At the top of Norway, well within the Arctic Circle, Hammerfest presents itself as the world’s northernmost town and is a natural centre of the region. The county of Finnmark has an area approximately the size of Switzerland but a population of 75,000, 15% of whom live in or near Hammerfest. The proximity to the North Cape establishes it as a major tourist destination in northern Norway, with 250,000 visitors each year.