Vormsi Island | Estonia

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Vormsi is the fourth largest island of Estonia, after Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and Muhu. Vormsi is located between Hiiumaa and the mainland. The island has approximately 400 permanent inhabitants.

Estonia used to have a quite substantial Swedish minority. These people, who settled on the West coast of Estonia and on many islands, came during 13th–14th century from Southern Finland and spoke Swedish; they were called the coastal Swedes.

Vormsi island was almost entirely Swedish speaking until World War II. But in 1943 during the Nazi occupation the coastal Swedes were forced to return to Sweden, after hundreds of years of living overseas.