Climate

Average July temperature: 13.6˚ C
Average January temperature: -2.1˚ C

Midnight sun: 2 June – 10 July
Polar night: 15 – 29 December

Geography

Longitude: 14˚23’ East
Latitude: 67˚17’ North
Population: 47 695 (1 October 2010)

Mountain tops in the Bodø area 
Lurfjelltind: 1,284 metres
Børvasstindene: 1,176 metres
Steigtind: 793 metres
Heggmotind: 798 metres

Largest islands 
Landegode: 30 km2
Straumøya: 29 km2
Knaplundsøya: 6,3 km2

Saltstraumen is the world's strongest maelstrom. Every six hours, 400 million m3 of water rush through a narrow sound.

History

On 20 May 1816 the Norwegian parliament formally granted Bodø township status. Bodø then had an adult male population of 55 and grew only slowly until the mid 1860s. Suddenly the town's fortune changed for the better. The Nordland herring fisheries became exceptionally productive and the prices were excellent.

By 1875, Bodø had 1,478 residents, and by 1885, the population had risen to 2,695. But just as suddenly as it came, the herring was gone. People had to find other ways to make ends meet. Nevertheless, the town of Bodø managed.

On 27 May 1940 the Germans launched a massive attack on Bodø. In just two and a half hours, most of the town was reduced to rubble. Fortunately, about 70 percent of the population had already been evacuated to cabins in the surrounding regions.