Arjeplog Municipality
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| Missing image Arjeplog_Municipality.png See also:Municipalities of Sweden | Coat of arms Missing image Arjeplog_City_Arms.jpg | |
| Seat | Arjeplog | |
| County | Norrbotten County | |
| Province | Norrbotten | |
| Area Rank | 12,804 km² 4th of 290 | |
| Population Rank | 3,224 (2005) 287th of 290 | |
| Density | 0.25/km² | |
Arjeplog Municipality is a municipality in Norrbotten County, in northern Sweden, where Arjeplog is the seat.
The municipality covers an area of 12,945.0 km². It has a total population of 3,384 and a population density of 0.3 inhabitants per km². Arjeplog is Sweden's fourth largest municipality, but the fourth least populated. (See: List of municipalities of Sweden)
The city itself has a population of 2,000.
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Geography
Arjeplog's nothern location, on the 66° latitude, sets the mark for the climate and culture.
Arjeplog municipality consists of a terrain dominated by mountains and water. It has more than 8,000 lakes and streams, more than any other municipality in Sweden. The three main rivers are Piteälven, Skellefteälven and Laisälven. A part of Skelleftälven is taken up by Sweden's deepest lake, Hornavan, which has a depth of 226 meters.
Arjeplog has nature sanctuaries, mostly mountain moor, where some endagered plants grow. Mountain Galtispuoda, with a height of 800 meters, is both a popular place of outlook, a nature sanctuary, and in the winter a popular place for skiing.
History
There lived people in the municipality as early as 10,000 years ago, following the end of the last ice age. For a long time it was only populated by a fishing and hunting people, the Sami people, who who have their own language and breed reindeers in northern Sweden, and today have special rights as a Swedish minority group.
The population in Arjeplog was only a few hundred people in the 17th and 18th century, most of them Sami, and the rest of Sweden did not know much of them. Not only 1640 did the Swedish Queen Christina of Sweden order a church to be built in order to Christianize the Sami people in Arjeplog. The church was inaugerated in 1642. At first the deceased were buried under the earthern floor in the church, but eventually the stench became unbearable and the procedure had to end.
Silver
The interest in Arjeplog had been sparked when silver was found in the area in the 1620's, and a mining industry was established there 1635-1659. It has been estimated that the amount of silver mined was 36 kilos per year.
In August 1659, the Danes and Norweigans – who where in a Union – attacked and burned down the mining village. The mining industry was then stalled for 120 years.
It was once again taken up in 1719, probably as a means of supporting the war of King Charles XII of Sweden. The mining was upheld until 1810, when the low profits, harsh climate and the long distances led to its closure. There are still remains from that time in the village Adolfström.
There are also many names in the area such as "Silverroad" and "Silverstrait" reminding of its silver history. When a Sami museum was built in the city Arjeplog in 1965, it was appropriately named Silvermuseum. It is filled with Sami photos and artifacts.
Resource
- Official Site
See also
External links
- Arjeplog (http://www.arjeplog.se) - Official site
- The Arjeplog map (http://www.arjeplogkartan.com/)
- The Silvermuseum (http://www.silvermuseet.arjeplog.se/) Swedish and English version]sv:Arjeplog