Torne River
Encyclopedia
The Torne River is a river in northern Sweden and Finland. Approximately half of the river's length is a part of the border between these two countries. It rises at Lake Torne
(Swedish: Torneträsk) near the border with Norway
and flows generally southeast for a distance of 522 kilometres (324.4 mi) into the Gulf of Bothnia
. It is the largest river in Norrbotten
both by length and by watershed area.
, 10400 km² (4,015.5 sq mi) or 14266.3 km² (5,508.2 sq mi) is in Finland
and 1500 km² (579.2 sq mi) or 497.7 km² (192.2 sq mi) is in Norway
.
(Swedish: Torneträsk) near the border with Norway
.
Lake Torne is fed by Njuoraätno and Kåppasjåkka in the west, Gurttejohka, Snurrijåkka, Bessešjohka, Bággesgorsajohka, Davip Duoptejohka, Lulip Duoptejohka, Sarvájohka and others in the north, and Rákkasjohka, Gohpasjohka, Abiskojåkka
, Miellejohka, Bessešjohka, Golkkokjohka, Nivsakkjohka and others in the south.
Above Torne lake, the watershed of the Torne includes the villages Riksgränsen
, Katterjåkk, Vassijaure, Låktatjåkka, Kopperåsen and Tornehamn.
On the south shore of Torne lake are Björkliden, Abisko
, Stordalen, Kaisepakte. Stenbacken and Torneträsk.
On the north shore are the Sami
villages Laimoluokta and Kattuvuoma.
, around 12 kilometres (7 mi) northeast of Kiruna
.
The river splits in two parts that only join at Kurravaara, the part between the river is Alajávri nature reserve (Alajávri naturreservat).
Between the lake and Kurravaara, the streams Čearrojogaš and Rávdojohka join on the right side, and shortly befare Kurravaara, the 134.69 kilometres (83.7 mi) long Rautas River
flows into the Torne.
On the left side, the streams Gukkajohka, Reaskkajohka and Dápmokjohka join.
In the area between the two streams, the Beallejohka joins the right arm from the left.
After Kurravaara, the river proceeds Laxforsen, where it is joined from the right by the Luossajoki.
Here is the first bridge over the river for the road leading from the E10 to Laxforsen, Luossajärvi and Esrange. The river continues to Jukkasjärvi
, where the Ice hotel
is built in winter from the river ice.
At Vittangi
, the 125.7 kilometres (78.1 mi) long Vittangi river, which passes by Esrange
, joins from the left.
Here is the second river-crossing bridge, used by the E45
to Karesuando
.
The river then proceeds to Kuoksu, where it is crossed by the road to Lainio and Oksajärvi, and to Juopakosku, where the Junojoki joins from the left.
At Junosuando
, the Torne river loses 56% of its water to the Tärendö River
in one of the four bifurcations
in the watershed area.
Here is also a bridge for the road to Kangos
and Parkolombolo, this the fourth bridge over the river.
Shortly after Junosuando
, the Piipionjoki joins from the left and at Palokorva, the 259.74 kilometres (161.4 mi) long Lainio River
joins from the left.
In the Lainio River watershed are two more, smaller bifurcations: the lakes Goldajávri, Råstojaure flow toward contributaries of the Laino river as well as to the Norwegian streams Signaldalselva and Råstaelva respectively.
, the Käymäjoki joins from the left and the Liviöjoki and the Mertajoki join from the right.
The village Anttis is located on the left bank of the river, with Swedish road Riksväg 395 (Svappavaraa–Pajala) on the right bank; the fifth bridge connects Anttis to the main road.
Shortly after Pajala, the Torne river joins with the 379.88 kilometres (236 mi) long Muonio River
, the biggest contributary of the Torne river.
Near Pajala are two more bridges going north.
North of this point, the Muonio river forms the border with Finland.
From this point, the border with Finland is formed by the Torne river.
From here the river flows south along the Finno-Swedish border.
This part is known as Torne Valley
and is a popular tourist destination.
Slightly south of Pajala is a border-crossing bridge for a road leading to Kolari
, the eighth bridge over the main river from the source.
The river proceeds to the village Kassa.
At the village of Pello
, which lies on both sides of the river, is a bridge between the two parts.
The river continues south to Svanstein
, crosses the arctic circle at Juoksengi
and proceeds to Niskanpää and Kuivakangas.
In Övertorneå
(Finnish: Ylitornio
) there is another bridge, the final road bridge before the sea.
Here, the 127.43 kilometres (79.2 mi) long Tengeliön River joins from the (Finnish) left side .
The river continues to Hedenäset
and Risudden.
At Karungi
, the Liakanjoki
departs from the Torne river and flows to the Gulf of Bothnia
independently in Finland.
From Karungi south, there are railways on both sides of the valley.
At Kukkola is Kukkolaforsen, a rapids which is also a tourist attraction.
Before finally arriving at the twin city of Haparanda/Tornio
, it passes by the villages Vojakkala
and Mattila.
In the twin city of Haparanda/Tornio are four more bridges: one for cyclists and pedestrians, one for local traffic, one for the E4
and the southernmost, last and 14th bridge over the Tornio river is a dual gauge
railway bridge connecting the Swedish and Finnish railway systems.
and Könkämä River chosen as border between Sweden and the new Russian Grand Duchy of Finland
, thus splitting the provinces
of Lappland and Västerbotten
.
According to the treaty, the border shall follow the deepest part of the river. Once per 25 years a commission of Swedish and Finnish representatives shall determine this border. This means that the border can move. In year 2006 such a border determination was made. Near Haparanda/Tornio the border was fixed in the treaty, partly on land, so the city of Tornio would belong to Russia.
and Finnish
names, like Haparanda
(from Finnish Haaparanta, "Aspen Shore") and Tornio
(from Swedish Torneå).
Historically, the language used on both sides of the river was Finnish. In the late 19th century, schools were opened in both countries. Then there was a decision to make the Swedish part of area Swedish
speaking by teaching the school children only written Swedish and allowing only Swedish to be spoken during lessons, sometimes also during breaks. As an effect, during the second half of the 20th century, Swedish was the dominant language on the Swedish side. The Finnish spoken in informal conversation is similar on both sides of the river, although some newer words differ. To support the traditional language on the Swedish side a new written language has been devised, Meänkieli. On the Finnish side only Finnish is used in written communication. These two languages differ considerably in spelling.
Torneträsk
Torneträsk or Torne träsk is a lake in Kiruna Municipality, Lapland, Norrbotten County in Sweden, in the Scandinavian mountain range. Träsk is the local word for lake . It is the seventh largest lake in Sweden, with a total area of and a length of...
(Swedish: Torneträsk) near the border with Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and flows generally southeast for a distance of 522 kilometres (324.4 mi) into the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
. It is the largest river in Norrbotten
Norrbotten County
Norrbotten County is the northernmost county or län of Sweden. It borders Västerbotten County to the southwest, the Gulf of Bothnia to the southeast. It also borders the counties of Nordland and Troms in Norway to the northwest, and Lapland Province in Finland to the northeast.The name...
both by length and by watershed area.
Geography
The Torne rivershed has a total area of 37300 square kilometres (14,401.6 sq mi) or 40147.1 square kilometres (15,500.9 sq mi) (see sidebar). Of this, 25392.2 km² (9,804 sq mi) or 25393.1 km² (9,804.3 sq mi) is in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, 10400 km² (4,015.5 sq mi) or 14266.3 km² (5,508.2 sq mi) is in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and 1500 km² (579.2 sq mi) or 497.7 km² (192.2 sq mi) is in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Lake Torne
The source of the Torne River is generally considered to be Lake TorneTorneträsk
Torneträsk or Torne träsk is a lake in Kiruna Municipality, Lapland, Norrbotten County in Sweden, in the Scandinavian mountain range. Träsk is the local word for lake . It is the seventh largest lake in Sweden, with a total area of and a length of...
(Swedish: Torneträsk) near the border with Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Lake Torne is fed by Njuoraätno and Kåppasjåkka in the west, Gurttejohka, Snurrijåkka, Bessešjohka, Bággesgorsajohka, Davip Duoptejohka, Lulip Duoptejohka, Sarvájohka and others in the north, and Rákkasjohka, Gohpasjohka, Abiskojåkka
Abiskojokk
Abiskojokk or Abiskojåkka is a river in the Abisko National Park in northern Sweden. The upper part of the river is called Kamajokk or Kamajåkka....
, Miellejohka, Bessešjohka, Golkkokjohka, Nivsakkjohka and others in the south.
Above Torne lake, the watershed of the Torne includes the villages Riksgränsen
Riksgränsen
Riksgränsen, The National Border in Swedish, is a ski-resort in Kiruna Municipality, Lappland, Sweden, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. The skiing season is from February to June...
, Katterjåkk, Vassijaure, Låktatjåkka, Kopperåsen and Tornehamn.
On the south shore of Torne lake are Björkliden, Abisko
Abisko
Abisko is a village in northern Sweden, near the Abisko National Park located 4 km west of the village. It had 85 inhabitants as of 2005.-Transportation:...
, Stordalen, Kaisepakte. Stenbacken and Torneträsk.
On the north shore are the Sami
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
villages Laimoluokta and Kattuvuoma.
Upper river
Beyond the lake, the Torne rivers flows unhindered by any concentrations of human inhabitants until the village of KurravaaraKurravaara
Kurravaara is village 12km north of Kiruna in Kiruna Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 57 inhabitants in 2005.It is the first village at the Torne River at Kallojärvi at 322 meter and is also close to the Rautas River....
, around 12 kilometres (7 mi) northeast of Kiruna
Kiruna
Kiruna is the northernmost city in Sweden, situated in Lapland province, with 18,154 inhabitants in 2005. It is the seat of Kiruna Municipality Kiruna (Northern Sami: Giron, Finnish: Kiiruna) is the northernmost city in Sweden, situated in Lapland province, with 18,154 inhabitants in 2005. It is...
.
The river splits in two parts that only join at Kurravaara, the part between the river is Alajávri nature reserve (Alajávri naturreservat).
Between the lake and Kurravaara, the streams Čearrojogaš and Rávdojohka join on the right side, and shortly befare Kurravaara, the 134.69 kilometres (83.7 mi) long Rautas River
Rautas River
The Rautas River is an early contributary to the Torne River in Swedish Lapland.It originates in Rautasjaure in the mountains of northwestern Lapland, at an elevation of 560 m above mean sea level.A footpath leads to Rautasjaure from Rensjön.In winter the lake can be reached by snowmobile.From...
flows into the Torne.
On the left side, the streams Gukkajohka, Reaskkajohka and Dápmokjohka join.
In the area between the two streams, the Beallejohka joins the right arm from the left.
After Kurravaara, the river proceeds Laxforsen, where it is joined from the right by the Luossajoki.
Here is the first bridge over the river for the road leading from the E10 to Laxforsen, Luossajärvi and Esrange. The river continues to Jukkasjärvi
Jukkasjärvi
Jukkasjärvi is a locality situated in Kiruna Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 519 inhabitants in 2005. It is situated at 321 meters elevation....
, where the Ice hotel
Ice hotel
An ice hotel is a temporary hotel made up of snow, sculpted blocks of ice, and some steel framing. They are promoted by their sponsors and have special features for travelers who are interested in novelties and unusual environments, and thus are in the class of destination hotels...
is built in winter from the river ice.
To the bifurcation
Beyond Paksuniemi, the river is joined by the Pounujoki from the right.At Vittangi
Vittangi
Vittangi is a locality situated in Kiruna Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 789 inhabitants in 2005.The locality is very notable because it houses a cluster of people suffering from congenital analgesia, an otherwise extremely rare illness....
, the 125.7 kilometres (78.1 mi) long Vittangi river, which passes by Esrange
Esrange
Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden. It is a base for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things...
, joins from the left.
Here is the second river-crossing bridge, used by the E45
European route E45
The European route E 45 goes between Sweden and Italy, through Denmark, Germany and Austria. With a length of about , it is the longest north-south European route...
to Karesuando
Karesuando
Karesuando is the northernmost locality situated in Kiruna Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 313 inhabitants in 2005....
.
The river then proceeds to Kuoksu, where it is crossed by the road to Lainio and Oksajärvi, and to Juopakosku, where the Junojoki joins from the left.
At Junosuando
Junosuando
Junosuando is a locality situated in Pajala Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 345 inhabitants in 2005. It was founded in 1637....
, the Torne river loses 56% of its water to the Tärendö River
Tärendö River
The Tärendö River , is a small tributary river to the Kalix River in Norrbotten, Sweden.It is the second largest bifurcation in the world ....
in one of the four bifurcations
River bifurcation
River bifurcation occurs when a river flowing in a single stream separates into two or more separate streams which continue downstream. Some rivers form complex networks of distributaries, especially in their deltas...
in the watershed area.
Here is also a bridge for the road to Kangos
Kangos
Kangos is a locality situated in Pajala Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 278 inhabitants in 2005....
and Parkolombolo, this the fourth bridge over the river.
Shortly after Junosuando
Junosuando
Junosuando is a locality situated in Pajala Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 345 inhabitants in 2005. It was founded in 1637....
, the Piipionjoki joins from the left and at Palokorva, the 259.74 kilometres (161.4 mi) long Lainio River
Lainio River
The Lainio River is a river in Kiruna Municipality in the far north of Swedish Lapland. Its source is a mountain lake, Råstojaure , which lies along the border with Norway. 200 km from its source, the Lainio River flows into the Torne River, which eventually flows into the Gulf of Bothnia...
joins from the left.
In the Lainio River watershed are two more, smaller bifurcations: the lakes Goldajávri, Råstojaure flow toward contributaries of the Laino river as well as to the Norwegian streams Signaldalselva and Råstaelva respectively.
Down to Pajala
Between Junosuando and PajalaPajala
Pajala is a locality and the seat of Pajala Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 1,985 inhabitants in 2005.-History:Lars Levi Læstadius lived and worked in Pajala Municipality in the middle of the 19th century...
, the Käymäjoki joins from the left and the Liviöjoki and the Mertajoki join from the right.
The village Anttis is located on the left bank of the river, with Swedish road Riksväg 395 (Svappavaraa–Pajala) on the right bank; the fifth bridge connects Anttis to the main road.
Shortly after Pajala, the Torne river joins with the 379.88 kilometres (236 mi) long Muonio River
Muonio River
The Muonio River is a river of northern Finland and Sweden. It is a tributary of the Torne River. Together the two rivers form the national border between Finland and Sweden. The river is 230 kilometres long....
, the biggest contributary of the Torne river.
Near Pajala are two more bridges going north.
North of this point, the Muonio river forms the border with Finland.
From this point, the border with Finland is formed by the Torne river.
Lower river
This part is known as Torne Valley
Torne Valley
The Torne Valley or Torne River Valley lies at the border of Sweden and Finland. In 2009 it became one of the Sub-regions of Finland. It is named after the Torne River flowing through the valley and into the Gulf of Bothnia...
and is a popular tourist destination.
Slightly south of Pajala is a border-crossing bridge for a road leading to Kolari
Kolari
Kolari is a municipality of Finland at the Swedish border, which follows the Torne River, the longest free-flowing river in Europe.It is located in the province of Lapland. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
, the eighth bridge over the main river from the source.
The river proceeds to the village Kassa.
At the village of Pello
Pello
Pello is a municipality of Finland.It is located approximately north of the Arctic Circle in the western partprovince of Lapland and is part of the Lapland region. The municipality is at the national border with Sweden by the Tornionjoki-river. The municipality has a population of and covers an...
, which lies on both sides of the river, is a bridge between the two parts.
The river continues south to Svanstein
Svanstein
Svanstein is a locality situated in Övertorneå Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 207 inhabitants in 2005....
, crosses the arctic circle at Juoksengi
Juoksengi
Juoksengi is a locality situated in Övertorneå Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 401 inhabitants in 2005.It is located on the Torne River, at the border with Finland, which runs through the middle of the river. On the Finnish side of the river the village Juoksenki is located...
and proceeds to Niskanpää and Kuivakangas.
In Övertorneå
Övertorneå
Övertorneå is a locality and the seat of Övertorneå Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 1,965 inhabitants in 2005.It is located at the shore of the Torne River, opposite to Ylitornio...
(Finnish: Ylitornio
Ylitornio
Ylitornio is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Lapland at the shore of the Torne River, opposite to Övertorneå. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
) there is another bridge, the final road bridge before the sea.
Here, the 127.43 kilometres (79.2 mi) long Tengeliön River joins from the (Finnish) left side .
The river continues to Hedenäset
Hedenäset
Hedenäset is a locality situated in Övertorneå Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 285 inhabitants in 2005....
and Risudden.
At Karungi
Karungi
Karungi is a locality situated in Haparanda Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 232 inhabitants in 2005. The language most spoken in the village is tornedalsfinska, which the first of April 2000 officially was declared as a minority language in Sweden....
, the Liakanjoki
Liakanjoki
Liakanjoki is a river in Finland. It is a distributary of Torne River. It departs from the main river in Karunki, Tornio....
departs from the Torne river and flows to the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
independently in Finland.
From Karungi south, there are railways on both sides of the valley.
At Kukkola is Kukkolaforsen, a rapids which is also a tourist attraction.
Before finally arriving at the twin city of Haparanda/Tornio
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
, it passes by the villages Vojakkala
Vojakkala
Vojakkala is a minor community with about 60 inhabitants in Haparanda Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden, known for a long-standing feud between neighbors.-Local feud:...
and Mattila.
European route E4
European route E 4 passes from north to south through Sweden from the border with Finland, total length . The Finnish part lies entirely within Tornio in northern Finland, and is actually only long...
and the southernmost, last and 14th bridge over the Tornio river is a dual gauge
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
railway bridge connecting the Swedish and Finnish railway systems.
History
In the Treaty of Fredrikshamn in 1809, when Sweden lost the areas which constitute present-day Finland to Imperial Russia, the river was together with the Muonio RiverMuonio River
The Muonio River is a river of northern Finland and Sweden. It is a tributary of the Torne River. Together the two rivers form the national border between Finland and Sweden. The river is 230 kilometres long....
and Könkämä River chosen as border between Sweden and the new Russian Grand Duchy of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
, thus splitting the provinces
Provinces of Sweden
The provinces of Sweden, landskap, are historical, geographical and cultural regions. Sweden has 25 provinces and they have no administrative function, but remain historical legacies and the means of cultural identification....
of Lappland and Västerbotten
Västerbotten
', English exonym: West Bothnia, is a province or landskap in the north of Sweden. It borders Ångermanland, Lapland, Norrbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia. It is famous for the cheese with the same name as the province.- Administration :...
.
According to the treaty, the border shall follow the deepest part of the river. Once per 25 years a commission of Swedish and Finnish representatives shall determine this border. This means that the border can move. In year 2006 such a border determination was made. Near Haparanda/Tornio the border was fixed in the treaty, partly on land, so the city of Tornio would belong to Russia.
Culture
Towns on the Torne River often have both SwedishSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
and Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
names, like Haparanda
Haparanda
Haparanda is a locality and the seat of Haparanda Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 4,778 inhabitants in 2005. It is adjacent to Tornio, Finland...
(from Finnish Haaparanta, "Aspen Shore") and Tornio
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
(from Swedish Torneå).
Historically, the language used on both sides of the river was Finnish. In the late 19th century, schools were opened in both countries. Then there was a decision to make the Swedish part of area Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
speaking by teaching the school children only written Swedish and allowing only Swedish to be spoken during lessons, sometimes also during breaks. As an effect, during the second half of the 20th century, Swedish was the dominant language on the Swedish side. The Finnish spoken in informal conversation is similar on both sides of the river, although some newer words differ. To support the traditional language on the Swedish side a new written language has been devised, Meänkieli. On the Finnish side only Finnish is used in written communication. These two languages differ considerably in spelling.