Kiruna Municipality
Kiruna is a municipality (in Swedish kommun ) in the northern Swedish province of Norrbotten County and the historic province of Lapland. It is the northernmost municipality in Sweden.
The main town of the municipality is Kiruna. Apart from Kiruna there in the community, six more tätorter and other settlements such as: Abisko, Jukkasjärvi, Karesuando, Kuttainen, Svappavaara, Riksgraensen and Övre Soppero. Through the village the Europa roads lead 10 and 45 ( Inlandsvägen ) and the iron ore railway ( Malmbanan ).
Geography
Kiruna is (slightly smaller than Hesse ) with almost 20,000 km ² in area, the largest municipality in Sweden. It extends about 160 km along the Norwegian border in the west and 140 kilometers along the Finnish border in the north.
From the mountains to the southeast, the rivers flow Torne älv, Lainioälven, Könkämäälven and Muonio älv, with the latter two form the border to Finland.
About half of its territory is occupied by the high mountains in the northwest. Here are Sweden's highest mountain, Kebnekaise and Abisko National Parks and Vadvetjåkka. The southeast of the village is covered by vast pine forests.
Economy
The economy of the municipality is dominated by the mining company LKAB. Other important industries are tourism and space exploration. Among the research institutions in Kiruna, the Institute of Space Physics, the rocket launch site Esrange, Svenska Rymdaktiebolaget, satellite image AB include
The traditional reindeer herding still plays a certain role with about 700 reindeer herders.
Attractions
17 km east of the town of Kiruna, has to have an interesting architectural history, is Jukkasjärvi, where an ancient church are from the year 1726 and in the winter an ice hotel. Karesuando, 170 kilometers east of Kiruna at the Finnish border, is Sweden's northernmost village church with a predominantly Sami population. In Karesuando is also Lars Levi Laestadius vicarage Lestadii pörte.
About 100 km north- west of Kiruna is Sweden's siebentgrößter lake Tornetrask on which the tourist centers Abisko and Björkliden are. From Abisko to the long-distance trail leads King's Trail in the mountains and the Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest mountain. Further west along the Norwegian border the place Riksgraensen is particularly interesting for winter sports.
Partnerships
- Russia Arkhangelsk (Russia), since August 9, 1999