Osmussaar

Osmussaar

Limestone cliff on the east coast of Osmussaar
Osmussaar Location in the Baltic Sea region Show map of Scandinavia Osmussaar Location in Estonia Show map of Estonia Osmussaar Location in Europe Show map of Europe
Geography
Location	Baltic Sea
Coordinates	59°17′30″N 23°23′30″E / 59.29167°N 23.39167°E / 59.29167; 23.39167
Area	4.8 km2 (1.9 sq mi)
Length	4.6 km (2.86 mi)
Width	1.3 km (0.81 mi)
Coastline	14 km (8.7 mi)
Administration
Estonia
County	Lääne County
Municipality	Lääne-Nigula Parish
Demographics
Population	4 (2013)

Osmussaar (Swedish: Odensholm, German: Odinsholm) is an Estonian island situated in the mouth of the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea, 7.5 km off the Estonian mainland. Administratively the island is part of Lääne-Nigula Parish in Lääne County. Its area is 4.8 km² (1,200 acres).

Before the Soviet Union occupied Estonia during World War II, around 130 people, mainly Estonian Swedes, lived on the island. The continuous settlement of Swedes on Osmussaar had dated back for centuries. Currently Osmussaar has only two permanent inhabitants^[1] and the island is a nature reserve.