Editing Kirkenes

{{Short description|City/town within Sør-Varanger Municipality, Finnmark, Norway}}
{{distinguish|Kirkness (disambiguation){{!}}Kirkness}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name          = {{native name list|tag1=no|name1=Kirkenes|tag2=se|name2=Girkonjárga|tag3=fkv|name3=Kirkkoniemi}}
|other_name             = 
|native_name            = 
|nickname               = 
|settlement_type        = [[List of towns and cities in Norway|Town/City]]<ref name="town">In the Norwegian language, the word ''by'' can be translated as "town" or "city".</ref>
|image_skyline          = Kirkenes 2013 06 10 2082 (10412267505).jpg
|image_caption          = View of the town in June 2013
|image_map              = {{Infobox mapframe|zoom=9|marker=town}}
|pushpin_map            = Finnmark#Norway
|pushpin_label          = Kirkenes
|pushpin_label_position = left
|subdivision_type       = [[Sovereign state|Country]]
|subdivision_name       = [[Norway]]
|subdivision_type1      = [[List of regions of Norway|Region]] 
|subdivision_name1      = [[Eastern Norway]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[Counties of Norway|County]] 
|subdivision_name2      = [[Finnmark]]
|subdivision_type3      = [[Districts of Norway|District]]
|subdivision_name3      = [[Øst-Finnmark]]
|subdivision_type4      = [[List of municipalities of Norway|Municipality]]
|subdivision_name4      = [[Sør-Varanger Municipality]]
|timezone1              = [[Central European Time|CET]] 
|utc_offset1            = +01:00
|timezone1_DST          = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]] 
|utc_offset1_DST        = +02:00
|established_title      = Established as
|established_date       = &nbsp;
|established_title1     = [[List of towns and cities in Norway|Town]] ({{lang|no|By}})
|established_date1      = 1998
|area_footnotes         = <ref name="ssb" />
|area_total_km2         = 2.29
|population_as_of       = 2023
|population_footnotes   = <ref name="ssb" />
|population_total       = 3404
|population_density_km2 = 1486
|population_demonym     = 
|postal_code_type       = Post Code
|postal_code            = 9900 Kirkenes
|coordinates            = {{coord|69|43|37|N|30|02|44|E|type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m            = 9
|elevation_footnotes    = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kirkenes |url=http://www.yr.no/place/Norway/Finnmark/S%C3%B8r-Varanger/Kirkenes/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416113410/https://www.yr.no/place/Norway/Finnmark/S%C3%B8r-Varanger/Kirkenes/ |archive-date=16 April 2019 |access-date=16 March 2013 |publisher=[[yr.no]] |language=no}}</ref>}}

{{native name|no|'''Kirkenes'''|paren=omit}} ([[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]; {{IPA|no|ˈçɪ̂rkəneːs|pron|audio=Kirkenes.ogg}}){{r|official name}}, {{native name|se|'''Girkonjárga'''|paren=omit}} ([[Northern Sami language|Northern Sami]]; {{IPA|sme|ˈkir̥ː.ko.ˌɲaːrːka|pron}}{{r|official name}}, or {{native name|fkv|'''Kirkkoniemi'''}}<ref name="official name">{{cite web|url=https://stadnamn.kartverket.no/fakta/140217|title=Informasjon om stadnamn|website=Norgeskart|publisher=[[Norwegian Mapping Authority|Kartverket]]|language=no|accessdate=2024-07-03}}</ref> is a [[List of towns and cities in Norway|town]]<ref name="town" /> in [[Sør-Varanger Municipality]] in [[Finnmark]] county, in the far northeastern part of [[Norway]]. The town lies on a peninsula along the [[Bøkfjorden]], an arm of the large [[Varangerfjorden]], and is located just a few kilometres from the [[Norway–Russia border]].

The {{convert|2.29|km2|acre|adj=on}} town has a population (2023) of 3,404 and a [[population density]] of {{convert|1486|PD/km2}}. When the neighbouring suburban villages of [[Hesseng]], [[Skytterhusfjellet]], [[Sandnes, Finnmark|Sandnes]] and [[Bjørnevatn]] are all included with Kirkenes, the urban area reaches a population of almost 8,000.<ref name="ssb">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |date=2023-12-23 |title=Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/folketall/statistikk/tettsteders-befolkning-og-areal}}</ref>

Although Kirkenes is the Norwegian town closest to the Russian border, the town of [[Vardø (town)|Vardø]] to its north is located further east in Norway.

==Names==
Due to its close proximity to Russians, Finns and Skolt Sami, the town is also known as {{native name|fi|Kirkkoniemi}},  {{native name|ru|Киркенес}}, and {{native name|sms|Ǩeârkknjargg}}.<ref name="nds-ǩeârkknjargg">{{Cite web |title=Ǩeârkknjargg (subst. erisnimi) |url=https://saan.oahpa.no/detail/sms/fin/%C7%A8e%C3%A2rkknjargg.html |access-date=October 11, 2023 |website=Neahttadigisánit}}</ref>

==History==
The area around Kirkenes was a common Norwegian–Russian district until 1826, when the present border was settled. The original name of the [[headland|peninsula]] was ''Piselvnes'' ("Pis River headland"), but this was changed to ''Kirkenes'' (meaning "church headland") after the [[Kirkenes Church]] was built here in 1862. Kirkenes was a [[village]] until 1998 when it received [[town]] status.

===World War II===
{{see also|Operation EF (1941)}}
During the [[occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany]], Kirkenes was one of the many bases for the German [[Kriegsmarine]] and the [[Luftwaffe]]'s [[Jagdgeschwader 5]], and apart from that, the area served as a main base for supplies to the [[Murmansk]] front (see [[Lapland War]]).
[[File:Kirkenespeople.jpg|left|thumb|210px|People of Kirkenes returning home after the [[Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive]].]]
Reportedly, Kirkenes was second after [[Malta]] on a list of European towns experiencing air-raid alarms and attacks, with more than 1,000 alarms and 320 air attacks. The town was [[Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive|released]] by the [[Red Army]] on 25 October 1944 when the German [[Wehrmacht]] was pushed out and fled the area after having destroyed most of the remaining infrastructure. Only 13 houses survived the war.

Close to the town there is a memorial to 11 freedom fighters who helped the partisans collect information about the German occupation. In the summer of 1943, their activities were discovered and many of them were sent to a prisoner-of-war camp near Kirkenes. Following a [[court-martial]] the 11 were sentenced to death and were killed near the memorial spot on 18 August 1943. When the common grave was opened in 1946 it was found that the men had been beaten to death. Following the [[post mortem]] and memorial service, the bodies were returned to their homesteads.<ref>Details from memorial plaque</ref>

==Demographics==
[[File:Signpost Kirkenes.JPG|thumb|right|210px|Kirkenes is located very far from most of Europe. Distances are along the [[European route E6|E6]] road even if the road through Finland is shorter.]]
The majority of the inhabitants of Kirkenes are of a Norwegian background, and a minority are [[Sami people|Sami]]. Others are originally from Finland, either members of the [[Kven people|Kven]] population or of a newer influx of more or less recent [[Finland|Finnish]] immigrants. Also, about 500 people are relatively recent [[Russia]]n [[immigrants]]. For several months in 2015, the town served as a [[Norway–Russia border|border]] crossing point for Syrian refugees, with hundreds per week crossing the border on bicycles, traveling into Norway from Russia (via [[Murmansk]] and [[Nikel]]).<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 October 2015 |title=Seeking asylum on children's bicycles |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34602208 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

==Geography==
Kirkenes is located in the extreme northeastern part of Norway on the [[Bøkfjorden]], a branch of the [[Varangerfjorden]], which is a vast bay connected to the [[Barents Sea]] near the [[Norway–Russia border|Russian–Norwegian border]]. The town is situated about {{convert|400|km}} north of the [[Arctic Circle]], resulting in [[midnight sun]] and [[polar night]] both lasting for sustained lengths of time depending on season.

Kirkenes is located just east of the [[30th meridian east]]. As a result, it is further east than [[Istanbul]], which marks one of the European borders with Asia. The easternmost point of Norway and the municipality is also at a point further east than [[Saint Petersburg]].[[File:View of Kirkenes.jpg|thumb|right|View of Kirkenes]]

Unlike the vast majority of Norway, Kirkenes is located east of the neighbouring country of Finland. Because of this, travelling directly west from Kirkenes actually changes the [[time zone]] forwards instead of backwards, as it usually does. Travelling directly east from Kirkenes (into Russia) changes the time zone forward by an hour in summer, but by two in winter. When Russia implemented [[Daylight saving time#Permanent daylight saving time|permanent daylight saving time]] between 2011 and 2014, there was a three-hour difference travelling forward from the eastern part of the municipality to westerly Russian areas during winter. Kirkenes shares time zone with areas much further west, e.g. [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]] in [[Spain]] which has a [[solar time]] difference of 2½ hours.

One can drive {{convert|100|km}} south, and walk {{convert|10|km}}, into the [[Øvre Pasvik National Park]], reaching the border point of the three countries ([[Muotkavaara]]), where the three time zones meet. There are only a few such places in the world. It is forbidden, according to both Norwegian and Russian law, to [[Circumambulation|circumambulate]] the [[Boundary marker|border marker]], as the only lawful route across the Norwegian–Russian border is at the border control at [[Storskog]].

===Climate===
The [[midnight sun]] shines from May 17 to July 21. The corresponding [[polar night]] extends from November 21 to January 21. Despite its location at the coast, Kirkenes exhibits a more continental [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Dfc]]) than further west along the Northern Norwegian coast. This is due to less maritime air from the west reaching across the land east to Kirkenes. The all-time high {{convert|32.7|C|F|0}} was recorded in July 1972 and the record low {{convert|-41.8|C|F|0}} in January 1999. The coldest low after 2000 was {{convert|-32.7|C|F|0}} in February 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Weather statistics for Kirkenes lufthavn as a table - 2003 |url=https://www.yr.no/en/statistics/table/5-99370/Norway/Troms%20og%20Finnmark/S%C3%B8r-Varanger/Kirkenes%20lufthavn?q=2003}}</ref> The vegetation is northern [[taiga]], with forest of pine and birch. The average date for the last overnight freeze (low below {{convert|0|°C|1|abbr=on}}) in spring is 26 May<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 May 2012 |title=Siste frostnatt om våren |url=https://www.yr.no/artikkel/siste-frostnatt-om-varen-1.8119060}}</ref> and average date for first freeze in autumn is 22 September <ref>{{Cite web |date=25 September 2013 |title=Første frostnatt |url=https://www.yr.no/artikkel/forste-frostnatt-1.11261900}}</ref> giving a frost-free season of 116 days (Kirkenes Airport, 1981-2010 average). Kirkenes Airport is situated 5 km outside the town and has been recording since 1940.
<br />
{{Weather box
|location = Kirkenes 1991-2020, extremes 1957-2023 (89 m)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 5.3 | Jan record low C = -41.8
|Feb record high C = 7.3 | Feb record low C = -38.9
|Mar record high C = 6.8 | Mar record low C = -29.8
|Apr record high C = 14.4 | Apr record low C = -20.9
|May record high C = 28.8 | May record low C = -13.6
|Jun record high C = 31.6  | Jun record low C = -2.5
|Jul record high C = 32.7 | Jul record low C = 2.4
|Aug record high C = 30.7 | Aug record low C = -1.5
|Sep record high C = 22.2 | Sep record low C = -5.9
|Oct record high C = 14 | Oct record low C = -21.7
|Nov record high C = 8.8 | Nov record low C = -27.5
|Dec record high C = 7 | Dec record low C = -34
|Jan high C = -6.4
|Feb high C = -6.5
|Mar high C = -2.8
|Apr high C = 1.7
|May high C = 7.4
|Jun high C = 12.4
|Jul high C = 16.4
|Aug high C = 14.8
|Sep high C = 10.2
|Oct high C = 3.2
|Nov high C = -1.9
|Dec high C = -4.3
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = -10.1
|Feb mean C = -9.9
|Mar mean C = -5.6
|Apr mean C = -0.8
|May mean C = 4.3
|Jun mean C = 8.7
|Jul mean C = 12.4
|Aug mean C = 11.3
|Sep mean C = 7.3
|Oct mean C = 1.2
|Nov mean C = -4.4
|Dec mean C = -7.3
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = -13.6
|Feb low C = -13.3
|Mar low C = -9.2
|Apr low C = -4.2
|May low C = 1.1
|Jun low C = 5.5
|Jul low C = 9.1
|Aug low C = 8.3
|Sep low C = 4.7
|Oct low C = -0.9
|Nov low C = -7.2
|Dec low C = -10.6
|year low C = 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 31
|Feb precipitation mm = 30
|Mar precipitation mm = 29
|Apr precipitation mm = 27
|May precipitation mm = 27
|Jun precipitation mm = 49
|Jul precipitation mm = 56
|Aug precipitation mm = 55
|Sep precipitation mm = 38
|Oct precipitation mm = 44
|Nov precipitation mm = 37
|Dec precipitation mm = 33
|year precipitation mm = 
|unit precipitation days = 1.0&nbsp;mm
|Jan precipitation days = 9.4
|Feb precipitation days = 7.3
|Mar precipitation days = 6.8
|Apr precipitation days = 6.5
|May precipitation days = 6.3
|Jun precipitation days = 7.6
|Jul precipitation days = 9.0
|Aug precipitation days = 9.7
|Sep precipitation days = 8.0
|Oct precipitation days = 10.2
|Nov precipitation days = 9.3
|Dec precipitation days = 8.5
||source 1 = Eklima <ref>[http://eklima.dnmi.no] {{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|source 2= NOAA - WMO averages 91-2020 Norway <ref>{{Cite web |title=NOAA WMO normals Norway 1991-2020 |url=https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Norway/CSV/?C=D;O=A}}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box
|location = [[Kirkenes Airport]] (2002–2020 averages & extremes; precipitation from Neiden since 2005)
|collapsed = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 5.1
|Feb record high C = 4.7
|Mar record high C = 6.1
|Apr record high C = 14.2
|May record high C = 28.8
|Jun record high C = 28.7
|Jul record high C = 31.3
|Aug record high C = 30.7
|Sep record high C = 22.2
|Oct record high C = 13.6
|Nov record high C = 7.0
|Dec record high C = 7.0
|year record high C = 31.3
|Jan avg record high C = 1.8
|Feb avg record high C = 1.9
|Mar avg record high C = 3.2
|Apr avg record high C = 8.5
|May avg record high C = 18.6
|Jun avg record high C = 23.0
|Jul avg record high C = 25.7
|Aug avg record high C = 23.9
|Sep avg record high C = 17.4
|Oct avg record high C = 9.5
|Nov avg record high C = 4.1
|Dec avg record high C = 2.8
|year avg record high C = 26.5
|Jan high C = -6.9
|Feb high C = -6.5
|Mar high C = -2.7
|Apr high C = 2.3
|May high C = 8.2
|Jun high C = 12.5
|Jul high C = 16.8
|Aug high C = 14.9
|Sep high C = 10.5
|Oct high C = 3.5
|Nov high C = -1.4
|Dec high C = -3.6
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = -10.5
|Feb mean C = -9.8
|Mar mean C = -5.9
|Apr mean C = -0.6
|May mean C = 4.9
|Jun mean C = 9.2
|Jul mean C = 13.1
|Aug mean C = 11.7
|Sep mean C = 7.8
|Oct mean C = 1.6
|Nov mean C = -3.9
|Dec mean C = -6.8
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = -14.0
|Feb low C = -13.1
|Mar low C = -9.0
|Apr low C = -3.4
|May low C = 1.6
|Jun low C = 5.8
|Jul low C = 9.4
|Aug low C = 8.4
|Sep low C = 5.0
|Oct low C = -0.4
|Nov low C = -6.4
|Dec low C = -10.0
|year low C = 
|Jan avg record low C = -26.9
|Feb avg record low C = -25.7
|Mar avg record low C = -20.1
|Apr avg record low C = -12.9
|May avg record low C = -3.4
|Jun avg record low C = 1.4
|Jul avg record low C = 5.5
|Aug avg record low C = 3.7
|Sep avg record low C = -0.5
|Oct avg record low C = -8.7
|Nov avg record low C = -16.7
|Dec avg record low C = -20.1
|year avg record low C = -29.1
|Jan record low C = -31.5
|Feb record low C = -32.7
|Mar record low C = -30.0
|Apr record low C = -19.3
|May record low C = -7.3
|Jun record low C = -0.6
|Jul record low C = 3.2
|Aug record low C = -0.7
|Sep record low C = -4.3
|Oct record low C = -17.0
|Nov record low C = -27.5
|Dec record low C = -29.1
|year record low C = -32.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 34.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 24.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 24.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 21.5
|May precipitation mm = 32.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 48.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 65.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 59.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 45.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 41.4
|Nov precipitation mm = 31.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 35.9
|year precipitation mm = 
|year sun = 
|source 1 = Norsk Klimaservicesenter<ref>{{Cite web |title=Norsk Klimaservicesenter - Observations |url=https://seklima.met.no/observations/ |website=[[Norwegian Meteorological Institute]] |language=no}}</ref>
|date=4 February 2021
}}

==Economy and tourism==
[[File:Barentssekretariatets hovedkontor.jpg|thumb|right|The headquarters of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat in Kirkenes, Norway in August 2019<br/><small>Photo: Kimberli Mäkäräinen</small>]]
[[File:Kirkenes Hafen.jpg|thumb|left|Kirkenes seaport.]]
[[File:Kirkenes Fußgängerzone im Februar 2005.jpg|thumb|right|Pedestrian street in the centre.]]
[[File:Entrance to Kirkenes Hospital.jpg|thumb|left|A hospital in Kirkenes.]]
Kirkenes is close to Norway's border with Russia, and this location influences the local economy. The [[Norwegian Barents Secretariat]], which works to promote Norwegian-Russian collaboration, is located in Kirkenes.

In 2010, Norway's and Russia's Foreign Ministers signed an agreement that made it easier for 9,000 Norwegians and 45,000 Russians living near the common border to visit each other.<ref name="nordiclabourjournal">{{Cite journal |last=Lindahl |first=Björn |date=3 November 2010 |title=FMs Lavrov and Støre call border agreement small yet important – Nordic Labour Journal |url=http://www.nordiclabourjournal.org/nyheter/news-2010/article.2010-11-02.5541810025 |journal=Nordic Labour Journal |access-date=21 August 2016}}</ref>

[[Tourist attraction]]s include ''Grenselandmuseet'' (The Border Area Museum), which shows the history of war and peace along the Norwegian–Russian border, Sami art exhibitions by the artist [[John Savio]] (1902–1938), and a history of the [[mining]] industry in the area. The museum has a small shop and café. Almost every last Thursday of each month the Russian Market takes place on the central square where traders from Murmansk sell their merchandise. Here you can find everything from [[matryoshka doll|matryoshkas]], linen cloths, and handicrafts, to Russian crystal and porcelain dishes.

Just outside Kirkenes is a military base that is home to the [[Garrison of Sør-Varanger]] at [[Høybuktmoen]]. Connected to this base are the six border stations along the Russian border. This base and these border stations are there to protect against illegal immigrants as well as other illegal activities across the border. The only public border crossing is at [[Storskog]], southeast of Kirkenes. In October 2023, Norway banned the entry of Russian vehicles with less than 10 seats. In May 2024, Norway closed the entire border for Russian tourists.<ref>https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/if-this-route-is-closed-families-would-be-torn-apart/110608</ref> After this, only a Mercedes van is allowed to cross the border, driving from Norway's Kirkenes to the Russian town of Murmansk once a day.<ref>https://www.dw.com/en/last-bus-to-russia-norway-europe-border-crossing-cold-war-v2/video-71212802</ref>

In the city centre of Kirkenes is ''Andersgrotta'', a vast underground bunker built during [[World War II]] that provided shelter to the town's residents. Tours of the bunker are available.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cooper |first=Tarquin |date=6 Dec 2007 |title=From Desk Till Dawn, How Far Can you Go |work=Financial Times Special Insert Article |page=29}}</ref>

A [[pride parade]] held in 2017 in Kirkenes attracted participants from neighbouring Russia, who were unwilling to participate in LGBT events in Russia due to hostility from the government and police. In addition, the parade saw participants from [[Amnesty International]] and the [[Norwegian Helsinki Committee]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nilsen |first=Thomas |date=23 September 2017 |title=Russians cross border to Norway for Pride Parade |url=https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/2017/09/pride-parade-near-border-russia |access-date=10 December 2019 |website=The Barents Observer}}</ref>

Kirkenes's location on the [[Northeast Passage]] and the effect of climate change on sea ice have led to expressions of interest to develop port and transport infrastructure in the town, including from [[state-owned enterprises of China]]. Public reception to such projects in Kirkenes is mixed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Borshoff |first=Isabella |date=20 November 2019 |title=Norway's 'northernmost Chinatown' eyes Arctic opportunity |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/norway-kirkenes-china-influence-arctic-shipping-opportunity/ |access-date=10 December 2019 |website=Politico EU}}</ref>

==Transportation==
[[File:Kirkenes Church with roadsigns in Norwegian and Russian.jpg|thumb|right|Kirkenes Church with roadsigns in Norwegian and Russian.]]
[[File:Bus to Bjørnevatn in Kirkenes.jpg|thumb|right|A bus to [[Bjørnevatn]] in Kirkenes.]]
Kirkenes is one end of the route of the [[Hurtigruten]], which cruises daily up and down the Norway coast to and from [[Bergen]]. Kirkenes is served by [[Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen]]. There are non-stop flights to [[Oslo Airport, Gardermoen|Oslo]], [[Vadsø Airport|Vadsø]], [[Vardø Airport|Vardø]], [[Alta Airport|Alta]] and [[Tromsø Airport|Tromsø]]. The [[European route E6]] highway has its northern terminus at Kirkenes. The northern terminus of the [[European route E105]] highway is located in Hesseng, just south of the town.

Kirkenes is also the [[terminal station|terminus]] of [[Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line]], the world's second-most northerly [[railway]] line, used to transport [[iron ore]] from the mines at [[Bjørnevatn]] to the port at Kirkenes. The proposed [[Arctic Railway]] would see Kirkenes connected with northern Finland.

The town of Kirkenes is also the starting point of [[EV13 The Iron Curtain Trail]], a cycling route that runs along the historic border between the capitalist West and the communist East during the [[Cold War]].

==Religion==
The main church for Kirkenes is [[Kirkenes Church]], located in the [[Haganes, Finnmark|Haganes]] area of the town.

==Sister cities==
* {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Nikel]], [[Murmansk Oblast]], [[Russia]]<ref>[http://img.custompublish.com/getfile.php/757851.893.qxxdqttbyc/BAIRepr2008_02.pdf?return=www.barentsinstitute.org The model of twin cities] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221537/http://img.custompublish.com/getfile.php/757851.893.qxxdqttbyc/BAIRepr2008_02.pdf?return=www.barentsinstitute.org |date=2016-03-03 }} Barents Institute Reprint (2008) no. 2</ref>
* {{flagicon|TUR}} [[Kars]], [[Kars Province]], [[Turkey]]<ref>[http://www.kars.bel.tr/faaliyet/karsfaaliyet.doc] {{dead link|date=June 2022}}</ref>

==Notable people==
[[File:Per Oskar Kjølaas.jpg|140px|thumb|Per Oskar Kjølaas, 2006]]
[[File:Roger Ryberg.jpg|140px|thumb|Roger Ryberg, 2009]]
* [[Turid Balke]] (1921–2000), an actress, playwright, and artist<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Turid Balke |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |url=https://snl.no/Turid_Balke |date=8 February 2021 |orig-date=14 February 2009 |editor-last=Larsen |editor-first=Svend Erik Løken |language=Norwegian Bokmål}}</ref>
* [[Arnfinn Laudal]] (born 1936), a mathematician
* [[Per Oskar Kjølaas]] (born 1948), the Bishop of the [[Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland]] from 2002 to 2014
* [[Roger Ryberg]] (born 1952), a Norwegian politician
* [[Morten Strøksnes]] (born 1965), a journalist and non-fiction writer
* [[Jarle Vespestad]] (born 1966), a jazz musician 
* [[Simen Johan]] (born 1973), a Norwegian-Swedish contemporary artist, photographer, and sculptor living in New York City
* [[Yvonne Wartiainen]] (born 1976), a painter who mixed figurative shapes with abstract motives
* [[Ørjan Nilsen]] (born 1982), a producer and DJ
;Sport
* [[Grethe Mathiesen]] (born 1956), a swimmer who competed at the [[1972 Summer Olympics]] in the women's 100-metre freestyle
* [[Kirsten Borgen]] (born 1957), a sport wrestler
* [[Vegard Ulvang]] (born 1963), a cross-country skier who won three Olympic gold medals, two silver, and one bronze
* [[Vegard Sannes]] (born 1976), a retired football midfielder with 125 club caps with [[FK Bodø/Glimt]]
* [[John Kristian Dahl]] (born 1981), a three-time [[Vasaloppet]] winner

==See also==
* [[List of towns and cities in Norway]]
* [[Nazi concentration camps in Norway]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikivoyage-inline|Kirkenes}}
* Tourist information: [http://www.visitkirkenes.no www.visitkirkenes.no]
* Sør Varanger municipality: [http://www.sor-varanger.kommune.no/ Forsiden - Sør-Varanger kommune]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050207234219/http://met.no/observasjoner/finnmark/normaler_for_kommune_2030.html?kommuner Sør-Varanger climate statistics from met.no].

{{Finnmark}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kirkenes| ]]
[[Category:Populated places in Finnmark]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Norway]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Norway]]
[[Category:Barents Sea]]
[[Category:Sør-Varanger]]