Halti Explained

Halti
Other Name:(the mountain peak)
Elevation M:1365
Prominence M:510
Range:Scandinavian Mountains
Location:Norway
Coordinates:69.3228°N 21.2789°W[1]
Easiest Route:walk about 50-1NaN-1 from Kilpisjärvi in Finland or walk 50NaN0 from Kåfjorddalen in Norway
Halti
Other Name:(the border point)
Elevation M:1324
Prominence M:0
Location:Norway and Finland
Coordinates:69.3081°N 21.2631°W
Coordinates Ref:[2]
Easiest Route:walk about 50km (30miles) from Kilpisjärvi in Finland or walk 6km (04miles) from Kåfjorddalen in Norway
Listing:Highest in Finland

Halti (Finnish: Halti, rarely Haltiatunturi, Northern Sami: Háldičohkka, Swedish: Haldefjäll) is a fell at the border between Norway and Finland. The peak (elevation 1365m (4,478feet)) of the fell, called Ráisduottarháldi, is in Norway, on the border Nordreisa Municipality and Gáivuotna Municipality (Kåfjord), about 1km (01miles) north of the border with Finland.[3] The highest point of the fell on the Finnish side is at 1324m (4,344feet) above sea level, and thus the highest point in the country. The Finnish side of Halti belongs to the municipality of Enontekiö in the province of Lapland.

The highest point in Finland is on a spur of Ráisduottarháldi at 1324m (4,344feet) known as Hálditšohkka at the border of Norway. The peak proper is not in Finland; the border marker is on a slope.[4] The highest peak of a mountain that is entirely in Finland is Ridnitšohkka, at 1316m (4,318feet) and a few kilometers from Halti.

The reason for the border being the way it is can be traced to a Swedish-Danish border treaty in 1734, when Norway belonged to Denmark and Finland was part of Sweden. The treaty specifies the border only by some of its biggest natural features like mountains. Thus, international boundary commissions would walk the border and place border markers where it was convenient. The actual border was then agreed to lie on a straight line between these markers, as was the usual practice at the time.[5]

A 55km (34miles) trekking path leads from Saana, Kilpisjärvi to Halti. An easier route goes from a local road (open in summer only) going from Birtavarre in Norway, around 6frac=2NaNfrac=2 hiking to the highest point in Finland. The route is rocky and not really adapted to hiking.

Proposed border change

In 2015, a group of Norwegians began a campaign to give the peak of Hálditšohkka to Finland for its centenary in 2017 by moving the border between the two countries by 200m (700feet).[6] The idea gained substantial public support in both countries, and in July 2016 it was reported that the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg was seriously considering ceding the peak.[7] Norway ultimately chose not to move the border, citing the Norwegian constitution's definition of the country as an "indivisible and inalienable" realm.[8]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. 30154. Halti, Norway . 2018-11-04.
  2. 30154. Halti, Norway . 2018-11-04.
  3. Web site: Halti. Store norske leksikon. Store norske leksikon. no. 2010-04-04.
  4. Web site: Norja ehdottaa, että Halti saisi uuden huipun Suomen puolella. 9 September 2016.
  5. Web site: Asiantuntija vastaa: Tämän vuoksi Haltin huippu ei ole Suomen puolella rajaa. 16 December 2015.
  6. News: Norway launches campaign to give Finland a mountain. The Telegraph . 18 December 2015.
  7. News: Norway considers giving mountain to Finland as 100th birthday present. The Guardian. 28 July 2016.
  8. News: Halti plan halted: Norway will not gift mountain top to neighbour Finland. The Guardian. 15 October 2016.