Estonia · Hiiu County (Series: Counties of Estonia)

Hiiu is located in western Estonia and comprises the island of Hiiumaa as well as smaller surrounding islands. After Saaremaa, Hiiumaa is the country’s second-largest island. The administrative seat of the county is Kärdla. The island is shaped by its remote location in the Baltic Sea: connections to the Estonian mainland and neighboring islands continue to play an important role, as do seafaring, fishing and tourism.

In older sources, Hiiumaa also appears under the name Dagö. Throughout its history, the island belonged to various territories in the Baltic region and was influenced by Estonian, Baltic German and Swedish culture. This is reflected in place names, historic manor houses, churches and military installations. The sparse population and distinctive landscape have contributed to the partial preservation of traditional forms of island life.

One of the best-known structures on Hiiumaa is Kõpu Lighthouse. It stands on elevated ground in the west of the island and served as a navigational aid for shipping on the sea routes between the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. The lighthouses of Tahkuna and Ristna are likewise connected with the island’s maritime history. They are reminders that Hiiumaa was not only a place of settlement, but also a landmark for shipping.

The county also represents a distinctive administrative history of Estonia. Following the restoration of state independence, the regional administrative structures were changed several times. Hiiumaa remained a county in its own right, even as municipalities were merged and responsibilities reorganized. The coin includes the county as part of a series on the Estonian counties. The occasion therefore relates less to a single historical anniversary than to the depiction of Estonia’s regional structure and the different historical and geographical characteristics of its regions.