Kihnu

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Island in Estonia

title: "Kihnu" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["kihnu-parish", "estonian-islands-in-the-baltic", "landforms-of-pärnu-county", "masterpieces-of-the-oral-and-intangible-heritage-of-humanity"] description: "Island in Estonia" topic_path: "general/kihnu-parish" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kihnu" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Island in Estonia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameKihnu
native_nameKihnu
native_name_langet
other_nameKynö
settlement_typeIsland
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_name
subdivision_type2Region
subdivision_name2Pärnu County
subdivision_type3Municipality
subdivision_name3Kihnu Parish
image_mapEE_Kihnu.PNG
map_captionGulf of Riga, with Kihnu and other islands
pushpin_map_captionLocation within Europe##Location within Baltic Sea region##Location within Estonia
pushpin_mapEurope#Baltic Sea#Estonia
coordinates
established_titleMunicipality
area_total_km216.38
elevation_footnotes
elevation_m29.6
population_as_of2013
population_total690
population_density_km2auto
timezone1EET
utc_offset1+2
timezone1_DSTEEST
utc_offset1_DST+3
postal_code_typePostal codes
postal_code88005
::

| name = Kihnu | native_name = Kihnu | native_name_lang = et | other_name = Kynö | settlement_type = Island | image_skyline = | image_caption = | image_flag = | image_shield = | motto = | nickname = | etymology = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = | subdivision_type1 = | subdivision_name1 = | subdivision_type2 = Region | subdivision_name2 = Pärnu County | subdivision_type3 = Municipality | subdivision_name3 = Kihnu Parish | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | image_map = EE_Kihnu.PNG | map_caption = Gulf of Riga, with Kihnu and other islands | pushpin_map_caption = Location within Europe##Location within Baltic Sea region##Location within Estonia|pushpin_relief = 1 | pushpin_map = Europe#Baltic Sea#Estonia | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | established_title = Municipality | established_date = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 16.38 | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_sq_mi = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 29.6 | elevation_ft = | population_as_of = 2013 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 690 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_sq_mi = | population_demonym = | timezone1 = EET | utc_offset1 = +2 | timezone1_DST = EEST | utc_offset1_DST = +3 | postal_code_type = Postal codes | postal_code = 88005 | area_code_type = | area_code = | geocode = | iso_code = | website = | footnotes =

Kihnu is an Estonian island in the Baltic Sea. With an area of 16.4 km2, it is the largest island in the Gulf of Riga and the seventh largest in the country. With a length of 7 km and width of 3.3 km, its highest point is 8.9 m above sea level.

Kihnu belongs to Pärnu County and, together with neighbouring islands, forms Kihnu Parish, one of the smallest municipalities of the country, with an area of 16.8 km2. There are four villages: Lemsi, Linaküla, Rootsiküla, and Sääre.

Kihnu can be reached by plane from Pärnu or by ferry from Manilaid.

UNESCO proclaimed Kihnu's cultural space and traditions as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003.

Kihnu is also called Kihnumua in the local dialect. Names in other languages include Ķīļu in Latvian, Kynö in Standard Swedish, Kin in Estonian Swedish, and historically, Kühnö in German. In Estonian Sign Language, the island is signed by imitating the vertical stripes of a Kihnu skirt. There are various theories on the etymology of the name Kihnu, with no consensus. The earliest recorded version of the name is Kyne, from 1386.

Culture

As the men of Kihnu have been frequently away at sea, women have run everyday life on the island and became the guardians of the island's cultural heritage, which includes handicrafts, dances, games, and music. The latter is an especially important part of the island's traditions and accompanies handicrafts, religious feasts, and other celebrations. Ancient runo-styled songs are also important, as is traditional clothing adorned with decorations and bright colours. There are elaborate wedding traditions, which are considered the "most complex and bright expression" of Kihnu culture.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Kihnu_church.JPG" caption="St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Kihnu"] ::

Most inhabitants of Kihnu are Orthodox Christians, descendants of converts in the nineteenth century.

Kihnu is known for its handicrafts and distinctive traditional clothing, which is still commonly worn today. It includes striped skirts (kört), patterned knit men's sweaters (troi), and knit mittens. Young women have traditionally organised evening get-togethers (ülalistmine, i.e., "sitting (staying) up (late)") to do handicrafts.

Traditional cuisine includes rye bread with potatoes, pork fat, or Baltic herring added to the dough; eel soup, prepared by fishers; and sweet milk soup, an important dish at weddings. Seal hunting is practiced in Kihnu, and the meat is considered a delicacy. Another distinctive delicacy is the eggs of semi-domesticated mergansers (waterbirds), also used for baking cakes.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, numerous men from Kihnu became sailors. The most famous of them was the largely self-taught captain Enn Uuetoa, also known as Kihnu Jõnn (1848–1913; Jõnn is the local pronunciation of the name Enn).

Language

The Kihnu dialect is thought to belong to the insular dialect group of North Estonian, along with the dialects of Saaremaa, Muhu, and Hiiumaa. Unlike the standard Estonian language, the Kihnu dialect has the vocal harmony found in other Finnic languages. Also unlike standard Estonian, the Kihnu dialect does not have the sound "h" at the beginning of a word—it is used only within words. The vocabulary of the language has also been influenced by other languages. The dialect includes triphthongs. The special intonation gives the listener the impression that the speaker is singing while speaking.

Geography and climate

The island has a sandy interior and a rocky coast made up of more than fifty islets, which are an important nesting ground for birds. Along the dunes, beach ridges, and sands of the eastern part, the island reaches its maximum height of 29.6 m above sea level.

|location = Kihnu (normals 1991–2020, extremes 1931–present) |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes |Jan record high C = 8.1 |Feb record high C = 6.4 |Mar record high C = 17.2 |Apr record high C = 23.9 |May record high C = 29.3 |Jun record high C = 31.4 |Jul record high C = 31.8 |Aug record high C = 31.7 |Sep record high C = 26.6 |Oct record high C = 19.3 |Nov record high C = 12.8 |Dec record high C = 9.3 |year record high C = 31.8 |Jan high C = 0.0 |Feb high C = -1.0 |Mar high C = 1.8 |Apr high C = 7.6 |May high C = 14.0 |Jun high C = 18.1 |Jul high C = 21.3 |Aug high C = 20.7 |Sep high C = 16.1 |Oct high C = 10.2 |Nov high C = 5.4 |Dec high C = 2.3 |year high C = 9.7 |Jan mean C = -1.7 |Feb mean C = -2.9 |Mar mean C = -0.5 |Apr mean C = 4.5 |May mean C = 10.5 |Jun mean C = 14.9 |Jul mean C = 18.3 |Aug mean C = 18.0 |Sep mean C = 13.8 |Oct mean C = 8.3 |Nov mean C = 3.8 |Dec mean C = 0.8 |year mean C = 7.3 |Jan low C = -3.6 |Feb low C = -4.9 |Mar low C = -2.7 |Apr low C = 2.1 |May low C = 7.7 |Jun low C = 12.3 |Jul low C = 15.6 |Aug low C = 15.4 |Sep low C = 11.5 |Oct low C = 6.4 |Nov low C = 2.1 |Dec low C = -1.0 |year low C = 5.1 |Jan record low C = -32.4 |Feb record low C = -30.8 |Mar record low C = -22.6 |Apr record low C = -15.7 |May record low C = -2.0 |Jun record low C = 3.2 |Jul record low C = 7.1 |Aug record low C = 6.1 |Sep record low C = 0.6 |Oct record low C = -5.5 |Nov record low C = -14.5 |Dec record low C = -29.5 |year record low C = -32.4 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 42 |Feb precipitation mm = 35 |Mar precipitation mm = 33 |Apr precipitation mm = 33 |May precipitation mm = 36 |Jun precipitation mm = 59 |Jul precipitation mm = 62 |Aug precipitation mm = 66 |Sep precipitation mm = 54 |Oct precipitation mm = 67 |Nov precipitation mm = 57 |Dec precipitation mm = 52 |year precipitation mm = 595 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 10.3 |Feb precipitation days = 8.3 |Mar precipitation days = 7.9 |Apr precipitation days = 7.1 |May precipitation days = 7.0 |Jun precipitation days = 8.3 |Jul precipitation days = 7.6 |Aug precipitation days = 8.6 |Sep precipitation days = 8.9 |Oct precipitation days = 11.2 |Nov precipitation days = 11.3 |Dec precipitation days = 11.6 |year precipitation days = 108.1 |Jan humidity = 88 |Feb humidity = 88 |Mar humidity = 85 |Apr humidity = 80 |May humidity = 77 |Jun humidity = 80 |Jul humidity = 79 |Aug humidity = 79 |Sep humidity = 81 |Oct humidity = 83 |Nov humidity = 86 |Dec humidity = 87 |year humidity = 83 |source 1 = Estonian Weather Service |url = http://www.ilmateenistus.ee/kliima/kliimanormid/ohutemperatuur/?lang=en |title = Climate normals-temperature |publisher = Estonian Weather Service |access-date = 14 February 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240417081118/https://www.ilmateenistus.ee/kliima/kliimanormid/ohutemperatuur/?lang=en |archive-date = 17 April 2024}} |url = http://www.ilmateenistus.ee/kliima/kliimanormid/sademed/?lang=en |title = Climate normals-precipitation |publisher = Estonian Weather Service |access-date = 14 February 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240417081151/https://www.ilmateenistus.ee/kliima/kliimanormid/sademed/?lang=en |archive-date = 17 April 2024}} |url = http://www.ilmateenistus.ee/kliima/kliimanormid/ohuniiskus/?lang=en |title = Climate normals-humidity |publisher = Estonian Weather Service |access-date = 14 February 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240417081216/https://www.ilmateenistus.ee/kliima/kliimanormid/ohuniiskus/?lang=en |archive-date = 17 April 2024}} |url = http://www.emhi.ee/index.php?ide=6,299,303 |title = Kliimanormid-Sademed, õhuniiskus |publisher = Estonian Weather Service |language = et |access-date = 14 February 2021 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120222112141/http://www.emhi.ee/index.php?ide=6,299,303 |archive-date = 22 February 2012 |df = dmy-all}} |url = http://www.ilmateenistus.ee/kliima/rekordid/ohutemperatuur/ |title = Rekordid |language= et |publisher = Estonian Weather Service |access-date = 19 March 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240417081006/https://www.ilmateenistus.ee/kliima/rekordid/ohutemperatuur/ |archive-date = 17 April 2024}} |source 2 = NOAA/NCEI (average precipitation days 1991-2020){{cite web |url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Estonia/CSV/Kihnu_26226.csv |title = Kihnu climate normals 1991–2020 |publisher = NOAA |language = en-us |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240417080600/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Estonia/CSV/Kihnu_26226.csv |archive-date = 17 April 2024}}

Images

Kihnu lighthouse2.jpg| Kihnu church.JPG| Kihnu-KYL%C3%84KAUPPA.jpg| Seashore of Kihnu.jpg| Kihnu muuseum.jpg| Villageroad.JPG| Garden in Kihnu.JPG| Kihnu rannik 1.JPG| Kihnu girls.JPG| Kihnu männik.JPG| Kihnu kalmistu4.jpg| Hallhüljes Kihnu hoiualal.JPG|

References

References

  1. C.Michael Hogan. 2011. ''Gulf of Riga''. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. P.Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC.
  2. "How to get to Kihnu".
  3. "Kihnu cultural space – intangible heritage".
  4. (4 February 2023). "Beyond Tallinn: Stunning Places to Visit in Estonia You Never Knew Existed – Europe Guidebook".
  5. "Dictionary of Estonian Place names".
  6. "Kihnu wedding".
  7. "About Kihnu Island: Things to Do".
  8. "Food".
  9. "Kihnu language".
  10. (28 September 2012). "The islands in the Väinameri Sea and the Gulf of Riga". [[Eesti Instituut]].

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kihnu-parishestonian-islands-in-the-balticlandforms-of-pärnu-countymasterpieces-of-the-oral-and-intangible-heritage-of-humanity