Gästrikland
Gästrikland, landskap (province), eastern Sweden. It lies along the Gulf of Bothnia, in the administrative län (county) of Gävleborg. It is one of the smaller traditional provinces of Sweden. Bounded on the south by the province of Uppland, on the north by that of Hälsingland, and on the west by that of Dalarna, it is transitional in character between central Sweden and the region of Norrland. Inland from its rocky coast, which has many fine beaches, there are numerous lakes and wooded hills. Because of the province’s extensive forests, leading industries include lumbering, sawmilling, and the manufacture of wood pulp and paper. Ironworks are also prevalent, having flourished since the Middle Ages; this is especially true of the area around Sandviken, which is famous for its saws. Gävle is the major town.