Salla National Park is a Finnish national park located in the municipality of Salla in the eastern region of Lapland. Established on January 1, 2022, it is Finland's newest and 41st national park and covers an area of 99.83 square kilometers.[1][2][3]

Salla National Park
View from Pyhätunturi East
Map showing the location of Salla National Park
Map showing the location of Salla National Park
Location in Finland
LocationLapland
Nearest cityRovaniemi
Coordinates66°48.055′N 28°51.401′E / 66.800917°N 28.856683°E / 66.800917; 28.856683
Area99.83 km2 (38.54 sq mi)
EstablishedJanuary 1, 2022
Governing bodyMetsähallitus
Higher peak of Sallatunturit

The national park consists of very representative ancient forests and small bogs, as well as glacier-shaped hills and ridges. The western part of the national park is bordered by the tourist and ski center of Sallatunturi, and the eastern part by the Finnish-Russian border. The town of Salla is less than 10 km to the northwest.[4][5][6][7]

Within a year of its opening, the National Park had seen an increase in local economic activity and investment, as well as calls for a rail connection to be extended to Salla from its current terminus in Kemijärvi, c. 50 kilometres (31 mi) away.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ "Eduskunta hyväksyi Sallatunturin kansallispuiston perustamisen – kunnanjohtaja: tämä on meidän korona-exit" (in Finnish). Yle. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Salla National Park". Nationalparks.fi. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  3. ^ "HS Ympäristö | Pohjoisen tuntureilta tuttu vitsaus näkyy jo Sallan upouudessa kansallispuistossa – Laella odottaa turistien latoma kivikasa". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 2022-06-11. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  4. ^ paularossi (2022-06-15). "North of the Arctic Circle, Finland's 41st national park helps preserve wilderness and natural splendour". thisisFINLAND. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  5. ^ "Aktiviteetit Sallan kansallispuistossa". Luontoon.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  6. ^ "Luontoon.fi - Metsähallituksen Luontopalvelujen virallinen verkkosivusto". Luontoon.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  7. ^ "Sallan kansallispuiston nähtävyydet". Luontoon.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  8. ^ "Uusi kansallispuisto toi sykäyksen Sallan talouteen – pikkukunnassa polkaistiin heti käyntiin useampi miljoonainvestointi" (in Finnish). Yle. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.