Introduction
Municipality in Lapland, FinlandKittilä
GihttelKittâlǨiʹttelMunicipalityKittilän kuntaKommunen KittiläView from the top of Kätkätunturi
Coat of armsLocation of Kittilä in FinlandInteractive map of KittiläCoordinates: 67°39′N 024°54.5′E / 67.650°N 24.9083°E / 67.650; 24.9083Country FinlandRegionLaplandSub-regionFell LaplandCharter1854Government • Municipality managerTimo KurulaArea (2018-01-01) • Total8,262.97 km2 (3,190.35 sq mi) • Land8,095.28 km2 (3,125.61 sq mi) • Water168.71 km2 (65.14 sq mi) • Rank3rd largest in FinlandPopulation (2025-12-31) • Total6,973 • Rank135th largest in Finland • Density0.86/km2 (2.2/sq mi) • Village2,229Population by native language • Finnish93.1% (official) • Swedish0.5% • Sami0.4% • Others6%Population by age • 0 to 1415% • 15 to 6463.6% • 65 or older21.5%Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET) • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)Websitekittila.fi/en
Kittilä (Finnish: [ˈkitːilæ]; Northern Sami: Gihttel, Inari Sami: Kittâl, Skolt Sami: Ǩiʹttel) is a municipality of Finland and a popular holiday resort. It is located in northern Finland north of the Arctic Circle within the Lapland region. The municipality has a population of 6,973 (31 December 2025) and covers an area of 8,262.97 square kilometres (3,190.35 sq mi) of which 168.71 km2 (65.14 sq mi) is water. The population density is 0.86 inhabitants per square kilometre (2.2/sq mi).
Kittilä is famous for being the location of the lowest recorded temperature in Finnish history: −51.5 °C (−60.7 °F), measured in January 1999 in Pokka. The "midnight sun" is above the horizon from 29 May to 16 July, and the period with continuous daylight lasts a bit longer, polar night from 14 December to 29 December.
The wolverine in the municipal coat of arms refers to the nature of Lapland. The coat of arms was designed by Einari Junttila, and was approved by the Kittilä municipal council at its meeting on 1 July 1963. The Ministry of the Interior confirmed the coat of arms for use on 26 November of the same year.
Climate
[edit]
Kittilä has a subarctic climate (Dfc) as a result of its northerly location and being far inland, which renders strong seasonal shifts. The sun does not set between 30 May and 15 July (47 days), and white nights lasts from early May to early August. The period that the sun does not rise lasts from 14 December to 29 December (16 days), the exact boundaries depending on local Topography. Although winter temperatures are cold they are still less severe than in similar locations elsewhere in the world due to some Gulf Stream influence. In summer temperatures generally are moderate, although warm days are possible. On 28 January 1999, Pokka, Kittilä recorded the official lowest temperature in Finland, -51.5 °C (-60.7 °F). On the same day, a temperature of -56.5 °C (-69.7 °F) was recorded in Naruska, Salla. However, this temperature is not considered an official record due to being recorded at a decommissioned weather station.
Climate data for Kittilä Pokka (1991-2020 normals, extremes 1971 - present)
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
5.1(41.2)
6.5(43.7)
9.5(49.1)
15.0(59.0)
28.5(83.3)
30.2(86.4)
31.8(89.2)
30.9(87.6)
22.0(71.6)
12.6(54.7)
8.5(47.3)
6.0(42.8)
31.8(89.2)
Mean maximum °C (°F)
0.3(32.5)
0.9(33.6)
4.5(40.1)
10.0(50.0)
19.6(67.3)
24.6(76.3)
26.0(78.8)
23.7(74.7)
17.3(63.1)
8.9(48.0)
2.4(36.3)
1.5(34.7)
27.2(81.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
−8.8(16.2)
−8.3(17.1)
−2.9(26.8)
2.8(37.0)
9.0(48.2)
15.6(60.1)
19.0(66.2)
16.1(61.0)
10.1(50.2)
1.8(35.2)
−3.8(25.2)
−6.7(19.9)
3.7(38.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)
−12.9(8.8)
−12.4(9.7)
−7.8(18.0)
−1.7(28.9)
4.3(39.7)
10.4(50.7)
13.5(56.3)
11.1(52.0)
5.8(42.4)
−1.2(29.8)
−7.0(19.4)
−10.4(13.3)
−0.7(30.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
−18.0(−0.4)
−17.7(0.1)
−13.7(7.3)
−7.2(19.0)
−0.5(31.1)
5.5(41.9)
8.4(47.1)
6.1(43.0)
1.9(35.4)
−4.3(24.3)
−10.8(12.6)
−15.3(4.5)
−5.5(22.2)
Mean minimum °C (°F)
−35.6(−32.1)
−34.3(−29.7)
−30.2(−22.4)
−22.1(−7.8)
−8.7(16.3)
−1.2(29.8)
1.5(34.7)
−2.4(27.7)
−6.4(20.5)
−17.7(0.1)
−25.5(−13.9)
−31.3(−24.3)
−38.1(−36.6)
Record low °C (°F)
−51.5(−60.7)
−43.0(−45.4)
−42.8(−45.0)
−33.2(−27.8)
−21.4(−6.5)
−4.5(23.9)
−2.3(27.9)
−10.1(13.8)
−13.9(7.0)
−28.6(−19.5)
−38.0(−36.4)
−42.0(−43.6)
−51.5(−60.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
30(1.2)
25(1.0)
25(1.0)
25(1.0)
31(1.2)
48(1.9)
62(2.4)
63(2.5)
52(2.0)
46(1.8)
39(1.5)
31(1.2)
477(18.7)
Average snowfall cm (inches)
19(7.5)
19(7.5)
19(7.5)
12(4.7)
7(2.8)
—
—
—
1(0.4)
8(3.1)
20(7.9)
26(10)
131(52)
Average precipitation days
7
8
7
6
8
9
10
9
8
8
9
9
98
Average relative humidity (%) (daily average)
86
85
81
76
68
66
71
76
83
90
90
86
80
Source 1: www.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi
kilotavu.com
Source 2: weather-atlas.com
