Inari, Finland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Inari
Enare (Swedish)
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Municipality
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| Inarin kunta (Finnish) Aanaar kieldâ (Inari Sami) Aanar kåʹdd (Skolt Sami) Anára gielda (Northern Sami) Enare kommun (Swedish) |
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The snowy main road 4 (E75) in the Inari village
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Location of Inari in Finland
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| Country |  Finland |
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| Region | Lapland | |
| Sub-region | Northern Lapland | |
| Charter | 1876 | |
| Seat | Ivalo | |
| Area
(2018-01-01)
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| • Total | 17,333.65 km2 (6,692.56 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 15,060.09 km2 (5,814.73 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 2,281.41 km2 (880.86 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | Largest in Finland | |
| Population
(2023-12-31)
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| • Total | 7,127 | |
| • Rank | 131st largest in Finland | |
| • Density | 0.47/km2 (1.2/sq mi) | |
| Population by native language | ||
| • Finnish | 87.7% (official) | |
| • Swedish | 0.4% | |
| • Sami | 6.9% | |
| • Others | 5% | |
| Population by age | ||
| • 0 to 14 | 12.1% | |
| • 15 to 64 | 61% | |
| • 65 or older | 26.9% | |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) | |
Inari is Finland's largest municipality by land area. It is located in the northern part of Lapland. Inari is special because it has four official languages. This is more than any other place in Finland!
The main ways people make money here are through tourism, services, and testing things in cold weather. Inari is also known as the "capital of Sámi culture." The Siida museum in the Inari village is a big center for learning about the Sámi people.
Many visitors come to Inari in both summer and winter. They arrive through the airport in Ivalo or by using the main road, European Route E75. People love to visit Inari because it has beautiful, untouched nature.
Contents
Inari's Past
Inari was officially started as a municipality in 1876. For a short time during World War II, from 1942 to 1945, it was claimed by a different government. This happened during the Nazi occupation of Norway.
Exploring Inari's Geography
Inari is the biggest municipality in Finland by land area. It is located in Lapland, a region in northern Finland. A large part of Inari's total area is covered by water.
Lakes and National Parks
Lake Inari is the third largest lake in Finland. It covers a huge area of about 1,043 square kilometers.
Inari is also home to parts of Finland's largest National Park, Lemmenjoki. Another big park, the Urho Kekkonen National Park, is also partly located here. Many large areas in the municipality are protected as wilderness areas. These include Hammastunturi, Muotkatunturi, Paistunturi, Kaldoaivi, Vätsäri, and Tsarmitunturi.
The village of Inari is Finland's most northern holiday spot. The main airport for the area is in the nearby village of Ivalo.
Inari's Climate
Inari has a cold and wet climate. Winters are very cold, and summers are cool. This type of climate is called a subarctic climate.
During winter, there is a period called the polar night. This means the sun does not rise for a long time, making temperatures extremely cold. However, in summer, the midnight sun (where the sun stays up all night) can lead to surprisingly warm temperatures.
The warmest temperature ever recorded in the area was 31.8 degrees Celsius in July 1925. The coldest temperature ever recorded was a very chilly -48.9 degrees Celsius in January 1999. Inari also gets less rain and snow than southern Finland, especially in winter.
People and Languages in Inari
Inari has a population of about 7,008 people as of 2021. The number of people living in Inari reached its highest point in 1993. After that, the population went down for a while. However, since 2012, it has been slowly growing again.
Experts believe Inari will be one of the few places in Lapland where the population continues to grow. This is mainly because more and more tourists are visiting the area.
Villages in Inari
The two biggest villages in Inari are Ivalo and Inari. Other villages include Törmänen, Keväjärvi, Koppelo, Sevettijärvi–Näätämö, Saariselkä, Nellim, Angeli, Kaamanen, Kuttura, Lisma, Partakko, and Riutula.
Official Languages
Inari is unique because it has four official languages. These are Finnish, Inari Sámi, Skolt Sámi, and Northern Sámi.
About 2,141 people in Inari are registered as Sámi. This means about 31% of Inari's population is Sámi.
Most people in Inari speak Finnish as their first language (about 89%). A smaller number of people (about 6.78%) speak one of the Sámi languages as their first language. Some people also speak Swedish or other foreign languages. The most common foreign languages are Russian, German, and French.
Places to Visit
- Inari village
- Siida, the Sámi Museum and Northern Lapland Nature Centre. It's a great place to learn about Sámi culture and nature.
- Sajos, the Sámi Cultural Center. This is an important meeting place for the Sámi people.
- Ivalo village
- Ivalo Airport, the main airport for visitors.
- Ivalo river, a beautiful river for fishing and other activities.
- Saariselkä holiday resort, a popular place for skiing and other winter sports.
- Urho Kekkonen National Park, a large national park perfect for hiking and exploring nature.
- Lemmenjoki National Park, another vast national park with stunning wilderness.
- Hammastunturi Wilderness Area, a protected area for nature and outdoor activities.
- Otsamo fell, a mountain that is a popular spot for hiking.
