Kirkenes

Kirkenes is a town and the administrative centre of Sør-Varanger Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It lies in the far northeast of the country on the Barents Sea coast near the border with Russia, opposite the Russian town of Nikel. The town is the largest community in the municipality and serves as a regional service and transport hub for eastern Finnmark.

Historically, the area has been inhabited for centuries by Sámi and other peoples. Modern Kirkenes developed in the early 20th century around the Bjørnevatn iron ore mine and the port. The town was largely destroyed during the German retreat in World War II in 1944 and was rebuilt in the postwar period.

Economically, Kirkenes functions as a border-trading and logistics centre, with a deep-water port and an international airport, and is a stop on the Hurtigruten coastal voyage. The nearby Storskog border crossing provides the only legal land crossing between Norway and Russia. Tourism is important, with attractions such as the Snowhotel Kirkenes, king crab safaris in the Barents Sea, and winter Northern Lights viewing.

Kirkenes experiences a subarctic climate, with cold winters and cool summers influenced by the Barents Sea. The area has the polar night in winter and the midnight sun in summer. The municipality has a population of a few thousand, with Kirkenes being the largest town.