Jokkmokk Municipality

Infobox_Kommun2
name=Jokkmokk
fullname=Jokkmokks kommun
isocode=
capital=Jokkmokk
governor=
county=Norrbotten County
province=Lappland
arearank=2nd
area=17,735
areapercent=x.x
population_as_of=2005
populationrank=273rd
population=5,599
populationpercent=x.x
populationdensity=0.3




location=66_37_N_19_50_E
locationReadable=66° 37´ N 19° 50´ E

Jokkmokk Municipality ("Jokkmokks kommun") is a municipality in Norrbotten County, northern Sweden, of which the town of Jokkmokk is the municipal seat. The name is Sami language for the words "river" and "bend", since the town is situated close to a bend in the nearby river.

The municipality is the second largest in size of all Swedish municipalities, and is, with an area of 17,735km² slightly smaller than Slovenia or the US state of New Jersey). It has never been amalgamated with another entity, having been that large ever since municipalities were established in Sweden in 1863.

Geography

It is situated in the Scandinavian mountain range in Swedish Lapland, and is sparsely populated. A large part of the area has been the habitat of reindeer herding Sami people for thousands of years and has for that reason been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under the name Laponian area. The largely untouched nature is popular with outdoorsy people. Due to the northern location, the aurora borealis can be experienced all through winter (November to March), and the midnight sun can be experienced during June and July.

History

The name Jokkmokk is present in the Jokkmokk Lapland Court District, a historical jurisdiction. When the municipality was given its current borders in 1971, it municipal arms were made to depicts the hydro plant, the symbol of Luleå (to which Jokkmokk belonged until 1673), and the traditional Sami hammers.

National parks

The four National parks in Jokkmokk all have their own distinct identity. The national parks are Sarek, Muddus, Padjelanta and Stora sjöfallet. The Laponian area is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its untouched wilderness and for being a historical and ongoing cultural landscape of the Sami and their traditional reindeerherding. The Laponian area is roughly divided into the eastern flatlands and the western mountainous region. There are several well-structured and well-maintained starting locations for those interested in experiencing the majestic wilderness. For instance, the Kvikkjokk basecamp provides excursions and has a high quality hostel.

The national parks of Jokkmokk are popular with tourists all year around but the darkest and coldest months (November to January) are not recommended for beginners. The best period for sunshine and winter activities is from February all through April, when the snow lies deep and the days are long. This time of year the National parks are easily accessible by snowmobile and skis. Visitors should understand and respect that the wilderness is just that, and snowmobiles are not allowed in any parks at any times.

The summer in Jokkmokk is short but intense. The ground is free of snow from May until late October, early November. As with most areas in the Nordic countries, the actual warm period is quite short, but as Jokkmokk has a continental climate, the temperature can top 30 degrees Celsius in the summer and reach as low as -30 degrees Celsius in the winter. During the summer months the amount of hikers and other friends of nature converge in the National parks and this is also the time when most of the parks are most easily accessed. Visitors should be warned that the amount of mosquitoes can be difficult to those not used to them and driving has an added danger in the reindeer that seek shelter from the mosquitoes. Collisions with reindeer are frequent in most of the northern part of the Nordic countries and drivers should keep an eye out.

Fall is also short and the shifting colours of the wide forests make the surroundings burn with colour. This is a good time for hiking but due to the shifting temperatures the mountainous parts of the National parks can be treacherous for those unprepared.

Other attractions

Jokkmokk is known for its Sami market held the first weekend every February. This market has been held for more than 400 consecutive years and celebrated that fact in 2005. Initially a gathering of traders for the entire region the market has long since grown to be more than a simple gathering of traders and is now a week long cultural event with lectures, music recitals and much more.

Localities

Population figures from 2000

* Jokkmokk (seat) 3,201
* Vuollerim 841
* Porjus 325

Getting there

There are several hotels and hostels in Jokkmokk, Vuollerim and Porjus. Jokkmokk is easily accessed by car and bus from Luleå and Gällivare, where the nearest airports are to be found. Jokkmokk can also be reached by train.

See also

* List of areas between 10,000 km² and 100,000 km²

External links

* [http://www.jokkmokk.se Jokkmokk] - Official site
* [http://www.turism.jokkmokk.se/eng.shtml] - Tourist information
* [http://www.vuollerim.se/ Vuollerim] - Official website of the town Vuollerim, 46 kilometres southeast of Jokkmokk
* [http://www.eng.porjus.se/ Porjus] - Official website of the town Porjus (known as "the gate to Laponia", 43 kilometers north of Jokkmokk