Laponian area
Encyclopedia
The Laponian area is a large mountainous wildlife area in the Lapland province in Northern Sweden
, more precisely in the Gällivare Municipality
, Arjeplog Municipality
and Jokkmokk Municipality
. It was made a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
in 1996; the bulk of it had enjoyed protected status since the early 20th century.
The total area is about 9400 km², making it the world's largest unmodified nature area to be still cultured by natives—the natives in this case being the reindeer
herding Sami people
also known as Lapps (though this term is considered derogatory). Only parts of the area is actually used for pasture by them. With such a large space, the geography of the area varies greatly; it is dominated by mountains, rivers and lakes. Each nature reserve and national park has its distinctive features. The amount of snow in winter and rain in summer is considerable.
95% of the area is protected as national park
s or nature reserve
s. It consists of the national parks Muddus
, Sarek
, Padjelanta
and Stora Sjöfallet
, and the nature reserves Sjaunja and Stubba. The remaining 5% are located in the areas of Sulitelma, Tjuoltadalen, and Rapadalen (part of which is in the Sarek park). The village of Porjus
is a natural point of entry to the Laponian area and has recently opened an information center.
The Laponia area also contains three major hydropower stations with belonging basins and a big expansion of 100 wind power stations inside the world heritage area is planned.
The highest mountain of the area is Sarektjåhkkå
, at 2,089 meters.
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....
, more precisely in the Gällivare Municipality
Gällivare Municipality
Gällivare Municipality is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Gällivare.The municipality is the third largest in Sweden, but it has not been amalgamated with other entities....
, Arjeplog Municipality
Arjeplog Municipality
Arjeplog Municipality is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Arjeplog....
and Jokkmokk Municipality
Jokkmokk Municipality
Jokkmokk Municipality is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Jokkmokk.The name Jokkmokk is Sami for the words "river" and "bend", since the town is situated close to a bend in the nearby river....
. It was made a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 1996; the bulk of it had enjoyed protected status since the early 20th century.
The total area is about 9400 km², making it the world's largest unmodified nature area to be still cultured by natives—the natives in this case being the reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
herding Sami people
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...
also known as Lapps (though this term is considered derogatory). Only parts of the area is actually used for pasture by them. With such a large space, the geography of the area varies greatly; it is dominated by mountains, rivers and lakes. Each nature reserve and national park has its distinctive features. The amount of snow in winter and rain in summer is considerable.
95% of the area is protected as national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s or nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s. It consists of the national parks Muddus
Muddus
Muddus is a national park in northern Sweden. It is situated in the province Lapland, with its largest part in the Gällivare Municipality. Furthermore, it belongs to the largely untouched UNESCO World Heritage classified Laponian area....
, Sarek
Sarek National Park
Sarek National Park is a national park in Jokkmokk Municipality, in the province Lapland in northern Sweden. Sarek borders the national parks Stora Sjöfallet and Padjelanta...
, Padjelanta
Padjelanta
Padjelanta is a national park in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Established in 1963 , it is the largest national park in Sweden with an area of 1,984 km2, and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Laponia established in 1996.- Nature :The park, which borders to Norway in the west, is...
and Stora Sjöfallet
Stora Sjöfallet
Stora Sjöfallet is a national park in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden, in Gällivare Municipality. It is situated by the Norwegian border. It was declared a national park in 1909. The national park is part of the Laponian area which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
, and the nature reserves Sjaunja and Stubba. The remaining 5% are located in the areas of Sulitelma, Tjuoltadalen, and Rapadalen (part of which is in the Sarek park). The village of Porjus
Porjus
Porjus is a locality situated in Jokkmokk Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 317 inhabitants in 2005. Geographically it is situated by the shores of Lule River at 499 meter height....
is a natural point of entry to the Laponian area and has recently opened an information center.
The Laponia area also contains three major hydropower stations with belonging basins and a big expansion of 100 wind power stations inside the world heritage area is planned.
The highest mountain of the area is Sarektjåhkkå
Sarektjåhkkå
Sarektjåkkå is the second highest mountain in Sweden and the highest mountain in the Laponian area at 2, 089 metres AMSL. The mountain is located close to the Eastern border of Sarek National Park, about 23 kilometres south-west of Suorva. Not being easily accessible by any nearby roads, merely...
, at 2,089 meters.