Utsjoki

Geography

* Nuorgam * Utsjoki centre * Nuvvus * Dalvadas * Outakoski * Rovisuvanto * Karigasniemi * Kaamasmukka The Utsjoki region is flatter and lower in altitudes than many other parts of Lapland. Large areas of Utsjoki are less than 300 m above sea level. Many of the fell summits are under 500 m in height. In general, the topography is smooth and the fells slope gently. The summits are very flat and large, as is typical of old peneplain surfaces. In general, the tree line is located at altitudes between 300 and 400 meters. In northernmost Finland, the tree line on north-facing slopes is just above an altitude of 100 meters. Heaths extend above the tree line. The lower heathlands are dominated by shrubs such as dwarf birch, blueberry and crowberry, whereas the fells, at higher elevations, have dwarf willows and alpine grasses with lichens and mosses. On the fell tops, blockfields and windblown heaths with lichens and mosses as well as bare rock slabs are found. Patterned ground occurs regularly, often as polygons and stone stripes on the slopes. The midnight sun remains above the horizon from 17 May to 28 July (73 days), and the polar night from 26 November to 15 January (51 days). Utsjoki, like most of Finland, has a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc, Trewartha Eclc. Being the northernmost municipality in Finland, Utsjoki's annual average temperature is below freezing. Utsjoki is also the driest place in Finland, as the average annual precipitation varies between 371 and 433 mm, depending on the topography. The driest year on record was 1986, when only 234 mm of precipitation fell at the Outakoski weather station. Extremely low temperatures and low precipitation result in thin snow cover throughout the winters. The wind velocity strongly increases with higher…

Most-observed species

• Brambling

  Fringilla montifringilla Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  414
• Willow Warbler

  Phylloscopus trochilus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  376
• Meadow Pipit

  Anthus pratensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  295
• Common Redpoll

  Acanthis flammea (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  280
• Redwing

  Turdus iliacus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  251
• European Golden-Plover

  Pluvialis apricaria (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  230
• Rough-legged Hawk

  Buteo lagopus (Pontoppidan, 1763) · Aves
  211
• Bluethroat

  Luscinia svecica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  159