Reindeer Keep the Northern Villages Populated

Reindeer herding is the oldest and still vital source of livelihoods in the North. It is a particularly important employer in small villages and keeps them populated. The direct and indirect economical impacts of reindeer husbandry are significant – around one billion euro annually. From the perspective of the culture and traditions, reindeer is invaluable to Finland, but particularly to the North. No wonder reindeer has been named the regional animal of Lapland.

The Reindeer husbandry area is demarcated for reindeer herding (Reindeer Husbandry Act 848/1990). The area covers 122,936 sq. kilometres, 36 % of Finland’s total area. The reindeer husbandry area covers Lapland region and northern parts of Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu regions.

The Finnish reindeer husbandry area

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Reindeer herding is part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland.