It is located in the province of Lapland along the Tornio River, opposite the Swedish town of Övertorneå about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) by road to its northwest.

The two localities are connected by an international bridge that goes between Övertorneå through an island and enters Finland in a rural portion of Ylitornio's municipality, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of town.

Literally translated to English the two locations would be called Upper Tornio.

The municipality is unilingually Finnish in contrast to much of far-western Finland.

The inruns of the hills will be through a mountain inside a pipe tunnel.