Alta (Áltá or formerly Álaheadju in Northern Sami) is a municipality and town in the county of Finnmark, Norway. The municipality is probably named after the fjord (Altafjorden). The municipality covers 3,845 km˛, in the west of the county, mostly situated along the Altafjord, taking in large tracts of woodlands, as well as parts of the High Plateau of Finnmarksvidda. The river Altaelva has carved out one of the largest canyons in Europe on its way from the plateau down to the fjord. Most people live in the town of Alta, stretching along the inner part of the fjord, enjoying a sheltered climate; daytime summer temperatures are often comparable to southern parts of Norway, and lowland areas in Alta are mostly sheltered from the winter storms. Precipitation is low, with a yearly average precipitation of only 400 mm. The clear skies are the reason why Alta early was chosen as an excellent location for studying the aurora borealis.
