Karesuando (Sámi: Gárasavvon, Finnish: Karesuvanto) is the northernmost village in Sweden, in the municipality of Kiruna. Across the Muoniojoki river is the Finnish half of the village, Karesuvanto.
This is the northernmost official border crossing between Finland and Sweden. The border is undramatic; if you have a boat or the river is frozen, you normally do not have to use the bridge. Currency and timezone are different in Finland.
It is famous as the birthplace of the temperance and pietist christian revival movement Laestadianism. It was founded by the vicar Lars Levi Laestadius, who served in Karesuando between 1826 and 1849 and spread rapidly among the Sami, eventually growing into the largest christian revival movement in the Nordic countries.
The Swedish part of Karesuando has about 350 inhabitants, just above the 200 inhabitants needed to qualify as a village (tätort) in Swedish statistics. With 150 on the Finnish side, the combined population is some 500.
The only settlements further north in Sweden are smaller hamlets, single homes, or tourist camps.
There is Swedish, Sami and Finnish heritage.
The European highway E45 from Italy to Alta leads through Karesuando/Kaaresuvanto, joining E8 from Turku to Tromsø across the border. National road 99 from Haparanda via Pajala ends here.
The nearest airports are in Kiruna, Hetta ("Enontekiö"), Kittilä and Tromsø. There are bus connections from Kiruna daily except Saturdays (Länstrafiken Norrbotten) and across the border (1 km) at least daily connections from Rovaniemi (timetables: Matkahuolto), heading for Kilpisjärvi or (in summertime only) Tromsø. The village is 180 km from Kiruna centre, 186 km from Pajala, 110 km from Kilpisjärvi, 66 km from Hetta and 272 km from Tromsø.
You might also end up here coming by the Victorialeden snowmobile route along the border, or canoeing from Kilpisjärvi by Könkämäeno or from Käsivarsi Wilderness Area by Lätäseno (the two join to form the Muonio river 9 km upstream from the village).
Most service is within 1 km from the church, along the roads.
Taxi: Gunnar Asplund, phone +46 981 200-00
Karesuando is a haven for outdoor life; especially winter sport.
Grocery stores:
A motel and several cottage businesses, most closed in winter.
See Karesuvanto for accommodation on the Finnish side of the border.
Postal code: 980 16 Karesuando
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division