Porjus

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Porjus
Porjus
Coordinates: 66°57′N 19°49′E / 66.950°N 19.817°E / 66.950; 19.817Coordinates: 66°57′N 19°49′E / 66.950°N 19.817°E / 66.950; 19.817
Country Sweden
Province Lapland
County Norrbotten County
Municipality Jokkmokk Municipality
Area[1]
 • Total 0.74 km2 (0.29 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2010)[1]
 • Total 328
 • Density 444/km2 (1,150/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Porjus is a locality situated in Jokkmokk Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 328 inhabitants in 2010.[1] Geographically it is situated by the shores of Lule River at 499 meter height.

Porjus is known for having one of the oldest hydropower plants in Sweden (Porjus kraftverk - Porjus hydroelectric power station), built 1910-1915. The power plant was built to deliver electricity to the building of the railroad between Luleå and Narvik, where the mining industry shipped iron ore.

Today, Porjus is a living village and the old power plant is a popular tourist attraction among many others. Swedish power company Vattenfall is the biggest employer, but there are also a number of smaller companies such as the small aviation company Fiskflyg, which offered the first regular passenger flights in Sweden back in the days (the route: Porjus - Suorva). There is also a unique golf course (you play across the Lule river, next to a big dam), a small downhill skiing course, snowmobile routes, small shops, a 50 kilometer long walking trail from Gällivare, used by the workers to carry building material 90 years ago, and a unique photo gallery which has aurora borealis as its specialty.

Porjus was the home of the online artists Lagoona between the years 1996-2004. Singer Birgitta Svendén and the former MD of major Swedish technology company Ericsson, Carl-Henric Svanberg, now chairman of BP, are two other well-known persons who were born in Porjus.

Porjus is also the last stop before you enter Laponia area, a UNESCO world heritage area which includes four national parks.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2005 och 2010" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. 14 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012. 

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