Hiiu County
| Hiiu County | |||
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| County of Estonia | |||
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| Country | Estonia | ||
| Capital | Kärdla | ||
| Government | |||
| • Governor | Riho Rahuoja | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1,023.2 km2 (395.1 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2015) | |||
| • Total | 8,582 | ||
| • Density | 8.4/km2 (22/sq mi) | ||
| Ethnicity | |||
| • Estonians | 98.5% | ||
| • Russians | 0.6% | ||
| • Finns | 0.2% | ||
| ISO 3166 code | EE-39 | ||
| Vehicle registration | H | ||
| Website | hiiu |
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Hiiu County (Estonian: Hiiu maakond), or Hiiumaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia, being the smallest county both in terms of area and population. It consists of Hiiumaa (German, Swedish: Dagö), the second largest island of Estonia, and several smaller islands near it. The county borders Lääne County to the east and Saare County to the south. In January 2015 Hiiu County had a population of 8,582 – 0.7% of the population of Estonia.
Human habitation of Hiiumaa can be traced back to the 5th millennium BC. Mesolithic sites in Kõpu peninsula are presented by the seal-hunters' settlements. There are several well preserved grave fields of the Iron Age. In 1228, the island was first mentioned in written annals under the name Dageida. In 1254, Hiiumaa was divided between the Livonian Order and the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek. In 1563 Hiiumaa was annexed into Sweden. In 1710, as a result of the Great Northern War the island went under the control of the Russian Empire. During World War I, the German military forces occupied Hiiumaa in 1917. In 1918–1940 Hiiumaa was part of the Republic of Estonia, then until 1991 occupied by the Soviet Union.
On demands of the Hanseatic League a lighthouse was built in Kõpu in the beginning of 16th century (previously known as Dagerort). It is considered the third oldest continuously operating lighthouse in the whole world, still showing its light to 35 miles to the sea.
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