Ivalo (Inari Sami: Avveel, Northern Sami: Avvil, Skolt Sami: Âˊvvel) is a village in Inari Municipality, in Finland's Lapland Province, located on the Ivalo river 20 kilometres to the south of Lake Inari. It has a population of 3,998 as of 2003[update] and a small airport. 30 kilometres south of Ivalo is a very popular resort named Saariselkä.[1] Many tourists visit this place every year for winter sports (downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, husky and reindeer sledge riding) and for summer activities (trekking and hiking in the Saariselkä fjells, canoeing in Lapland's rivers, mountain biking, panning for gold, fishing, etc).
Ivalo was severely damaged during the Lapland War (1944-1945) by retreating German troops led by Generaloberst Lothar Rendulic; the village was subsequently extensively rebuilt.
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