Haninge – diversity and opportunity

Contrast is a word that sums up Haninge very well. It is a young municipality – founded in 1971 after the merger of Västerhaninge and Österhaninge municipalities – yet it is an old community, dating back to the Viking Age. Diversity is also a good word with which to describe Haninge. The municipality's population includes people from all generations and from large parts of the world. With a mixture of cultures, background and experience, Haninge is a place with many exciting stories to tell.

Both urban and rural

Haninge also displays charming contrasts in its settlements and land development, where large, new constructions are teamed with old, small-scale buildings. We have both urban and rural areas; more than two thirds of the municipality consists of archipelago with over 3,600 islands, rocks and skerries. Dalarö and Utö are two examples of archipelago communities that do not just attract sailors from local and far-flung locations; they are also home to a great many families and companies looking for a different rhythm and lifestyle. The main town in the municipality is called Handen and is the regional hub of the expansive Södertörn area. Handen constitutes a rapidly expanding town centre, with its commuter railway station, bus terminal, the cultural centre Kulturhus and educational establishments including upper secondary schools, post-secondary vocational education and training (KY) and the Haninge campus of KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology, offering higher education courses. There is also a shopping centre with more than 100 shops, restaurants, banks and Systembolaget (a shop selling wine, beer and spirits).