Vetlanda

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Vetlanda
Vetlanda (Sweden)
Vetlanda
Vetlanda
Coordinates: 57°26′N 15°04′E / 57.433, 15.067
Country Sweden
Municipality Vetlanda Municipality
County Jönköping County
Province Småland
Area [1]
 - Total 9.87 km² (3.8 sq mi)
Population (2005-12-31)[1]
 - Total 12,691
 - Density 1,286/km² (3,330.7/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Vetlanda is a town in Småland, Sweden, and the seat of Vetlanda Municipality in Jönköping County. It has a population of 12,691 (2005).

Vetlanda was still nothing more than a village for several centuries. With the 1840s population boom in Småland, and the industrial revolution winning grounds in Sweden, the industry expanded and people settled in the village. With the railways crossing Vetlanda in the late 19th century the population further blossomed, and Vetlanda got the title of a city on New Year's Day 1920, at which time its population amounted to 3,015.

The coat of arms was selected as an ear of wheat, a derivation of the arms for the old jurisdiction Östra Härad, wherein Vitala was rumoured to have been the centre, that depicted three ears of wheat. The present spelling Vetlanda did not come into use until the 1920's, before that it was known as Hvetlanda, a form that can be found in several companies and organizations.

In the 19th century, wood industry got a stronghold in Vetlanda, a seat it still has today. Manufacturing is large in Vetlanda, besides wood industries there is also a strong metal industries and other factories.

[edit] Notable natives

The most famous person from Vetlanda is artist Lena Philipsson.

Another famous person is sculptor Peter David Edstrom.

It is also the hometown of NHLer Johan Franzén

[edit] References

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Vetlanda is one of 134 towns with the historical City status in Sweden.

Coordinates: 57°26′N, 15°04′E