Replot

Replot(Finnish:Raippaluoto) is an island in theKvarken( "The Throat" ), the narrowest part of theGulf of Bothniain the northern part of theBaltic Sea.It has about 2,100 inhabitants, almost onlySwedish-speaking.The size is about 150 square kilometres (58 sq mi), one of the largest islands ofFinland.Replot was an independentmunicipalityuntil 1973, when it was consolidated to the municipality ofKorsholm,nearVaasa.

Location

Coat of arms of Replot's municipality

The area has been inhabited since before the time ofSwedish dominion over Finland;the first habitations can be traced to at least the 11th century and possibly earlier.Today there are four major communities on the island, Replot kyrkoby, Norra Vallgrund, Södra Vallgrund and Söderudden, most of which are served by their own elementary schools, although some closures have occurred in recent years.Since 1997, Replot has been connected to the mainland via theReplot Bridge,replacing the earlier ferry connection which had been in place since 1952. The bridge is as of 2009the longest bridge ever built in Finland, with a length of 1,045 metres (3,428 ft).

Replot is part of a larger archipelago and most of the smaller islands around Replot have traditionally been used as fishing camps. Today the buildings are generally used as summer cottages since maritime activities play a large part in the culture of the region. Fishing is nowadays mostly a recreational activity, but there are still a number of professional fishermen active in Replot.

Typical stony shore in the Replot archipelago.

North of Replot is the island ofBjörkö,which formerly belonged to the municipality of Björköby, which is also the name of its main village.

A large part of the Replot archipelago has been designated a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site.

External links

• [1]– Site with tourist information for the Replot area
• [2]– Information about the archipelago area around Replot
• [3]– Live webcam of Replot bridge