4% border traffic growth between Norway and Russia in 2019

Storskog border checkpoint. (Thomas Nilsen/The Independent Barents Observer)
Highest number of border-crossers between Russia and Norway since Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Figures from the Norwegian police show that a total of 266,267 people crossed the border in 2019, a growth of 4,4% year-on-year.

That is the highest number since the economic and political turmoil between Europe and Russia started following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea. Sanctions and counter-sanctions have negatively impacted the value of the Russian ruble and with that cross-border shopping.

In late 2014, the value of the Russian ruble dropped like a stone and so did the number of people crossing the border from the Murmansk region to Norway.

2013 and 2014 were all time high for the number of people crossing the Russian-Norwegian border with 320,000 and 318,000 respectively.

The Storskog-Borisoglebsk checkpoint is the northernmost landborder between Schengen-Europe and Russia.

Related stories from around the North:

Finland: Mushers from Russia’s Arctic Brigade practice dog sledding along Finnish border, The Independent Barents Observer

Norway: Russia-Norway cross-border traffic up 20 per cent, The Independent Barents Observer

Russia: Russia releases Norwegian ex-border inspector in 3-way spy swap involving Lithuania, The Independent Barents Observer

United States: Alaska losing $102M in military construction for wall on U.S.-Mexico border, Alaska Public Media

Thomas Nilsen, The Independent Barents Observer

For more news from the Barents region visit The Independent Barents Observer.

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

Leave a Reply

Note: By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that Radio Canada International has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Radio Canada International does not endorse any of the views posted. Your comments will be pre-moderated and published if they meet netiquette guidelines.
Netiquette »

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *