Tana (Tanaelva / Deatnu) | |
Tenojoki / Tana älv | |
River | |
View of the river
|
|
Countries | Norway, Finland |
---|---|
Regions | Finnmark, Lapland |
Part of | Karasjohka, Anarjohka |
Source | Anarjohka-Karasjohka |
- location | North of Karigasniemi, Norway-Finland border |
- elevation | 125 m (410 ft) |
- coordinates | 69°26′03″N 25°48′13″E / 69.43417°N 25.80361°E |
Mouth | Tanafjorden |
- location | Tana Municipality, Finnmark, Norway |
- elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
- coordinates | 70°07′12″N 28°34′22″E / 70.12000°N 28.57278°ECoordinates: 70°07′12″N 28°34′22″E / 70.12000°N 28.57278°E |
Length | 361 km (224 mi) |
Basin | 16,377 km2 (6,323 sq mi) |
Discharge | |
- average | 197 m3/s (6,957 cu ft/s) |
The Tana (Finnish: Teno or Tenojoki; Northern Sami: Deatnu; Norwegian: Tanaelva; Swedish: Tana älv), is a 361-kilometre (224 mi) long river in the Sápmi area of northern Scandinavia. The river flows through Finnmark county, Norway and the Lapland region of Finland. The Sámi name means "Great River". The main tributaries of Tana are Anarjohka and Karasjohka.
In its upper course it runs for 256 km (159 mi) along the Finnish–Norwegian border, between the municipalities of Utsjoki, Finland and Karasjok and Tana, Norway. The river is the fifth longest in Norway. The last 105 kilometres (65 mi) of the river run through the municipality of Tana in Norway. The river discharges into the Tanafjorden, one of the largest and most unspoiled river deltas in Europe. The delta is protected and is an important home to wetland birds. There are large deposits of sand in the delta that are exposed sandbars at low tide.
The Tana is well known for its excellent salmon fishery and is the most productive salmon river in Finland and Norway. The world's record for Atlantic salmon is held by a salmon caught on the Tana; it was 36 kilograms (79 lb) and was taken in 1929 by the late Nils Mathis Walle.