Sotenäs Municipality

Sotenäs Municipality (Sotenäs kommun) is a municipality in Västra Götaland Coonty in wastren Swaden. Its seat is locatit in the toun o Kungshamn, wi aroond 3,500 inhabitants.

The present municipality wis creatit in 1974 through the amalgamation o previous units. The name wis taken frae the auld Sotenäs Hunder.

Population figurs
Approximate inhabitants o the lairger population centres in the municipality. Source: Statistics Sweden (2002). They are here ordered efter size.

Hovenäset 200
Ulebergshamn 300
Bohus-Malmön 400
Bovallstrand 500
Väjern 900
Smögen 1,400
Hunnebostrand 2,000
Kungshamn 3,000 (seat)

History
Västergötland haes been inhabitit for several thoosans o years. The province, Bohuslän, is amang the internaitionally maist kent acause o its pre-historical remains. The auldest remains in Sotenäs Municipality are frae aroond 6000 BC. Frae the younger Stane Age are several burial monuments (dolmens). Frae the Bronze Age an Iron Age are mony rock carvins, which the province an aw itherwise is notit for (especially the northren Tanum Municipality).

The name Sotenäs is believit tae hae oreeginatit frae aroond 1000 AD, when an aw the first steps frae the historical hunder, Sotenäs Hunder (or Härad in Swadish), can be tracit.

Wi the Christianization o Swaden several kirks wur erectit, stairtin in the 11t century. The first anes wur the kirks in Askum an Tossene.

Later, in the 16t century, the industry became dominatit bi fishin o herring. It dominatit the industry for centuries; herring wis uised in lairge amoonts in Bohuslän - as a basic fuid but  in the makkin o ile an aw, wax candles, etc.

In the 19t century the island Malmön wis stairtit as a quarry. (Note that "Malm" means "rock" in Swadish). The quarry wis kept alive an wis o industrial significance till the 1930s.

The coat o airms wis grantit in 1977 an depicts a halibut. It is built on the insignia for Sotenäs Hunder an haes been uised for centuries.

References

Freemit airtins
Sotenäs Municipality - Offeecial steid

Category:Municipalities o Västra Götaland Coonty
Category:Gothenburg an Bohus