  Stora Hepokari | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 65°36′27″N24°01′55″E / 65.607609°N 24.031831°E |
| Adjacent to | Bay of Bothnia |
| Administration | |
Sweden | |
| County | Norrbotten |
| Municipality | Haparanda |
Stora Hepokari is an island in the northeast of the Swedish sector of the Bothnian Bay, in the Haparanda archipelago.
Stora Hepokari lies in the Haparanda archipelago, the part of the Norrbotten archipelago that is included in the Haparanda Municipality. Stora Hepokari is in the outer part of the archipelago, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the border with Finland. [1] All of the islands in the Haparanda archipelago have emerged in the last 1,500 years or so, as the bed of the bay has risen due to post-glacial rebound following the last ice age. [2]
Stora Hepokari is about 185.3 hectares (458 acres) in size. [3] The island is rich in archaeological remains, including the ruins of a fishing village, with mounds for drying nets and a maze. The island contains rocky areas and open meadows as well as deciduous trees and bushes. [1]
The island has been chosen for inclusion in Natura 2000 because it is abundant in Siberian Primrose ( Primula nutans ), a species listed in the Habitats directive. [4] The goal is to maintain at least 60,000 specimens of the plant. The main danger facing the plants is exploitation of the beaches by humans. [5] The Siberian Primrose is red-listed in the Near Threatened category in Sweden. The plant grows in meadows and boulder beaches. The environment on Stora Hepokari is unstable, because uplift eliminates suitable terrain while new areas appear. The plant's seeds are wind-dispersed, but may also be carried by water. [6]
Haparanda Municipality, is a municipality in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Haparanda.
Haparanda Archipelago National Park is a national park in Haparanda Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden.
The Bothnian Bay or Bay of Bothnia is the northernmost part of the Gulf of Bothnia, which is in turn the northern part of the Baltic Sea. The land holding the bay is still rising after the weight of ice-age glaciers has been removed, and within 2,000 years the bay will be a large freshwater lake since its link to the south Kvarken is mostly less than 20 metres (66 ft) deep. The bay today is fed by several large rivers, and is relatively unaffected by tides, so has low salinity. It freezes each year for up to six months. Compared to other parts of the Baltic it has little plant or animal life.
Malören is an island in the Kalix archipelago of northern Sweden. It lies to the southwest of Sandskär, but is not part of the Haparanda Archipelago National Park. Malören has the shape of an atoll, with sandbanks around an inland sea. It came into existence about 1,500 years ago when the area began to rise by 85 cm (33 in) per century. Since 1997, the island has been a nature reserve, encompassing 181 ha. On the island is a chapel, built in 1769, and a lighthouse, built in 1851.
Sandskär is an island in the northeast of the Swedish sector of the Bay of Bothnia. Once used as a base for fishing and sealing, it is now part of a national park.
Seskar Furö is an uninhabited island in the northeast of the Swedish sector of the Bay of Bothnia. It is now part of a national park.
The Luleå archipelago is a group of Swedish islands in the north part of the Bay of Bothnia. They lie offshore from the city of Luleå and the mouth of the Lule River. A few of the islands have small permanent populations, but most are used only for recreation in the summer months. They are icebound during the winter.
The Norrbotten archipelago is a group of Swedish islands in the north part of the Bay of Bothnia. A few of the islands have small permanent populations, but most are used only for recreation in the summer months. They are icebound during the winter.
The Kalix archipelago is a group of 792 Swedish islands in the north part of the Bay of Bothnia. The largest island in the Kalix archipelago is Rånön. A few of the islands have small permanent populations, but most are used only for recreation in the summer months. They are icebound during the winter.
The Piteå archipelago is a group of Swedish islands in the north part of the Bay of Bothnia, at Piteå in the southeast of Norrbotten County. A few of the islands have small permanent populations, but most are used only for recreation in the summer months. They are icebound during the winter.
The Haparanda archipelago is a group of 792 Swedish islands in the north part of the Bay of Bothnia. The islands are used for recreation in the summer months. They are icebound during the winter.
Hanhinkari is an island in the northeast of the Swedish sector of the Bothnian Bay, in the Haparanda archipelago.
Skomakaren is an island in the northeast of the Swedish sector of the Bothnian Bay, in the Haparanda archipelago.
Stora Hamnskär is an island in the northeast of the Swedish sector of the Bothnian Bay, in the Haparanda archipelago.
Torne-Furö is an island in the northeast of the Swedish sector of the Bothnian Bay, in the Haparanda archipelago.
Stora Trutskär is an island in the northwest of the Swedish sector of the Bay of Bothnia, in the Kalix archipelago. It has a beach area used for recreation, but is mostly covered by a nature reserve.
Likskär is an island in the north of the Swedish sector of the Bay of Bothnia in the Kalix archipelago and a nature reserve that covers part of this and neighboring islands.
Granön is an island in the north of the Swedish sector of the Bay of Bothnia, in the Kalix archipelago.
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