MELLERSTA NORRLAND - Geography and history
Mellersta Norrland (Central Norrland) is the second largest region in Sweden. It consists of two counties, Västernorrland and Jämtland, and contains 15 municipalities. As the region is situated in the northern part of Sweden, the summer is short and the winter season with snow is long. The region borders Norway in the west and the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Bothnia) in the east. It is bordered to the north by the Rest of Norrland region and to the south by North-Central Sweden. Two thirds of Central Norrland is forested and only 2% is farmland. There is an alpine area to the west and southwest of Lake Storsjön. In this area an important tourist industry has developed. Special emphasis has been placed on winter sport activities, such as downhill skiing, snowboard etc.
Excellent opportunities for winter sports
The environment is one of the great assets of Central Norrland. The high mountains provide excellent opportunities for winter sports in the western part of the region and have contributed considerably to the development of the Östersund area. Several resorts offering good skiing have attracted many tourists, from home and abroad. Tourism is now an important source of income in the Östersund area.
The mountains also supply the resident population with opportunities for leisure and recreation.
The closeness of Norway and Trondheim is also important for the interior. It gives the area the advantages of proximity to a large urban area with all its potential for development. Traditionally, there has also been significant border trade between the regions on either side of the frontier.
|
|