a city and port in northern Sweden, on islands at the mouth of the Lulealven, on the Gulf of Bothnia. Administrative center of Norrbotten Ian (county). Population, 58,900 (1971). It is a transportation junction; iron ore from Lapland (Kiruna-Gallivare) is exported. Among its industries are ferrous metallurgy and machine building (including shipbuilding), and sawtimber and cellulose are produced. Lulea has museums, including one with a collection on Lapp ethnology. The city was founded in 1621.