Boden, Norrbotten County, Norrbotten Province, Sweden

🇸🇪 Boden is a locality and the seat of Boden Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden. It is part of the larger area around coastal city Luleå. After Kiruna, it is the second largest town in Northern Sweden's interior. The closest larger city is Luleå, which is located some 35 km (22 miles) south-east on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. Luleå is the largest city in Norrbotten County and hosts the main campus of Luleå University of Technology.

The main northern railway line, Stambanan genom övre Norrland, ends in Boden. By rail, Boden is connected to Luleå, and, on the same line, Uppsala, Stockholm, and finally Bräcke in the south.

History The town of Boden started as a railway junction where the Northern Line (Norra stambanan, opened 1894) met with the Ore Line (Malmbanan) from the rich iron ore fields in northern Sweden.

The town experienced increased growth when the Boden Fortress was constructed in the beginning of the 20th century. The purpose of the fortress was to defend Sweden from a possible attack from the east, where Russia was considered the most dangerous threat.

The first official writings about Boden, was in a 1500~ tax paper, where the mention of "Boden village" with 7 homes. Boden got the title of city in 1919. This title became obsolete in 1971 and Boden is now the seat of Boden Municipality.

Economy: Industry Today (2007) Boden is still a military stronghold, and houses the largest garrison of the Swedish Army.

The army and the municipality are the two largest employers in Boden. As the military is continuously disarming, with the five regiments united into one garrison, the population has decreased by 2,000 people over the past ten years.

The Swedish Company H2 green steel is currently erecting a new steel mill in Boden which is expected to start production in 2025. It is supposed to use hydrogen technology, designed to cut emissions by as much as 95%. If it succeeds, it will be the first large-scale green steel plant in Europe.

The famous Fällkniven knives are from Boden.

Sport The following sports clubs are located in Boden: • Bodens BK • Hedens IF • Skogså IF • Vittjärvs IK • Bodens HF • Boden Handboll IF.