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Norway Considers a Birthday Gift for Finland: The Peak of an Arctic Mountain Norway Considers a Birthday Gift for Finland: The Peak of an Arctic Mountain
(about 2 hours later)
Norway is pondering an unusual birthday gift for its neighbor Finland: an Arctic mountain peak.Norway is pondering an unusual birthday gift for its neighbor Finland: an Arctic mountain peak.
Mount Halti is the highest mountain in Finland, but its 4,478-foot summit is in Norway.Mount Halti is the highest mountain in Finland, but its 4,478-foot summit is in Norway.
To help commemorate the 100th anniversary of Finland’s declaration of independence from Russia on Dec. 6, 1917, a group of Norwegians is urging the government to move a point on its border with Finland some 490 feet to the north and 650 feet to the east. Halti’s peak would become the highest point in Finland, surpassing a spur of the mountain that tops out at 4,344 feet.To help commemorate the 100th anniversary of Finland’s declaration of independence from Russia on Dec. 6, 1917, a group of Norwegians is urging the government to move a point on its border with Finland some 490 feet to the north and 650 feet to the east. Halti’s peak would become the highest point in Finland, surpassing a spur of the mountain that tops out at 4,344 feet.
“There are a few formal difficulties, and I have not yet made my final decision,” Norway’s prime minister, Erna Solberg, told the national broadcaster NRK this week. “But we are looking into it.”“There are a few formal difficulties, and I have not yet made my final decision,” Norway’s prime minister, Erna Solberg, told the national broadcaster NRK this week. “But we are looking into it.”
The proposed gift is the brainchild of Bjorn Geirr Harsson, a 76-year-old retired employee of the Norwegian Mapping Authority, who came up with the idea in 1972, when he was taking measurements while flying across the border.The proposed gift is the brainchild of Bjorn Geirr Harsson, a 76-year-old retired employee of the Norwegian Mapping Authority, who came up with the idea in 1972, when he was taking measurements while flying across the border.
“I was taken aback by why on earth they had not received this peak,” he told NRK last year. “We would not have to give away any part of Norway. It would barely be noticeable. And I’m sure the Finns would greatly appreciate getting it.”“I was taken aback by why on earth they had not received this peak,” he told NRK last year. “We would not have to give away any part of Norway. It would barely be noticeable. And I’m sure the Finns would greatly appreciate getting it.”
The straight line that marks the Finnish-Norwegian border in the area of Mount Halti — drawn in the mid-18th century — is “geophysically illogical,” Mr. Harsson said.The straight line that marks the Finnish-Norwegian border in the area of Mount Halti — drawn in the mid-18th century — is “geophysically illogical,” Mr. Harsson said.
Geir Leiros, the mayor of Kafjord, a Norwegian community near the border, supports the hard-to-wrap gift. “It will cost us so little, nothing in fact, but I believe it would mean a lot to the Finns,” he said.Geir Leiros, the mayor of Kafjord, a Norwegian community near the border, supports the hard-to-wrap gift. “It will cost us so little, nothing in fact, but I believe it would mean a lot to the Finns,” he said.
The potential border redrawing has been largely embraced in Finland, a proud if somewhat flat nation that had been part of the Russian Empire for more than a century, until Russia’s two revolutions in 1917: one that overthrew the czarist regime and a second that established a Bolshevik republic that became the Soviet Union.The potential border redrawing has been largely embraced in Finland, a proud if somewhat flat nation that had been part of the Russian Empire for more than a century, until Russia’s two revolutions in 1917: one that overthrew the czarist regime and a second that established a Bolshevik republic that became the Soviet Union.
A Facebook page that supports the proposed gift has garnered more than 15,000 “likes.”A Facebook page that supports the proposed gift has garnered more than 15,000 “likes.”
“This would be the coolest thing ever,” Harri Nieminen from Tampere, a city in southern Finland, wrote on the page.“This would be the coolest thing ever,” Harri Nieminen from Tampere, a city in southern Finland, wrote on the page.
“It is a gallant idea. It will be remembered in Finland for a thousand years,” wrote a reader on the website of the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat last year, after the proposal began to gain momentum.“It is a gallant idea. It will be remembered in Finland for a thousand years,” wrote a reader on the website of the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat last year, after the proposal began to gain momentum.
Finland, which has a famously difficult Uralic language in which words with three umlauts are not uncommon, prides itself on the beauty of its forests and lakes, though Norway is better known for spectacular topography, including fjords, waterfalls and glaciers.Finland, which has a famously difficult Uralic language in which words with three umlauts are not uncommon, prides itself on the beauty of its forests and lakes, though Norway is better known for spectacular topography, including fjords, waterfalls and glaciers.
Norway’s highest peak, Galdhopiggen, has an elevation of 8,100 feet, making it nearly twice as high as Mount Halti, which is not even among the top 200 of Norway’s highest peaks.Norway’s highest peak, Galdhopiggen, has an elevation of 8,100 feet, making it nearly twice as high as Mount Halti, which is not even among the top 200 of Norway’s highest peaks.
Informed of the proposed gift, Anne Cathrine Frostrup, director-general of the Norwegian Mapping Authority, responded with generosity — if a bit of condescension. “It is a nice gift to give to a country that lacks a high mountain, where the highest point isn’t even a peak,” she said.Informed of the proposed gift, Anne Cathrine Frostrup, director-general of the Norwegian Mapping Authority, responded with generosity — if a bit of condescension. “It is a nice gift to give to a country that lacks a high mountain, where the highest point isn’t even a peak,” she said.
The Sami, an indigenous community who live across a region, sometimes known as Lapland, that includes parts of several countries, are less excited. Aili Keskitalo, president of the Sami Parliament of Norway, said the Sami consider the mountain holy, and national borders irrelevant.The Sami, an indigenous community who live across a region, sometimes known as Lapland, that includes parts of several countries, are less excited. Aili Keskitalo, president of the Sami Parliament of Norway, said the Sami consider the mountain holy, and national borders irrelevant.
“I think it represents a colonial understanding, a conqueror mentality that I oppose,” she said of the proposed transfer. “I think it is absurd to think that you can give away something you don’t own.”“I think it represents a colonial understanding, a conqueror mentality that I oppose,” she said of the proposed transfer. “I think it is absurd to think that you can give away something you don’t own.”
She added: “Halti is situated in a Sami area, used by Sami on both sides of the mountains. The border was not drawn by Sami, and the borders have caused us nothing but problems. From a Sami perspective, the idea that a mountain can be owned by a state seems strange. To us, it would be better if there was no border at all.”She added: “Halti is situated in a Sami area, used by Sami on both sides of the mountains. The border was not drawn by Sami, and the borders have caused us nothing but problems. From a Sami perspective, the idea that a mountain can be owned by a state seems strange. To us, it would be better if there was no border at all.”
Beaska Niillas, another Norwegian Sami leader, who lives next to the Norwegian-Finnish border, went even further. “I think if land should be given back to anyone, it should be given back to the Sami,” he said, calling the mountain “stolen goods.”Beaska Niillas, another Norwegian Sami leader, who lives next to the Norwegian-Finnish border, went even further. “I think if land should be given back to anyone, it should be given back to the Sami,” he said, calling the mountain “stolen goods.”
He added: “If the mountain top becomes a new Finnish tourist attraction, I fear the possibility of a greater push for the construction of cabins, cafes and restaurants there.”He added: “If the mountain top becomes a new Finnish tourist attraction, I fear the possibility of a greater push for the construction of cabins, cafes and restaurants there.”
And there may be constitutional problems: Norway’s 1814 constitution calls the kingdom “undividable,” and Michael Tetzschner, a member of Parliament from Ms. Solberg’s Conservative Party, told NRK that the idea was a nonstarter. (Not all legal experts agree; Oyvind Ravna, a law professor at the University of Tromso, told the newspaper Aftenposten that border adjustments are, in fact, permitted.)And there may be constitutional problems: Norway’s 1814 constitution calls the kingdom “undividable,” and Michael Tetzschner, a member of Parliament from Ms. Solberg’s Conservative Party, told NRK that the idea was a nonstarter. (Not all legal experts agree; Oyvind Ravna, a law professor at the University of Tromso, told the newspaper Aftenposten that border adjustments are, in fact, permitted.)
If the gift is indeed made, Mikko Majander, an adjunct professor of political history at the University of Helsinki, said, it will be a fitting gesture — given that Finland, which had been ruled by Swedes and then Russians, and Norway, which had been ruled by Danes and Swedes, had historically banded together as the region’s underdogs.If the gift is indeed made, Mikko Majander, an adjunct professor of political history at the University of Helsinki, said, it will be a fitting gesture — given that Finland, which had been ruled by Swedes and then Russians, and Norway, which had been ruled by Danes and Swedes, had historically banded together as the region’s underdogs.
Even so, Mr. Majander allowed that most Finns might would not notice the gift. Even so, Mr. Majander allowed that most Finns might not notice the gift.
“We consider Halti ours, in any case,” he said. “I didn’t know the peak is on the Norwegian side.”“We consider Halti ours, in any case,” he said. “I didn’t know the peak is on the Norwegian side.”