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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Kumlinge

Kumlinge is a municipality consisting of a group of islands in Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. Kumlinge, which is also the name of the largest island in the group, means "rocky passage."

The municipality has a population of 290 (31 December 2023) and covers an area of 865.88 square kilometres (334.32 sq mi) of which 761.12 km (293.87 sq mi) is water. The population density is 2.93 inhabitants per square kilometre (7.6/sq mi).

84.8% of the population is Swedish-speaking, 7.2% is Finnish-speaking, and 7.9% speak other languages.

The Kumlinge Airfield is situated on the main island.

History

The first visitors to Kumlinge were Vikings who stopped there during their voyages. The first permanent residents arrived in the 13th century. According to taxrolls from the 16th century there were about a dozen houses on the main island at the time, home to mostly farmers and fishermen. In the 20th century the population of Kumlinge slowly began to decline.

Climate

Kumlinge has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with significant moderation from the Archipelago sea.

Climate data for Kumlinge Kirkonkylä (1991–2020 normals, extremes 2000- present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 9.0
(48.2)
7.7
(45.9)
13.5
(56.3)
19.5
(67.1)
25.5
(77.9)
27.7
(81.9)
31.2
(88.2)
28.1
(82.6)
23.1
(73.6)
17.1
(62.8)
14.1
(57.4)
9.9
(49.8)
31.2
(88.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 0.7
(33.3)
−0.4
(31.3)
2.2
(36.0)
7.0
(44.6)
12.4
(54.3)
17.0
(62.6)
20.4
(68.7)
19.9
(67.8)
15.2
(59.4)
9.4
(48.9)
5.3
(41.5)
2.6
(36.7)
9.3
(48.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.2
(29.8)
−2.5
(27.5)
−0.4
(31.3)
3.6
(38.5)
8.7
(47.7)
13.4
(56.1)
17.2
(63.0)
17.0
(62.6)
12.8
(55.0)
7.7
(45.9)
3.7
(38.7)
1.0
(33.8)
6.8
(44.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −3.1
(26.4)
−4.7
(23.5)
−2.7
(27.1)
1.0
(33.8)
5.7
(42.3)
10.6
(51.1)
14.5
(58.1)
14.6
(58.3)
10.8
(51.4)
5.9
(42.6)
2.1
(35.8)
−0.7
(30.7)
4.5
(40.1)
Record low °C (°F) −26.1
(−15.0)
−23.0
(−9.4)
−17.5
(0.5)
−6.3
(20.7)
−0.5
(31.1)
3.2
(37.8)
9.5
(49.1)
7.5
(45.5)
3.9
(39.0)
−3.9
(25.0)
−11.0
(12.2)
−20.0
(−4.0)
−26.1
(−15.0)
Source 1: FMI climatological normals for Finland 1991-2020
Source 2: Record highs and lows 2000- present

Demographics

Island Population
Kumlinge 318
Enklinge 87
Seglinge 51
Björkö 20
ther (e.g. in hospitals) 3

Sights

A milepost in Kumlinge along the King's Road showing distances in versts to for example St Petersburg, Turku and Helsinki.

The church in the village is dedicated to St. Anne and dates from the 15th century. There are two farm museums in Kumlinge: Hermas museigård and Sjölunds gårdsmuseum. There is also a memorial stone in Fälberget which is dedicated to the war of 1808 when a Russian battalion was defeated in the village of Kumlinge. The old post route also goes through Kumlinge. There is also an old but still operational pharmacy on Kumlinge with its old inventory.