This article describes the mortality among a cohort of the Finnish Sami population. A cohort of all 2,091 Sami & 4,161 non-Sami people from the two northernmost municipalities of Finland on 31 December 1978 was identified & followed up for mortality during 1979-2005. Altogether 625 Sami died during the follow-up, while the expected humber based on the average mortality rates in the entire Finnish population ws 633. Mortality from accidents & violence was elevated both among the Sami & non-Sami. The suicide mortality of the Sami men was significantly elevated while that of the non-Sami men was not. (45 refs.)