Mo i Rana is a Norwegian city on the Ranfjord, just north of the Arctic Circle in Nordland county. With a population of around 25,000, it is the third-largest city in northern Norway. The city grew up around iron and steel manufacturing — the Rana steelworks was one of Norway's largest industrial complexes through the 20th century — but it has since diversified and retains a practical, working-town character rather than a tourist-resort one.
The setting is striking. The fjord cuts deep inland from the Helgeland coast, and the surrounding mountains hold some of the largest glaciers in mainland Europe. The Svartisen glacier, just north of the city, is the second largest glacier in Norway; boat trips across Holandsfjorden bring you to within walking distance of the ice. The Grønligrotta and Setergrotta caves in the limestone mountains to the west are open for guided tours in summer, and the area is honeycombed with karst landscape that rewards exploration.
Mo i Rana sits on the Arctic Highway (E6) between Trondheim and Bodø, and on the Nordland Railway — one of the most scenic rail lines in Europe. The town is a useful base for exploring the Helgeland region and a natural stop for travellers making the long journey north toward the Lofoten Islands or Tromsø.