The paper summarizes the results of studying the history of development of the Paz river basin which flows along the Finland-Norway-Russia border. There are four stages in the development of this territory, each of the stages being characterized by specific anthropogenic activities. At the first stage (up to the mid-XVI century), the Sami people engaged in hunting, fishing, reindeer breeding, and forest felling live in the Paz river basin. The second stage (from 1565 till 1750) is associated with appearance of monks and clergymen, development of agriculture and stabling of livestock. At the third stage (till 1890) Russian and Norwegian fishermen start developing the area, which leads to an increase in anthropogenic pressure. At the last (fourth) stage resident population is formed, which marks a conflict of interest between the major users of natural resources. By the beginning of the XX century the territory of the Paz river basin undergoes the process of heterogeneous transformation of landscapes (from secondary derivative to anthropogenic).