Finland–Russia border

The international border between Finland and Russia is 1,340 km (830 mi) long and runs approximately north to south, mostly through taiga forests and sparsely populated rural areas. It does not follow any natural landmarks, such as mountains or rivers. It is also an external border of the European Union and NATO.

It is patrolled by the Finnish Border Guard and the Border Guard Service of Russia, who also enforce border zones extending, respectively, up to 3 km (1.9 mi) on the Finnish side and at least 7.5 km (4.7 mi) on the Russian side. A permit is required for entry to these border zones. Electronic surveillance on the Finnish side is concentrated most heavily on the southernmost 200 kilometers (125 miles). In addition, the Finnish Border Guard conducts irregularly scheduled dog patrols multiple times daily to catch illegal entries into the border zone. In the Arctic region, Russia maintains its 500-year-old border patrol, with plans to upgrade Soviet-era technologies to reduce costs and improve efficiency by 2020.

The border can be crossed only at official checkpoints, and at least one visa is required for most people. Major border checkpoints are found in Vaalimaa and Nuijamaa, where customs services on both sides inspect and levy fees on imported goods. In an attempt to curb a sudden increase in asylum seekers entering Finland via Russia, all border crossings were closed in late 2023.

The northern endpoint of the border between Norway, Finland, and Russia forms a tripoint marked by Treriksrøysa, a stone cairn near Muotkavaara (69°03′06″N 28°55′45″E). On the south, the boundary is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, in which there is a maritime boundary between the respective territorial waters, terminating in a narrow strip of international waters between Finnish and Estonian territorial waters.