Småland

Terrain

Småland constitutes the central, eastern and southern parts of the South Swedish highlands. In detail the topography of Småland is that of a series of flat surfaces built-upon or deformed-by a geological dome.^[5][6] The elevated terrain thought to be a buckle formed as result of far-away forces transmitted to Sweden.^[7] The main surfaces are the Sub-Cambrian peneplain, the South Småland peneplain and the "200 m peneplain".^[5][6] These surfaces and others are arranged in a stepped sequence called a piedmonttreppen.^[6] In eastern Småland the Sub-Cambrian peneplain forms a gently east-dipping surface that reaches the sea.^{[5][upper-alpha 1]} To the west this part of the Sub-Cambrian peneplain terminates along a north-south escarpment (runs slightly east of Växjö) that separates it from other flat surfaces.^[5] Central and northwestern Småland contains strings of isolated hills.^[5]

The lakes and rivers of Småland are associated to zones of weak rock, be it either fractures, weathered rock or both. The great number of lakes in Småland is indebted to the creation of basins due to the stripping of an irregular mantle of weathered rock by glacier erosion.^[8] Lagan and Nissan drains western Småland following for most of their course zones of weak rock associated to the Protogine Zone.^[5][9] The lakes Rusken, Rymmen and Möckeln are aligned with a more eastern branch of the Protogine Zone.^[9] Canyons cut into the bedrock are common in central and northern Småland, with the area near Mörlunda containing various particularly narrow (<50 m) canyons.^{[10][11][upper-alpha 2]}

Climate

The climate of Småland is divided between the oceanic climate of coastal areas such as Kalmar^[12] and the humid continental climate of the interior higher areas such as Jönköping.^[13] Southern interior areas such as Växjö have similar oceanic climates such as the coastline.^[14] However, temperature average differences between areas are relatively small, since Småland lies in the continental/oceanic transition zone. Summer daytime averages are similar throughout the province, since according to Weatherbase all three major urban areas are on average around 21 °C (70 °F) with daytime winter temperatures hovering around the freezing point. The slightly colder nights averaging −5 °C (23 °F) in Jönköping are rendering its continental classification.^[15] The locality of Målilla has the Swedish and Scandinavian all-time highest-measured temperature with 38 °C (100 °F) on June 1, 1947.^[16]

Historical cities

Towns with former city status were: Eksjö (chartered around 1400), Gränna (1652), Huskvarna (1911), Jönköping (1284), Kalmar (approximately 1100), Ljungby (1936), Nybro (1932), Nässjö (1914), Oskarshamn (1856), Sävsjö (1947), Tranås (1919), Vetlanda (1920), Vimmerby (approximately 1400), Värnamo (1920), Västervik (approximately 1200), Växjö (1342)

National parks

Småland has three national parks:

• Store Mosse
• Norra Kvill
• Blå Jungfrun

Religion

Ingatorp Old Church, Småland, Sweden, ca. 1895

Compared to much of Sweden, Småland has a higher level of religious intensity and church participation.

In terms of Lutheran ecclesiastical boundaries, most of the province encompasses the diocese of Växjö. Parts of northern Småland are in the diocese of Linköping.

Småland is also known for its free churches, although the free church congregations are concentrated in Jönköping County. Most of Kalmar County and Kronoberg County have few or no free church congregations.

Politically Småland is the strongest province for Kristdemokraterna (the Swedish Christian Democratic Party), and both of the last two leaders of the party - Göran Hägglund and Alf Svensson live in Jönköping Municipality in northern Småland.

Culture

Farmhouses in Småland are typically red with white corners.

The Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, sw. Carl von Linné (1707–1778), often called the father of taxonomy or "The flower-king", was born in Älmhult in Småland. He gave the twinflower its Latin name based on his own (Latin: Linnaea borealis), because of his particular fondness of it. The flower has become Småland's provincial flower.

Another notable person from Älmhult is Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of the global company IKEA. The name "Småland" is used as the name of the children's play areas at some IKEA stores.

Literature

The Swedish emigration to North America during the 19th century, is best depicted in a suite of novels by author Vilhelm Moberg, which is also the basis for the musical Kristina from Duvemåla created by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame.

In her writing, children's book author Astrid Lindgren often portrayed scenes from her own childhood, growing up on a farm in Småland.

Smålandians

In the 20th century, Småland has been known for its high level of entrepreneurship and low unemployment, especially in the Gnosjö region.

Old Swedish encyclopedia Nordisk familjebok describes the inhabitants of Småland as follows:

the Smålandian is by nature awake and smart, diligent and hard-working, yet compliant, cunning and crafty, which gives him the advantage of being able to move through life with little means. ^[18]

A running joke local to Sweden, is that Smålandians are very economical, ranging from modestly frugal to utterly cheap. Ingvar Kamprad said that the Smålandian are seen as the Scotsmen of Sweden.^[19]

Language

The local language is a Swedish dialect known as Småländska (Smalandian). This may in turn be separated in two main branches, with the northern related to the Götaland dialects and the southern to the Scanian dialects.

Small lands

The small lands of Småland. The black and red spots indicate runestones. The red spots indicate runestones telling of long voyages.

After the unification of Sweden, around 800–1200 AD, Småland was for consistency divided into chartered cities and into hundreds.

Hundreds

The historical sub-divisions of all Sweden's provinces were through hundreds (Swedish: härad). These were Småland's hundreds:

Towns in Småland

List of towns in Småland, Sweden