Varanger Peninsula
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The Varanger Peninsula ( no, Varangerhalvøya; sme, Várnjárga; fkv, Varenkinniemi) is a
peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...
in
Finnmark Finnmark (; se, Finnmárku ; fkv, Finmarku; fi, Ruija ; russian: Финнмарк) was a county in the northern part of Norway, and it is scheduled to become a county again in 2024. On 1 January 2020, Finnmark was merged with the neighbouri ...
county,
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. It is located in the northeasternmost part of Norway, along the
Barents Sea The Barents Sea ( , also ; no, Barentshavet, ; russian: Баренцево море, Barentsevo More) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and divided between Norwegian and Russian territo ...
. The peninsula has the
Tanafjorden The Tanafjord or Tanafjorden ( sme, Deanuvuotna) is a large fjord in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Tana, Gamvik, and Berlevåg. Its orientation is mainly north–south, reaching approximately from the sm ...
to the west, the
Varangerfjorden The Varangerfjord ( en, Varanger Fjord; russian: Варангер-фьорд, Варяжский залив; fi, Varanginvuono; sme, Várjavuonna) is the easternmost fjord in Norway, north of Finland. The fjord is located in Troms og Finnmark co ...
to the south, and the Barents Sea to the north and east. The municipalities of
Vadsø Vadsø (; sme, Čáhcesuolu; fkv, Vesisaari) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark County, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vadsø, which was the administrative centre of the former Finnmark county. O ...
,
Båtsfjord Båtsfjord ( sme, Báhcavuotna) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Båtsfjord (which is the only settlement remaining in the municipality). Båtsfjord Airport ...
,
Berlevåg ( sme, Bearalváhki) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Øst-Finnmark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Berlevåg. There are two settlements in th ...
,
Vardø ( fi, Vuoreija, fkv, Vuorea, se, Várggát) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county in the extreme northeastern part of Norway. Vardø is the easternmost town in Norway, more to the east than Saint Petersburg or Istanbul. The administr ...
,
Tana Tana may refer to: Places Africa * Lake Tana, a lake in Ethiopia (and a source of the Nile River) * Tana Qirqos, an island in the eastern part of Lake Tana in Ethiopia, near the mouth of the Gumara River * Tana River County, a county of Coast P ...
, and
Nesseby or (also unofficially ''Uuniemi'' in Kven) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Varangerbotn. Other villages in Nesseby include Gandvik, Karlebotn, Nesseby ...
share the peninsula. Nesseby and Tana are only partially on the peninsula, with the rest being entirely on the peninsula. The Varangerhalvøya National Park protects most of the land on the peninsula.


Geography

The area has rugged mountain terrain with altitudes of up to . Much of the relief of the peninsula is a
paleic surface The paleic surface or palaeic surface ( no, paleiske overflaten, ) is an erosion surface of gentle slopes that exist in South Norway. Parts of it are a continuation of the Sub-Cambrian peneplain and Muddus Plains found further east or equivale ...
similar to the one found in the highlands of southern Norway. In the peninsula the paleic surface is made up of an undulating
plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ha ...
between the altitudes of 200 and 600
m.a.s.l. Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The com ...
The higher parts of the undulating plateau are made up by erosion-resistant rocks like
quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tect ...
. The lower parts are made up by weak rocks like
shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...
and
mudstone Mudstone, a type of mudrock, is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Mudstone is distinguished from '' shale'' by its lack of fissility (parallel layering).Blatt, H., and R.J. Tracy, 1996, ''Petrology. ...
. At intermediate levels
sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
is common. Some parts of the paleic surface in Varanger Peninsula are a re-exposed
unconformity An unconformity is a buried erosional or non-depositional surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages, indicating that sediment deposition was not continuous. In general, the older layer was exposed to erosion for an interval o ...
that underlie sedimentary rock of Vendian ( Late Neoproterozoic) age. The paleic surface might have been uplifted as much as 200–250 meters since
middle Pliocene Middle or The Middle may refer to: * Centre (geometry), the point equally distant from the outer limits. Places * Middle (sheading), a subdivision of the Isle of Man * Middle Bay (disambiguation) * Middle Brook (disambiguation) * Middle Creek ( ...
times. Landforms resulting from
Quaternary The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ...
periglaciation Periglaciation (adjective: "periglacial", also referring to places at the edges of glacial areas) describes geomorphic processes that result from seasonal thawing of snow in areas of permafrost, the runoff from which refreezes in ice wedges and ot ...
are recurrent across the peninsula. Among the most common are block fields and solifluction lobes. Blockfields are most extensive on the northern half of the peninsula, chiefly in the plateau area.Malmström & Palmér 1985, pp. 91–92. Polygonal ground is found in some places, but there are no known modern
ice wedge An ice wedge is a crack in the ground formed by a narrow or thin piece of ice that measures up to 3–4 meters in length at ground level and extends downwards into the ground up to several meters. During the winter months, the water in the gr ...
s.
Permafrost Permafrost is ground that continuously remains below 0 °C (32 °F) for two or more years, located on land or under the ocean. Most common in the Northern Hemisphere, around 15% of the Northern Hemisphere or 11% of the global surface ...
was as of 1985 only known from bogs, and in a few places this permafrost had originated
thermokarst Thermokarst is a type of terrain characterised by very irregular surfaces of marshy hollows and small hummocks formed as ice-rich permafrost thaws. The land surface type occurs in Arctic areas, and on a smaller scale in mountainous areas such as ...
depressions.


Geology

The peninsula gave its name to the
Varangian The Varangians (; non, Væringjar; gkm, Βάραγγοι, ''Várangoi'';Varangian
" Online Etymo ...
glaciation A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betw ...
episode. It is largely composed of
Neoproterozoic The Neoproterozoic Era is the unit of geologic time from 1 billion to 538.8 million years ago. It is the last era of the Precambrian Supereon and the Proterozoic Eon; it is subdivided into the Tonian, Cryogenian, and Ediacaran periods. It is ...
to
Paleozoic The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. The name ''Paleozoic'' ( ;) was coined by the British geologist Adam Sedgwick in 1838 by combining the Greek words ''palaiós'' (, "old") and ' ...
sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...
s, locally overlying
crystalline basement In geology, basement and crystalline basement are crystalline rocks lying above the mantle and beneath all other rocks and sediments. They are sometimes exposed at the surface, but often they are buried under miles of rock and sediment. The baseme ...
of the Baltic Shield. Two ancient fault systems divide the geology of the peninsula into three groups, where the NE side of the peninsula (North Varanger region) is separated from the SW by the Trollfjord-Komagelva
strike-slip fault In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tectonic ...
, and the SW side is divided approximately NNE-SSW by thrusting of the
Scandinavian Caledonides The Scandinavian Caledonides are the vestiges of an ancient, today deeply eroded orogenic belt formed during the Silurian–Devonian continental collision of Baltica and Laurentia, which is referred to as the Scandian phase of the Caledonian or ...
over the Baltic Shield. In the North Varanger region, sedimentary rocks were deposited during the
Tonian The Tonian (from grc, τόνος, tónos, meaning "stretch") is the first geologic period of the Neoproterozoic era (geology), Era. It lasted from to Mya (million years ago). Instead of being based on stratigraphy, these dates are defined by t ...
/early-mid
Cryogenian The Cryogenian (from grc, κρύος, krýos, meaning "cold" and , romanized: , meaning "birth") is a geologic period that lasted from . It forms the second geologic period of the Neoproterozoic Era, preceded by the Tonian Period and followed by ...
(Barents Sea Group), followed by a depositional hiatus that lasted until the late
Ediacaran The Ediacaran Period ( ) is a geological period that spans 96 million years from the end of the Cryogenian Period 635 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Cambrian Period 538.8 Mya. It marks the end of the Proterozoic Eon, and th ...
, when the Løkvifjell Group was deposited. Notable strata of the Barents Sea Group are the Kongsfjord and Båsnæring formations, which form prominent ridges and cliffs along the Fv341 road. Outcrops of the overlying Båtsfjord Formation are generally not as prominent, but are notable for containing molar tooth structures, as well as
teepee structure Teepee (also spelled tepee or tipi) structures are sedimentary structures interpreted to represent formation in peritidal environments. Teepees are largely the result of evaporation of water and subsequent precipitation of minerals within sedimen ...
s, desiccation cracks,
flaser bed Flaser beds are a sedimentary, bi-directional, bedding pattern created when a sediment is exposed to intermittent flows, leading to alternating sand and mud layers. While flaser beds typically form in tidal environments, they can (rarely) form in ...
ding, and other sedimentary structures that indicate deposition in an inter-tidal, intermittently exposed environment. Stable carbon isotope ratio
chemostratigraphy Chemostratigraphy, or chemical stratigraphy, is the study of the chemical variations within sedimentary sequences to determine stratigraphic relationships. The field is relatively young, having only come into common usage in the early 1980s, but th ...
has been used to correlate the Annijokka Member of the Båtsfjord Formation with other Neoproterozoic successions around the world, suggesting it was deposited approximately 811 million years ago, during the Bitter Springs carbon isotope excursion. Strata deposited on the SW half of the Varanger Peninsula mostly formed during the mid-late
Cryogenian The Cryogenian (from grc, κρύος, krýos, meaning "cold" and , romanized: , meaning "birth") is a geologic period that lasted from . It forms the second geologic period of the Neoproterozoic Era, preceded by the Tonian Period and followed by ...
,
Ediacaran The Ediacaran Period ( ) is a geological period that spans 96 million years from the end of the Cryogenian Period 635 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Cambrian Period 538.8 Mya. It marks the end of the Proterozoic Eon, and th ...
, and
Paleozoic The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. The name ''Paleozoic'' ( ;) was coined by the British geologist Adam Sedgwick in 1838 by combining the Greek words ''palaiós'' (, "old") and ' ...
. Notably, this includes glacial diamictite sedimentary rocks that formed during the
Marinoan The Marinoan glaciation, sometimes also known as the Varanger glaciation, was a period of worldwide glaciation that lasted from approximately 650 to 632.3 ± 5.9 Ma (million years ago) during the Cryogenian period. This glaciation possibly cove ...
' Snowball Earth' (Smalfjord Formation of the Vestertana Group), and the overlying ' cap carbonate' of the Nyborg Formation (Vestertana Group). Small outcrops of
barite Baryte, barite or barytes ( or ) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate ( Ba S O4). Baryte is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of the element barium. The ''baryte group'' consists of baryte, celestine (strontium sulfate), ...
crystals related to 'Snowball Earth' deglaciation are found locally on outcrops of the Baltic Shield.


Climate

A part of the peninsula, including the town of
Vardø ( fi, Vuoreija, fkv, Vuorea, se, Várggát) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county in the extreme northeastern part of Norway. Vardø is the easternmost town in Norway, more to the east than Saint Petersburg or Istanbul. The administr ...
(located on an island just off the coast of the peninsula), earlier had an Arctic
tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless moun ...
climate but with the updated 1991-2020 climate normals, this is mostly gone. However, much of the peninsula is at some altitude and are
alpine tundra Alpine tundra is a type of natural region or biome that does not contain trees because it is at high elevation, with an associated alpine climate, harsh climate. As the latitude of a location approaches the poles, the threshold elevation for alp ...
. On the south coast, including the town of
Vadsø Vadsø (; sme, Čáhcesuolu; fkv, Vesisaari) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark County, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vadsø, which was the administrative centre of the former Finnmark county. O ...
, there is sufficient summer heat for birch trees to grow.


Fauna

The
Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management The Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management ( no, Direktoratet for naturforvaltning, DN) was Norway's national governmental body for preserving Norway's natural environment, including establishing and regulating national parks and other prote ...
has a project on the peninsula for the reintroduction and protection of the
Arctic fox The Arctic fox (''Vulpes lagopus''), also known as the white fox, polar fox, or snow fox, is a small fox native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. It is well adapted to living in ...
, which is critically endangered on the Norwegian mainland. In addition to introducing animals into nature, the larger and stronger
red fox The red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the Order (biology), order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe ...
is hunted down. There are many species of sea birds along the coast of the peninsula; some arctic species of birds spend the winters along the coast of the peninsula.


Media gallery

File:Hamningberg strand.jpg, The Arctic beach at Hamningberg File:E75-Varanger-Vardø-2012-07-07-16-30-03.jpg, On the northern shore of the Varangerfjord between Vardø and Vadsø File:E75-Varanger-Vardø-2012-07-07-16-30-14.jpg, Highway from Vardø to Hamningberg


References


External links

{{Authority control Peninsulas of Troms og Finnmark Berlevåg Båtsfjord Vardø Vadsø Nesseby