Sápmi: The Place
 | Flora and Fauna  Lynx, bear, wolves, lemmings... There is more to Sápmi than reindeer. | ||
 | Climate The warm North Atlantic Gulf Stream makes for a mild climate considering the latitude. | ||
 | Governance The Sámi Act sets out the main guidelines for the Sami Parliament (Sametinget) which was officially opened in 1989. | ||
 | Sijdda Sjiidda, Siida, Sita... A Sámi community organisation of several families who together use a geographic area for reindeer herding. | ||
 | Place names Throughout Sápmi much can be learned from the place names most of which are derived from nature. | ||
Sápmi is the area settled by the Sámi people.
The history of the Sámi in the areas they occupied, dates far back to before the formation of the present states in the region: Sweden, Finland, Norway and Russia.
Sápmi extends from central Norway and central Sweden through northern- most parts of Finland and Norway to the Kola peninsula in the Russian Federation.
The region covers an area the size of Montana, about 150,000 square miles or some 3 - 400,000 square kilometers.
The term Sápmi means 'area, language and man.
For detailed maps of Sápmi visit the Maps & Data section.
The Sámi National Flag
The Sami flag was approved at the 13th Nordic Sami Convention in 1986. The four colors of the Sami flag (red, blue, green and yellow) are the traditional Sámi colors. The Sámi traditionally consider themselves as sons and daughters of the sun and the moon -- the red part of the circle in the flag stands for the sun and the blue for the moon. See the flag and learn more
The National Anthem: Sámi Soga Lávlla
"Far up North ‘neath Ursa Major Gently rises Saamiland. Mountain upon mountain. Lake upon lake. Peaks, ridges and plateaus. Rising up to the skies..."
The national hymn was composed by Isak Saba in 1875. Play, sing, hear, watch the hymn and learn more
