Distinct areas
While the four countries we're interested in here have borders, the diversity of the Lapland landscape in no way respects these invisible, man-made barriers. Lapland is made up of a number of distinct regions, independent of state borders.
Central Lapland and Gulf of Bothnia
Central Lapland encompasses Sweden, Finland and the southern half of Russia's Kola Peninsula. The landscape is characterized by hectares of boreal forest, or taiga, stretching as far as the eye can see and covering plateaus and rounded hills (tunturi). In winter, in the Gulf of Bothnia, snow and ice link lakes and islets, which then become one. In this white paradise, it's hard to tell the difference between real land and icy water.
Swedish Lapland
Covering an area of 110,000 km², Swedish Lapland occupies a quarter of Sweden's surface area and is populated by just 92,000 inhabitants (2017), most of whom are concentrated in three conurbations: Kiruna, Gällivare and Jokkmokk. Outside these cities, the population density is less than one inhabitant per km². The region is best known for its mountains, the Scandinavian Alps, which stretch 680 km from the Abisko and Kebenekaise massifs in the north to the Burg massif in the south, bordering the Jämtland region. The highest point is Kebnekaise, at 2,097 m. It was a Frenchman, Charles Rabot, who made the first ascent of this peak in 1883. Swedish Lapland has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1996, for its diversity and richness.
Finnish Lapland
Finnish Lapland, with its 100,367 km², occupies 30% of the Finnish territory and has just two inhabitants per km². This region of 180,000 inhabitants is home to two types of landscape, a low-lying area in the east and a mountainous terrain covering two-thirds of Lapland in the west. It also boasts 1,000 km² of marshland! Rovaniemi, with its 62,000 inhabitants, is the largest city and administrative capital. Elsewhere, population density is low. Among the biggest tourist towns are Kittilä and Inari.
The Finnmark plateau
To the north of Swedish and Finnish Lapland lies Norwegian Lapland, better known by the name of its region: Finnmark(Finn meaning soul). Inland, the immense Finnmark plateau is a magnificent tundra plain with only two Lapp villages, Karasjok and Kautokeino. The two municipalities that make up the plateau cover a total area of 14,000 m² and are home to some 6,000 souls. Here, you can hike for days, even weeks, without encountering a soul. A change of scenery and peace and quiet are guaranteed!
The North and West Coasts
They are characterized by deep fjords that cut into the coastline, punctuated by fishing villages. Here, the water is never frozen over, thanks to the Gulf Stream current, which compensates for the high latitude. Kirkenes and Narvik, both in Norway, are the main maritime outlets for Scandinavian Lapland. Norway's distinctive image is best represented by its jagged coastline. Murmansk is the largest city north of the Arctic Circle, and the main port of Russian Lapland. The northern part of the Kola Peninsula is tundra, as is the Norwegian coastline from the town of Vardø.
The Lofoten Islands. Although the Lofoten Islands are not part of Lapland, they are close to it, and their exceptional topography mirrors the rest of the Norwegian coastline. Today, some 25,000 people live between the 67th and 68th parallels north, on a 1,227 km2 archipelagothat juts out into the sea 150 km long. Here, exceptional landscapes intermingle: deep fjords, steep cliffs and even fertile plains. Although the road through the archipelago is only 170 km long, it's well worth stopping every 500 meters! The largest town is Svolvær, with 4,500 inhabitants.
Tromsø, nicknamed the "Paris of the North", is a true cultural capital! With 76,734 inhabitants, it has a much higher population density than any other Norwegian city in the Far North, with only Alta ahead of it. In fact, it is the third-largest city above the Arctic Circle. Tromsø's geographical position makes it one of the best places in the world to observe the northern lights and the midnight sun.
The North Cape. Along this coast lies the North Cape, the tip of the European continent. Among an infinite number of immense plateaus, this wind-whipped arm of land juts out into the Barents Sea, offering a very real feeling of being at the end of the world.
Tips for hikers
Waterproof hiking boots are highly recommended. The terrain is often wet, even marshy, and in places still snow-covered, and no one likes to hike with wet feet! As for the time of year, the virulence of mosquitoes between July and early August can be a real problem. If you can, opt for June and September. In June, the midnight sun is breathtaking, and in September, Lapland is ablaze with color during the ruska. Don't leave without a GR map! You can quickly lose your way in the vastness of Lapland. In winter, in particular, the markings disappear under the snow. Finding yourself in the middle of nowhere with no landmarks is never very reassuring. Taking unmarked paths requires the use of a compass (or better still, a GPRS, derived from GSM). Don't hesitate to contact Svenska Turistföreningen(www.svenskaturistforeningen.se) in Sweden, Den Norske Turistforening(www.dnt.no) in Norway and the national parks in Finland(www.nationalparks.fi). Stay safe, and enjoy the peace and quiet of the North!
