Skellefteå

:"See also Skellefteå, an album by The Wannadies."Infobox Settlement
official_name = Skellefteå


image_caption =
pushpin_

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Sweden
subdivision_type1 = Municipality
subdivision_name1 = Skellefteå Municipality
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Västerbotten County
subdivision_type3 = Province
subdivision_name3 = Västerbotten
area_footnotes = cite web |title=Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km² 2000 och 2005 |publisher=Statistics Sweden |url=http://www.scb.se/statistik/MI/MI0810/2005A01B/T%E4torternami0810tab1.xls |format=xls |language=Swedish |accessdate=2008-05-15]
area_total_km2 = 21.70
population_as_of = 2005-12-31
population_footnotes =
population_total = 32,425
population_density_km2 = 1494
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd=64 |latm=45 |lats= |latNS=N
longd=20 |longm=59 |longs= |longEW=E
website =

Skellefteå is a city in Västerbotten in northern Sweden. It has 35,525 inhabitants, and is the seat of Skellefteå Municipality, with 73,000 inhabitants.

History

Skellefteå is believed to have been inhabited from around 1000 AD by the Sami people and possibly partly Finnish people.

The name Skellefteå, was recorded spelt Skelepht in 1327, but its origin remains unknown.

Archeologists have found that people were living in the area as far back as 8000 years ago.

In the 14th century attempts were made to Christianize Skellefteå. Norrland was not Christianized until several hundred years after the rest of Sweden, and northern cities such as Skellefteå were largely unexplored. The reason for the sudden awakened interest was the fishing of salmon in the areas around Skellefteå, which was sparked by an increased demand of fish, due to stricter enforcement of the annual month long fasting by the Catholic Church whereby meat was substituted by fish.

The city itself is much younger, and in fact one of the youngest cities of Norrland. It was founded in 1845 by vicar Nils Nordlander.

Today

In the 20th century Skellefteå evolved to an industrial and mining city and many wooden houses were demolished to give room for brick buildings. The largest employer in Skellefteå is the mining company Boliden AB, with about 1,200 employees. Mining is done for gold, and Skellefteå is sometimes referred to as the Goldtown.

If things go according to plan, Skellefteå will be the site of the hind legs of the world's largest moose – Stoorn – a tourist attraction planned to be built spanning from Skellefteå into Arvidsjaur in Norrbotten.

Industry

*Boliden AB, a big Swedish mining and smelting company
*Ursviken
*Alimak

ports

*Skellefteå AIK, Skellefteå AIK is a professional Swedish ice hockey team from Skellefteå. The club plays in the highest Swedish league Elitserien.
*Sunnanå SK, women's football (soccer)
*Soo Shim Taekwondo Klubb, one of Sweden’s most successful Taekwondo Clubs.Fact|date=August 2008

Famous people from Skellefteå

*Margot Wallström, First Vice President of the European Commission
*Jonathan Hedström, ice hockey player
*Jan Erixon, ice hockey player
*Andreas Hedlund, musician
*Hanna Marklund, football player
*Johan Backlund, ice hockey player
*Jocke Nyström, tennis player
*Hardy Nilsson, ice hockey coach
*Henrik Wikström, song writer
*Toini Gustafsson Rönnlund, skier
*Stieg Larsson, writer
*The Wannadies, an alternative rock band formed in 1988.
*Black Bonzo, a progressive rock band.
*Per Olov Enquist, writer
*Caroline Wiklund, wiki
*Funky Dan Larsson , musician

References

* http://lokalhistoria.skelleftea.org
* "Some material has been translated and incorporated from "

Organisations/networks in Skellefteå

*KVIST

Law Enforcement

Skellefteå is served by the Västerbotten County Police Department, Skellefteå Division (Polismyndigheten i Västerbottens län, Skellefteå). Mainly, the Skellefteå Police uses Volvo XC70 and Volvo V70 but also has a few Mercedes and Volkswagen vans.
* [http://www.polisen.se/inter/nodeid=2759&pageversion=1.jsp Official Skellefteå Police Website (Swedish)]
* [http://www.polisen.se/inter/nodeid=10230&pageversion=1.html Official Swedish Police Service Website (English)]

ee also

*Sollefteå (similar name)
*Morö backe
*Norrböle

References

External links

* [http://www.skelleftea.se Skellefteå] - Official site
* [http://www.skelleftea.se/default.asp?id=11418 Tourist in Skellefteå] - Tourist information in Swedish, English and German languages
* [http://www.skellefteaaik.se/ Skellefteå AIK] - Official site
* [http://www.sunnana.nu/ Sunnanå SK] - Official site