| Torne river Tornionjoki (Finnish) Torne älv/Torneälven (Swedish) Duortneseatnu (Northern Sami) Tornionväylä (Meänkieli) | |
|---|---|
 The Torne at Kukkola rapids north ofTornio | |
 Location of the Torne | |
| Location | |
| Countries | Norway (hydrological source) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Torne träsk and its main affluent |
| • location | Kiruna Municipality,Norrbotten,Sweden |
| • coordinates | 68°22′N019°06′E / 68.367°N 19.100°E /68.367; 19.100 |
| • elevation | 341 m (1,119 ft)(hydrological source 1189 m65°48′30″N24°8′45″E / 65.80833°N 24.14583°E /65.80833; 24.14583) |
| Mouth | Gulf of Bothnia |
• location | Tornio/Haparanda,Finland/Sweden |
• coordinates | 65°50′N024°09′E / 65.833°N 24.150°E /65.833; 24.150 |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 510 km (320 mi)[1] plus 110 km above the outlet of Torneträsk |
| Basin size | 40,157.1 km2 (15,504.7 sq mi)[2] |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 370 m3/s (13,000 cu ft/s)[1] |
TheTorne, also known as theTornio (Finnish:Tornionjoki,Swedish:Torne älv,Torneälven,Northern Sami:Duortneseatnu,Meänkieli:Väylä), is a river in northernSweden andFinland. For approximately half of its length, it defines the border between these two countries. In the upper parts, the river is situated in Sweden before it meets theMuonio River where it adjoins theFinland–Sweden border. It rises at the lakeTorneträsk near the border withNorway and flows generally southeast for a distance of 522 kilometres (324 mi) into theGulf of Bothnia. It is the largest river inNorrbotten County both by length and by watershed area.
At its source, the Torne is located close to theNorth Atlantic andNarvik on the other side of the watershed, with several thousands of kilometres between the locations via waterways.[clarification needed]
The Torne basin has a total area of 37,300 square kilometres (14,400 sq mi) or 40,147.1 square kilometres (15,500.9 sq mi) (see sidebar). Of this, 25,392.2 km2 (9,804.0 sq mi)[3] or 25,393.1 km2 (9,804.3 sq mi)[4] is inSweden, 10,400 km2 (4,000 sq mi)[5] or 14,266.3 km2 (5,508.2 sq mi)[4] is inFinland and 1,500 km2 (580 sq mi)[5] or 497.7 km2 (192.2 sq mi)[4] is inNorway.
The source of the Torne is generally believed to be the lakeTorneträsk near the border with Norway.But the main feeder of this lake isAbiskojåkka, flowing out ofAbiskojaure, which is mainly fed by Kamajåkka, coming from tributary Gamajávri. This lake's majortributary is Válfojohka. That river comes from Lake Válfojávri in Norway'sNordland, but near to that lake it is joined by a nameless, longer stream, according to official Swedish maps fed by a small glacier, 1,189 m (3,901 ft) above sea level (68°16′02″N18°07′41″E / 68.26722°N 18.12806°E /68.26722; 18.12806).
Other affluents of Lake Torne areNjuoraätno andKåppasjåkka in the west,Gurttejohka,Snurrijåkka,Bessešjohka,Bággesgorsajohka,Davip Duoptejohka,Lulip Duoptejohka,Sarvájohka and others in the north, andRákkasjohka,Gohpasjohka,Miellejohka, Bessešjohka,Golkkokjohka,Nivsakkjohka and others in the south.[6]Above Torne lake, the watershed of the Torne includes the villagesRiksgränsen,Katterjåkk,Vassijaure,Låktatjåkka,Kopperåsen andTornehamn. On the south shore of Torne lake areBjörkliden,Abisko,Stordalen,Kaisepakte.Stenbacken andTorneträsk.On the north shore are theSami villagesLaimoluokta andKattuvuoma.[6]
Beyond the lake, the Torne River flows unhindered by any concentrations of human inhabitants until the village ofKurravaara, around 12 kilometres (7 mi) northeast ofKiruna.The river splits in two parts that only join at Kurravaara;[7] the part between the river isAlajávri nature reserve.Between the lake and Kurravaara, the streamsČearrojogaš andRávdojohka join on the right side, and shortly before Kurravaara, the 135-kilometre (84 mi) longRautas Riverflows into the Torne.On the left side, the streamsGukkajohka,Reaskkajohka andDápmokjohka join.In the area between the two streams, theBeallejohka joins the right arm from the left.[7]
After Kurravaara, the river proceedsLaxforsen, where it is joined from the right by theLuossajoki.Here is the first bridge over the river for the road leading from theE10 to Laxforsen, Luossajärvi and Esrange.[8] The river continues toJukkasjärvi, where anice hotel is built in winter from the river ice.
BeyondPaksuniemi, the river is joined by thePounujoki from the right.AtVittangi, the 126-kilometre (78 mi) longVittangi river,[9] which passes byEsrange, joins from the left.[8]Here is the second river-crossing bridge, used by theE45 toKaresuando.The river then proceeds toKuoksu, where it is crossed by the road toLainio andOksajärvi, and toJuopakosku, where theJunojoki joins from the left.AtJunosuando, the Torne river loses 56% of its water to theTärendö River in one of the fourbifurcations in the watershed area.[4]Here is also a bridge for the road toKangos andParkolombolo;[8] this is the fourth bridge over the river.
Shortly after Junosuando, thePiipionjoki joins from the left and atPalokorva, the 260-kilometre (160 mi) long[9]Lainio River joins from the left.In the Lainio River watershed are two more, smaller bifurcations: the lakesGoldajávri,Råstojaure flow toward contributaries of the Laino river as well as to the Norwegian streamsSignaldalselva andRåstaelva respectively.
Between Junosuando andPajala, theKäymäjoki joins from the left and theLiviöjoki and theMertajoki join from the right.The villageAnttis is located on the left bank of the river, with Swedish roadRiksväg 395 on the right bank; the fifth bridge connects Anttis to the main road.[8]Shortly after Pajala, the Torne river joins with the 380-kilometre (240 mi) longMuonio River,[9] the biggest contributary of the Torne river.Near Pajala are two more bridges going north.[8]North of this point, the Muonio river forms the border with Finland.From this point, the border with Finland is formed by the Torne river.
From here the river flows south along the Finno-Swedish border. Slightly south of Pajala is a border-crossing bridge for a road leading toKolari, the eighth bridge over the main river from the source.The river proceeds to the villageKassa.[10]At the village ofPello, which lies on both sides of the river, is a bridge between the two parts.The river continues south toSvanstein, crosses the arctic circle atJuoksengi and proceeds toNiskanpää andKuivakangas.InÖvertorneå (Finnish:Ylitornio) there is another bridge, the final road bridge before the sea.Here, the 127-kilometre (79 mi) longTengeliön River joins from the (Finnish) left side .[citation needed]The river continues toHedenäset andRisudden.
AtKarungi, theLiakanjoki departs from the Torne river and flows to theGulf of Bothnia independently in Finland.From Karungi south, there are railways on both sides of the valley.AtKukkola isKukkolaforsen, a rapids which is also a tourist attraction.Before finally arriving at the twin city of Haparanda/Tornio, it passes by the villagesVojakkala and Mattila.
In the twin city of Haparanda/Tornio are four more bridges: one for cyclists and pedestrians, one for local traffic, one for theE4 and the southernmost, last and 14th bridge over the Tornio river is adual gauge railway bridge connecting the Swedish and Finnish railway systems.
Antti Keksi authored a poem about the 1677 river flood.
In theTreaty of Fredrikshamn in 1809, when Sweden lost the areas which constitute present-day Finland toImperial Russia, the river was together with theMuonio River andKönkämä River chosen as border between Sweden and the new RussianGrand Duchy of Finland, thus splitting theprovinces ofLappland andVästerbotten.
According to the treaty, the border shall follow the deepest part of the river. Near Haparanda/Tornio the border was fixed in the treaty, partly on land, so the city of Tornio would belong to Russia. Once every 25 years, a commission of Swedish and Finnish representatives shall review this border. This means that the border can move, such as in 2006 when such a border change was undertaken.
Research on ice breakup on the river and onLake Suwa inJapan suggested "global processes including climate change and variability are driving the long-term changes in ice seasonality."[11][12]
The Torne river is vital to the history and culture of theTornedalian people and features frequently and consistently in Tornedalian literature and cinema and is vital to traditional livelihoods.[13] TheTornedalian name for the riverVäylä also means path, artery or way.[13] Tornedalians have inhabited the area since perhaps the 800s.[14] From the later 1800s up until the 1950s the Swedish state attempted toforcefully assimilate Tornedalians andswedifyMeänmaa.[14]
Media related toTorne River at Wikimedia Commons
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