Småland

Småland, landskap (province), southern Sweden, extending from the Baltic Sea on the east to the provinces of Halland and Västergötland on the west and from Östergötland on the north to Skåne and Blekinge on the south. Småland is the largest traditional province in southern Sweden and is composed mostly of three administrative län (counties): Jönköping, Kronoberg, and Kalmar. Its name means “many small lands,” referring to the many small provinces from which the present one grew. The undulating surface of the north, rising to wooded heights of up to about 1,000 feet (300 metres), gives way in the south to plateaulike land, some of which is less than 330 feet (100 metres). Even the steep, deeply indented, island-fringed coastline of the north changes south of Oskarshamn to a low one with shallow bays and few islands. There are large areas of forestland, heaths, peat bogs, and swampland, and lakes are numerous. Coniferous trees and birch predominate, but beech is common in the south and oak and elm in the coastal region and in the northwest, near Lake Vättern.

In spite of poor soil, agriculture is practiced, together with cattle raising, especially in the eastern part, which produces most of the province’s wheat; other crops include oats, rye, and potatoes. Fruit growing is prevalent in the Urshult area on the southern shore of Lake Åsnen and around Gränna, a small town on the shores of Lake Vättern famous for pears and peppermint candy called polkagrisar. The leading industries, based largely on forest products, include the manufacture of furniture, matches, and paper. Småland is also famous for its glassworks, those at Orrefors, Boda, and Kosta being world renowned.

Besides Jönköping and Kalmar, the seats of their respective counties, and Växjö, the seat of Kronoberg, Småland’s principal towns include Ljungby, Nässjö, Nybro, Oskarshamn, Värnamo, Västervik, Vetlanda, and Huskvarna, known for the manufacture of home appliances.