Lappland

Lappland, or Lapponia, was a historical province or landskap in the extreme north of Sweden. In 1809 it was split into a Swedish western part and a Finnish eastern part. It borders to Jämtland, Ångermanland, Västerbotten and Norrbotten in Sweden and to Österbotten in Finland. It also borders to Norway and Russia.

Government For current affairs see: Norrbotten, Västerbotten and Lapland

The historical province of Lappland is divided between the Swedish County of Norrbotten, in the north, County of Västerbotten, in the south and the Finnish administrative Province of Lapland in the east.

History Main article: History of Lappland[?]

Historically the province of Lappland stretched across Torne river and in to Finland. The division into a Swedish western part and a Finnish eastern part was caused when Sweden was forced to cede all of Finland and eastern Norrland to Russia in 1809.

Geography Main article: Geography of Lappland[?]

Chartered cities in the Swedish part of Lappland, before 1971:

• Kiruna (1944)
• Lycksele (1946)

Culture Main article: Culture of Lappland[?]

Lapland is also used as a name, not only for the historical province in Sweden and Finland, but for the entire region, spanning across northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and into Russia, where the Sami people have their homelands.

Heraldry Main article: Heraldry of Lappland[?]

Lappland itself was never considered a duchy but on January 18, 1884 the Privy Council gave all Provinces the right of use to a dukal coronet for their arms. Blazon Swedish version: "Argent, a Wildman stantant Gules wrapped with birch leaves Vert on the head and around the waist holding a Club Or in dexter over the shoulder." The Finnish version has reversed the tinctures for the shield and the wildman in natural colors and it has kept the original countal coronet. Blazon Finnish version: "Gules, a Wildman stantant proper wrapped with birch leaves Vert on the head and around the waist holding a Club Or in dexter over the shoulder."

External Links

• Lappland Tourism (http://turism.norrbotten.se/) (Norrbotten)