Its location provides a clue about the severe climate.
Winters can be harsh with a great deal of snow and sub-zero temperatures.
On the other hand, it has been known for the temperature to exceed 30 C in the summer. This makes the interior region sparsely populated with as low as one person per sq. The landscape is widely varied. The county extends from the mountains in the west, along the great rivers and through the vast forests and farming areas, to the coast and the Gulf of Bothnia in the east. It is 500 km from east to west, and half the distance from north to south.