ANGERMANLAND

landskap (province) in northeastern Sweden. It is bounded on the east by the Gulf of Bothnia, on the south and west by the landskap (provinces) of Medelpad and Jmtland, and on the north by those of Lappland and Vsterbotten. The northeastern corner of ngermanland is included for administrative purposes in the ln (county) of Vsterbotten, and the remainder in Jmtland and Vsternorrland. One of the traditional landskap making up the region of Norrland (q.v.), it consists of vast forests and large rivers, such as the Fax and Angerman rivers. Archaeological finds indicate that ngermanland was inhabited as early as the Stone Age. During the Middle Ages, settlements increased along the coast and in the river valleys, where the people engaged in agriculture, hunting, and fishing. Iron mining was important from the 17th century to the end of the 19th. Forestry flourished throughout the 19th century, particularly after 1850. The major towns are Hrnsand (q.v.), Sollefte, and rnskldsvik. Area 7,645 square miles (19,800 square km). Pop. (1994 est.) 154,240.