Today’s Video of the Day from the European Space Agency features the Arctic region of Lapland, which is known for its vast wilderness, ski resorts, and natural wonders such as the Northern Lights.

Lapland is Finland’s northernmost region, and borders Sweden, Norway, Russia, and the Baltic Sea. It is also bound by the Norwegian Sea on the west, the Barents Sea on the north, and the White Sea to the east.

In the winter months, Lapland has temperatures of below zero and the Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis, can he viewed in the night sky.

The capital of Lapland, Rovaniemi, is considered the official hometown of Santa Claus. Here, the Arctic Circle runs through Santa Claus Village, which is located eight kilometers north of the city center. 

Finland is one of the places in the Arctic Circle where you can experience the Midnight Sun, or 24 hours of sunshine in the summer, as well as the Polar Night, when the sun does not appear in the winter. The northern and western areas were transferred in 1809 to Oulu County, which became Oulu Province. Under the royalist constitution of Finland during the first half of 1918, Lapland was to become a Grand Principality and part of the inheritance of the proposed king of Finland.

Video Credit: ESA

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer