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This is Europe's largest region for interregional cooperation, with a multitude of networks and a wealth of natural resources, unique environmental values and great economic potential.

The Region includes the northernmost parts of Sweden, Norway and Finland and Northwest Russia and is characterised by strong cultural identity, stability, prosperity and fast progress.

Take an active part in the cooperation and become a pioneer of the new European Arctic.

Your Gateway to the Euro Arctic Region

Your spirit is needed!

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About the RegionThe Barents Euro Arctic Region has a population of 6 million and includes 13 territories. In Norway

Tromsø 61,000Bodø 41,000Vadsø 7,000

Indigenous Peoples:

Sámi 60 000Nenets 7 000Vepsians 6 000

Surface Area: 1 755 800 km2

Lapland, Oulu and Kainuu Regions.

Finnmark, Troms and Nordland Counties.

Komi and Karelian Republics, Murmansk andArkhangelsk Counties, Nenets Autonomous area.

Norrbotten and Västerbotten Counties

Important Cities(no. of inhabitants)

In Finland Rovaniemi 35,000Oulu 124,000

In Russia Naryan-Mar 20,000Murmansk 371,600Severomorsk 79,000Arkhangelsk 364,000Severodvinsk 234,000Syktyvkar 226,000Petrozavodsk 283,000

In Sweden Umeå 105,000Luleå 72,000

-Your Gateway to the Euro-Arctic Region

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COUNTY OFTROMS

COUNTY OFNORDLAND

COUNTY OFFINNMARK

COUNTY OFNORRBOTTEN

COUNTY OFVASTERBOTTEN

REGION OFLAPLAND

COUNTY OFMURMANSK

REGION OFOULU

REGION OFKAINUU

REPUBLIC OFKARELIA COUNTY OF

ARKHANGELSK

REPUBLIK OFKOMI

NENETSAUTONOMOUS

AREAARCTIC CIRCLE

MURMANSK

SYKTYVKAR

ARKHANGELSK

Severodvinsk

PETROZAVODSK

TROMSO

Apatity

Monchegorsk

Severomorsk

Kostomuksha

KAJAANI

ROVANIEMI

Kotlas

Novodvinsk Ukhta

NARYAN-MAR

Vorkuta

UMEA

OULU

< 10.000 inhabitants

10.000-125.000 inhabitants

125.000-250.000 inhabitants

> 250.000 inhabitants

VADSO

BODO

LULEA

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Historical Roots of the North

The earliest history of the north can be traced back to the Stone Age, around 36,000 BC, in Mamontovaya Kurya in the Ural Mountains of the Republic of Komi.

• Stone Age in Ural Mountains, 36 000 BC

• Komsa culture, Finnmark Region, 8,000 BC.

• Viking Explorers: Rurik and Ottar of Hålogaland, 850-900 AD

• Novgorod State

• Treaty of Nöteborg, 1323

• Arkhangelsk founded in 1584

• Willem Barentz´map published in 1598

• Peter the Great, 1672-1725

• Pomor trade, 1740-1917

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History of the BarentsEuro Arctic Cooperation

The cooperation is aimed at responding to the challenges in our northern areas and improving the living conditions of the people. Efforts are being made in many areas from overall security,environmental concerns and economic development to the human dimension and indigenous peoples’ interests.

1960 The North Calotte Cooperation

1987 Michail Gorbachev initiates inter-regional cooperation in the north

1993 The signing of the Kirkenes Declaration, the establishment of the BEAC Barents Euro Arctic Council and the Barents Regional Council

2003 The Barents Euro Arctic 10th Anniversary Declaration

2004 The Action Plan for Northern Dimension Policies

Barents Summit Meeting, Kirkenes 11 January 2003

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The Barents Euro-Arctic 10th Anniversary Declaration 2003.

• Management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste must start

• Transport in the eastern and western directions will be improved; all border crossings shall be simplified and it should take no more than two hours for goods to pass borders

• The fight against organised crime and trafficking will be intensified

• Cooperation for a better environment will be developed

• Cooperation between emergency- and rescue services will be improved

• The spread of tuberculosis must be stopped

• Cooperation between youth groups will continue and the possibilities foryouth mobility and multilateral cooperation will be improved

• Cultural identity and history of the Barents Region will be strengthened

• Indigenous peoples will be involved to a greater extent in the cooperation

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About the Organisation

The Barents Cooperation has agovernmental level and a regional level. The chairmanships of the Councils and the Working Groups are shifted every second year. All decisions are made in consensus.

• BEAC, a forum for ministers

• CSO, Committee of Senior Officials

• Barents Regional Council

• Regional Committee

• Indigenous peoples have an advisory role in the work of the Councils

• Working Groups, Inter-regional and inter-governmental

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Transportation andCommunications

In this century, three interdependent modes of transportation and communi-cation are developing: Roads, air transport and telecommunications networks.

•Steering Group for the Barents

•Pan-European Transport Area, (BEATA)

•Sustainable Transports in the Barents, Interreg IIIB project

•The BEATA GIS database, www.barentsinfo.fi/beata/

•The Northern Sea Route

•Northern Maritime Corridor

•New road and rail connections and air routes

•Siberia-Murmansk Pipeline

The Salla Border Crossing was inaugurated and opened to

international traffic on 27 September 2002

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Transportation and Communications

Road connections

Railway

Canal

Airport

Harbour

BODO

TROMSO

LULEA

UMEA

KAJAANI

MURMANSK

MonchegorskApatity

NARYAN-MAR

Amderma

Vorkuta

Ukhta

SYKTYVKARKotlas

ARKHANGELSK

Severodvinsk

PETROZAVODSK

ROVANIEMI

Mezen

Haparanda Kandalaksha

Lotta

NovodvinskBelomorsk

Vartius

Medvezhyegorsk

OULU

VelskKargopol

Konosha

Usinsk

Hammerfest

Kusamo

Mo i Rana

Salla

Narvik

VADSO

KirkenesSeveromorsk

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Transportation and Communications

Road connections

Railway

Canal

Airport

Harbour

BODO

TROMSO

LULEA

UMEA

KAJAANI

MURMANSK

MonchegorskApatity

NARYAN-MAR

Amderma

Vorkuta

Ukhta

SYKTYVKARKotlas

ARKHANGELSK

Severodvinsk

PETROZAVODSK

ROVANIEMI

Mezen

Haparanda Kandalaksha

Lotta

NovodvinskBelomorsk

Vartius

Medvezhyegorsk

OULU

VelskKargopol

Konosha

Usinsk

Hammerfest

Kusamo

Mo i Rana

Salla

Narvik

VADSO

KirkenesSeveromorsk

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Transportation and Communications

Road connections

Railway

Canal

Airport

Harbour

BODO

TROMSO

LULEA

UMEA

KAJAANI

MURMANSK

MonchegorskApatity

NARYAN-MAR

Amderma

Vorkuta

Ukhta

SYKTYVKARKotlas

ARKHANGELSK

Severodvinsk

PETROZAVODSK

ROVANIEMI

Mezen

Haparanda Kandalaksha

Lotta

NovodvinskBelomorsk

Vartius

Medvezhyegorsk

OULU

VelskKargopol

Konosha

Usinsk

Hammerfest

Kusamo

Mo i Rana

Salla

Narvik

VADSO

KirkenesSeveromorsk

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Transportation and Communications

Road connections

Railway

Canal

Airport

Harbour

BODO

TROMSO

LULEA

UMEA

KAJAANI

MURMANSK

MonchegorskApatity

NARYAN-MAR

Amderma

Vorkuta

Ukhta

SYKTYVKARKotlas

ARKHANGELSK

Severodvinsk

PETROZAVODSK

ROVANIEMI

Mezen

Haparanda Kandalaksha

Lotta

NovodvinskBelomorsk

Vartius

Medvezhyegorsk

OULU

VelskKargopol

Konosha

Usinsk

Hammerfest

Kusamo

Mo i Rana

Salla

Narvik

VADSO

KirkenesSeveromorsk

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Transportation and Communications

BODO

TROMSO

LULEA

UMEA

KAJAANI

MURMANSK

MonchegorskApatity

NARYAN-MAR

Amderma

Vorkuta

Ukhta

SYKTYVKARKotlas

ARKHANGELSK

Severodvinsk

PETROZAVODSK

ROVANIEMI

Mezen

Haparanda Kandalaksha

Lotta

NovodvinskBelomorsk

Vartius

Medvezhyegorsk

OULU

VelskKargopol

Konosha

Usinsk

Hammerfest

Kusamo

Mo i Rana

Road connections

Railway

Canal

Airport

Harbour

Salla

Narvik

VADSO

KirkenesSeveromorsk

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Transportation and Communications

Vartius

Road connections

Railway

Canal

Airport

Harbour

BODO

TROMSO

LULEA

UMEA

KAJAANI

VADSO

MURMANSK

MonchegorskApatity

NARYAN-MAR

Amderma

Vorkuta

Ukhta

SYKTYVKARKotlas

ARKHANGELSK

Severodvinsk

PETROZAVODSK

ROVANIEMI

Mezen

Kirkenes

Haparanda Kandalaksha

Lotta

NovodvinskBelomorsk

Vartius

Medvezhyegorsk

OULU

VelskKargopol

Konosha

Usinsk

Narvik

Hammerfest

Kusamo

Mo i Rana

Salla

Severomorsk

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Economy and Business

• Working Group on Economic Cooperation:- Task Force II for Customs Cooperation - Forest Sector Task Force

• Barents Customs Infobase, www.barentscustoms.org

• Working Group on Energy

• Working Group on the Northern Sea Route

• Northern eDimension Action Plan

The importance of economic cooperation was recognised in the Kirkenes Declaration 1993, pointing out the potential of improved cooperation in trade, investments and industry. The aim is to encourage economic operators to take advantage of the growing number of opportunities.

The Region is extremely rich and has great economic potential,with a wealth of natural resources and unique environmental values. Major investments are under way in new oil and gas fields in the Barents Sea. Large forests cover a total of 94.2 million hectares and includes 34 National Parks, 44 600 Km2. Russian forests constitute 60% of the world´s total boreal forest area.

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Economy and Business

•Regional Working Group on Investments and Economic Cooperation

•Network of Chambers of Commerce and Business Centres

•Barents 2010, a strategy project for long-term programmes

•Joint investment Window

•Industrial development (INDEV)

•Barents Geographic DataBase, map production

•BizBarents, business site www.bizbarents.com

Forests and National Parks in the Barents Euro Arctic Region.

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FinlandKainuu 16600 45 1 1300Lapland 49720 6169 6 13130Oulu 23500 615 4 2500

NumbersRegions ForestArea km2

National ParksArea km2

Protected Nature Reserves*Area km2

NorwayFinnmark 832 1564 3 264Nordland 6411 3379 3 1068Troms 3116 1615 3 213

RussiaArkhangelsk 220860 4392 2 2428Karelia 93900 2080 2 585Komi 297500 18917 1 11880Murmansk 52530 63 5058Nenets 1910 1130 3134

SwedenNorrbotten 35500 6042 8 18275Västerbotten 31920 11 1 8000

COUNTY OFTROMS

COUNTY OFNORDLAND

COUNTY OFFINNMARK

COUNTY OFMURMANSK

REGION OFKAINUU

REPUBLIC OFKARELIA

COUNTY OFARKHANGELSK

REPUBLIK OFKOMI

NENETSAUTONOMOUS

AREA

LULEA

UMEA

KAJAANI

VADSO

MURMANSK

NARYAN-MAR

SYKTYVKAR

ARKHANGELSK

PETROZAVODSK

OULU

ROVANIEMI

Mezen

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Forests, Nationalparks and World Heritagies Sites

Forest Area

National Park

World Heritage

REGION OFLAPLAND

COUNTY OFVASTERBOTTEN REGION OF

OULU

BODO

TROMSO

COUNTY OFNORRBOTTEN

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Culture and Traditions

In this century, with peaceful relations, interregional exchange, expanding networks, escalating media production and increasing private consumption, art and culture assume a strategic role as a power fordevelopment.

•Cultural identity, locally and regionally

•History of the Barents Region

•Indigenous Peoples

•World attractions, 6 objects on the UNESCO World Heritage List

•Networks for arts and culture: Church, literature, library, chamber music, choir music, sports, visual arts, dance, film, press, TV

•Action Plan for Cultural Cooperation

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Indigenous Peoples

The preservation of the living conditions of the indigenous people and their participation in the cooperation is a leading concept of the Barents Programme. The largest groups of indigenous peoples and minorities are the Sámi, Nenets, Vepsian and Komi people.

• The Working Group promotes the development of the indigenous peoples and their communities

• The establishment of the Sámi Centre in Lovozero, Murmansk

• Action Plan

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Quality of Life, Healthand EnvironmentThe knowledge of how to live and work in arcticconditions is an important resource for futuredevelopment in the north. The Barents Region isone of few remaining areas with a relatively pristinenatural environment: this implies a high qualityof life, but it also entails a great responsibility for cleaner industrial production and increasedenvironmental protection.

•Nuclear safety, the MNEPR agreement•Impacts of climate change•Public Health and Social Well-being •Ad Hoc Working Group on health and

Related Social Issues•Regional and governmental working groups

on •environment•Barents Rescue Project•NEFCO:s 42 "Hot Spot" List

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Youth and Sports

This region is still young, but for demographic reasons, it is necessary to improve the conditions for young people´s influence, encourage multilateral cooperation between youth groups and to improve opportunities for youth mobility.

• Working Group on Youth Policy

• Barents Youth Coordinator

• Regional Working Group on Youth Issues

• Regional Youth Programme

• Barents Sports Cooperation Network

• Sports Action Plan

• Barents Basket ball Games

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Education

We have a young and well-educated population, but dramatic demographic changes are rapidly approaching. Can young people move to better study and job opportunities in the Barents Region?

• 14 State Universities in the Barents Region

of which 9 are Russian

• Programme Board for Exchange Grants/ Higher Education and Research

• Regional Working Group of Education and Research the Arctic

• Bilateral student exchange programmes

• University of the Arctic

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"My vision for the future isthat the Barents Region willbe a region full of life, withgood possibilities forstudy and work."

CECILIA ÅHL, UMEÅ, SWEDENParticipant of BRYF- projekt

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Governmental InformationThe Barents Euro-Arctic Council www.beac.st

Regional InformationThe Barents Regional Council www.ac.lst.se

www.barentsinfo.org