Brief synthesisThe High Coast in Sweden and the Kvarken Archipelago in Finland are situated on opposite sides of the Gulf of Bothnia, in the northern part of the Baltic Sea. This vast area of 346,434 ha (of which about 100,700 ha are terrestrial) is where high meets low: the High Coast’s hilly scenery with high islands, steep shores, smooth cliffs, and deep inlets is a complete contrast to the Kvarken Archipelago with its thousands of low‐lying islands, shallow bays, moraine ridges and massive boulder fields. Criterion (viii): The High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago is of exceptional geological value for two main reasons. The High Coast and the Kvarken Archipelago represent complementary examples of post-glacial uplifting landscapes. In the High Coast the sea is deep (as much as 293 m), while in the Kvarken Archipelago the sea is very shallow (with mean depth less than 10 m).