<P> The border was defined as a march in a treaty in 1326 and separated which parts of the Sami could be taxed by Norway and Russia . The border line was defined by a treaty in 1826 and essentially remains the same border today . In 1920 Petsamo was ceded to Finland and the border became part of the Finland--Norway border . Petsamo was ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944 and the Norway--Soviet Union border was established . During the Cold War, the border was one of two between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Soviet Union, the other being the Soviet Union--Turkey border . From 1991 to 1999 it was the only border between Russia and NATO . It is Norway's youngest unchanged border . Since the 1960s there has been disagreement as to the border between the two countries' EEZs, but this was resolved by a delimitation agreement in 2010 . </P> <P> From the 11th century Olaf III of Norway regarded the borders of Norway as reaching to the White Sea . The first Norwegians started moving to Finnmark in the 13th century . Vardøhus Fortress was erected by Norway in 1300 further east than today's land border, supporting Norwegian land ownership on the Varanger Peninsula . There were no permanent Norwegian settlements on the Kola Peninsula . In 1326 Norway and the Novgorod Republic signed an agreement regarding taxation of the Kola Peninsula and Finnmark . No border line was drawn, creating a marchland where both countries held the right to taxation of the Sami . Religiously motivated Russian colonization of the jointly taxed areas started in the 16th century, and Russian - Orthodox chapels were built at Neiden, Pechenga and Boris Gleb . This accelerated the need for a specific border line . In 1582 Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible declared the Kola Bay part of Russia, later specifying that Russia claimed all of Lapland . He further proposed that a new border line be drawn up . Denmark--Norway's King Frederick II responded by renewing the Norwegian claim to all land to the White Sea . His successor Christian IV traveled along the Finnmark coast in 1599 to increase the weight of the claims . As part of the Treaty of Knäred in 1613, Sweden abandoned all claims in Finnmark . </P> <P> The Dano - Norwegian government took the initiative to establish a border line in 1789 . Russian authorities agreed, but because of the Russo - Turkish War no work was undertaken . New Dano - Norwegian requests were raised in 1793, 1797, and 1809, without action from their Russian counterpart . Norway joined a union with Sweden in 1814 and two years later King Carl John again tried to start negotiations, without success . In 1825, however, a common Norwegian and Russian commission was established to draw a border line, resulting in a report and a map which was approved by both countries' authorities . The treaty was signed in Saint Petersburg on 14 May 1826, and the following summer border poles were laid along the border . The thalweg principle was followed in the Jakobselva and Pasvikelva Rivers . Along the land borders the boundary markers were laid at a distance of 6 alen or 5 arshin (3.765 m or 12.35 ft). The border remains Norway's youngest unchanged border and Russia's oldest . </P> <P> The border was reviewed in 1846; a cairn was constructed at Krokfjellet, and the land border from the sea to Golmmešoaivi was cleared . The marker at the mouth of the Jakobselva was gone and had to be rebuilt, while several others had to be repaired . It was agreed that there would be a review every twenty - five years, which was formalized through a declaration the following year . Some markers were repaired in 1857, and new reviews were carried out in 1871 and 1896 . In the latter year the width of the cleared area increased to 8 meters (26 ft). Maps were created for the entire border line in 1: 42,000 scale, and in 1: 8400 scale for the area immediately surrounding each marker . A partial review was carried out between Neiden and the Tana River in 1912 . Up until the 1940s the border had been open, without border controls; farmers at Grense Jakobselv, for instance, did not need to worry about whether or not their cattle were on the correct side of the border . </P>

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