Östhammar Municipality: coastal municipality in Uppsala County, Sweden

Geography and environment

Östhammar occupies a stretch of coastline along the Gulf of Bothnia and includes parts of the traditional Roslagen archipelago. Its landscape combines agricultural plains, forested areas and an extensive skerry coast with many islands and islets. The coastal waters and archipelago are important for recreation, seasonal tourism and small-scale fishing.

Communities and local centres

Besides the central town of Östhammar, the municipality contains several other population centres and villages. Local centres provide services, small industries and commuter connections to larger towns in the region.

• Östhammar (municipal seat)
• Öregrund (historic coastal town and summer destination)
• Alunda (inland service centre)
• Gimo (industrial and residential locality)
• Forsmark (site of a nuclear power plant and related facilities)

Economy and infrastructure

The local economy is diverse for a largely rural municipality: agriculture and forestry remain important, while energy production, light industry and tourism contribute to employment. Forsmark's nuclear power plant and related technical services are among the municipality's most visible industrial presences. Seasonal tourism and summer residences in the archipelago increase activity in warmer months.

History and notable facts

Östhammar has medieval roots as a coastal trading place; over time municipal boundaries changed through the national local government reorganisations of the 20th century that created the present municipality. Today it is known for its combination of maritime culture, natural archipelago scenery and the presence of modern energy infrastructure. Visitors and residents value the mix of small-town services, outdoor recreation and proximity to larger urban centres in Uppsala County.