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2. 2 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!

3. 3 About the Region The Barents Euro Arctic Region has a population of 6 million and includes 13 territories. In Norway Tromsø 61,000 Bodø41,000 Vadsø7,000 Indigenous Peoples: Sámi60 000 Nenets7 000 Vepsians6 000 Surface Area: 1 755 800 km 2 Lapland, Oulu and Kainuu Regions. Finnmark, Troms and Nordland Counties. Komi and Karelian Republics, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Counties, Nenets Autonomous area. Norrbotten and Västerbotten Counties Important Cities(no. of inhabitants) In Finland Rovaniemi35,000 Oulu124,000 In Russia Naryan-Mar20,000 Murmansk371,600 Severomorsk 79,000 Arkhangelsk364,000 Severodvinsk234,000 Syktyvkar226,000 Petrozavodsk283,000 In Sweden Umeå105,000 Luleå72,000

4. -Your Gateway to the Euro-Arctic Region 4 COUNTY OF TROMS COUNTY OF NORDLAND COUNTY OF FINNMARK COUNTY OF NORRBOTTEN COUNTY OF VASTERBOTTEN REGION OF LAPLAND COUNTY OF MURMANSK REGION OF OULU REGION OF KAINUU REPUBLIC OF KARELIA COUNTY OF ARKHANGELSK REPUBLIK OF KOMI NENETS AUTONOMOUS AREA ARCTIC 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

5. 5 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

6. 6 History of the Barents Euro 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. 1960The North Calotte Cooperation 1987Michail Gorbachev initiates inter-regional cooperation in the north 1993The signing of the Kirkenes Declaration, the establishment of the BEAC Barents Euro Arctic Council and the Barents Regional Council 2003The Barents Euro Arctic 10 th Anniversary Declaration 2004The Action Plan for Northern Dimension Policies Barents Summit Meeting, Kirkenes 11 January 2003

7. 7 The Barents Euro-Arctic 10 th 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 for youth 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

8. 8 About the Organisation The Barents Cooperation has a governmental 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

9. 9 Transportation and Communications 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/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

10. 10 Transportation and Communications Road connections Railway Canal Airport Harbour BODO TROMSO LULEA UMEA KAJAANI MURMANSK Monchegorsk Apatity NARYAN-MAR Amderma Vorkuta Ukhta SYKTYVKAR Kotlas ARKHANGELSK Severodvinsk PETROZAVODSK ROVANIEMI Mezen Haparanda Kandalaksha Lotta Novodvinsk Belomorsk Vartius Medvezhyegorsk OULU Velsk Kargopol Konosha Usinsk Hammerfest Kusamo Mo i Rana Salla Narvik VADSO Kirkenes Severomorsk

11. 10 Transportation and Communications Road connections Railway Canal Airport Harbour BODO TROMSO LULEA UMEA KAJAANI MURMANSK Monchegorsk Apatity NARYAN-MAR Amderma Vorkuta Ukhta SYKTYVKAR Kotlas ARKHANGELSK Severodvinsk PETROZAVODSK ROVANIEMI Mezen Haparanda Kandalaksha Lotta Novodvinsk Belomorsk Vartius Medvezhyegorsk OULU Velsk Kargopol Konosha Usinsk Hammerfest Kusamo Mo i Rana Salla Narvik VADSO Kirkenes Severomorsk

12. 10 Transportation and Communications Road connections Railway Canal Airport Harbour BODO TROMSO LULEA UMEA KAJAANI MURMANSK Monchegorsk Apatity NARYAN-MAR Amderma Vorkuta Ukhta SYKTYVKAR Kotlas ARKHANGELSK Severodvinsk PETROZAVODSK ROVANIEMI Mezen Haparanda Kandalaksha Lotta Novodvinsk Belomorsk Vartius Medvezhyegorsk OULU Velsk Kargopol Konosha Usinsk Hammerfest Kusamo Mo i Rana Salla Narvik VADSO Kirkenes Severomorsk

13. 10 Transportation and Communications Road connections Railway Canal Airport Harbour BODO TROMSO LULEA UMEA KAJAANI MURMANSK Monchegorsk Apatity NARYAN-MAR Amderma Vorkuta Ukhta SYKTYVKAR Kotlas ARKHANGELSK Severodvinsk PETROZAVODSK ROVANIEMI Mezen Haparanda Kandalaksha Lotta Novodvinsk Belomorsk Vartius Medvezhyegorsk OULU Velsk Kargopol Konosha Usinsk Hammerfest Kusamo Mo i Rana Salla Narvik VADSO Kirkenes Severomorsk

14. 10 Transportation and Communications BODO TROMSO LULEA UMEA KAJAANI MURMANSK Monchegorsk Apatity NARYAN-MAR Amderma Vorkuta Ukhta SYKTYVKAR Kotlas ARKHANGELSK Severodvinsk PETROZAVODSK ROVANIEMI Mezen Haparanda Kandalaksha Lotta Novodvinsk Belomorsk Vartius Medvezhyegorsk OULU Velsk Kargopol Konosha Usinsk Hammerfest Kusamo Mo i Rana Road connections Railway Canal Airport Harbour Salla Narvik VADSO Kirkenes Severomorsk

15. 10 Transportation and Communications Vartius Road connections Railway Canal Airport Harbour BODO TROMSO LULEA UMEA KAJAANI VADSO MURMANSK Monchegorsk Apatity NARYAN-MAR Amderma Vorkuta Ukhta SYKTYVKAR Kotlas ARKHANGELSK Severodvinsk PETROZAVODSK ROVANIEMI Mezen Kirkenes Haparanda Kandalaksha Lotta Novodvinsk Belomorsk Vartius Medvezhyegorsk OULU Velsk Kargopol Konosha Usinsk Narvik Hammerfest Kusamo Mo i Rana Salla Severomorsk

16. 11 Economy and Business Working Group on Economic Cooperation: - Task Force II for Customs Cooperation - Forest Sector Task Force Barents Customs Infobase, www.barentscustoms.orgwww.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.

17. 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 Km 2. Russian forests constitute 60% of the world´s total boreal forest area. 12 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.comwww.bizbarents.com

18. Forests and National Parks in the Barents Euro Arctic Region. 13 Finland Kainuu166004511300 Lapland497206169613130 Oulu2350061542500 Numbers RegionsForest Area km 2 National Parks Area km 2 Protected Nature Reserves* Area km 2 Norway Finnmark83215643264 Nordland6411337931068 Troms311616153213 Russia Arkhangelsk220860439222428 Karelia9390020802585 Komi29750018917111880 Murmansk52530635058 Nenets191011303134 Sweden Norrbotten355006042818275 Västerbotten319201118000

19. COUNTY OF TROMS COUNTY OF NORDLAND COUNTY OF FINNMARK COUNTY OF MURMANSK REGION OF KAINUU REPUBLIC OF KARELIA COUNTY OF ARKHANGELSK REPUBLIK OF KOMI NENETS AUTONOMOUS AREA LULEA UMEA KAJAANI VADSO MURMANSK NARYAN-MAR SYKTYVKAR ARKHANGELSK PETROZAVODSK OULU ROVANIEMI Mezen 14 Forests, Nationalparks and World Heritagies Sites Forest Area National Park World Heritage REGION OF LAPLAND COUNTY OF VASTERBOTTEN REGION OF OULU BODO TROMSO COUNTY OF NORRBOTTEN

20. 15 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 for development. 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

21. 16 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

22. 17 Quality of Life, Health and Environment The knowledge of how to live and work in arctic conditions is an important resource for future development in the north. The Barents Region is one of few remaining areas with a relatively pristine natural environment: this implies a high quality of life, but it also entails a great responsibility for cleaner industrial production and increased environmental 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

23. 18 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

24. 19 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

25. 20 "My vision for the future is that the Barents Region will be a region full of life, with good possibilities for study and work." CECILIA ÅHL, UMEÅ, SWEDEN Participant of BRYF- projekt

26. 21 Governmental Information The Barents Euro-Arctic Council www.beac.st www.beac.st Regional Information The Barents Regional Council www.ac.lst.se www.ac.lst.se www.barentsinfo.org