Älvsbyn Municipality

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Älvsbyns kommun
Älvsbyn vapen.svg
Coat of arms
County Norrbotten County
Province Norrbotten
Seat Älvsbyn
Älvsbyn Municipality in Norrbotten County.png
Population
 • Total
238th of 290
8,465 inhabitants[1]
Area
 • Total area
 • Land area
 • Water area
55th of 290
1,809.79 km² (698.76 sq mi)[2]
1,712.65 km² (661.26 sq mi)[2]
97.14 km² (37.51 sq mi)[2]
Density
 • Total
257th of 290
4.94 inh/km² (12.80 inh/sq mi)
Municipal code 2560[3]
Website www.alvsbyn.se
Density is calculated using land area only

Älvsbyn Municipality (Swedish: Älvsbyns kommun) is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Älvsbyn.

The present municipality has the same size as the original one, created at the time the municipalities of Sweden were formed in 1863. 1948-1968 a part of it constituted a market town (köping) and a municipality of its own, but the entities were reunited in 1969.

Contents

[edit] Geography

The municipality stretches along the Pite River for about 60 kilometres in a naturesque surrounding.

[edit] Localities

There are four localities (or urban areas) in Älvsbyn Municipality:[4]

# Locality Population
1 Älvsbyn 5,042
2 Vidsel 569
3 Korsträsk 397
4 Vistträsk 258

The municipal seat in bold

[edit] Industry

Two main industries in the town of Älvsbyn are AB Älvsbyhus, which builds houses, and Polarbageriet AB, which is nationally famous for their breads.

Polarbageriet has a production of about 1.5 million breads a day. They do not make loaves, but rather flat slices of a whitish bread. Their main distribution is within Sweden, but a small export goes to Finland, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany and France, where it is popular to use for homemade pizza.

Älvsbyhus has its base in Älvsbyn, and one of its factories there too. It is Scandinavia's biggest producer of prefabricated homes in wood. Their average production is around two houses a day, although much of the production is located at other factories closer to the market.

RFN is a government military testing facility, not just for domestic use. It is one of very few places where live missiles can be tested over land, and attracts military testers from other countries as well.

There is also some tourism, with a popular place to visit in the nature reserve Storforsen, just west of Vidsel.

[edit] Sister cities

Älvsbyn Municipality has three sister cities:[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Statistics Sweden as of December 31, 2008
  2. ^ a b c Statistics Sweden as of January 1, 2009
  3. ^ Statistics Sweden as of January 1, 2009
  4. ^ Statistics Sweden as of December 31, 2005
  5. ^ Official site (Swedish)

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 65°41′N 21°01′E / 65.683°N 21.017°E / 65.683; 21.017