The County of Västernorrland

 

Västernorrland County is located in the middle of Sweden and in the middle of the Nordic countries. The County has seven municipalities: Ånge, Sundsvall, Timrå, Härnösand, Kramfors, Sollefteå and Örnsköldsvik. In all, we have more than 244,000 inhabitants in an area of 21,700 square kilometres. That means 11 people per square kilometre.

Västernorrland has magnificent countryside, with the three large rivers Ljungan, Indalsälven and Ångermanälven and a long coastline along the Bothnian Sea with the unique World Heritage Site The High Coast. The inland areas of the county with valleys and vast forests, offer good berry-picking and hunting. Fishing, principally for salmon and salmon trout, but also for other species like Baltic herring, grayling, whitefish, pike and perch, is good in rivers, lakes and along the coast.

Historically, the county has had its industrial base in the paper and pulp industry, but today these industries are complemented by new industries, such as IT, banking, insurance, and environmental technology. Expressed in GRP (Gross Regional Product), the county is among the Swedish leaders in production of goods and services. In addition, there has been a marked increase in business start-ups.

The living environment audit for 2004 shows that Västernorrland County offers an attractive environment in many different respects. One result was that 92 per cent of the county’s families with children find it good or very good to live in the county.

Västernorrland is easily accessible, with three airports and a high-speed train from the south. In a few years, when the Bothnia Line is complete, the county will have high-speed trains also from the north. Via the highways E4 and E14, the county has good connections to the north, south and west. An eastward link is open from July 2005 in the form of a ferry line to Finland.

The county consists of two provinces, Medelpad in the south and Ångermanland in the north. Härnösand is the county seat.

Our dance enseble Norrdans is one of Sweden’s few professional dance ensembles.