Gällivare – Sweden
Gällivare is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. It is the third largest municipality in Sweden by area.
The name comes from the Lule Sámi name Jiellovárre, which means rift mountain. It refers to the “crack” or cross valley between Välkommaberget in Malmberget and the mountain Dundret in Gällivare.
The town’s history goes back to the 1690s when the first iron ore was discovered in the mountain Illuvare, which would later be called Gällivare Malmberg and then Malmberget.
Urban transformation is dismantling large parts of a society while developing other parts of the same society. In Gällivare’s case, it is about dismantling the Malmberget district and developing the Gällivare community. This is due to the expansion of the underground mine LKAB Malmberget to continue mining iron ore. Underground mining affects the ground surface. Therefore, many properties have to be moved.
Quick facts
Population
- English name: Gällivare Municipality
- Name local languages: Gällivare kommun (Sweden), Jiellevárri gieldaor Váhčira gielda (Northern Sami), Jellivaaran kunta (Meänkieli), Jällivaaran kunta (Finnish)
- Population Municipality: 17,195
- Largest city/town: Gällivare
- Population Gällivare: 8,480
Language and culture
- Languages spoken: Swedish, Northern Sami, Meänkieli
Work and education
- Mayor industries: mining and technology to tourism and services
- Higher education: Lärcentra Gällivare operated via Lapplands Kommunalförbund, serving as a hub for distance-based university courses, career counseling, and adult learning
Arctic Mayors’ Forum
- Joined: 2025