LAPLAND
| Lapland is a name that is or should be used when talking about the northermost areas of Finland, Sweden and Norway. The name refers to the Lapps, the Sámi, the indigenous people living in these particular areas. So Lapland means originally the land of the Lapps. When used in Finnish texts the word usually refers to the northernmost province of Finland. In Sweden and Norway the word Lapland refers to the northernmost areas of these countries in general. The word Lapland in any given text might have some other meanings like 'Arctic' or 'Northern Europe' or 'Northern Finland'. |
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Lapland is a
sparsely populated area north of the Arctic Circle. The
climate is colder when compared to other parts of Europe,
but since it's also continental, it's not as unpleasant
as many people think. Due to the tilt of the globe the
sun shines through day and night during the summer in
Lapland. That gives people plenty of time to do whatever
things are needed. On the other hand the daylight time in
the winter is short and this restricts living to some
extent. The people living in Lapland are used to the
seasons - light or not - and they've adopted a lifestyle
suited to the changes. The Sámi used to be reindeer herders, hunters and fishermen. Today's Laplanders work in tourism or serve each other in municipalities. The sources of livelihood have changed the same way as in other parts of the world, among other peoples. The nature in Lapland is still in a relatively good shape. It's not virgin, the influence of man is found everywhere, but the scars are not so deep yet. The amount of studies concerning the state of Lapland's nature is considerable, the fear is evident. |