SørVaranger

Sør-Varanger is a municipality in the extreme northeast of Norway, in the county of Troms og Finnmark. It sits on the Varanger Peninsula and has a coastline along the Barents Sea. The eastern border is Norway’s boundary with Russia, with the Storskog border crossing facilitating road traffic between Kirkenes and Russia. The administrative centre is Kirkenes, a port town that acts as the service and transport hub for the region. Other settlements include Bugøynes, Neiden and Pasvik.

Geography and nature: The landscape ranges from coastal marshes and fjords to taiga and boreal forests. The municipality contains parts of protected areas such as Varangerhalvøya National Park and Øvre Pasvik National Park. The Pasvik and Neiden river systems and the Neiden River are notable features. The area experiences polar day in summer and polar night in winter.

History and borders: Sør-Varanger has historically been a border zone between Norway and Russia, with cross-border trade and cultural contact. During World War II, Kirkenes was heavily bombed and subsequently rebuilt. The border crossing at Storskog is the only facility that legally connects Norway and Russia by road.

Economy and culture: The local economy is based on services, fishing, some farming and reindeer herding in surrounding areas, and cross-border trade and tourism. Visitors are drawn to the northern lights, the midnight sun, nature reserves and cultural heritage in Neiden and other villages.