Bollnäs Municipality

Bollnäs Municipality
Bollnäs kommun
Municipality

Coat of arms
Country Sweden
County Gävleborg County
Seat Bollnäs
Area[1]
  Total 1,976.7 km2 (763.2 sq mi)
  Land 1,814.35 km2 (700.52 sq mi)
  Water 162.35 km2 (62.68 sq mi)
  Area as of January 1, 2014.
Population (December 31, 2014)[2]
  Total 26,394
  Density 13/km2 (35/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
ISO 3166 code SE
Province Hälsingland
Municipal code 2183
Website www.bollnas.se

Bollnäs Municipality (Bollnäs kommun) is a municipality in Gävleborg County, east central Sweden. Its seat is located in Bollnäs.

The municipality evolved during a series of local government reforms in the 1950s and 1970s. It consists of six original entities and has its present shape since 1977.

Localities

Population as of 2005:[3][4]

  • Acktjära
  • Annefors
  • Arbrå, 2,262.
  • Arbrå-Norra Kyrkbyn, 127.
  • Björtomta, 68.
  • Bodåker-Norrbo, 68
  • Bollnäs, 12,455.
  • Edstuga, 65
  • Flästa (norra delen), 52.
  • Flästa (södra delen), 88.
  • Freluga, 197.
  • Glössbo, 97.
  • Hallen, 167.
  • Hertsjö, 85.
  • Hällbo, 172.
  • Höle, 53.
  • Kilafors, 1,124.

  • Lottefors, 391.
  • Norrbyn, 79.
  • Orbaden, 101.
  • Parten-Hov, 61.
  • Rengsjö, 272.
  • Röste (del), 57.
  • Röste-Norrborns industriområde, 70.
  • Segersta, 329.
  • Sibo, 351.
  • Simeå, 77.
  • Söräng-Norrbo, 58.
  • Vallsta, 280.
  • Vik
  • Västra Höle, 122.
  • Växbo, 148.
  • Österböle, 105.
  • Östra Höle, 73.

Geography

Through the municipality, from north to southeast, runs the river Ljusnan. Among the localities situated at the river are Bollnäs and Arbrå. South of Bollnäs is the confluence of Ljusnan and its biggest tributary Voxnan.

Nearby the town of Bollnäs are several water areas with fish such as trout, bass and pike. The streams Ljusnan and Voxnan also offer fishing, as does the tributary lake Vågen in Bollnäs.

Protected nature

A total of 1,461 acres (5.91 km2) of the land in the municipality (0.8% of the municipality's area) are considered protected nature, for instance there are six nature reserves within the municipality's borders.[5][6]

The reserves are:

Eight areas are included in Natura 2000. Four of these are also nature reserves - Djupsjön/Römmaberget, Galvån, Grossjöberget and Hästhagsberget - and the other four are Andersvallsslåtten, Haga, Myrsjömyrorna and Tomtas.[13]

Culture

Västerby hembygdsby in Rengsjö shows example of hälsingegårdar, old farms built in a way typical for the province of Hälsingland. Other examples of hälsingegårdar are Gästgivars in Vallsta, Erik-Larsgården in Arbrå and Kämpens in Bollnäs.[14]

Outside Växbo, 15 km northeast of Bollnäs, Växbo lin ("Växbo linen"), Växbo kvarn ("Växbo Mill") and Trolldalen is situated. Växbo lin is the only remaining spinnery and weavers of linen in Scandinavia. Växbo kvarn is a water mill from the 19th century (reopened in 1985) where flour is ground using old techniques. Trolldalen displays old tools from the 19th century, tools used for processing linen.[15]

Since 1997, the workgroup Kulturarv Hälsingegårdar has been active with the goal to get 15 villages/farms in Hälsingland declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The villages and farms listed demonstrates examples of the traditional architecture of Hälsingland. On the list are among others Västerby hembygdsby, Växbo kvarn and Trolldalen. In 2006, the County Administrative Board of Gävleborg County handed over the documents concerning the issue to the Swedish National Heritage Board. UNESCO has received the inquiry and will make a decision in July, 2009, at the earliest.[16]

Transport

The Northern main line railway (Norra Stambanan) follows to great extent Ljusnan through the municipality. Bollnäs town holds the largest train station, the only station where inter-city trains stop. The local train X-tåget, which operates the route Gävle-Ljusdal, makes additional stops at Kilafors, Arbrå and Vallsta.[17]

Twin towns

Bollnäs Municipality has six twin towns:[18]

Notable people

Lina Hedlund
Victoria Silvstedt
Peter Stormare

Politics

Result of the 2010 election

Moderate Party 22,32%

Centre party 9,56%

Liberal People's Party 5,39%

Christian Democrats 4,25%

Swedish Social Democratic Party 36,82%

Left Party 6,82%

Green Party 5,34%

Sweden Democrats 8,42%

Other Parties 1,07%

Notes

  1. "Statistiska centralbyrån, Kommunarealer den 1 januari 2014" (Microsoft Excel) (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. Retrieved 2014-04-18.
  2. "Folkmängd i riket, län och kommuner 31 december 2014" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. Retrieved March 2015.
  3. Statistics Sweden - Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km2 2000 och 2005. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.
  4. Statistics Sweden - Småorternas areal, folkmängd och invånare per kvkm 2000 och 2005. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.
  5. Bollnäs kommun - Skyddad natur. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-23.
  6. Bollnäs kommun - Naturreservat. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-23.
  7. Länsstyrelsen Gävleborg - Bildande av Stora Bolleberget naturreservat. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  8. Länsstyrelsen Gävleborg - Bevarandeplan för Galvån. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  9. Länsstyrelsen Gävleborg - Bevarandeplan för Grossjöberget. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  10. Länsstyrelsen Gävleborg - Bevarandeplan för Hästhagsberget. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  11. Länsstyrelsen Gävleborg - Kölberget. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  12. Länsstyrelsen Gävleborg - Bevarandeplan för Djupsjön-Römmaberget. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  13. Bollnäs kommun - Natura 2000-områden. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-23.
  14. Bollnäs turism - Hälsingegård. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
  15. Växbo lin. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
  16. Hälsingegårdar - Nyhetsbrev juni 2007. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
  17. X-tåget time table. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-24.
  18. Bollnäs kommun - Vänorter. (Swedish). Retrieved on 2008-08-23.

External links

Coordinates: 61°21′N 16°24′E / 61.350°N 16.400°E