 Arctic and Antarctic expeditions of the 19th and 20th centuries, including that of Admiral Peary of the US, wore furs supplied by Hermansons, whose shop still stands in Haparanda, albeit closed now.Haparanda was the only open railway border crossing at the border to Russia during World War I.

Haparanda/Tornio play in the second tier bandy division in Sweden, allsvenskan.Haparanda hosted matches in the Bandy World Championship 2001.