View source for Vormsi

{{Short description|Island in Estonia}}
{{Infobox islands
| name                            = Vormsi
| native_name                     = Ormsö
| native_name_link                = 
| native_name_lang                = 
| coordinates                     = {{coord|59|00|N|23|13|E|scale:1250000|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in the [[Baltic Sea]] region##Location in Europe##Location within Estonia
| pushpin_map                     = Scandinavia#Europe#Estonia
| pushpin_relief                  = yes
| etymology                       = 
| location                        = [[Baltic Sea]]
| archipelago                     = [[West Estonian archipelago]]
| waterbody                       = 
| total_islands                   = 
| major_islands                   = 
| area_km2                        = 93
| area_footnotes                  = 
| rank                            = 
| length_km                       = <!-- or | length_m                        = -->
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| width_km                        = <!-- or | width_m                         = -->
| width_footnotes                 = 
| coastline_km                    = <!-- or | coastline_m                     = -->
| coastline_footnotes             = 
| elevation_m                     = 
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| highest_mount                   = 
| country                         = [[Estonia]]
| country_admin_divisions_title   = [[Counties of Estonia|County]]
| country_admin_divisions         = [[Lääne County]]
| demonym                         = 
| population                      = 415
| population_as_of                = 15 October 2011
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_rank                 = 
| population_rank_max             = 
| density_km2                     = 4.5
| density_rank                    = 
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| languages                       = 
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| timezone1                       = 
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| website                         = 
| additional_info                 = 
}}
'''Vormsi''' ({{langx|sv|Ormsö}}) is the fourth-largest island of [[Estonia]], measuring {{convert|92|km2|sqmi|abbr=off}} and a registered population of around 400. It is located in the [[Baltic Sea]], northwest of the [[mainland]] and east of [[Hiiumaa]] island, and is part of the [[West Estonian archipelago]] (Moonsund archipelago). 

Administratively the island forms part of [[Vormsi Parish]] (rural [[Municipalities of Estonia|municipality]]). 

==History==
[[File:Klagomännen från Ormsö (Alvin-record 402639) (cropped).tiff|thumb|left|[[Estonian Swedes]] of Ormsö (1861)]] 
The documented history of Vormsi dates back as far as the 13th century. During most of this time, the island was inhabited by [[Estonian Swedes]] ("rannarootslased" in [[Estonian language|Estonian]] or "coastal Swedes" in English). ''Ormsö'' in Swedish means "Orm's island", and can be translated also as "Snake island".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vormsi |url=http://www.ttykk.edu.ee/tt/vormsi.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220182827/http://www.ttykk.edu.ee/tt/vormsi.htm |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |access-date=September 5, 2023 |website=ttykk.edu}}</ref> The Estonian name ''Vormsi'' and German ''Worms'' have both been derived from ''Ormsö''.

The island's population reached 3,000 before [[World War II]]. During the war, nearly all of Vormsi's population, along with other Swedes living in Estonia, forming the larger region of [[Aiboland]], were evacuated, or fled, to Sweden.

==Villages==
The villages on the island include: [[Hullo, Estonia|Hullo]] (the administrative centre), [[Sviby]] (the main port), [[Söderby]], [[Norrby, Vormsi|Norrby]], [[Diby, Estonia|Diby]], [[Rälby]], [[Förby]], [[Borrby, Estonia|Borrby]], [[Kärrslätt]], [[Saxby, Estonia|Saxby]], [[Suuremõisa, Vormsi|Suuremõisa]] (Magnushof, formerly Busby<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ajalugu |url=http://www.talumuuseum.vormsi.ee/ajalugu.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809053022/http://www.talumuuseum.vormsi.ee/ajalugu.html |archive-date=August 9, 2016 |access-date=December 18, 2016 |website=talumuuseum.vormsi.ee}}</ref>), [[Rumpo, Estonia|Rumpo]] (the main beach area) and [[Hosby, Vormsi Parish|Hosby]].

The island of Vormsi has homeowners from several countries and regions in Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and elsewhere. 

==Economy==

Vormsi is the per capita wealthiest island and region in Estonia outside of the [[Tallinn]] metro area, with incomes on the same level as inner Tallinn. This is attributed to the fact that many comparatively wealthy people own summer homes on the island and are registered as residents, so their yearly income tax is forwarded to the island's budget.<ref>{{cite web |date=January 9, 2012 |title=Vormsi vald pealinnaga ühel pulgal |url=http://www.aripaev.ee/uudised/2012/01/09/vormsi-vald-pealinnaga-uhel-pulgal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023000208/https://www.aripaev.ee/uudised/2012/01/09/vormsi-vald-pealinnaga-uhel-pulgal |archive-date=October 23, 2020 |access-date=September 5, 2023 |website=[[Äripäev]]}}</ref>

Vormsi has only small businesses with no significant industrial activity. The island earns the majority of its revenues from the taxation on the salaries earned by its residents on the Estonian mainland.

==Literature==
* Kanarbik, Madis, ''Ormsö. De estlandssvenska böndernas kamp mot godsägarna under 1700- och 1800-talet'' [Nordistica Tartuensia; 9] (Tartu, 2003)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070610050517/http://www.erm.ee/pdf/pro17/beyer.pdf Beyer, Jürgen, 'Whom should one thank for a narrow escape? Lessons drawn from a perilous journey from Vormsi and Noarootsi to Finland in 1796', ''Pro Ethnologia'' 17 (2004), 175-95]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Vormsi - panoramio (1).jpg|[[Sun cross]] tombstones in the Vormsi cemetery
File:Vormsi kirik 2011.jpg|The 15th century Swedish (now Lutheran) church in [[Hullo]] (2011) 
File:Vormsi kalmistu 02.jpg|Vormsi cemetery 
File:Hiiukandle mängija., AM 12854-169 F 5496-169.jpg|A Vormsi islander playing a self-made [[talharpa]], c. 1920
File:Vormsi-tuulimylly.jpg|Old windmill, Rälby
File:Vormsi Hullo tuulikud.jpg|Windmills in Hullo, 1930s
File:Borbi küla (Borrby), Vormsi saar (Ormsö) SLS 443 22 - 1934.jpg|Aerial photo of the Borrby village, 1934
File:Ny Dag hyllar Stalin ockupation av Estland.jpg|Swedish communist daily [[Ny Dag]] headline on 5 September 1940: "The Swedes on Vormsi greet [[Stalin]] and the new regime"
File:Estlandssvenska flyktingar.jpg|Fleeing the Soviet occupation to Sweden, 1944
File:Vormsi-Rumpo.jpg|Sea view from [[Rumpo]] 
File:Aurora Borealis in Vormsi, Estonia.jpg|[[Aurora borealis]] in Saxby
File:Lehmihaka.jpg|Paddock, Rälby
File:Metsänvartijanmökki1.jpg|Woodsman's cottage, Hullo
File:Vormsi sadam 2015.jpg|Vormsi harbour (2015)
File:Ormsö Vormsi ferry.jpg|Vormsi is connected with the mainland by MS Ormsö ([[:et:Ormsö (laev)|:et]])
File:Vormsi-Ormso-Rumpo-muul.jpg|The coast near [[Rumpo]]
File:Vormsi Parish - panoramio.jpg|Road signs in Hullo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://www.vormsi.ee Vormsi vald] (Vormsi municipality)

{{Islands of Estonia}}
{{Islands in the Baltic Sea}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Estonian islands in the Baltic]]
[[Category:Landforms of Lääne County]]
[[Category:Vormsi Parish| Vormsi]]