter darkness). Many of the old local Swedish and Finnish dialects have survived in the area, and are spoken by a great number of people. The people of Norrbotten County have a saying: "I am not a Swede; I am a Norrbothnian". A laconic and, at first glance, uncommunicative way of speaking, coupled with understated irony, is also sometimes used as a means to exclude southerners, who are seen as more slick and deceptive in their ways with words and eager to twist things their way. These contrasts are well known throughout Sweden and often appear in TV, films, literature and folklore connected to Norrbotten, for characterizing, satiric or dramatic purposes (e.g. some characters in the books of Eyvind Johnson or the police detective Einar Rönn in the crime novels of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö).
The coast has the historical cities of Luleå and Piteå. Luleå's Gammelstad ("Old town"), which is 10 km north of the present downtown, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Apart from the Swedish language, Sami, Meänkieli, and Finnish may be used in dealing with government agencies, courts, municipalities, preschools and nursing homes in parts of Norrbotten County. The Sami language has official minority language status in Arjeplog, Gällivare, Jokkmokk, and Kiruna municipalities. Finnish has the same status in Gällivare, Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala, and Övertorneå municipalities.
Administration.
The main aims of the County Administrative Board are to fulfil the goals set in national politics by the Riksdag and the Government, to promote the development of the county, and to establish regional goals. The County Administrative Board is a Government Agency headed by a Governor (see List of Norrbotten Governors).
Politics.
Results of the 2010 Swedish general election in Norrbotten:
Municipalities.
The Sami language can be used in contacts with local authorities in Arjeplog, Gällivare, Jokkmokk, and Kiruna. Similarly, Finnish and Meänkieli can be used in Gällivare, Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala, and Övertorneå.
Foreign background.
SCB have collected statistics on backgrounds of residents since 2002. These tables consist of all who have two foreign-born parents or are born abroad themselves. The chart lists election years and the last year on record alone.
Transportation.
The main mode of person travel inside Norrbotten is by car. The roads usually have sparse traffic, except the coastal road E4, which has more dense traffic.
The distances are long, e.g. 345 km between Luleå and Kiruna, needing at least 3½ hours by car.
The roads have been given relatively high speed limits compared to southern Sweden, usually 100–110 km/h, reducing travel times in this largest Swedish county.
Norrbotten has a railway network with sparse passenger traffic but dense and heavy freight traffic. There are two main railways. Stambanan genom övre Norrland connects Norrbotten with central and southern Sweden. Malmbanan connects Luleå with the iron mines in Gällivare and Kiruna and the ice-free port of Narvik. Malmbanan has highest amount of freight traffic in Scandinavia, especially the part between Kiruna and Narvik.
Air travel is the main mode of travel between Norrbotten and southern Sweden. The main airport is Luleå Airport, 6th largest in Sweden. Other airports are
Arvidsjaur Airport, Gällivare Airport, Kiruna Airport and Pajala Airport.


Arndilly

Arndilly is a place and former parish in Moray, Scotland. The parish was united with the parish of Boharm in 1618. The name was previously Ardintullie, Artyldole and Artendol.
The parish church remains were incorporated into Arndilly House, built in 1770.


Redange (canton)

Redange is a canton in the west of Luxembourg. The capital is Redange, otherwise known as Redange-sur-Attert.
Administrative divisions.
Redange Canton consists of the following ten communes:


List of municipalities of Estonia by population

This is a listing of the municipalities of Estonia by the population size as of 2005 and 2010.
The land area is expressed in km², and the density is expressed in inhabitants per km² of land area.


Poitou-Charentes

Poitou-Charentes (; ; Poitevin-Saintongese: ) is a former administrative region on the south-west coast of France. It is part of the new region Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It comprises four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. Historical provinces are Angoumois, Aunis, Saintonge and Poitou.
The regional capital is Poitiers. Other important cities are La Rochelle, Niort, Angoulême, Châtellerault, Saintes, Rochefort and Royan.
Poitou-Charentes was merged with Aquitaine and Limousin to form the new administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine on January 1, 2016.
Politics.
The regional council is composed of 56 members. The region is the home of France's losing presidential candidate Socialist Ségolène Royal in the election of 2007.
Demographics.
In French, the region's residents are known as "Picto-Charentais". In 2003, the region ranked 15th out of 26 in population. In area it ranked 12th in size.
Three regional languages, Poitevin, Saintongeais and Occitan (Limousin, Marchois) are spoken by a minority of people in the region.
Southern Poitou-Charentes and Aquitaine is believed to be the region of origin of the Acadian and Cajun populations of North America, such as in New Brunswick, Louisiana, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec and Maine. Their ancestors emigrated from the region in the 17th and 18th centuries.
At first, these French immigrants from the rural areas of Poitou-Charentes settled in what is now eastern Canada, and established an agricultural and maritime economy (farming and fishing). This area of the "New World" was dubbed "Acadia" by the French, after the Greek "Arcadia" - the idyllic part of the Peloponnesian peninsula in Greece. As an alternate theory, some historians suggest that the name is derived from the indigenous Canadian Mikmaq language, in which Cadie means "fertile land". It was renamed "Nova Scotia" (New Scotland) in the aftermath of the 1755 expulsion of most of the Acadians by the English.
History.
Poitou is a historic region in west central France. Poitiers, the capital of the region, is its chief city, although the port of La Rochelle, capital of the province of Aunis, rivals it in economic importance. Farming is important to the economy; wheat, corn and cattle are farmed. Industries produce machinery, chemicals and dairy products.
The region's first known inhabitants, the Pictavi, a Gallic tribe, were conquered in 56 BC by the Romans, who then incorporated the area into Gaul as part of the province of Aquitania, with the Iberian Aquitani tribes. The Visigoths seized the region in 418 AD, but it passed to the Franks in 507. In 732 or 733, Charles Martel brought the Muslim invasion of Western Europe to a standstill by his victory in the Battle of Poitiers. From the 10th to the mid-12th century, the counts of Poitou were also the dukes of Aquitaine, and the city of Poitiers grew in importance.
In 1152, Poitou came under English control through the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry II (later king of England). The region was reunited with the French crown in 1416 and was a province of France until the Revolution (1789–95), when it was divided into three departments, Vienne, Deux-Sèvres, and Vendée.
Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan was born in the area in 1640 (d 1707). She was the famous mistress to Louis XIV; Some of their descendants are still alive today.


Lemvig Municipality

Lemvig is a municipality (Danish, "kommune") in Region Midtjylland on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 516.63 km2, and has a population of 20,657 (1 January 2015). Its mayor is Erik Flyvholm, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party.
The main town and the site of its municipal council is the town of Lemvig. The town has a population of 6,966.
The current municipality was enlarged on January 1, 2007 as the result of "Kommunalreformen" ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007) when the former Thyborøn-Harboøre municipality was merged into the existing Lemvig municipality.
A significant part of its southern border is defined by the waters of Bøvling Fjord, Indfjorden and Nissum Fjord. A string of islands define the western perimeter of the waters south of the municipality; some of these islands belong to the municipality, and others belong to its southern neighbor, Ulfborg-Vemb. These waters at the municipality's southern border, encompassing the three fjords, plus "Fejsted Kog" is a national park.
The Lem Cove ("Lem Vig") leads into the town of Lemvig from Nissum Bredning. Lake Ferring ("Ferring Sø") lies north of the town of Ferring.
Locations.
The municipality was originally created in 1970 as the result of a ("Municipal Reform") that merged a number of existing parishes:
The four largest locations in the Municipality are:
Politics.
Municipal council.
Lemvig's municipal council consists of 21 members, elected every four years.
Below are the municipal councils elected since the Municipal Reform of 2007.


Gotland County

Gotland County () is a county or "län" of Sweden. Gotland is located in the Baltic Sea to the east of Öland, and is the largest of Sweden's islands. Counties are usually sub-divided into municipalities, but Gotland County only consists of one municipality: Region Gotland. Gotland County is the only county in Sweden that is not governed by a county council. The municipality handles the tasks that are otherwise handled by the county council, mainly health care and public transport. Like other counties, Gotland has a County Administrative Board that oversees implementation of the Swedish state government. Both the County Administrative Board and the municipality have their seat in the largest city Visby, with over 22,000 inhabitants.
Province.
The provinces of Sweden are no longer officially administrative units, but are used when reporting population size, politics, etc. In this case the province, the county and the municipality all have identical borders and cover an area of 3151 km²
Administration.
Gotland is the only Swedish county that is not administered by a county council. Instead, the municipality is tasked with the responsibilities of a county, including public health care and public transport.
The main aim of the County Administrative Board is to fulfil the goals set in national politics by the Riksdag and the Government, to coordinate the interests and promote the development of the county, to establish regional goals and safeguard the due process of law in the handling of each case. The County Administrative Board is a Government agency headed by a Governor.
Mats Löfving is the regional police chief for both Stockholm and Gotland Counties.
Politics.
During a trial period the County Council provisions for Gotland has been evolved to provisions for a Regional Council, meaning that it has assumed certain tasks from the County Administrative Board. Similar provisions are applicable to the counties of Västra Götaland and Skåne during the trial period.
Localities in order of size.
The five most populous localities of Gotland County in 2010:
Foreign background.
SCB have collected statistics on backgrounds of residents since 2002. These tables consist of all who have two foreign-born parents or are born abroad themselves. The chart lists election years and the last year on record alone.
Heraldry.
Gotland County inherited its coat of arms from the province of Gotland. When it is shown with a royal crown it represents the County Administrative Board.


Canton of Schaffhausen

The canton of Schaffhausen, also canton of Schaffouse () is the northernmost canton of Switzerland. The principal city and capital of the canton is Schaffhausen. The canton's territory is divided into three non-contiguous segments, where German territory reaches the Rhine. The large central part, which includes the capital, in turn separates the German exclave of Büsingen am Hochrhein from the rest of Germany.
History.
Schaffhausen was a city-state in the Middle Ages; it is documented that it struck its own coins starting in 1045. It was then documented as "Villa Scafhusun". Around 1049 Count Eberhard von Nellenburg founded a Benedictine monastery which led to the development of a community. This community achieved independence in 1190. In 1330 the town lost not only all its lands but also its independence to the Habsburgs. In 1415 the Habsburg Duke Frederick IV of Austria sided with the Antipope John XXIII at the Council of Constance, and was banned by the Emperor Sigismund. As a result of the ban and Frederick's need of money, Schaffhausen was able to buy its independence from the Habsburgs in 1418. The city allied with six of the Swiss confederates in 1454 and allied with a further two (Uri and Unterwalden) in 1479. Schaffhausen became a full member of the Old Swiss Confederation in 1501. The first railroad came to Schaffhausen in 1857. In 1944 Schaffhausen suffered from a bombing raid by United States Army Air Forces planes that accidentally strayed from Germany into neutral Switzerland.
The cantonal constitution was written in 1876 and revised in 1895.
The distinctive coat of arms bears the "Schaffhauser Bock" (billy goat of Schaffhausen).
Geography.
Schaffhausen is the northernmost canton of Switzerland and lies almost entirely on the right bank of the Rhine, with only part of Stein am Rhein on the left bank. It lies west of Lake Constance and has an area of . Much of the canton is productive agricultural land, with (about 45%) of the canton used for agriculture while an additional (about 43%) is wooded. Most of the rest of the canton, (about 10%), is developed, while only (1.3%) of the canton is unproductive (rivers, lakes or mountains).
The canton's territory is divided into three non-contiguous segments where German territory reaches the Rhine. The large central part, which includes the capital Schaffhausen, in turn partially (along with territory of two neighbouring cantons, separates the German exclave of Büsingen am Hochrhein from the rest of Germany. The small exclave of Rüdlingen-Buchberg lies to the southwest, and the third part contains Ramsen and Stein am Rhein to the east. With the exception of Vor der Brugg, part of Stein am Rhein, all three segments are separated from the rest of Switzerland by the Rhine.
The canton of Schaffhausen is bordered by the Swiss cantons of Zurich and Thurgau, as well as the German districts of Waldshut, Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis and Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg.
Most of the canton lies on a plateau dominated by the Hoher Randen. The summit of this mountain is at . The slopes of the mountain are gentle towards the south where it reaches the Rhine valley. Short and narrow valleys intersect these gentle slopes. The Klettgau is one such valley.
The Rhine Falls are the largest waterfalls in Europe and lie on the border of the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zürich.
Municipalities.
There are 26 municipalities in the canton .
Demographics.
The population of the canton (as of ) is . , the population included 16,323 foreigners, or about 21.9% of the total population. The German language and Protestant faith predominate. The majority of the population () is Protestant (50%) while a large minority is Roman Catholic (24%).
Politics.
Cantonal government.
The legislature is the Cantonal Council ("Kantonsrat") of Schaffhausen, which consists of 60 members elected proportionally every four years. Until 2008, it consisted of 80 members.
The executive branch is the Government Council ("Regierungsrat"), which consists of 5 members elected every four years.
Compulsory Voting.
Swiss citizens who live in the canton of Schaffhausen are required to vote in elections. Compulsory voting never existed on the national level in Switzerland. It was introduced in several cantons starting in the late 19th century. In 1974, it was abolished everywhere except in Schaffhausen. Citizens who do not vote have to pay a small fine.
Economy.
Schaffhausen is a part of the Zürcher Wirtschaftsraum (Zurich economic region) and the canton's economy is well integrated with that of the wider region.
Well-regarded white Riesling wine is grown here as well as several other varieties. The main industries, however, are the production of machinery and metal goods. There is also watch making and jewellery. Minor industrial branches are textiles, leather goods, glass, cement, paper and chemicals. There is a brewery in the canton.
At Rheinau there is a hydro electrical power plant generating electricity for the canton and for export. Major electricity customers are the chemical industry in Rheinfelden and the aluminium plant at Neuhausen am Rheinfall. The city of Schaffhausen also uses much of the electricity produced at Rheinau.
Schaffhausen lies on the busy Milan-Zurich-Stuttgart rail line which is serviced by trains from both the Swiss Federal Railways and German Railways.
The largest companies are Tyco International, Tyco Electronics, SIG, Georg Fischer AG, International Watch Company and Cilag AG.


List of former cantons of France

This is a list of former cantons of France.
See List of cantons of France for cantons following the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015.