Haparanda

Haparanda is a town in Norrbotten County, Sweden. It is the seat of Haparanda Municipality. It lies on the eastern bank of the Torne River, which forms the border with Finland. The Finnish town of Tornio sits on the opposite bank; together they form the cross-border urban area known as Haparanda–Tornio.

Historically a border trading post, Haparanda grew as a center for commerce and industry during the 17th–19th centuries. After the 1809 Treaty of Fredrikshamn, which left Finland as a Grand Duchy under Russia, the Torne River became a formal border between Sweden and Finland. The town later developed with river traffic and rail connections.

Today the municipality has a mixed economy based on services, retail, logistics, and cross-border trade. The population includes Swedish and Finnish speakers, and the area is commonly described as bilingual in practice, with Finnish language presence reflected in culture and signage.

The border crossing between Haparanda and Tornio is a significant point for road and rail traffic. The two towns are often treated as a single cross-border metropolis, with cooperation across municipal and regional authorities on issues such as infrastructure, tourism, and economic development.