Final fieldwork completed in Finland-Norway border inspection

After more than three years of meticulous fieldwork and collaboration, the Finnish and Norwegian border commissions have completed their final inspection of the shared national boundary. The comprehensive review, conducted along the rugged terrain separating the two nations, marks the final stage of a process designed to reaffirm and document the state border’s official alignment.

The findings will now be submitted to the Foreign Ministries of both countries for approval, paving the way for parliamentary ratification in both countries. Once confirmed, the updated documentation will formalize the international border’s position for decades to come, reinforcing cross-border clarity and cooperation between the two Nordic neighbours.

Members of the Finnish and Norwegian border commissions convened in Ivalo before heading into the remote border regions of Kaldoaivi and Vätsäri to carry out the final field inspection. This marked the last step in a systematic, jointly agreed review of the state boundary between the two countries. The work involved verifying and restoring border markers, conducting surveys, and performing essential maintenance along the rugged terrain.

All collected data is being compiled in a digital format, ensuring that the information can be easily updated ahead of any future boundary reviews – supporting long-term accuracy and cross-border cooperation.

Exchange of spatial data

"Our joint operations model has ensured that the documentation is uniform and that information exchange of spatial data will be possible between the two countries. For this new digital model, we used a data model produced during the review of the state border between Sweden and Norway as an example, demonstrating that sharing best practices across the Nordic countries works well. The National Land Survey of Finland and the Norwegian Kartverket will ensure that the surveyors of the next generation will have access to the data and can continue the work in the 2050s’, stated Head of Cartography Jyrki Lämsä from the National Land Survey of Finland.

Stretching 736km through northern wilderness, the national border between Finland and Norway has now been thoroughly reviewed. All 209 border markers were inspected, maintained and documented during the process, ensuring they remain clearly visible in the terrain. Should any issues arise between official boundary reviews, the Finnish Border Guard stands ready to carry out ongoing maintenance to keep the border in good order.

Strengthening relationships

"Through cooperation with authorities in neighbouring countries we maintain stability in and a situational awareness of our border area. In the current geopolitical situation, this kind of cooperation also helps to strengthen relationships between countries that share a border and increase the population’s understanding of why it is so important to ensure that the border has been unambiguously surveyed and documented," commented Brigadier General Mika Rytkönen from the Finnish Border Guard.

The state boundary documentation will be handed over in early autumn to the Foreign Ministries of Finland and Norway. After parliamentary approval in both countries, the data will be incorporated into national map services by the National Land Survey and Kartverket.

“The national land border is not moved in any direction during the review of the state boundary. In the Teno river the border between Finland and Norway is determined by nature because the border runs in the deep channel, which is moved by natural forces as the years pass. Nature can move the channel slightly, and we measure where it goes on the map,” said Director-general Pasi Patrikainen from the National Land Survey. Small shifts in the river boundary have no impact on river users.

Conducted every 25 years, the review reflects close cross-border cooperation. The condition of border markers and the surrounding area is checked, with results reported to the respective foreign ministries. The National Land Survey plays an operational role, with staff involved in surveying, documentation, and communication. The Finnish Border Guard handles logistics and maintenance, including repairing or repainting markers. Finland is also preparing for the next boundary review with Sweden, last conducted nearly 20 years ago.