# Kirkenes

> town in Sør-Varanger Municipality, Norway

**Wikidata**: [Q209423](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q209423)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkenes)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kirkenes

## Summary
Kirkenes is a town located in Sør-Varanger Municipality, Norway, serving as the administrative centre of the municipality. Situated at coordinates 69.72708°N, 30.04511°E, it covers an area of 2.15 square kilometers and had a population of 3,424 as of January 1, 2025. Founded in 1826, the town is known by multiple native names including Kirkkoniemi and Girkonjárga.

## Key Facts
- **Location**: Sør-Varanger Municipality, Norway
- **Coordinates**: 69.72708°N, 30.04511°E
- **Area**: 2.15 square kilometres
- **Elevation**: 9 metres above sea level
- **Population**: 3,424 (as of 2025-01-01)
- **Founded**: 1826
- **Timezone**: UTC+01:00
- **Demonym**: kirkenværing
- **Official Language**: Bokmål (predominant)
- **Native Names**: Kirkenes, Kirkkoniemi, Ǩeârkknjargg
- **Aliases**: Girkonjárga, Kirkkoniemi, Girkonjarga, ヒルケネス, チルケネス, ريف كيركينيس
- **Classification**: Urban area in Norway, city, administrative centre
- **Significant Event**: Operation Nordlicht (started 1944-10-21)
- **Twin Towns**: Kars, Nikel
- **Website**: http://www.svk.no/

## FAQs
**What is the population of Kirkenes?**
As of January 1, 2025, the population of Kirkenes is 3,424. Historical data shows fluctuations from 3,444 in 2012 to a peak of 3,538 in 2014.

**Where is Kirkenes located?**
Kirkenes is situated in Sør-Varanger Municipality in Norway at a latitude of 69.72708 and longitude of 30.04511. It lies within the UTC+01:00 timezone.

**What languages are used in Kirkenes?**
The predominant official language is Bokmål. The town is also known by native names in Finnish (Kirkkoniemi) and Skolt Sami (Ǩeârkknjargg), with aliases in Sami, Japanese, and Arabic.

**What is the historical significance of Kirkenes?**
Founded in 1826, Kirkenes was the site of Operation Nordlicht, a significant military operation that began on October 21, 1944.

## Why It Matters
Kirkenes serves as the critical administrative hub for Sør-Varanger Municipality in Norway. Its strategic location is highlighted by its twin town relationships with Kars and Nikel, fostering international connections. The town's multilingual heritage, reflected in its official and native names, underscores its cultural diversity. As an urbanized area with a stable population and a history dating back to the early 19th century, it plays a central role in the region's governance and community life.

## Notable For
- Being the administrative centre of Sør-Varanger Municipality.
- Multilingual heritage with native labels in Norwegian, Finnish, and Skolt Sami.
- Hosting the onset of Operation Nordlicht on October 21, 1944.
- Twin town relationships with Kars and Nikel.
- Maintaining a consistent population record tracked by the National Population Register from 2012 to 2025.

## Body

### Geography and Demographics
Kirkenes is classified as an urban area in Norway and serves as an administrative centre. It is located within Sør-Varanger Municipality in Norway. The town's precise coordinates are 69.72708°N latitude and 30.04511°E longitude. It spans an area of 2.15 square kilometres, with an elevation of 9 metres above sea level.

The population has been tracked over multiple years:
- 2012-01-01: 3,444
- 2014-01-01: 3,538
- 2018-01-01: 3,529
- 2019-11-04: 3,531 (estimation)
- 2020-01-01: 3,492
- 2021-01-01: 3,459
- 2022-01-01: 3,383
- 2023-01-01: 3,404
- 2024-01-01: 3,535
- 2025-01-01: 3,424 (preferred value)

### History
Kirkenes was established in 1826. A significant historical event associated with the town is Operation Nordlicht, which commenced on October 21, 1944.

### Administration and Governance
The town functions as the capital of Sør-Varanger Municipality. Its official website is http://www.svk.no/. The official language is Bokmål, designated as the predominant language.

### Culture and Identity
The town's identity is reflected in its various names:
- **Native Labels**: Kirkenes, Kirkkoniemi, Ǩeârkknjargg.
- **Aliases**: Girkonjárga, Girkonjarga, ヒルケネス, チルケネス, ريف كيركينيس.
The demonym for residents is "kirkenværing."

### International Relations
Kirkenes maintains twin town relationships with:
- Kars
- Nikel

### Identifiers and Classifications
Kirkenes is cataloged under various identifiers:
- **Wikidata**: Q3145
- **GeoNames ID**: 779303
- **GND ID**: 4289677-0
- **VIAF ID**: 137267049
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n85065302
- **Who's on First ID**: 101814729
- **Freebase ID**: /m/018d9w
- **BBC Things ID**: 7b78827c-d2a5-496a-95a4-4c812f4744ae
- **Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID**: 2067163
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007555469505171
- **Canadiana Name Authority ID**: ncf12025025
- **FAST ID**: 1232984

### Additional Classifications
- **SSB Urban Settlement Number**: 8684
- **SSR Place Name Number**: 140217
- **GNS Unique Feature ID**: -265788
- **Online PWN Encyclopedia ID**: 3922434
- **Archnform Location ID**: 52454
- **OpenWeatherMap City ID**: 779303
- **Yale LUX ID**: place/eaf6e761-764c-486f-94a7-4af3a76220db
- **RKD Thesaurus ID**: 33341
- **FactGrid Item ID**: Bernhard Fleischmann

### Media and Resources
- **Wikipedia Title**: Kirkenes
- **Commons Category**: Kirkenes
- **Page Banner**: Available on Wikimedia Commons
- **Images**: Multiple images available including "Kirkenes, with a foggy Varangerfjord.jpg" and "00_0912_Kirkenes_-_Hafen_(Hurtigruten).jpg"
- **Pronunciation Audio**: Available in Norwegian

### Associated People
- **Category for People Born Here**: Q24800855
- **Category of Associated People**: Category:People from Kirkenes

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Tettsteders befolkning og areal. Statistics Norway](https://www.ssb.no/befolkning/statistikker/beftett/aar)
4. [Alders- og kjønnsfordeling i kommuner, fylker og hele landets befolkning (K) 1986 - 2020. Statistics Norway. 2024](https://www.ssb.no/statbank/table/04859/)
5. [Alders- og kjønnsfordeling i kommuner, fylker og hele landets befolkning (K) 1986 - 2021. Statistics Norway. 2024](https://www.ssb.no/statbank/table/04859/)
6. [Alders- og kjønnsfordeling i kommuner, fylker og hele landets befolkning (K) 1986 - 2022. Statistics Norway. 2024](https://www.ssb.no/statbank/table/04859/)
7. [Alders- og kjønnsfordeling i kommuner, fylker og hele landets befolkning (K) 1986 - 2023. Statistics Norway. 2024](https://www.ssb.no/statbank/table/04859/)
8. [Alders- og kjønnsfordeling i kommuner, fylker og hele landets befolkning (K) 1986 - 2024. Statistics Norway. 2024](https://www.ssb.no/statbank/table/04859/)
9. [Alders- og kjønnsfordeling i kommuner, fylker og hele landets befolkning (K) 1986 - 2025. Statistics Norway. 2025](https://www.ssb.no/statbank/table/04859/)
10. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
11. GeoNames
12. BBC Things
13. [Source](https://saan.oahpa.no/detail/sms/fin/%C7%A8e%C3%A2rkknjargg.html)
14. SSR
15. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
16. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File