View source for Paatsjoki

{{Short description|River in the country of Finland}}
{{expand Finnish|date=June 2023|topic=geo}}
{{expand Swedish|topic=geo|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox river
  | name                = Paatsjoki River
  | name_other          = {{native name list|tag1=fi|name1=Paatsjoki|tag2=se|name2=Báhčaveajjohka|tag3=sms|name3=Paččjokk |tag4=no|name4=Pasvikelva|tag5=ru|name5=Патсойоки|tag6=sv|name6=Pasvik älv}}
  | image               = Harefossen2.jpg
  | image_size          =
  | image_caption       =  Harefossen and the Paatsjoki River
| mapframe          = yes
| mapframe-zoom     = 6
  | mapframe-caption = Interactive map of the river
  | source1_location    = [[Lake Inari]]
  | source1_coordinates = {{coord|68|53|30|N|028|22|00|E|region:FI-LL}}
  | mouth_location      = [[Bøkfjorden]]
  | subdivision_type1   = Countries
  | subdivision_name1   = {{hlist|[[Finland]]|[[Norway]]|[[Russia]]}}
  | length              = {{convert|145|km|abbr=on}}
  | source1_elevation   = {{convert|118|m}}
  | mouth_elevation     = {{convert|0|m}}
  | discharge1_avg      = {{convert|175|m3/s|abbr=on}}
  | basin_size          = {{convert|18344|km2|abbr=on}}
}}

The '''Paatsjoki River''' ({{langx|fi|Paatsjoki}}, {{langx|sms|Paaččjokk}}, {{langx|se|Báhčaveaijohka}}, {{langx|no|Pasvikelva}},<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stadnamn.kartverket.no/fakta/443123|title=Informasjon om stadnamn|website=Norgeskart|publisher=[[Norwegian Mapping Authority|Kartverket]]|language=no|accessdate=2024-07-07}}</ref> {{langx|sv|Pasvik älv}}, {{langx|ru|Паз or Патсойоки}}, ''Paz or Patsoyoki'') is a river that flows through [[Finland]], [[Norway]], and [[Russia]].  
Since 1826, the river has marked parts of the [[Norway–Russia border]], except from 1920 to 1944 when it was along the [[Finland–Norway border]].<ref name="snl">{{cite web|url=http://snl.no/Pasvikelva|title=Pasvikelva|author=Store norske leksikon|authorlink=Store norske leksikon|language=Norwegian|accessdate=2013-03-13}}</ref>

The river is the outlet from the large [[Lake Inari]] in Finland and flows through Norway and Russia to discharge into the [[Bøkfjorden]] (which later flows into the [[Varangerfjorden]] and then the [[Barents Sea]]), not far from the town of [[Kirkenes]]. The river has a [[Drainage basin|watershed]] of {{convert|18404|km2}}, and is {{convert|145|km}} long.  A series of [[hydroelectric]] stations, known as the [[Paatsjoki River Hydroelectric Plants]], are along the river.<ref name="snl" /> Five of those seven<ref>https://www.dagsavisen.no/nyheter/2023/12/03/samarbeid-med-russland-lagt-pa-is-et-tap/. [[Dagsavisen]].no. Retrieved 2023-12-04</ref> power stations, are Russian.

The river provides good fishing opportunities for [[Atlantic salmon]], although fishermen must ensure that their fishing lines do not cross the international border.<ref name="snl" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Paatsjoki}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Portal bar|Russia}}

[[Category:Paatsjoki basin| ]]
[[Category:Rivers of Finland]]
[[Category:Rivers of Finnmark]]
[[Category:Rivers of Murmansk Oblast]]
[[Category:International rivers of Europe]]
[[Category:Norway–Russia border]]
[[Category:Rivers of Inari, Finland]]
[[Category:Border rivers]]


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