Abruka

Abruka
village
The oldest building on Abruka: The Abruka House (Abruka maja).
Location of Abruka in Estonia.
Coordinates: 58°09′50″N 22°30′14″E / 58.16389°N 22.50389°ECoordinates: 58°09′50″N 22°30′14″E / 58.16389°N 22.50389°E
Country	Estonia
County	Saare County
Municipality	Lääne-Saare Parish
Area^(Area of village)
• Total	10.1 km^2 (3.9 sq mi)
Population (01.01.2011[1])
• Total	33
• Density	3.3/km^2 (8.5/sq mi)

Abruka is an 8.78 km² Estonian island in the Gulf of Riga, 4 km south of the island of Saaremaa.

Together with few neighbouring smaller islands (Vahase, Kasselaid, Linnusitamaa and Kirjurahu) Abruka forms the village of Abruka, which is part of Lääne-Saare Parish, Saare County. The village has a population of 33 (as of 1 January 2011)^[1] and an area of 10.1 km².

The first records about the population on Abruka originate from the Middle Ages, when the Bishop of Ösel-Wiek founded a horse breeding manor (Abro) there. Permanent population developed in the 18th century. 1881–1972 an elementary school operated on Abruka.^[2]

Abruka is the site of a Central European-type broadleaf forest, which is rare in the region. To protect this a nature reserve was created in 1937.

There's a library (located in the harbour building) and a museum which is located on the side of the former manor park in the oldest building on Abruka (The Abruka House).^[3]

Abruka can be reached by postboat Heili from Roomassaare harbour in Kuressaare.^[4]

The twin writers Jüri Tuulik and Ülo Tuulik (born 1940) were born on Abruka.^[2]

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  Satellite image of Abruka.

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  Grove forest in spring.

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  Grove forest in June.

• 

  Lighthouses of Abruka.

References

1. "Kaarma valla asulate nimekiri seisuga 01.01.2011" (in Estonian). Kaarma vald. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
2. "Abruka küla" (in Estonian). eestigiid.ee. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
3. "Ajalugu" (in Estonian). Retrieved 2 April 2011.
4. "Location". abruka.ee. Retrieved 2 April 2011.

External links

• www.abruka.ee
• Abruka.pri.ee (Estonian)