Agricultural landscape of southern Öland
The agricultural landscape of southern Öland (Swedish: södra Ölands odlingslandskap) is an area of more than 56,000 hectares (140,000 acres) located on the island of Öland, Sweden. It includes Stora alvaret (great alvar), a limestone plateau of around half that surface. Stora alvaret is a dagger-shaped area almost 40 km (25 mi) long and about 10 km (6.2 mi) at its widest north end. This limestone plain, around a quarter of the surface of the island, is the most extended of its kind in Europe. As a result of the thin layer of soil and high pH levels, it presents a wide range of plants, including many rare species.
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
| Location | Mörbylånga Municipality, Öland, Sweden |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iv), (v) |
| Reference | 968 |
| Inscription | 2000 (24th Session) |
| Area | 56,323 ha (217.46 sq mi) |
| Buffer zone | 6,069 ha (23.43 sq mi) |
| Coordinates | 56°28′00″N 16°33′00″E |
Location of Agricultural landscape of southern Öland in Sweden | |
The agricultural landscape of southern Öland was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000, for the extraordinary biodiversity in this place, and its prehistory as well as the way how man has adapted to the natural conditions.