Piteå is located at the mouth of the Pite River, at the shore of the Bay of Bothnia. The central part is located on an islet called Häggholmen, which due to post-glacial rebound almost has become a part of the mainland; the land in northern Sweden rises at a rate of up to per year. Piteå has an attractive archipelago, which is one of the reasons it is a popular place for tourism both in summer and winter. It features a beach resort area called Pite Havsbad that is often labelled "The Riviera of Norrland", around which there is a spa, a long sandy beach, a restaurant and a golf course. The area is also suitable for fishing and outdoor activities. In the winter, snow activities such as skiing and winter bathing are common.
Climate
Piteå has a climate that is classified as subarctic climate, bordering to a Humid continental climate. The warmest months in Piteå are June, July, and August, with high temperatures of. The coldest are December, January, and February, with low temperatures of.
History
Piteå received its city privileges on 12 May 1621. The town was originally situated slightly north of its current location, in present-day Öjebyn. In July 1666, the entire town burnt down, and over the following few years it was rebuilt on Häggholmen, a small island which forms the nucleus of present-day Piteå. In 1721, the new town was burnt down by Russian troops during the Russian Pillage of 1719-1721, and the only building that remained was the church, which is still standing. The town square, where the town hall is located, has kept its structure from the 17th century. It is one of only two squares in Sweden with closed corners; the other one is in Uppsala. Piteå's population has increased rapidly since the 19th century. In the years 1870–1920, Piteå had a population of only 2,500 people. Part of the early population increase is attributed to the 1911 opening of the Älvsbyn-Piteå railway branch, as well as industrial establishments and the harbour. Piteå has traditionally had a strong forestry industry; papermills, sawmills, and its harbour are of some importance.
Culture
Piteå is known for its pitepalt, a food dish consisting of potato dumplings with chopped pork filling. The area is also known for its dialect, called Pitemål, which however is mainly spoken by elders in surrounding villages. Piteå has a fast food drive-thru commonly used by snowmobilers. The restaurant was a McDonald's from February 2002 to November 2007. Several McDonald's restaurants in Norrbotten closed at the time, in the face of competition from Max Hamburgers. The restaurant is now part of the Frasses hamburger chain. The drive-thru has received international coverage, including on The Travel Channel in an episode called "Most Unique McDonald's". Piteå has a sister city in the Caribbean: Gustavia, capital of Saint Barthélemy, the formerly Swedish possession that is now part of France.
Cleantech
Piteå has emerged as an important center of cleantech production and research based on cellulose byproducts. Chemrec operates a black liquor gasifier and the world's first BioDME production facility, SunPine has pioneered a renewable diesel process technology using crude tall oil as feedstock, and ETC is a research and development center for renewable fuels with focus on combustion, gasification and biorefining processes.
