Karesuando
Encyclopedia
Karesuando is the northernmost locality situated in Kiruna Municipality
, Norrbotten County
, Sweden
with 313 inhabitants in 2005.
It is a church village of Sweden
, located at the Muonio River
on the border to Finland.
On the Finnish side of the river, the Finnish village of Karesuvanto
is located (pop. about 140). According to Finnish tradition they are one and the same village (with pop. about 470), but they are usually considered different, since there is a national border in between (although both are called Karesuvanto in Finnish).
The village got its first buildings in 1670, when Måns Mårtensson Karesuando, called "Hyvä Maunu Martinpoika" in Finnish and "Good Maunu, Son of Martin" in English, bought land from Sami
Henrik Nilsson Nikkas. The vicar
and botanist
Lars Levi Laestadius worked in Karesuando where he founded laestadianism
named after him.
The area is traditionally Finnish speaking and the border was drawn for political reasons in 1809, not because of any cultural or any other border existing at that time. Later of course a cultural and language difference has grown because of school and church influence.
Karesuando/Kaaresuvanto is the northernmost point on the European route E45
.
Kiruna Municipality
Kiruna Municipality is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northernmost Sweden. Its seat is located in Kiruna...
, Norrbotten County
Norrbotten County
Norrbotten County is the northernmost county or län of Sweden. It borders Västerbotten County to the southwest, the Gulf of Bothnia to the southeast. It also borders the counties of Nordland and Troms in Norway to the northwest, and Lapland Province in Finland to the northeast.The name...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
with 313 inhabitants in 2005.
It is a church village of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, located at the Muonio River
Muonio River
The Muonio River is a river of northern Finland and Sweden. It is a tributary of the Torne River. Together the two rivers form the national border between Finland and Sweden. The river is 230 kilometres long....
on the border to Finland.
On the Finnish side of the river, the Finnish village of Karesuvanto
Karesuvanto
Karesuvanto, also Kaaresuvanto, is a village in the Enontekiö municipality of the Lapland region in northern Finland, located on the Muonio River which forms the border with Sweden....
is located (pop. about 140). According to Finnish tradition they are one and the same village (with pop. about 470), but they are usually considered different, since there is a national border in between (although both are called Karesuvanto in Finnish).
The village got its first buildings in 1670, when Måns Mårtensson Karesuando, called "Hyvä Maunu Martinpoika" in Finnish and "Good Maunu, Son of Martin" in English, bought land from Sami
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
Henrik Nilsson Nikkas. The vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
and botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
Lars Levi Laestadius worked in Karesuando where he founded laestadianism
Laestadianism
Laestadianism is a conservative Lutheran revival movement started in the middle of the 19th century. It is strongly marked by both pietistic and Moravian influences. It is the biggest revivalist movement in the Nordic countries. It has members mainly in Finland, North America, Norway, Russia and...
named after him.
The area is traditionally Finnish speaking and the border was drawn for political reasons in 1809, not because of any cultural or any other border existing at that time. Later of course a cultural and language difference has grown because of school and church influence.
Karesuando/Kaaresuvanto is the northernmost point on the European route E45
European route E45
The European route E 45 goes between Sweden and Italy, through Denmark, Germany and Austria. With a length of about , it is the longest north-south European route...
.