Transport

The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways (E4

European route E4

European route E 4 passes from north to south through Sweden from the border with Finland, total length . The Finnish part lies entirely within Tornio in northern Finland, and is actually only long...

 and E12

European route E12

European route E 12 is a road that is part of the International E-road network. It begins in Mo i Rana, Norway, tranverses Sweden and ends in Helsinki, Finland, with a ferry line between Sweden and Finland. The part within Finland is Finnish national highway 3...

) passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport. It is the 7th largest airport in Sweden by annual number of passengers, with 844,932 passengers in 2010.

The Bothnia Line (or Botniabanan) connects to Umeå from the south, it runs along the High Coast via Örnsköldsvik

Örnsköldsvik

Örnsköldsvik is a locality and the seat of Örnsköldsvik Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 28,617 inhabitants in 2005.Its natural harbour and archipelago is in the Gulf of Bothnia and the northern boundaries of the High Coast area. It is well known as an exporter of paper products...

 to Umeå. This railway was opened on 28 August 2010. The new railway line is 190 km long, containing 140 bridges and 25 km of tunnels. Currently there is no traffic running south of Örnsköldsvik on the Bothnia Line due to construction work on the connecting Ådalsbanan. The renovation is expected to be completed in December 2011 and will give Umeå a fast train connection to Stockholm (5½ hours). A new railway station, Umeå East Station

Umeå East Station

Umeå East Station is a railway station in Umeå, Sweden. The station was inaugurated on 28 August 2010, but it was put to use already on 7 August when Umeå Central Station was turned off for renovation. It was built in connection with the construction of the Bothnia Line to Umeå....

, was built in connection to Norrland's University Hospital

Norrland's University Hospital

- External links :*...

 and Umeå University

Umeå University

Umeå University is a university in Umeå in the mid-northern region of Sweden. The university was founded in 1965 and is the fifth oldest within Sweden's present borders....

.

Culture

The Opera of northern Sweden, the Norrland Opera

Norrland Opera

The NorrlandsOperan , is a Swedish opera company in Umeå, located in Norrland, Sweden. The ownership of NOP is divided between the Umeå Municipality and the Västerbotten County Council ....

, is based in the city. The annual Umeå Jazz Festival

Umeå Jazz Festival

Umeå Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival in Umeå, Sweden. The festival comprises some 30 concerts held mainly at stages in the Umeå folkets hus and the Norrland Opera. Both Swedish and international groups and artists perform, mainly in genres related to modern jazz and improvisation. The...

 is one of the larger Scandinavian festivals for modern jazz. Umeå is the home of the heavy metal

Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

 band Meshuggah

Meshuggah

Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...

, which was labelled by the Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

 as "one of the ten most important hard and heavy bands"; as well as Cult of Luna

Cult of Luna

Cult of Luna is a Swedish post-metal band from Umeå. They formed from the remnants of a Umeå hardcore punk band called Eclipse in 1998. They slowly garnered critical appreciation and underground popularity with early releases Cult of Luna and The Beyond ; however, it is 2004's Salvation that can...

. Umeå is also where hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 band Refused

Refused

Refused was a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1991. In total the band released five EPs and three albums, before splitting up in 1998...

 originated. House of Metal is a metal festival in Umeå which has grown quite big. Over well-known metal bands from Umeå include Nocturnal Rites

Nocturnal Rites

- Biography :The band started off under the name Necronomic playing heavy metal, as can be heard on their demo . This attracted some independent labels' attention, but they turned them down in the hope of a better opportunity...

 and Persuader

Persuader

Persuader is a Swedish power metal band from Umeå in the Swedish lappland Norrland. The band was formed in 1997, and they have since released three full length albums: The Hunter, Evolution Purgatory, and When Eden Burns...

.

The main museums in Umeå are: Museum of the county of Västerbotten, The Museum of Umeå, The Museum of Visual Culture and the Museum of Skiing.

Umeå is a centre for cultural activities, with annual film and music festivals. The city has been elected the European Cultural Capital for 2014.

Umeå is the center of television in northern Sweden, SVT

Sveriges Television

Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...

 Nord and TV4's northern region office are both based in the city. The main newspapers of the county of Västerbotten, Västerbottens-Kuriren and Västerbottens Folkblad

Västerbottens Folkblad

-External links:*...

 are also based in Umeå.

A 1996 study of over 67,000 Swedish students between the ages of 16 and 20 found that there is a particularly high concentration of vegans in Umeå. 3.3% of the students in Umeå were vegan, three to four times as many as are found in other cities in Sweden.

Sports

The city of Umeå currently hosts two well-known sports teams. The women's soccer team Umeå IK

Umeå IK

Umeå IK is a prominent women's association football club based in the city of Umeå, Sweden. The club was established in 1917 as a general sports club, and started competing in women's in 1985. In 1996 the team reached the premier division, the Damallsvenskan but was relegated the following year. In...

 was the top ranked ladies club soccer team in the world in 2008. The men's hockey team IF Björklöven

IF Björklöven

IF Björklöven is a Swedish professional ice hockey club in Umeå, Västerbotten, in northern Sweden...

 was very successful in the 1980s but has been less successful in recent years. Björklöven are currently playing in the Swedish third-tier league Division 1 while Umeå IK plays in the top Swedish women's football league Damallsvenskan

Damallsvenskan

The Damallsvenskan, Swedish for ladies' all-Swedish, is the highest division of women's football in Sweden. It is also referred as to the women's Allsvenskan, this term being used alone to refer to the men's division....

.

Other sports clubs include:

• IFK Umeå
  IFK Umeå
  IFK Umeå is a Swedish football club located in Umeå in Västerbotten County.-Background:Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna Umeå was formed on the 6th November 1901. The club has 9 sections covering badminton, bandy, bowling, boxing, football, athletics, orienteering, skiing and weightlifting...
  
  
• Mariehem SK
  Mariehem SK
  Mariehem SK is a Swedish football team from Mariehem in Umeå currently playing in Division 2 Norrland after finishing 8th in 2009.-Background:...
  
  
• Umedalens IF
  Umedalens IF
  Umedalens IF a sports club in Umeå, Sweden formed on January 12, 1935 by the merger of Grubbs NS and Backens SK. Gunnar Lindahl was elected President...
  
  
• Umeå FC
  Umeå FC
  Umeå FC is a Swedish football club located in Umeå. The club, formed 1987, is currently playing in the third highest Swedish league, Division 1 Norra. The club is affiliated to the Västerbottens Fotbollförbund...
  
  

Umeå also have a Roller Derby

Roller derby

Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...

 team, Ume Radical Rollers started in 2009 and they are still present.

Education and research

Umeå University

Umeå University

Umeå University is a university in Umeå in the mid-northern region of Sweden. The university was founded in 1965 and is the fifth oldest within Sweden's present borders....

 has about 30,000 students and 4,200 staff. The establishment of the university in the mid 1960s led to a population expansion from about 50,000 inhabitants to today's 75,645. The expansion continues, with about 1000 new inhabitants every year, and has made Umeå a modern, somewhat intellectual city in contrast to the traditional basis on heavy industry for cities along the coast of northern Sweden (Norrland

Norrland

Norrland is one of the three lands of Sweden , the northern part, consisting of nine provinces. The term Norrland is not used for any administrative purpose, but it is common in everyday language, e.g...

).

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences or Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet is a university in Sweden. Although its head office is located in Ultuna, Uppsala, the university has several campuses in different parts of Sweden, the other main facilities being Alnarp in Lomma Municipality, Skara,...

 or "Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet" is a university in Sweden. Although its head office is located in Ultuna (Uppsala

Uppsala

- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...

), the university has several campuses in different parts of Sweden, the other main facilities being Umeå. Unlike other state owned universities in Sweden, it is funded through the budget for the Ministry of Agriculture.

The university hospital

Norrland's University Hospital

- External links :*...

 serves the entire region of northern Sweden.

Economy

Key research fields of the University are life sciences (especially medical and cell and the molecular biology of plants), human technology interaction, social welfare, ecology and gender perspectives.

The Umeå University works collaboratively with companies such as ABB, Volvo, Skanska, Ericsson, and Ohrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences or Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet is a university in Sweden. Although its head office is located in Ultuna, Uppsala, the university has several campuses in different parts of Sweden, the other main facilities being Alnarp in Lomma Municipality, Skara,...

 (SLU) in Umeå, with Umeå Plant Science Center, is another major site of research and education.

Notable companies based in Umeå:

• Komatsu Forest, European HQ
• Siemens Financial Services
  Siemens Financial Services
  Siemens Financial Services GmbH is a subsidiary of Siemens AG. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. The Financial Services division of Siemens offers international financing solutions in the business-to-business area. Financial Services serves Siemens as well as other companies...
  
  , Scandinavian HQ
• Volvo Lastvagnar
• AstraZeneca
  AstraZeneca
  AstraZeneca plc is a global pharmaceutical and biologics company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's seventh-largest pharmaceutical company measured by revenues and has operations in over 100 countries...
  
   (production unit, to be closed summer of 2011)
• Handelsbanken
  Handelsbanken
  Svenska Handelsbanken AB is a Swedish bank.-History of Svenska Handelsbanken:The history of Svenska Handelsbanken goes back to 1871 when a number of prominent companies and individuals in Stockholm's business world founded Stockholms Handelsbank...
  
  , HQ in the northern region of Sweden
• Ålö
  Alo
  Alo or ALO can refer to:* Afghanistan Liberation Organization* Ahwaz Liberation Organisation * Air liaison officer* Alloa railway station in Clackmannanshire, Scotland* Alo , also known as Tu`a...
  
  , production facilities. World market leader in front end loaders for tractors.

Notable people

• Ola Ullsten
  Ola Ullsten
  Stig Kjell Olof Ullsten is a Swedish liberal politician, former Prime Minister of Sweden and former leader of the Swedish Liberal People's Party.-Background and early career:...
  
  , Formerly Prime Minister of Sweden
• Ibrahim Baylan
  Ibrahim Baylan
  Ibrahim Baylan, is a Swedish politician and a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party. He was Minister for Schools in the cabinet of Göran Persson from 2004 to 2006 and was replaced by Jan Björklund of the Liberal People's Party following the defeat of the Social Democrats in the 2006 election...
  
  , politician
• Kjell-Olof Feldt
  Kjell-Olof Feldt
  Kjell-Olof Feldt is a Swedish Social Democratic politician, born 18 August 1931 in Holmsund, since 1974 a part of Umeå Municipality, Västerbottens län. Feldt was Minister of Trade 1970-1975, and assistant Minister of Finance 1975-1976...
  
  , politician
• Stig Lindberg
  Stig Lindberg
  Stig Lindberg was a Swedish ceramic designer, glass designer, textile designer, industrial designer, painter, and illustrator....
  
  , artist
• Jonas Sjöstedt
  Jonas Sjöstedt
  Jonas Sjöstedt is a Swedish politician and a member of the Swedish parliament since 2010. Opposed to Swedish membership of the European Union, he was elected Member of the European Parliament in 1995 for the Left Party as part of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left, until he stood...
  
  , politician
• Stieg Larsson
  Stieg Larsson
  Karl Stig-Erland Larsson , who wrote professionally as Stieg Larsson, was a Swedish journalist and writer, born in Skelleftehamn outside Skellefteå. He is best known for writing the "Millennium series" of crime novels, which were published posthumously...
  
  , novelist

Athletes

• Björn Berg
  Bjorn Berg
  Björn Berg is a beach volleyball player from Sweden, who competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 2000...
  
  
• Jesper Blomqvist
  Jesper Blomqvist
  Lars Jesper Blomqvist is a Swedish football player.Most recently he has been the playing assistant manager of Superettan side Hammarby from December 2009 to November 2010...
  
  
• Jörgen Brink
  Jörgen Brink
  Jörgen Brink is a Swedish cross-country skier and biathlete who has competed since 1994. He earned three bronze medals at the 2003 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Val di Fiemme .Brink's best finish at the Winter Olympics was a 24th in the individual sprint in 2002...
  
  
• Per Elofsson
  Per Elofsson
  Per Eilert Elofsson is a Swedish cross-country skier who competed from 1997 to 2004. He won a bronze medal in the 10 km + 10 km combined pursuit at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City....
  
  
• Hanna Ljungberg
  Hanna Ljungberg
  Hanna Carolina Ljungberg is a Swedish football player, playing the position of forward. She plays for the club side Umeå IK and for the Swedish national football team. She debuted for Sweden, at age 17, on February 6, 1996 where Sweden won 8-0 against Spain.She is not related to Swedish male...
  
  
• Gunnar Nordahl
  Gunnar Nordahl
  Gunnar Nordahl was a Swedish football player, best known for his play in AC Milan 1949-1956.-Sweden:...
  
  
• Anja Pärson
  Anja Pärson
  Anja Sofia Tess Pärson is a Swedish-Sámi alpine skier, the winner of seven World Championships gold medals and two Overall Alpine Skiing World Cup titles. She has won a total of 42 World cup races.-Biography:...
  
  
• Assar Rönnlund
  Assar Rönnlund
  Assar Rönnlund was a Swedish cross-country skier. Rönnlund's biggest success was at the 1962 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Zakopane where he won two gold medals and a silver . As a result, he earned the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal that year for his championship successes...
  
  
• Patrik Sundström
  Patrik Sundström
  Patrik Sundström is a retired professional ice hockey centre, who played in the NHL for ten seasons.- Playing career :Sundström was drafted 175th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft....
  
  
• Daniel Tjärnqvist
  Daniel Tjärnqvist
  Daniel Tjärnqvist is a Swedish ice hockey defenceman playing along with his younger brother, Mathias, for Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish elite league Elitserien.- Playing career :...
  
  

Bands and musicians

• Caotico, Pop band
• Trainspotters, Hiphop duo
• Alexander "Academics" Juneblad, Producer
• Helena Emma Eriksson, singer
• Amandine
  Amandine (band)
  Amandine are a band from Sweden consisting of Olof Gidlöf , John Andersson , Andreas "Bosse" Hedström , Andreas Bergqvist and Kristina Lundin .- Background :...
  
   band
• Cult of Luna
  Cult of Luna
  Cult of Luna is a Swedish post-metal band from Umeå. They formed from the remnants of a Umeå hardcore punk band called Eclipse in 1998. They slowly garnered critical appreciation and underground popularity with early releases Cult of Luna and The Beyond ; however, it is 2004's Salvation that can...
  
   band
• Komeda
  Komeda
  Komeda is a Swedish pop/indie band from Umeå. The group is named in honour of the late jazz musician Krzysztof Komeda. The band started in 1991 as a pit band for a Buster Keaton festival. Forming as a quartet, Komeda consisted of vocalist Lena Karlsson, guitarist Henrik Andersson , bassist Marcus...
  
   band
• Meshuggah
  Meshuggah
  Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
  
   band
• Khoma
  Khoma
  Khoma is a progressive and alternative metal musical group from Sweden . Some of its members also play with Cult Of Luna, The Perishers and The Deportees...
  
   band
• Naglfar (band)
  Naglfar (band)
  Naglfar is a Swedish melodic black metal band formed in 1992. The group was formed by Jens Rydén and Kristoffer Olivius, originally under the name Uninterred.-Biography:...
  
  
• Nocturnal Rites
  Nocturnal Rites
  - Biography :The band started off under the name Necronomic playing heavy metal, as can be heard on their demo . This attracted some independent labels' attention, but they turned them down in the hope of a better opportunity...
  
   band
• The Perishers (band)
  The Perishers (band)
  The Perishers are a Swedish indie rock band. The band began in 1997 composed of six members, and since 2001 has consisted of Ola Klüft , Martin Gustafson , Pehr Åström , and Thomas Hedlund ....
  
  
• Persuader
  Persuader
  Persuader is a Swedish power metal band from Umeå in the Swedish lappland Norrland. The band was formed in 1997, and they have since released three full length albums: The Hunter, Evolution Purgatory, and When Eden Burns...
  
   band
• Refused
  Refused
  Refused was a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1991. In total the band released five EPs and three albums, before splitting up in 1998...
  
   band
• The (International) Noise Conspiracy
  The (International) Noise Conspiracy
  The Noise Conspiracy is a Swedish rock band formed in Sweden in the late months of 1998. The line-up consists of Dennis Lyxzén , Inge Johansson , Lars Strömberg , and Ludwig Dahlberg . The band is known for its punk and garage rock musical influences, and its impassioned left-wing political stance...
  
   band
• DS-13
  DS-13
  D.S.-13 were a hardcore punk/thrashcore band hailing from Umeå, Sweden, formed around 1995. The band existed until 2002 and toured Europe, USA and Japan.-Members:*Vocals - Tom Terror...
  
   band
• Zonaria
  Zonaria
  Zonaria is a melodic death metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formerly known as Seal Precious. The band is currently signed to Century Media Records.-Background:...
  
   band
• Eva Dahlgren
  Eva Dahlgren
  Eva Dahlgren is a Swedish pop musician, born 9 June 1960 in Umeå, Sweden.Dahlgren was discovered by musician/producer Bruno Glenmark in 1978 after appearing on the TV show "Sveriges magasin" and her debut album Finns det nån som bryr sej om was released the same year...
  
  
• Frida Hyvönen
  Frida Hyvönen
  Frida Hyvönen is a Swedish singer-songwriter. She grew up in Robertsfors, a small place just outside Umeå in the north of Sweden , and is currently based in Paris, France....
  
  
• Daniel Lindström
  Daniel Lindström
  Daniel Lindström is a Swedish singer from Umeå who won the Swedish Idol 2004 contest against Darin Zanyar. His first single, "Coming True", sold double platinum, and his self-titled album, released in December 2004, topped the Swedish pop charts...
  
  
• Dennis Lyxzén
  Dennis Lyxzén
  Dennis Lyxzén is a musician most famously known for being the lead vocalist for Swedish hardcore punk band Refused.-Career:...
  
  
• Lisa Miskovsky
  Lisa Miskovsky
  Lisa Miskovsky is a Swedish musician. Her mother is Finnish and her father is from the Czech Republic.-Biography:...
  
  
• Nicklas Nygren
  Nicklas Nygren
  Nicklas Nygren , better known by the handle "Nifflas", is a video game developer. He is known for his freeware games Knytt, Knytt Stories, Within a Deep Forest and the #ModArchive Story series, and is currently developing software for indie publisher/developer Nicalis...
  
  
• David Sandström
  David Sandström
  David Sandström was the drummer for hardcore punk group Refused. After Refused broke up David and the other members of Refused worked on a project entitled TEXT and released one album. Then David went on to do solo work...
  
  
• Mats Öberg
  Mats Öberg
  Mats Öberg is a Swedish pianist perhaps best known for having played with the musician Frank Zappa as a guest in 1988 and for his part in the "Zappa's Universe" tribute concert series. He is also a member or Mats/Morgan Band, a band with fellow "Zappa's Universe" drummer, Morgan Ågren.-References:...
  
  
• Morgan Ågren
  Morgan Ågren
  Morgan Ågren is a Swedish drummer who plays with the progressive rock band Kaipa.A native of Umeå, Norrland, Morgan Ågren was spotted as an outstanding talent at a young age as he began performing publicly at age seven, and eventually joined forces with Mats Öberg in 1981.They later formed...
  
  
• Mats Gustafsson
  Mats Gustafsson
  Mats Olof Gustafsson is a Swedish saxophone player and a stalwart on the Scandinavian free jazz scene. He is known for his tonal belligerence and intensity when improvising....
  
   saxophone player
• Tove Styrke
  Tove Styrke
  Tove Anna Linnéa Östman Styrke is a singer, songwriter, pianist, and model. Born in Umeå, Sweden, she rose to prominence as a contestant on Swedish Idol 2009, finishing in third place...
  
  

See also

• NorrlandsOperan
• Battle of Ratan and Sävar
  Battle of Ratan and Sävar
  The Battle of Sävar and Ratan is actually two separate battles fought a day apart. They are mentioned together as it was the same armies that fought both battles and the later battle was essentially an extension of the first one. The battle of Sävar and Ratan was the last battle on Swedish soil...
  
  
• Umeå Kulturnatta
• Umeå Hardcore
  Umeå hardcore
  Umeå hardcore is hardcore punk from Umeå, a city in northern Sweden. During the 1990s, the influence of Umeå hardcore punk bands such as Final Exit, Step Forward, Refused and Doughnuts led to the growth of Umeå's hardcore scene. Also significant were the number of straight edge groups.During this...
  
  
• Umeå Open
  Umeå Open
  Umeå Open is an annual music festival taking place in Umeå, Västerbotten, Sweden at the end of March. Bands and artists from Europe, North America and Japan perform alongside local acts in the Folkets Hus venue in downtown Umeå. Along with music, Umeå Open has a conference and a host of related...
  
  

External links

• Umeå, official site
• Umeå Capital of Culture 2014, official site
• Umeå Region, official site
• Umeå Tourist Office, official site