Finnmarksvidda


Finnmarksvidda is Norway's largest plateau, with an area greater than. The plateau lies about above sea level. Approximately 36% of Finnmark lies on the Finnmarksvidda.

Geography

From Alta Municipality in the west to the Varanger Peninsula in the east it stretches for approximately, being at least that wide from north to south, extending into Finland. The southeastern part of the plateau is protected by the Øvre Anárjohka National Park. The park opened in 1976.

Fauna and flora

The plateau includes extensive birch woods, pine barrens, bogs, and glacially formed lakes. Finnmarksvidda is situated north of the Arctic Circle and is best known as the land of the once nomadic Sami people and their reindeer herds. Their shelters in the tundra, are still in use in winter time.

Climate

Finnmarksvidda, located in the interior of the county has a continental climate with the coldest winter temperatures in Norway: the coldest temperature ever recorded was in Karasjok on 1 January 1886. The 24-hour averages for January and July in the same location are and, while the yearly average is merely. Precipitation is only per year. Karasjok has recorded up to in July, giving a possible yearly amplitude of, which is rare in Europe. The annual mean temperatures on the plateau are as low as , this being is the lowest average in mainland Norway − lower even than that of Jan Mayen and Bjørnøya.