Rajapisteiden

Rajapisteiden is the genitive plural form of the Finnish noun rajapiste, meaning border crossing point. The term is used when referring to multiple border crossing points, for example in official documents or descriptive texts such as rajapisteiden hallinta (the management of border crossing points) or rajapisteiden määrä (the number of border crossing points). In everyday Finnish, the singular is rajapiste and the plural nominative is rajapisteet; the genitive plural is rajapisteiden.

Border crossing points are facilities at national borders where passage of people and goods is subject to immigration, customs, and other border procedures. They can be located on land, at airports, harbors, or railway stations, and typically include infrastructure such as passport control booths, customs halls, inspection lanes, and surveillance systems. The operation and protocols at rajapisteet are defined by national law and international agreements, and are commonly carried out by border control authorities, customs administrations, and related agencies.

In a wider context, the treatment of border crossing points is influenced by regional agreements. In the European Union’s Schengen Area, routine checks at internal borders are largely abolished, while external borders maintain controls at rajapisteet. Temporary restrictions can be imposed at external borders during security concerns, emergencies, or public health events, affecting which points are open or staffed at any given time.

National examples vary, but many countries maintain a network of land, air, and sea rajapisteet to regulate entry, support security, and facilitate trade. The term rajapisteiden is principally used in Finnish-language discussions of these facilities and their management.