Gävle
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{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name = Gävle
|image_skyline = Gävle-Old town.JPG
|image_caption = Gävle-The Old Town
|image_shield =
|image_map =
|mapsize =
|map_caption =
|settlement_type =
|pushpin_map = Sweden
|subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
|subdivision_name = [[Sweden]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[Municipalities of Sweden|Municipality]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Gävle Municipality]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Counties of Sweden|County]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Gävleborg County]]
|subdivision_type3 = [[Provinces of Sweden|Province]]
|subdivision_name3 = [[Gästrikland]]
|established_title3 =
|established_date3 =
|area_footnotes = <ref name="scb">{{cite web |title=Tätorternas landareal, folkmängd och invånare per km<sup>2</sup> 2000 och 2005 |publisher=[[Statistics Sweden]] |url=http://www.scb.se/statistik/MI/MI0810/2005A01B/T%E4torternami0810tab1.xls |format=xls |language=Swedish |accessdate=2008-05-15}}</ref>
|area_total_km2 = 41.79
|population_as_of = 2005-12-31
|population_footnotes = <ref name="scb"/>
|population_total = 68,700
|population_density_km2 = 1644
|timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
|utc_offset = +1
|timezone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|latd=60 |latm=40 |lats= |latNS=N
|longd=17 |longm=10 |longs= |longEW=E
|website =
}}
[[Image:Gävle in Sweden.png|180px|right]]
'''Gävle''' ['jɛ:vlə] is a city in east central [[Sweden]] with 68,700 inhabitants ([[2005]]). It is the seat of [[Gävle Municipality]] with a population of 92,416 ([[2006]]) and of [[Gävleborg County]]. It is the oldest city in the historical [[Norrland]] (Sweden's Northern lands), as it received its [[charter]] in [[1446]] by [[Christopher of Bavaria]].
==History==
[[Image:Gävle vapen.svg|left|70px|Coat of arms.]]
It is believed that the name ''Gävle'' stems from the word ''gavel'', meaning [[river bank]]s in old [[Swedish language|Swedish]], by the river [[Gavleån]]. The oldest settlement was called Gavle-ägarna in Swedish, which means ''Gavel-owners''. This name was eventually shortened to ''Gavle'', then ''Gefle'', and finally ''Gävle''.
For a long time Gävle consisted solely of small, low, [[sod|turf]] or [[shingle]] roofed, wooden buildings. Boat-houses lined the banks of Gavleån, Lillån, and Islandsån. Until the 1700s the town was built, as was the practice then, around the three most important buildings; the [[church]], the regional [[palace]], and the [[town hall]].
Over the last 300 years Gävle has been ablaze on three different occasions. After the fire of 1776 the town was transformed to straight streets and [[rectangular]] city blocks. The number of stone and brick houses also started to increase.
The biggest town fire occurred 1869 when out of a population of around 10,000 approximately 8,000 inhabitants lost their homes, and about 350 [[farm]]s were destroyed. Almost the whole town north of Gavleån was burnt down. All the buildings south of Gavleån were saved. An area of the old town between the museum and the library has been preserved to this day as a reserve - [[Gamla Gefle]].
After the catastrophe of the fire Gävle developed its characteristic [[Street grid|grid plan]] with large [[esplanade]]s and green areas. It is now a green town with wide [[avenue]]s. Stopping the spread of future town fires was the main idea behind this development.
An extensive redevelopment of the central town area was started during the 1950s. Around 1970 Gävle became a large [[urban area|urban]] district when it was united with the nearby municipalities of [[Valbo]], [[Hamrånge]], [[Hedesunda]], and [[Hille]]. New [[suburb]]s like [[Stigslund]], [[Sätra]], [[Andersberg]], and [[Bomhus]] have grown up around the central town.
==Gävle goat==
{{main|Gävle goat}}
[[Image:Christmas-Goat.JPG|thumb|The Gävle Goat.]]
The history of the [[Gävle goat]] began in 1966. A man named Stig Gavlén came up with the idea of making a giant version of the traditional Swedish [[Yule Goat|Christmas goat]] of [[straw]] and placing it on (Slottstorget) Castle Square in central Gävle. On [[1 December]] the 13-metre tall, 7-metre long, 3 tonne [[goat]] stood on the square. At the stroke of midnight on [[New Year's Eve]], the [[goat]] went up in flames. The goat has since had a history of being burnt almost every year, 2005 being the 22nd time it was burnt. Burning the goat is an illegal act and not welcomed by most citizens of Gävle, but undoubtedly this is what has made the [[goat]] famous. In 2006 the [[goat]] was covered in a flame resistant coating to prevent [[arson]], enabling the [[goat]] to remain standing throughout that winter.
==Geography==
Gävle is situated by the [[Baltic Sea]] near the mouth of the river [[Dalälven]]. At 60 degrees north and 17 degrees east, Gävle has the same [[latitude]] as [[Helsinki]] and the same [[longitude]] as [[Vienna]] and [[Cape Town]].
Gävle has a similar [[climate]] to the rest of central [[Sweden]] with an average temperature of −5 °C (21 °F) in January and +17 °C (63 °F) in July.
Yearly rainfall is around 600 mm (24 in).
==Economy==
[[Trade]] from the port of Gävle increased markedly during the 1400s when [[copper]] and [[iron]] began to be exported from the port. In order to ensure that all trade was via [[Stockholm]], sailing to foreign ports from Gävle and a few other ports was forbidden.
During the 1500s, Gävle was one of the most important port and merchant towns with many shipping companies and [[shipyard]]s.
In 1787 Gävle was awarded "free and unrestricted sailing rights" to and from foreign ports. This led to an increase in [[trade]], which in turn lead to an increase in buildings, industrial developments, trade and shipping.
Today there are few shipping companies or [[shipyard]]s left, but an important [[port]] remains. It has over 1000 ships calling per annum and is among the top ten common ports in Sweden.
===Major companies===
[[Image:Gävle-Disused Industrial Area.JPG|thumb|Gävle Industry]]
* [[Korsnäs (company)]] ([[forest industry]])
* [[Stora Cell Industri]] ([[forest industry]])
* [[Kraft Foods|Kraft General Foods Scandinavia]] ([[Gevalia]] [[coffee]] and [[spices]])
* [[Leaf AB]] ([[sweets]] and [[confectionery]], carrying brands such as Läkerol and Ahlgrens)
* [[Gävle Galvan]] ([[galvanization]])
* [[Gävle Stål]] (pre-fabricated [[steel]] constructions)
* [[Gävle Varv]] ([[pressure tank]]s)
* [[Cale Industri]] ([[parking meter]]s)
* [[Ericsson]] ([[radio|radio base stations]] for [[mobile telephone]] networks)
==Education==
The [[University College of Gävle]] currently enrolls 12,500 students. It offers courses of study at six departments: [[Business Administration]], [[Education]] and [[Psychology]], [[Nursing|Caring Sciences]] and [[Sociology]], [[Humanities]] and [[Social Sciences]], [[Mathematics]], [[Natural Science|Natural]] and [[Computer Sciences]] and [[Technology]], and [[Built Environment]].
Some courses are given in [[English language|English]] taught both to visiting students from foreign partner institutions and to Swedish students.
==Miscellaneous topics==
Gävle is mostly known for the [[coffee]] called [[Gevalia]], produced by [[Kraft_Foods|Kraft General Foods Scandinavia]] ([[Gevalia]] is the [[Latin]] name for Gävle), its [[Gävle goat]], the Läkerol [[throat lozenge]]s and car-shaped sweets [[Ahlgrens|Ahlgrens Bilar]], and for its [[ice hockey]] team [[Brynäs IF]].
===Notable natives===
* [[Alexandra Dahlström]] (actress)
* [[Christian Edstrom]] (professional rally co-driver)
* [[Anders Eklund]] (boxer)
* [[Joe Hill]] (labour activist)
* [[Cat Stevens]] (musician) - his mother Ingrid Wickman was from Gävle, and he also lived here for some time during his childhood.
* [[Joakim Sundström]] (sound designer)
* [[Nicklas Bäckström]] (hockey player)
===Sports===
Gävle has teams competing in the highest national league in both [[soccer|football]] ([[Gefle IF]]) and [[ice hockey]] ([[Brynäs IF]]). The town is also home to a wrestling team called [[BK Loke]].
===Town twinning===
Gävle's [[Town twinning|town twins]] are:
*{{flagicon|South Africa}} [[Buffalo City Local Municipality|Buffalo City]], [[South Africa]]
===Whisky===
[[Mackmyra]], a suburb of Gävle, is home to [[Mackmyra Whisky]], the only [[whisky]] [[distillery]] in [[Sweden]]. [[Malt]] [[whisky]] has been produced there since 1999.
==See also==
*[[International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships]] (1995)
*[[List of Gävleborg Governors]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Commons}}
*[http://www.gavle.se Gävle] - Official site
*[http://www.sna.se/webatlas/muni/ National Atlas of Sweden] - Statistics
*[http://www.mackmyra.com/ Mackmyra Whisky] - Official site
*[http://www.gavlemat.se/ GävleMat] - Restaurants
{{coor title dm|60|40|N|17|10|E|region:SE_type:city}}
{{Cities in Sweden}}
{{Localities in Gävle Municipality}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gavle}}
[[Category:Cities in Sweden]]
[[Category:Gästrikland]]
[[Category:Coastal cities and towns in Sweden]]
[[Category:Swedish municipal seats]]
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