Boden (, outdatedly, Lule Sámi: Suttes) is a locality and the seat of Boden Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 16,847 inhabitants in 2018. It is part of the larger area around coastal city Luleå some 36 km southeast. After Kiruna, it is the second largest town in Northern Sweden's interior.

History

The town of Boden started as a railway junction where the Northern Line (Norra stambanan, opened 1894) met with the Ore Line (Malmbanan) from the rich iron ore fields in northern Sweden. The town experienced increased growth when the Boden Fortress was constructed in the beginning of the 20th century. The purpose of the fortress was to defend Sweden from a possible attack from the east, where Russia was considered the most dangerous threat. The first official writings mentioning Boden refer to it as "Boden Village" (Swedish: Bodebyn) and come from a 1539 national tax register. In 1546, "Boden village" is mentioned as having 7 homes. Boden received the title of city in 1919. This title became obsolete in 1971 and Boden is now the seat of Boden Municipality.

Industry

Today (2007) Boden is still a military stronghold, and houses the largest garrison of the Swedish Army. The army and the municipality are the two largest employers in Boden. As the military is continuously disarming, with the five regiments united into one garrison, the population has decreased by 2,000 people over the past ten years. The Swedish Company Stegra is currently erecting a new steel mill in Boden which is expected to start production in 2026. It will use hydrogen technology, designed to cut emissions by as much as 95%. If it succeeds, it will be the first large-scale green steel plant in Europe. The famous Fällkniven knives are from Boden.

Well-known Boden citizens, former or current

International relations

Twin towns and sister cities

Boden is twinned with:

Sports

The following sports clubs are located in Boden: