Finnmark

From Freepedia

Finnmark (Sami Finnmárku) is a county in the extreme north of Norway, bordering Troms, Finland (Lapland), and Russia (Murmansk Oblast). Finnmark is also part of the Lapland region, which spans four countries, as well as the Barents Region.

Finnmark fylke
Image:Finnmark coa.png
Image:Finnmark kart.png
County NO-20
Region Nord-Norge
Administrative centre Vadsø
County mayor  
Area
 - Total
 - Percentage 		Ranked 1
48,618 km²
15.04 %
Population
 - Total (2004)
 - Percentage
 - Change (10 years)
 - Density 		Ranked 19
73,210
1.60 %
-4.2 %
2/km²
Gross Regional Product
 - Total (2001)
 - Percentage
 - GRP/capita 		Ranked 19
13,715 million NOK
0.90 %
185,563 NOK

Finnmark is the northern- and easternmost county of Norway. (Svalbard is not considered a county.) The northern and western parts are indented by fjords. The nature varies from bare coast to river areas with gullies and tree vegetation. Finnmarksvidda is a plateau with an elevation of approximately 300m. This plateau in the interior of the county has a continental climate with the coldest winter temperatures in Norway: the coldest temperature ever recorded was -51.4°C in Karasjok, while the average January temperature at the same location is -17.1°C. Due to the proximity to the ice-free ocean (western part of the Barents Sea), winters are not so cold in coastal areas; Honningsvåg in Nordkapp (North Cape) municipality has an average January temperature of -4.5°C, despite being further north. July average in Karasjok is 13.1°C, and in Honningsvåg 10.3°C (base period 1961-1990, 24h averages; data is provided by Norwegian Meteorological Institute).

Knivskjellodden at Nordkapp (on Magerøya island) is the northernmost point of Europe; Kinnarodden at Nordkyn is the northermost point on the European mainland. Vardø is the easternmost point in Norway and western Europe, and is actually east of Istanbul.

In area, Finnmark is Norway's largest county. However, with a population of only 75,000, it is also the least populated. Hammerfest is the centre of Finnmark's tourist trade. Kirkenes has seen many Russian immigrants, being just a few kilometers from the Russian border.

History

Finnmark, parts of which were colonized by Norwegians beginning in the Middle Ages, first became a subject of major colonization in the 18th and 19th century. Norway, Sweden and Russia all claimed control over the this area. Finnmark was initially a Norwegian colony, but became an integrated part of the Kingdom in the early part of the 19th century, when it was elevated to Amt (county).

Vadsö is the capitol city of the county of Finnmark, although Alta has the largest population.

Demographics

Much of the Sami population of Norway live in Finnmark; scholars believe they have been living there for at least two thousand years. Finnmark and the municipalities Kautokeino, Karasjok, Tana, Nesseby, Porsanger and Kåfjord (in Troms) also have official names in the Sami language.

There are archeological findings from the earliest times in Finnmark, belonging to the so called Komsa culture. There are also findings suggesting that the Sami people have been there for a long time. From the Middle Ages, the place has been populated by ethnic Norwegians and been part of the kingdom. There are also Finnish-speakers speaking the Quen (Kven) dialect with some Norwegian influences. This people are genetically related to the people of the province of Kainuu in Finland.

Finnmark is also the older name for Lapland in Sweden and is used by some inhabitants in this region. The title comes from Linné's expeditions in the northern Nordic during the 1700s.

Municipalities


Counties of Norway Image:Coat of Arms of Norway.png
Akershus | Aust-Agder | Buskerud | Finnmark | Hedmark | Hordaland | Møre og Romsdal | Nordland | Nord-Trøndelag | Oppland | Oslo | Østfold | Rogaland | Sogn og Fjordane | Sør-Trøndelag | Telemark | Troms | Vest-Agder | Vestfold

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