The Torne, also known as the Tornio (, , , , ), is a river in northern Sweden and Finland. 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 the Muonio River where it adjoins the Finland–Sweden border. It rises at the lake Torneträsk near the border with Norway and flows generally southeast for a distance of into the Gulf of Bothnia. It is the largest river in Norrbotten County both by length and by watershed area.
At its source, the Torne is located close to the North Atlantic and Narvik on the other side of the watershed, with several thousands of kilometres between the locations via waterways.
Geography
The Torne basin has a total area of or (see sidebar). Of this, or is in Sweden, or
Above Torne lake, the watershed of the Torne includes the villages Riksgränsen, Katterjåkk, Vassijaure, Låktatjåkka, Kopperåsen and Tornehamn.
On the south shore of Torne lake are Björkliden, Abisko, Stordalen, Kaisepakte. Stenbacken and Torneträsk.
On the north shore are the Sami villages Laimoluokta and Kattuvuoma. the part between the river is Alajávri nature reserve.
Between the lake and Kurravaara, the streams Čearrojogaš and Rávdojohka join on the right side, and shortly before Kurravaara, the long Rautas River
flows into the Torne.
On the left side, the streams Gukkajohka, Reaskkajohka and Dápmokjohka join.
In the area between the two streams, the Beallejohka joins the right arm from the left. The river continues to Jukkasjärvi, where an ice hotel is built in winter from the river ice.
To the Bifurcation
Beyond Paksuniemi, the river is joined by the Pounujoki from the right.
At Vittangi, the long Vittangi river, which passes by Esrange, joins from the left.
At the village of Pello, which lies on both sides of the river, is a bridge between the two parts.
The river continues south to Svanstein, crosses the arctic circle at Juoksengi and proceeds to Niskanpää and Kuivakangas.
In Övertorneå (Finnish: Ylitornio) there is another bridge, the final road bridge before the sea.
Here, the long Tengeliön River joins from the (Finnish) left side .
The river continues to Hedenäset and Risudden.
At Karungi, the Liakanjoki departs from the Torne river and flows to the Gulf of Bothnia independently in Finland.
From Karungi south, there are railways on both sides of the valley.
At Kukkola is Kukkolaforsen, a rapids which is also a tourist attraction.
Before finally arriving at the twin city of Haparanda/Tornio, it passes by the villages Vojakkala and Mattila.
In the twin city of Haparanda/Tornio are four more bridges: one for cyclists and pedestrians, one for local traffic, one for the E4 and the southernmost, last and 14th bridge over the Tornio river is a dual gauge railway bridge connecting the Swedish and Finnish railway systems.
History
Antti Keksi authored a poem about the 1677 river flood.
In the Treaty of Fredrikshamn in 1809, when Sweden lost the areas which constitute present-day Finland to Imperial Russia, the river was together with the Muonio River and Könkämä River chosen as border between Sweden and the new Russian Grand Duchy of Finland, thus splitting the provinces of Lappland and Västerbotten.
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.
Natural history
Research on ice breakup on the river and on Lake Suwa in Japan suggested "global processes including climate change and variability are driving the long-term changes in ice seasonality."
Culture
The Torne river is vital to the history and culture of the Tornedalian people and features frequently and consistently in Tornedalian literature and cinema and is vital to traditional livelihoods. The Tornedalian name for the river Väylä also means path, artery or way. From the later 1800s up until the 1950s the Swedish state attempted to forcefully assimilate Tornedalians and swedify Torne Valley.