Ljusdal Municipality Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Ljusdal Municipality

Ljusdals kommun

Municipality

Coat of arms

Sweden

Area

• Total

5,643.01 km² (2,178.78 sq mi)

• Land

5,288.56 km² (2,041.92 sq mi)

• Water

354.45 km² (136.85 sq mi)

Area as of January 1, 2010.

Population

(June 30, 2012)

• Total

19,149

• Density

3.39340/km² (8.78887/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+7 (CEST)

2161

Ljusdal Municipality (called Ljusdals kommun in Swedish) is one of the 290 municipalities in Sweden. It is located in Gävleborg County. The main town and administrative center of the municipality is Ljusdal.

The municipality was created in 1971. It brought together the market town of Ljusdal (which started in 1914) with several rural areas like Järvsö, Färila, Los, and Ramsjö. Ljusdal is famous for its successful bandy team. Bandy is a sport similar to ice hockey, played with a ball. The town also used to host the yearly Bandy World Cup.

Geography
- Main Towns and Villages
History
Tourism
- Nature Reserves
Sister Cities
Gallery
See also

Geography

The town of Ljusdal is located by the Ljusnan river. This river is also where Sweden's northern main railway line, called Norra Stambanan, runs. The municipality often calls itself "Sweden's nearest Norrland." This is because Norrland is the historical name for the northern part of Sweden. Geographically, Ljusdal Municipality is located right in the middle of Sweden.

This municipality is quite large, being the 25th biggest in Sweden. It offers many fun nature activities. Along the Ljusnan river, there are about 40 kilometers (25 miles) of waterways. Here, you can enjoy sailing, rafting, fishing, or even take a tour on a boat. Part of Hamra National Park is also located in the western area of the municipality.

Main Towns and Villages

Map showing details of Ljusdal Municipality

Here are some of the main towns and villages in Ljusdal Municipality, with their populations from 2004:

Ljusdal – 7,559 people
Järvsö – 1,907 people
Färila – 1,542 people
Tallåsen – 807 people
Los – 469 people
Hybo – 351 people
Ramsjö – 306 people
Hennan – 227 people
Korskrogen – 202 people
Kårböle – 134 people

History

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many people from Finland moved to the western part of the municipality. This area was known as Orsa Finnmark. You can still find many place names that show this Finnish influence today.

In Ljusdal, there is a museum that tells the history of the region. It is located in an old dairy building. In Järvsö, you can visit the Stenegård cultural center, which also shares local history and culture. The population of the area grew a lot when the main railway line was built here in the late 1800s.

Tourism

Tourism in Ljusdal Municipality mainly focuses on the town of Järvsö. Some popular activities for visitors in Järvsö include skiing at Järvsöbacken, which is a ski resort. You can also visit Järvzoo, a wildlife park where you can see animals.

Nature Reserves

Gröntjärn Nature Reserve is a special place located about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Ljusdal. Here, you can see several "kettle holes." These are bowl-shaped hollows in the ground that formed when large blocks of ice melted under dirt and rocks during the last Ice Age.

The pool in Gröntjärn is not fed by streams. Instead, it gets its water from underground sources. This means the water level can change a lot. The groundwater also gives the lake its unique turquoise-green color, making it a beautiful sight.