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Kiruna: A Swedish town forced to move

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May 13, 2015

Vast iron ore mines in northern Sweden and years of digging have undermined the town of Kiruna. Under a 20-year relocation plan, the entire settlement is being rebuilt a few kilometers to the east.

Many buildings in Kiruna are in danger of collapsing. Cracks are appearing in the ground. Now the first buildings are being demolished. The new Kiruna is meant to be a "model city for the future." The original Kiruna was founded over 100 years ago as a settlement for ore mining. Around 24 million tons of iron ore are extracted there each year.

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