The Swedish port of Luleå, at the north end of the Gulf of Bothnia, is the largest town in Norrbotten and the see of a bishop. It is the gateway to the mountain world of Lapland and the northern tundras. The offshore islets and skerries, more than 800 in number, are notable for their fauna and flora. Although Luleå is only 110km/70miles from the
Arctic Circle, it has a mild climate, with an average temperature only about 2°C/3.5°F lower than at Malmö in southern Sweden. In July Luleå has the highest number of hours of sunshine in Sweden (300-310). During the summer it ranks with Narvik as one of the two principal ports for the shipment of iron ore from northern Sweden, which is conveyed from Gällivare and Kiruna on the Lapland Railroad. The harbor of Luleå is rarely affected during winter months, due to the assistance of ice-breakers.
History
Luleå was founded by Gustavus Adolphus in 1621 and moved in 1649 to its present site on a promontory in the Luleälv. Most of its old houses have been destroyed by fire. Until 1940 the town had a population of no more than 14,000, but it was given a great boost when a state-owned ironworks (Norrbottens Järnverk AB, now SSAB Luleå) was established on the island of Svartö: within 10 years the population had doubled, and thereafter it continued to grow.
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