Finland rising in Kvarken Archipelago
The fast rate of uplift in a group of islands near Vaasa in western Finland has earned them UNESCO World Nature Heritage recognition. The rapidly advancing shoreline is emerging from the Gulf of Bothnia at about a centimetre a year, multiplying the potential for exciting outdoor activities.
Bird-watching, cycling, sailing, canoeing, fishing, trekking – and watching the land grow out of the sea: the last one takes a little longer than the first six, but there is no denying the variety on offer to visitors to the Kvarken Archipelago. Kvarken is the stretch of the Gulf of Bothnia in the northern Baltic spanning the 80-kilometre channel between Finland and Sweden. Merenkurkku – literally ‘sea throat’ – is Finnish for the Swedish name Kvarken.

Coast and Archipelago
Coastal Finland with its stunningly beautiful archipelago offers a variety of fascinating destinations that are easy to reach.
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