Orust Municipality facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Orust Municipality
Orusts kommun
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Orust town hall
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| Country | Sweden | |
| County | Västra Götaland County | |
| Seat | Henån | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 881.32 km2 (340.28 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 389.01 km2 (150.20 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 492.31 km2 (190.08 sq mi) | |
| Area as of January 1, 2010. | ||
| Population
(June 30, 2012)
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| • Total | 15,350 | |
| • Density | 17.417/km2 (45.110/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | |
| ISO 3166 code | SE | |
| Province | Bohuslän | |
| Municipal code | 1421 | |
| Website | www.orust.se | |
Orust Municipality (which is called Orusts kommun in Swedish) is a special area in western Sweden. It's part of Västra Götaland County. The main town and center of the municipality is Henån, where about 1,800 people live.
This municipality includes Orust, which is Sweden's third largest island, along with some other smaller islands nearby. Around 15,000 people live here all year round. But in the summer, the population grows a lot because many people come to Orust for their vacations!
The different towns and areas on Orust island used to be separate. But in 1952, they started to group together into bigger units. By 1971, they all joined to form the single municipality we know today.
Contents
Geography of Orust
The island of Orust is quite large! It covers an area of about 346 square kilometers. This makes it Sweden's fourth-largest island.
You can find several villages and towns in the municipality. Some of the well-known ones are Ellös, Henån, Hälleviksstrand, Mollösund, Svanvik, and Varekil.
People of Orust
About 15,322 people live in Orust Municipality. Many of these residents are Swedish citizens who are old enough to vote. In the 2022 Swedish general election, about 44.3% of voters chose parties from the left side of politics, while 54.5% voted for parties on the right side.
Most adults in Orust are employed, meaning they have jobs and pay taxes. A large number of residents were born in Sweden, with Swedish parents. The median income for adults in Orust is around 25,000 Swedish kronor per month. Many people also have a degree from college or university.
History of Orust
People have lived in the Orust area for thousands of years! We know this because archaeologists have found old things like tombs, burial grounds, and rock carvings. From the Viking Age, you can still see many runestones scattered across Orust. These are big stones with ancient carvings and messages.
The island of Orust is even mentioned in old stories! In a very old book called Nordisk familjebok, Orust is described as a territory belonging to the Geats, an ancient group of people. A place called Ramshult (which is a modern name for an old hill fort) is thought to be the same as Hrefnesholt from the famous poem Beowulf. In that story, Hrefnesholt was a Geatish hill fort.
Economy and Jobs
For a long time, the main jobs and industries in Orust have been about fishing and building boats. Today, a company called Hallberg-Rassy is the biggest employer. They have a shipyard in Ellös, which is on the northwest part of the island. They build and export many sailing boats all over the world. Another important boat-building company is Najad-varvet.
Places to Visit
Orust has beautiful nature and several interesting places to see. You can visit some really pretty small villages. There's also a nature reserve called Morlanda. If you go to its lookout point, you can get an amazing view of the whole area!
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Orust para niños
