in
Strömsund Municipality,
Jämtland. Except for the coastal areas, Norrland is sparsely populated. Approximately 12 percent of Sweden's population lives in Norrland. Except for some coastal areas most of Norrland is made up by the
Norrland terrain—hilly and mountainous land covered by
boreal forests. More in detail Norrland is made up of three north–south belts: the
Scandinavian Mountains in the west, the
Muddus Plains covering much of the inland, and the mixed relief of the eastern coast. Unlike the much more densely populated
Svealand and
Götaland, which are better known for big cities (
Stockholm,
Gothenburg,
Malmö) with landmarks and tourist attractions, Norrland is known for its nature with wide forests, large rivers and untouched wilderness. Most inhabitants live in rural areas and small villages and along the coast in cities. Towards the end of the 20th century, there was a noticeable increase of the population in Norrland, mainly from people moving from larger cities. The largest cities in Norrland, from north to south, are
Luleå,
Skellefteå,
Umeå,
Östersund,
Sundsvall and
Gävle. With the exception of Östersund, those cities are all near the coast. During the
Industrial Revolution, which reached Sweden in the mid-19th century, Norrland became the source for the important wood and
pulp industry. All but four of the major Norrland rivers have been exploited for
water power. The rivers in Norrland account for the bulk of
hydroelectric power in Sweden, which is in many countries a limited energy source, but Sweden has hydroelectrical power account for approximately 40 percent of its total production of
electricity. Mines for producing
precious metals have also been located in Norrland. In older history and still today, the administration in Stockholm viewed Norrland essentially as a
colony consisting of
natural resources to be exploited. "In Norrland we have an India within our borders, if only we realize we should be taking advantage of it" () is a quote attributed to
Axel Oxenstierna that fairly well describes the attitude. In the official history of Sweden, not much is written about the northern parts of the country.
Kebnekaise, Sweden's tallest mountain at 2,097 metres (6,879 feet), is located in
Lappland in the north of Norrland. Norrland has a highly variable climate depending on altitude, latitude and distance to water. The southern coastal areas have a
humid continental climate, but further north, the
subarctic climate is abundant, although it in many areas is very mild for that classification, especially in coastal regions. In the mountain ranges the
tundra climate can be found with summer temperatures averaging below , but that is due to altitude and not in populated areas. All low-lying areas of Norrland are below the
tree line because of the mild summers and so the
boreal forest is dominant. == History ==