Kiruna (from (Sami) Giron, "(white) grouse") is a town and Municipality in Norrbotten County, in northern Sweden. The municipality covers an area of 19,446.8 km². Of the total population of 24,314, 12,519 are male, and 11,795 are female. The population density of the community is 1 inhabitants per km².
Iron ore extraction is a key industry of the area, and the town is very dependent on the mining company LKAB.
Being located 145 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, Kiruna has perpetual daylight, the midnight sun, approximately from 30 May to 15 July. The polar night is a few weeks shorter, lasting December 13 – January 5.
Kiruna is the northernmost municipality in Sweden, and geographically it is as large as the three southernmost counties of Skåne, Blekinge and Halland grouped together. At one time Kiruna was listed as the largest town in the world by area.
The local mountain, Kebnekaise, is Sweden's highest mountain at 2,117 metres above sea level. There are more than 6,000 lakes in Kiruna municipality, with Torneträsk Lake as the largest. Seven rivers run through the municipality, named Kalix River , Torne River, Lainio River , Rautas River and Vittangi River , as well as the Könkämä River and Muonio River which mark the border with Finland.
In 2004, it was decided that the present centre of the municipality (N67°49'48'', E20°25'48'') must be relocated, since it is in danger of sinking in 1 kilometre deep due to the iron ore mining. The relocation should be made gradually over the next decade.
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