Lake Inari (Finnish: Inarijärvi/Inarinjärvi, Northern Sami: Anárjávri, Inari Sami: Aanaarjävri, Skolt Sami: Aanarjäuˊrr, Swedish: Enare träsk, Norwegian: Enaresjøen) is the third largest lake in Finland and the largest lake in Sápmi. It is located in the northern part of Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle. The lake is 117–119 meters above sea level and it is regulated at the Kaitakoski power plant in Russia. The freezing period normally extends from November to early June.
The most well known islands of the lake are Hautuumaasaari ("Graveyard Island"), which served as cemetery of ancient Sami people and Ukonkivi ("Ukko's Stone"), a historical sacrifice place of the ancient inhabitants of the area. There are over 3,000 islands in total. Trout, lake salmon, white fish, perch and pike are found in Lake Inari's waters.
The lake covers 1,040 square kilometres. It empties northwards through the Paatsjoki at the mouth of the Varangerfjord, which is a bay of Barents Sea.
Philip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials book series, chose this lake to be the home of the witch Serafina Pekkala.
Famous quotes containing the word lake:
“They who know of no purer sources of truth, who have traced up its stream no higher, stand, and wisely stand, by the Bible and the Constitution, and drink at it there with reverence and humility; but they who behold where it comes trickling into this lake or that pool, gird up their loins once more, and continue their pilgrimage toward its fountain-head.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)