NORRBOTTEN

ln (county) of northern Sweden, touching upon the Gulf of Bothnia, Finland, and Norway. It is Sweden's largest ln, as well as the northernmost, extending above the Arctic Circle. It comprises the traditional landskap (province) of Norrbotten in the east and part of Lappland landskap in the west. From the coast the land rises to the barren, mountainous frontier with Norway; this area contains the highest point in Sweden, Mount Kebne (6,926 feet ). Few crops can mature in the short summer, and timber grows only slowly; but the region's vast iron deposits are worked at Kiruna, Gllivare, and Malmberget, and iron is smelted at Lule, the capital. Area 38,191 square miles (98,913 square km). Pop. (1993 est.) 266,089.