Country Sweden Seat Upplands Väsby ISO 3166 code SE Area 84.28 km² Population 37,848 (31 Dec 2006) | County Stockholm County Time zone CET (UTC+1) Municipal code 0114 Founded 1952 Province Uppland | |
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Upplands Väsby Municipality (Upplands Väsby kommun) is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, with a population of 38,963 (2010). Its seat is located in the town of Upplands Väsby.
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Map of Upplands V%C3%A4sby, Sweden
The municipality was created in connection with the municipal reform of 1952, when the rural municipalities Ed, Fresta and Hammarby were amalgamated. It got its name from a settlement which had evolved around the railway station.
The name Väsby can be attested (as Vesby) from the 13th century. The prefix "Upplands" came to be used by the post station in 1919 as a means of separating it from other Väsbys in the country. The municipality was then named "Upplands-Väsby" for a time, but the dash has now been removed.
Upplands Väsby is located in between Stockholm and Arlanda Airport, and the main line railroad goes through the municipality. There are local train services to Arlanda Airport, Uppsala, Stockholm Central Station and Älvsjö (Stockholm commuter rail).
Geography
The land is covered with good soil, forests, and moraine. The western part border to a creek of the lake Mälaren (not visible on the map), which also marks the border to the municipality Upplands-Bro. There are also other water areas, such as streams and small lakes, in the municipality. One of them is the small river Väsbyån, flowing through Väsby, in which the uncommon fish asp swims.
History
Located in the province of Uppland the municipality holds remains from the Stone Age. Runestones and axes from the Bronze Age have also been found. The number of rune inscriptions in the municipality amounts to 76.
When Väsby Centrum, a shopping centre that currently houses some 60 stores, was built in Väsby in 1972 the population grew markedly. The mall is currently undergoing a large increase; 20 new stores will have opened by spring 2007, bringing the mall's total up to 80 stores.