Lule

Lule is a term used in reference to several related topics connected with the northern Swedish region and the Sámi people. It can denote the Lule Sámi people, their language, and the Lule River in Sweden.

The Lule Sámi people are one of the Sámi groups indigenous to the northern parts of Sweden and Norway. Traditionally they inhabited areas around the Lule River and the surrounding Arctic and subarctic landscapes. They have distinct cultural practices, crafts, and oral traditions that differentiate them from other Sámi groups, while sharing in Sámi heritage and history.

The Lule Sámi language is a member of the Sámi branch of the Uralic language family. It is spoken by communities within Sweden and Norway and has its own dialects and linguistic features. Like many minority languages, it faces challenges related to language transmission and revitalization efforts are undertaken by communities and support organizations.

The Lule River, or Lule älv, is a major watercourse in Norrbotten County, Sweden. It rises in the inland and flows northeast to discharge into the Gulf of Bothnia near Luleå. The river basin has been important for transportation and, in the modern era, for hydroelectric power generation and industrial development, shaping regional economy and infrastructure.

The term Lule thus commonly refers to the river system and the Sámi people and language associated with that region.