Linking the Indigenous Sami People with Regional Development in Sweden
The Sami have lived for time immemorial in an area that today extends across the Kola Peninsula in Russia, northern Finland, northern Norway's coast and inland, and the northern half of Sweden. The Sami play an important role in these northern economies thanks to their use of land, their involvement in reindeer husbandry, agriculture/farming and food production, and connection with the region’s tourism industry. However, in Sweden, as in the other states where the Sami live, the connections with regional development are often inconsistent and weak, and could do more to support the preservation and promotion of Sami culture and create new employment and business opportunities. This study, together with the OECD’s broader thematic work on this topic, provides actionable recommendations on how to better include the Sami and other Indigenous Peoples in regional development strategies, learning from and incorporating their own perspectives on sustainable development in the process.
Executive summary
The Sami are an Indigenous people who have lived for time immemorial in an area that today extends across the Kola Peninsula in Russia, northern Finland, northern Norway’s coast and inland areas, and the northern half of Sweden. The Sami are the only Indigenous people in Sweden and have an estimated population of around 20 000 to 40 000. A more precise population count is unknown as Sweden does not collect statistical information on ethnicity. A lack of statistical data on the Sami in Sweden makes it difficult to understand the Sami business sector, livelihoods and well-being.