Pasvik Nature Reserve

Pasvik Nature Reserve
IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)
Paz River, Pasvik Nature Reserve
Location of Reserve
Location	Pasvikdalen in Sør-Varanger, Norway and Pechengsky District, Russia
Nearest city	Kirkenes
Coordinates	69°08′31″N 29°13′59″E / 69.142°N 29.233°E / 69.142; 29.233Coordinates: 69°08′31″N 29°13′59″E / 69.142°N 29.233°E / 69.142; 29.233
Area	166.4 km2 (64.2 sq mi)
Established	1992 / 1993

Pasvik Nature Reserve (Norwegian: Pasvik naturreservat; Russian: Пасвик, Pasvik zapovednik) is a bilateral nature reserve located in the valley of Pasvikdalen in Norway and Russia. The nature reserve was established in 1992 (Russia) and 1993 (Norway), and covers an area of 166.4 square kilometers (64.2 sq mi). The Norwegian part, in the municipality of Sør-Varanger, covers 19.1 square kilometers (7.4 sq mi), while the Russian part, in Pechengsky District, Murmansk Oblast, covers 147.3 square kilometers (56.9 sq mi). The nature reserve includes unexploited parts of Pasvikelva and has a rich birdlife.

Along with Øvre Pasvik National Park and Øvre Pasvik Landscape Protection Area in Norway and Vätsäri Wilderness Area in Finland, Pasvik Nature Reserve constitutes part of Pasvik–Inari Trilateral Park.

Pasvik Nature Reserve consists of two legally separate but geographically adjoined protected areas, with a combined area of 166.4 square kilometers (64.2 sq mi). Located in the valley of Pasvikdalen, it protects the river of Pasvikelva and its vicinity, straddling the Norway–Russia border, with 31.4 square kilometers (12.1 sq mi) of its area being made up by water surface. The Norwegian segment is entirely located within Sør-Varanger. It stretches 12 kilometers (7.5 mi), from Jordanfoss in the north to the damn at Hestefoss, and is up to 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) wide covering an area of 19.1 square kilometers (7.4 sq mi), of which 4.5 square kilometers (1.7 sq mi) is water. The segment in Russia, located within Peschengsky District, is 40 kilometers (25 mi) long and runs from Svanevatn in the north to Hestfoss. The nature reserve covers the area of this stretch which is located within the Border Security Zone—i.e. from the national border to the border fence near the highway. The Russian reserve has an area of 147.3 square kilometers (56.9 sq mi), of which 26.9 square kilometers (10.4 sq mi) is water surface.