Örnsköldsvik
Encyclopedia
Örnsköldsvik œɳʂœlds'viːk is a locality
Urban areas in Sweden
Urban area is a common English translation of the Swedish term tätort. The official term in English, used by Statistics Sweden, is, however, locality. There are 1,940 localities in Sweden . They could be compared with census-designated places in the United States.A tätort in Sweden has a minimum of...

 and the seat of Örnsköldsvik Municipality
Örnsköldsvik Municipality
Örnsköldsvik Municipality is one of Sweden's 290 municipalities, in Västernorrland County in northern Sweden. Its seat is in the town Örnsköldsvik...

 in Västernorrland County
Västernorrland County
Västernorrland County is a county or län in the north of Sweden. It is bordered by the counties of Gävleborg, Jämtland, Västerbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia.- Province :...

, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 with 28,617 inhabitants in 2005.

Its natural harbour and archipelago is in the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...

 and the northern boundaries of the High Coast area. It is well known as an exporter of paper products and heavy machinery goods. It has a strong environment record and is the "testbed" for ethanol powered cars.

History

The name comes from Governor Per Abraham Örnsköld
Per Abraham Örnsköld
Per Abraham Örnsköld was a Swedish nobleman, with the title of count, whose notability in his country's history stems from his dedication to the able management of Sweden's regional subdivisions which he administered in his capacity as governor.In 1762, the year of his forty-second birthday, he...

 (1762–1769) and literally translated means Eagle-shield's-bay (Örn-skölds-vik).

Traces of human activity in the area date back to the Nordic Bronze Age
Nordic Bronze Age
The Nordic Bronze Age is the name given by Oscar Montelius to a period and a Bronze Age culture in Scandinavian pre-history, c. 1700-500 BC, with sites that reached as far east as Estonia. Succeeding the Late Neolithic culture, its ethnic and linguistic affinities are unknown in the absence of...

, and there's a reconstructed iron age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...

 village called Gene fornby
Gene fornby
Gene Fornby is a reconstructed Iron Age settlement just outside of Örnsköldsvik, in Västernorrland County, Sweden.The earliest traces of human activity found in the area date back to the Nordic Bronze Age, but the settlement itself dated back to the Roman Iron Age, from around the years 400-600 AD...

, which is a popular tourist attraction, just outside of town. Örnsköldsvik itself is however a relatively young city, it was founded as a market town (a köping
Köping
This article deals with the Swedish denomination for a market town. For the city, see Köping, Sweden. For the municipality, see Köping Municipality....

) in 1842 and became a city in 1894.

Örnsköldsviks Municipality

The town of Örnsköldsvik is the centre of Örnsköldsviks Kommun or Örnsköldsvik Municipality
Örnsköldsvik Municipality
Örnsköldsvik Municipality is one of Sweden's 290 municipalities, in Västernorrland County in northern Sweden. Its seat is in the town Örnsköldsvik...

. The Municipality has a much larger population than the town itself, at over 55,000 inhabitants, as the municipality is vast with very large forest areas, and consists of several rural communities in the countryside.

Economy

Historically, the most important economic activity was trade and heavy industry. In the surrounding villages (now incorporated into the city itself) two major industrial ventures arose: Modo
Modo
Modo may refer to:* Modo, Inc., a design and manufacturing firm in Hillsboro, Oregon* MoDo, Mo och Domsjö AB, a Swedish industrial corporation * Modo Hockey, a Swedish ice hockey club...

, a pulp
Wood pulp
Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper. Wood pulp is the most common raw material in papermaking.-History:...

, paper, logging enterprise and Hägglunds a heavy industrial company. Even today the successors to these two companies are of huge importance for the city. M-real
M-real
M-real Corporation is a Finnish paper and pulp company. It was originally established by G.A. Serlachius, and named Metsä-Serla . The brand Serla is an M-real brand. M-real's slogan is "make it real"....

 (ex-Modo) is running one of Europe's largest pulp mill
Pulp mill
A pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fibre source into a thick fibre board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical or fully chemical methods...

s in the village of Husum
Husum, Sweden
Husum is a locality situated in Örnsköldsvik Municipality, Västernorrland County, Sweden with 1,709 inhabitants in 2005.It is located close to the northern entrance to the High Coast...

, 30 km north of Örnsköldsvik City, Domsjö Fabriker
Domsjö Fabriker
Domsjö Fabriker is a Swedish refinery located in Örnsköldsvik, specializing in refining forest raw materials into specialty cellulose, lignin and bio-ethanol. In 2000 it was spun off from the forest company Mo och Domsjö AB , of which it had been a part since the early 20th century, and sold to a...

 (another ex-Modo mill) is running a specialty cellulose in Örnsköldsvik, while Hägglunds is split into several companies, including BAE Systems Hägglunds, now a subsidiary of BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...

. Other notable companies based in Örnsköldsvik include Svensk Etanolkemi
Svensk Etanolkemi
The company Svensk Etanolkemi AB, or Sekab is a major Nordic producer of ethanol, ethanol derivatives such as acetic acid and ethyl acetate, and ethanol fuels such as E85. They are located in Örnsköldsvik in middle Sweden, and are owned by NEAB, a regional private consortium....

, a producer of ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...

 products, and Fjällräven
Fjällräven
-External links:**...

, a manufacturer of outdoor equipment and clothing.

Education

In Örnsköldsvik there are at present two universities; Mid Sweden University
Mid Sweden University
Mid Sweden University is a Swedish state university located in the region around the geographical center of Sweden, with three campuses in the cities of Östersund, Sundsvall and Härnösand.-History:...

 and Umeå University
Umeå University
Umeå University is a university in Umeå in the mid-northern region of Sweden. The university was founded in 1965 and is the fifth oldest within Sweden's present borders....

.

The asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...

 6795 Örnsköldsvik
6795 Örnsköldsvik
6795 Örnsköldsvik is a main belt asteroid with an orbital period of 1567.2364689 days . The asteroid was discovered on March 17, 1993.-References:...

, found in 1993 by Swedish astronomers at the European Southern Observatory
European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...

, was named after the city.

Transportation

Main road transportation is provided by the European route E4
European route E4
European route E 4 passes from north to south through Sweden from the border with Finland, total length . The Finnish part lies entirely within Tornio in northern Finland, and is actually only long...

. The Örnsköldsvik Airport
Örnsköldsvik Airport
Örnsköldsvik Airport , is a regional airport located northeast of Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, at Husum, built in 1961. The airport had 132,468 passengers in 2007.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:...

 provides daily flights to and from the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
Stockholm Arlanda Airport , is an international airport located in the Sigtuna Municipality of Sweden, near the town of Märsta, north of Stockholm and nearly , by road, south-east of Uppsala....

 courtesy of Höga Kusten Flyg
Höga Kusten Flyg
Höga Kusten Flyg is an airline based in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. It operates scheduled services in Sweden.- History :The airline was established in 2007 to operate domestic flights between Stockholm, Sweden and Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.- Destinations :...

, and also charter flights to Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

 courtesy of Pegasus Airlines
Pegasus Airlines
Pegasus Airlines is a low-cost airline headquartered in the Halkalı area of Küçükçekmece, Istanbul, Turkey. Formerly a charter airline in partnership with Aer Lingus, Pegasus is now completely controlled by Esas Holding.- History :...

.

The terminal building was recently upgraded to allow for some international services. The runway was extended to allow service for larger aircraft.

Railway transportation is provided by the recently opened main line Botniabanan
Botniabanan
The Bothnia Line is a high-speed railway line in northern Sweden. The long route, from Kramfors airport via Örnsköldsvik to Umeå, was opened in 2010 and will carry trains at speeds up to .-Introduction:...

.

Botniabanan
Botniabanan
The Bothnia Line is a high-speed railway line in northern Sweden. The long route, from Kramfors airport via Örnsköldsvik to Umeå, was opened in 2010 and will carry trains at speeds up to .-Introduction:...

 is currently open on only a portion of its total stretch, but will in the future connect Örnsköldsvik and nearby Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...

 with passenger services to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

 in around 4 hours of travel time.

There is also a harbor, where cargo ships load and unload timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...

 and other merchandise. Prior to joining the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

, Örnsköldsvik had a direct ferry connection to Vaasa, Finland. This ceased operation after the entry in to the European Union along with the abolishment of tax-free trade within the member states. The harbor now rarely sees passenger traffic on any larger scale.

Being situated on the European route E4, the city is well connected with bus lines. A coastal line from Haparanda
Haparanda
Haparanda is a locality and the seat of Haparanda Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 4,778 inhabitants in 2005. It is adjacent to Tornio, Finland...

 in the north to Stockholm makes regular stops at the bus depot in Örnsköldsvik. A cross-country route to Östersund
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...

 is starts and terminates at the Örnsköldsviks bus depot.

Recreation and sports

Due to the hilly surroundings, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

 and exploring the scenery of the High Coast is popular in the area. In the wintertime skiing and ice hockey are both popular. Both cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...

, alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...

 and also ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...

 are practiced in the downtown area. In international sports, the town is perhaps best known for having hosted the inaugural Winter Paralympic Games, in 1976
1976 Winter Paralympics
The 1976 Winter Paralympic Games were the first Winter Paralympics. They were held in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden from 21 to 28 February 1976. The disabilities included in this paralympics were blindness and amputees. Sixteen countries took part with 198 athletes...

. The 2008 European Curling Championships
European Curling Championships
The European Curling Championships are annual curling tournaments held in Europe between various European nations and hosted by the European Curling Federation. The European Curling Championships are usually held in early to mid December...

 also took place there.

Since Örnsköldsvik is a coastal town, there are also beaches near town, as well as campsite
Campsite
A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...

s. There's also an indoor water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...

 called Paradisbadet, with one of the longest water slides in Europe.

The main spectator sport in town is ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

, with the local team MODO Hockey
MODO Hockey
Modo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...

 in Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...

, the main league for ice hockey in Sweden. IF Friska Viljor
IF Friska Viljor
Idrettsföreningen Friska Viljor is a Swedish ski jumping and Nordic combined club from Örnsköldsvik, Västernorrland County.It formerly offered more sports. A football club named Friska Viljor FC was separated from IF Friska Viljor in February 1994...

 has been successful in ski jumping
Ski jumping
Ski jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...

. The local football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 teams aren't quite as successful, but still popular. On the men's side especially the teams Friska Viljor FC
Friska Viljor FC
Friska Viljor FC is a Swedish football club located in Örnsköldsvik in Örnsköldsvik Municipality, Västernorrland County.-Background:The club was formed in February 1994 but was previously the football section of the multi-sport club IF Friska Viljor. From 1995 to 1998 the new club progressed...

 from central Örnsköldsvik and Anundsjö IF
Anundsjö IF
Anundsjö IF is a Swedish football club located in Bredbyn outside Örnsköldsvik. The club, formed in 1921, is currently playing in the fourth highest Swedish league, Division 2. The club is affiliated to the Ångermanlands Fotbollförbund.-Season to season:...

 from Bredbyn outside of town, and women's Själevads IK
Själevads IK
Själevads IK is a football club from Själevad, 5 kilometres west of Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The season of 2004 was the first in the Women's premier division for the club....

. A couple floorball
Floorball
Floorball, a type of floor hockey, is an indoor team sport which was developed in the 1970s in Sweden. Floorball is most popular in areas where the sport has developed the longest, such as the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The game is played...

 teams from town have also had some success.

A new golf course, Veckefjärdens Golf Club, to the south of the centre is owned by local celebrity ice hockey player Peter Forsberg.

The islands surrounding the coastal area of Örnsköldsvik are big tourist attractions which can be reached by ferry boats.

Notable natives

Örnsköldsvik is the birthplace of many world-famous ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 players, including Peter Forsberg
Peter Forsberg
Peter Mattias "Foppa" Forsberg is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player and currently an assistant general manager of Modo Sports. Known for his on-ice vision and physical play, Forsberg is considered one of the most complete players of his generation...

, Markus Näslund
Markus Näslund
Sten Markus Näslund is a Swedish ice hockey general manager for Modo Hockey and a retired professional winger. He played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, as well as in the Elitserien with Modo Hockey...

, Niklas Sundström
Niklas Sundström
Lars Niklas Sundström is a professional ice hockey player who started his professional career in Modo Hockey. He was drafted eighth overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. He was also on Wayne Gretzky's line. He was not known for his goal scoring ability, but for his...

, Victor Hedman
Victor Hedman
Victor Erik Olof Hedman is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League . He was drafted second overall by the Lightning in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft...

 and the twins Daniel
Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , and serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. His identical twin brother Henrik also plays for the Canucks, and is the team captain...

 and Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...

. The Sedin twins are currently top players for the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...

. Many stars from hockey's previous generation, including Anders Hedberg
Anders Hedberg
Anders Hedberg is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was one of the first European-born players to make an impact in North America...

, Thomas Gradin
Thomas Gradin
Thomas Kjell Gradin was a professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League from 1978 to 1987. He is best remembered for the 8 seasons he spent with the Vancouver Canucks, and remains one of the top players in that franchise's history.-NHL career:Gradin was already one of the top...

, and Anders Kallur
Anders Kallur
Anders Kallur is a Swedish retired professional ice hockey player.Kallur played for Modo Hockey and Södertälje SK before moving to Djurgårdens IF in 1978. He was awarded Guldpucken as the best player of the 1978–79 season...

 were also either Örnsköldsvik natives (Hedberg) and/or played in the town for the Modo Hockey
MODO Hockey
Modo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...

 club.

Malin Moström
Malin Moström
Malin Sofi Moström is a Swedish former football player , from 2001 to 2006 she was the captain of the Sweden women's national football team...

, former captain in the Sweden women's national football team
Sweden women's national football team
Sweden women's national football team are a football team officially representing Sweden in women's football. They won the unofficial European Championships in 1984, a success the team has not managed to repeat, it has however won one World Cup-silver as well as three European Cup-silvers...

 is also a native of Örnsköldsvik.

Magdalena Forsberg
Magdalena Forsberg
Magdalena "Magda" Forsberg is a former Swedish cross country skier and biathlete. She was the dominating female biathlete from 1997 to 2002, when she retired, winning the Biathlon World Cup for six years straight...

, cross country skier and biathlete
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...

.

Hans Hedberg
Hans Hedberg
Hans Hedberg was a Swedish sculptor who resided in Biot in southern France until his death. Born in Köpmanholmen, Örnsköldsvik Municipality, Västernorrland County, Sweden, he was mostly known for his gigantic ceramic fruit and has installations in several countries, especially in his native Sweden...

, sculptor known for his ceramic fruit.

Märta Norberg, cross country skier in the end of the 1940s and beginning of 1950s.

Tomas Haake
Tomas Haake
Tomas Haake is the drummer and main lyricist for the Swedish experimental metal band Meshuggah.-Musical career:Haake is noted for his technical abilities; his drumming style is characterized by heavy use of polyrhythms while often maintaining a steady 4/4 beat. This signature style has become one...

 and Mårten Hagström
Mårten Hagström
Mårten Hagström, , is the rhythm guitarist for the Swedish experimental metal band Meshuggah. He joined the band after the release of their first album, which allowed Jens Kidman to focus on his vocal performances. He is known for his strong and complex rhythm guitar playing...

, members of (drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...

 and rhythm guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...

) Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 technical metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...

 band Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...

.

Thomas Hammarberg
Thomas Hammarberg
Thomas Hammarberg is a Swedish diplomat and human rights defender.He is currently the Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg...

, diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...

 and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...

 activist.

Niklas Edin
Niklas Edin
Niklas Edin is a Swedish curler. He is one of the top skips in Sweden.In 2004 Edin skipped his Swedish team to a World Junior Curling Championship title. In the final Sweden defeated Stefan Rindlisbacher of Switzerland. The following year he was an alternate for the silver medal winning Swedish...

, skip (curling)
Skip (curling)
The skip, in conjunction with the team, determines strategy. Based on the strategy, the skip holds the broom indicating where the player throwing must aim . When it is the skip's turn to throw, the vice-skip holds the broom...

 of the Swedish curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...

 team at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...

 in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

.

Twin towns — Sister cities

Örnsköldsvik is twinned
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 with:
Örnsköldsvik's sister cities
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 are: - Äänekoski
Äänekoski
Äänekoski is a town and municipality of Finland.-Geography:It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland region. It is neighboured by Kannonkoski, Konnevesi, Laukaa, Saarijärvi, Uurainen, Vesanto and Viitasaari. The town has a population of and covers an area...

, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

 - Sigdal
Sigdal
Sigdal is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Prestfoss. -Background:...

, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 - Hveragerði
Hveragerði
Hveragerði is a town and municipality in the south of Iceland located 45 km to the east of Reykjavík on Iceland's main ringroad, Route 1.The river Varmá runs through the town. The population was 2,316 on 1 January 2011.-Overview:...

, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

 - Brande
Brande
Brande is a railway town with a population of 6,959 located at the railroad between Vejle and Herning in Ikast-Brande municipality in Region Midtjylland in the central area of the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark....

, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

 - Tarp
Tarp, Germany
Tarp is a municipality in the district of Schleswig-Flensburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany within the county Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg.It is situated about 18 km south of Flensburg....

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK