Facts about Lapland

What do you think, are there polar bears in Lapland? Lapland is indeed a place with a rather strange and even magical reputation. There are also some things that people really don’t know about Lapland.

Here we have collected a list of some interesting, fun and even strange facts about Lapland. Continue reading and you will find if there are polar bears in Lapland or not.

1. Lapland makes up about one third of Finland’s total area.
2. Lapland Finland is as big as Belgium, Holland and Switzerland put together. Now you may wonder where is Lapland.
3. In Lapland sun is visible around the clock 73 days in the summer.
4. The only real Santa Claus (Father Christmas) lives in Finnish Lapland. You can tell this to your kids as well.
5. Some might think that there are polar bears in Lapland. Well, that’s not true.
6. Only 3.6% of the Finnish population lives in Lapland.
7. There lives under 200 000 people in Lapland.
8. There are 21 municipalities in Lapland.
9. The biggest towns in Lapland are Rovaniemi, Kemi and Tornio.
10. Is the North Pole in Lapland? No way!
11. Is Lapland a real country? No. It’s part of Finland. Actually there is Lapland also in Sweden and Norway, so Lapland should technically be considered as area.
12. What language do they speak in Lapland? Finnish and Swedish are the official languages of Finland, and Lapland as well. You will be just fine with English too.
13. Can you see the Northern Lights in Lapland? Yes, if yo are lucky enough. Northern Lights are not that uncommon in Lapland, so you have a reasonable chance to see them.
14. What is the capital of Lapland? Well, there is no official capital for Lapland as is not a country itself. Helsinki is the capital of Finland. Rovaniemi is unofficially considered as the capital of Lapland.

More Facts

• Country: Finland. Find out where is Lapland exactly.
• Language: Finnish, but you will be just fine with English. Also Swedish, Russian, and German can be used at some places.
• Population: 184 000
• Time zone: UTC +2
• Currency: Euro (EUR)
• Area: 98 984 km2
• Highest Peak: Halti, 1324 metres

Lapland is a region in the northern parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway and also Russia. Lapland in Finland is almost a third of the total area of the country. Although the area is large, there lives under 200 000 people in Lapland.

The highest peak in Lapland is Halti (1324 metres), which is also the highest peak in the whole Finland. It is an interesting fact to note that the highest peak of Halti is actually across the border in Norway, not in Finland.

Just a few cities in Lapland

The largest cities in Lapland are Rovaniemi, Kemi and Tornio. Rovaniemi is the largest city with just over 60 000 inhabitants.

Lapland region is the largest and also the northernmost part of Finland. Lapland has borders with Sweden, Norway and Russia. Near the Kilpisjärvi is a point where borders of Finland, Sweden and Norway meet.

Lapland is quite large area, totaling almost 100 000 square kilometers. In this large area lives under 200 000 people so there are lots of space for everyone.

If you prefer the city life you should visit Rovaniemi, the biggest city in Lapland with 60 000 inhabitants. Rovaniemi is often called the heart of Lapland and it actually is almost in the centre of Lapland. Other bigger cities are Kemi and Tornio.

Is there something you would like to know about Lapland? Please let us know in the comments!