Lulea University of Technology

Luleå

Luleå is a city of almost 50,000 people located in the northern province of Norrbotten in Sweden. Known as the town by the sea, Luleå sits on a pensinsula located between Lule Bay and the Gulf of Bothnia. The city is an exciting metropolitan of activity with a small town quality of life.

As part of the Swedish Lapland, Luleå attracts a number of visitors every year, drawn by the lure of the far north. Both visitors and locals enjoy action-packed adventure in the unspoiled countryside, but can also find peace and tranquility in the beautiful nature surrounding the city. Luleå boasts the Råne River Valley, as well as its own archipelago of over 700 islands.

Luleå has a variety of cultural life, in addition to great shopping a a wide variety of sports events to see or participate in. Luleå is a center of learning, with about 13,500 students living within its borders, and is home to Scandinavia's northernmost university of technology, the Luleå University of Technology, with its world-class education and research.

There are a number of commercial industies in Luleå, as it is one of Sweden's major ports, and has a large amount inports and exports coming through, even in the depths of winter. In order to allow ships to move through the ice, Luleå has a large fleet of icebreakers, the largest in Sweden.

Luleå is a unique, beautiful city to pursue an education balancing studies, cultural life, and fun!

Sweden

Kiruna

Kiruna is the northermost city in Sweden located in the country's biggest municipality. Known as the Space City, Mining City, and Winter City, Kiruna is home to over 18,000 people. As the tourism capital of Norrbotten County, thousands of people come to Kiruna to experience the tranquility of the peaceful countryside and the surrounding beautiful nature.

Kiruna has its roots as a mining town, with the first ore mine being opened in the mid-1880s. The city considers 1900 its birth year because it was then that the town plan was approved by the Crown. In 1903, King Oscar II opened the railway, The Ore Line, which increased transport of iron ore from Kiruna and drew more people to the city. By 1910, 7,500 people inhabited the area.

Kiruna is a thriving cultural center, hosting the Snow Festival, the Arctic Light Film Festival, and the summertime Kiruna Festival, drawing well-known artists and musicians each year. Sami culture is also prevalent in Kiruna with the active use of the North Sami language and the thriving reindeer husbandry. Scientific research is also an important component of industry in Kiruna. Kiruna is a "Space town," and has many on-going Space activities. For instance, a recent decision was made by the EU to launch satellites at Esrange rocket/ balloon base in Kiruna in a couple of years.

Nature is an important part of life in the north. The Kiruna municipal district has 6,000 lakes, six rivers, and 530,000 hectacres of protected land: national parks, nature conservation areas, and animal sanctuaries. Locals and visitors alike enjoy fishing, skiiing, hunting, hiking, and much more in the peaceful countryside which covers most of the 20,000 km2 municipality.

Kiruna is unique in its geographical location: the city experiences 50 days of the midnight sun - when the sun never sets - from the end of May to the middle of July. In the winter, Kiruna has 20 days of polar night - when the sun never rises - from December 12 to 31.

Kiruna is a tourist destination, a music and cultural metropolis, a community of nature-lovers and adventurers, and is an exciting and unique place to pursue a Spacemaster education.