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Kvæfjord

Kvæfjord is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Central Hålogaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borkenes. Other villages include Hundstad, Langvassbukta, and Revsnes.

Together with Harstad, the two municipalities cover a large part of the island of Hinnøya in the southern part of the Troms county. Kvæfjord consists mostly of mountains and fjords. The municipality centers on the Kvæfjorden and Gullesfjorden.

Kvæfjord is also where the Norwegian national cake, Kvæfjord cake, originally comes from.

The 513 km2 municipality is the 208th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Kvæfjord is the 233rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,866. The municipality's population density is 5.8 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 7% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
Kvæfjord was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 25 October 1956, a part of Kvæfjord (population: 32) was transferred to neighboring Trondenes Municipality. On 1 January 2000, the part of Kvæfjord that surrounded the Godfjorden (population: 102) was transferred from Kvæfjord to Sortland Municipality (in neighboring Nordland county).

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after local fjord known as the Kvæfjorden (Kviðjufjǫrðr) since the first Kvæfjord Church was built along the shore of the fjord. The first element is the genitive case of the name of the island Kviðja (now known as Kvæøya) which lies in the fjord. The name of the island might be derived from the word kviðr which means "belly" or "stomach". The last element of the name is fjǫrðr which means "fjord". Prior to 1889, the name was spelled Kvædfjord.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 4 April 1986. The official blazon is "Vert, a strawberry plant Or" (I grønt en gull jordbærplante). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a strawberry plant. The strawberry plant has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The green color in the field symbolizes the importance of agriculture in the municipality, along with fertility, growth, and renewal. The strawberry was chosen since it is the northernmost municipality in Norway where strawberries are produced commercially. The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Kvæfjord. It is part of the Trondenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Economy
The municipality is known for agriculture and farming. The quality of the strawberries is famous. The long hours of daylight, combined with relatively low summer temperatures, make the strawberries more tasteful than berries grown in warmer climates.

A large institution for the mentally handicapped was once located in Kvæfjord. It employed a large number of health workers.

Geography
The municipality is located on Hinnøya island and it is split by three smaller branches of the large Andfjorden: Gullesfjorden, Kvæfjorden, and Godfjorden. The island of Kvæøya is located in the middle of the Kvæfjorden, across from Borkenes.

The landscape of today was largely formed during the last ice age. When the ice retreated, the terrain rose by 50 m. It is in this belt of old seabed that today's best farm land is located. There are four county roads connecting the municipality: two to the north and one each to the east and south. The 412 m tall mountain Nupen is located in the northern part of the municipality on the border with Harstad.

Climate
Kvæfjord has a subpolar oceanic climate, and is mild for the high latitude. The wettest season is September - January, and the driest season is April - August.

Government
All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Kvæfjord is made up of 23 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Kvæfjord:

 * 1838–1839: Lorents R. Normann
 * 1840–1841: Christian Ernst Qvale
 * 1842-1842: Christian Tomassen
 * 1843–1845: August Torvald Deinboll
 * 1846-1846: Anders Fochsen
 * 1847–1848: Peder Olsen Svanem
 * 1849–1852: Tellef Martin Bang
 * 1853–1854: Peder Elias Wulff
 * 1855–1856: Tellef Martin Bang
 * 1857–1860: Peder Elias Wulff
 * 1861–1862: Christian Tomassen
 * 1863–1866: Peder Elias Wulff
 * 1867–1870: Jesper Jespersen
 * 1871–1872: Peder Elias Wulff
 * 1873–1874: Edias Fochsen
 * 1875–1894: L. B. Drevland
 * 1895–1907: Bendiks E. Vik
 * 1908–1922: Jørg. Pedersen
 * 1923–1928: Matias Johan Torheim (Bp)
 * 1929–1941: Ole Olsen
 * 1945–1947: Ivar Størkersen
 * 1948–1957: Vidar Pleym
 * 1958–1959: Jac. Norman
 * 1960–1963: Halfdan D. Johansen
 * 1964–1971: Christian Høyersten
 * 1972–1979: Rasmus Torheim
 * 1980–1981: Christian Høyersten
 * 1982–1985: Asbjørn Hessen (V)
 * 1986–1995: Bendiks H. Arnesen (Ap)
 * 1995–2003: Asbjørn Olafson (Ap)
 * 2003–2011: Lillian Hessen (V)
 * 2011–2023: Torbjørn Larsen (Ap)
 * 2023-present: Birger Holand (Sp)

Notable people

 * Johanne Nielsdatter (born in Kvæfjord, died 1695) the last Norwegian woman to be executed for witchcraft
 * Mikkel Røg (ca. 1679 in Kvæfjord – ca. 1737) Danish-Norwegian medal engraver to the French Royal Court 1720 to 1737
 * Birger Bergersen (1891 in Kvæfjord – 1977) was a Norwegian anatomist, politician, academic professor, rector, diplomat and chairman of the International Whaling Commission
 * Fritz Aagesen (1935 in Kvæfjord – 1998) a Norwegian author of two books of ghost stories
 * Karl Erik Harr (born 1940 in Kvæfjord) a Norwegian painter, illustrator, graphic artist and author
 * Bendiks H. Arnesen (born 1951 in Kvæfjord) politician, Mayor of Kvæfjord 1986 to 1995
 * Ivar Andreas Forn (born 1983 in Kvæfjord) a retired football goalkeeper with over 100 club caps

title: Kvæfjord


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Skånland

Skånland is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1926 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Tjeldsund Municipality. It was part of the Central Hålogaland region, just southeast of the city of Harstad. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Evenskjer. Other villages included Grovfjord, Renså, Sandstrand, and Tovik.

Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the 495 km2 municipality was the 210th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Skånland Municipality was the 264th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,009. The municipality's population density was 6.1 PD/km2 and its population had increased by 5.9% over the previous 10-year period.

The Tjeldsund Bridge in Skånland connects the island of Hinnøya (the largest coastal island in Norway) to the Norwegian mainland.

General information
Skånland Municipality was established on 1 July 1926 when the large Trondenes Municipality was divided into three municipalities: Sandtorg Municipality (population: 4,224) in the southwest, Skånland Municipality (population: 2,443) in the southeast, and Trondenes Municipality (population: 3,429) in the north. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the neighboringAstafjord Municipality (population: 1,120) was merged into Skånland. On the same date, the part of Skånland on the island of Rolla (population: 143) was transferred to the neighboring Ibestad Municipality.

On 1 January 2020, Skånland Municipality was merged into the neighboring Tjeldsund Municipality, the new merged municipality became part of Troms county (since Tjeldsund was in Nordland county and Skånland was in Troms county prior to the merger).

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Skånland farm (Skánøyjarland) since this was where the first Skånland Church was built in 1870. The first element is the genitive case of an old name for the area (Skánøy). The meaning of this name is uncertain, but it may be of Sami origin, meaning "small mountains" (skánit). The last element is which means "land" or "farm".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 19 August 1988 and it was used until 1 January 2020 when the municipality was dissolved. The official blazon is "Or an auger drill sable" (I gull en svart navar). This means the arms have a field (background) with a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The charge is an auger with a tincture of sable. The auger was chosen for the design in order to represent boat building, an industry with long roots in the municipality. The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.

Churches
The Church of Norway had three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Skånland. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Trondenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Economy
Agriculture was important in Skånland. There were also many people who worked in Harstad or at the nearby Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes.

Geography
The municipality included the western and northern part of the Ofoten peninsula, which is bordered by Ofotfjord in the south, Tjeldsundet in the west, and the Astafjorden and Vågsfjorden in the north. Skånland Municipality was located north of Evenes Municipality, northwest of Narvik Municipality, and east of Tjeldsund Municipality (all three were in the neighboring Nordland county). Harstad Municipality was located to the northwest (across the Tjeldsundet) and Gratangen Municipality was to the northeast (both were located in Troms county). The village of Evenskjer, located in the lowland bordering the Tjeldsundet strait, was the largest village. In the northern part of Skånland was the smaller village of Grov. Other villages were Renså, Tovik and Sandstrand.

The largest lake was Skoddebergvatnet, and the highest mountain was Skittendalstinden at 1306 m in the mountainous center of the peninsula. There were calcareous pine forests near Skoddebergvatnet. The lake Niingsvatnet was located on the border with Evenes. The highest point in the municipality is the 1305.9 m tall mountain Skittendalstinden.

Government
While it existed, Skånland Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Trondenes District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Skånland was made up of 15 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Skånland:

 * 1926-1945: Albert Isaksen
 * 1945-1945: Tonning Larsen
 * 1946-1947: Robert Mathisen
 * 1948-1958: Martin Svendsen
 * 1958-1959: Sigvart Isaksen
 * 1960-1963: Herleif Grøneng
 * 1964-1967: Peder Ellefsen
 * 1968-1975: Herleif Grøneng
 * 1976-1979: Aage Olsen
 * 1980-1991: Odd Nilssen (Ap)
 * 1992-1997: Håkon Walter Brox (H)
 * 1997-2002: Terje Fjordbakk (Sp)
 * 2002-2011: Svein Berg (Ap)
 * 2011–2015: Einar Aune (H)
 * 2015–2019: Helene Berg Nilsen (Ap)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Skånland


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Bjarkøy

Bjarkøy is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The 73.6 km2 municipality existed from 1838 until it was merged with Harstad Municipality on 1 January 2013. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Nergården on the island of Bjarkøya. The island municipality was spread across several islands: Bjarkøya, Sandsøya, Grytøya (northern half), Krøttøya, and many smaller ones. Originally, the municipality also included the southwestern tip of the large island of Senja.

Prior to its dissolution in 2013, the 73.6 km2 municipality was the 399th largest by area out of the 429 municipalities in Norway. Bjarkøy Municipality was the 427th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 455, making it the 3rd smallest in the country. The municipality's population density was 6.2 PD/km2 and its population had decreased by 17.9% over the previous 10-year period.

One of the reasons why Bjarkøy merged with Harstad Municipality in 2013 was due to the promised funding of the Bjarkøy Fixed Link project. It would link the main islands of Bjarkøy together with a bridge and undersea road tunnel enabling residents to drive further which would drastically shorten the ferry ride to the mainland in Harstad.

General information
The prestegjeld (church parish) of Sand was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The name was later changed to "Bjarkøy". During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the southernmost part of the island of Senja (the Senjehesten peninsula) and the Lemmingsvær island (total population of the two locations: 480) was transferred from Bjarkøy to Tranøy Municipality. On 1 January 2013, Bjarkøy Municipality was merged with Harstad Municipality to the south, forming a new, larger municipality called Harstad.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) was originally named "Sand" after the old Sand farm (Sand) on the island of Sandsøya, since the first Bjarkøy Church was built there. The name comes from the word is which means "sand" or "sandbank". In 1887, the church was moved to the island of Bjarkøya, so the municipal name was changed to Bjarkø. This new name comes from the island of Bjarkøya (Bjarkarey). The first element is the genitive case of which means "birch". The last element is which means "island". (The name of the island, since it is an old trading place, is perhaps inspired by the name of the old and well-known town of Birka in Sweden, which has the same meaning). Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Bjarkø. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Bjarkøy, to give the name a more Norwegian and less Danish spelling due to Norwegian language reforms.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 11 April 1986. The official blazon is "Azure, a demi-griffin passant Or" (I blått en halv gull griff). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a demi-griffin (upper half showing, no legs). The griffin has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. Bjarkøy wanted to have its coat of arms to be the same as those used by the medieval Bjarkøy noble family, however, the old 13th century family arms were already in use by Troms county. So a variation was adopted - a demi-griffin was used instead. This family was one of the most influential families in the northern part of Norway during medieval times. They used a griffin for the arms of the family starting in the late 13th century. The arms were designed by Øystein H. Skaugvolldal. The arms of Bjarkøy were retired after the merger in 2013 since Harstad retained its old coat of arms after the merger.

Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Bjarkøy. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Trondenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

History
This is old Viking territory, and it was a chieftain seat during the Viking Age and the Middle Ages. Among the more famous chieftains you find Thorir Hund, who killed Norway's Patron Saint, Saint Olav in the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. In 1323, the chieftain seat was raided and burned by Karelian and Novgorod warriors.

Geography
The municipality of Bjarkøy was located entirely on islands. The largest island, Grytøya, was shared with the municipality of Harstad. Other islands included Bjarkøya, Sandsøya, Helløya, Flatøya, and Meløyvær. The Andfjorden flowed along the northern and western side of the municipality and the Vågsfjorden flowed on the eastern and southern sides of the municipality. The highest point in the municipality is the 987 m tall mountain Skjellesvikgalten on the island of Grytøya.

Government
While it existed, Bjarkøy Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Bjarkøy was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Bjarkøy (incomplete list):

 * 1873: Martinus Knutsen
 * 1887: Ditlef W. Lund
 * 1904-1907: G. Lund
 * 1917-1918: Jens L. Jensen
 * 1918-1919: D.B. Tollefsen
 * 1922-1925: T.O. Nordvik
 * 1926-1931: S. Kildal
 * 1932-1941: Ole Slagstad
 * 1941-1945: Ingvald Høve (NS)
 * 1945-1945: Ole Slagstad
 * 1945-1947: Peder J. Bjarke
 * 1948-1951: Ditlef Eriksen (Ap)
 * 1952-1955: Peder J. Bjarke
 * 1955-1959: Ditlef Eriksen (Ap)
 * 1960-1967: Arnljot Eidnes (LL)
 * 1967-1979: Martin Gideonsen (Ap)
 * 1979-1983: Kåre Edg Pettersen (LL)
 * 1983-1991: Brynjulf Lauritzen (Ap)
 * 1991-1995: Arne Ludolf Petter Kaspersen (Ap)
 * 1995-1999: Markus Johan Sakariassen (LL)
 * 1999-1999: Harald-Arne Bjarke (LL)
 * 1999-2001: Geir Ove Ystmark (V)
 * 2001-2003: Trond Markussen (LL)
 * 2003-2007: Jorunn Berg (LL)
 * 2007-2011: Eddmar Osvoll (LL)
 * 2011-2012: Jorunn Berg (LL)

title: Bjarkøy


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Ibestad

Ibestad is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Central Hålogaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hamnvik. Some of the other larger villages in Ibestad include Engenes, Laupstad, Rollnes, Sørrollnes, Sørvika, and Å.

The 241 km2 municipality is the 292nd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Ibestad is the 312th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,279 The municipality's population density is 5.5 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 10% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
The municipality of Ibestad was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). Initially, Ibestad municipality covered a large area from the Vågsfjorden to the border with Sweden (the old Astafjord Church parish). In 1854, the rural eastern half of the municipality (population: 757) was separated from Ibestad to form the new Bardu Municipality. This left Ibestad with 4,741 residents.

Then, on 1 January 1871, the northeastern part of the municipality (population: 1,384) was separated from Ibestad to form the new Salangen Municipality. This left Ibestad with 4,301 inhabitants. On 1 January 1907, the easternmost area of Ibestad (population: 1,536) became the separate Lavangen Municipality. Ibestad had 5,709 residents remaining after the split. In 1926, the municipality of Ibestad was divided into four separate municipalities: Andørja Municipality (population: 1,420) in the northeast, Gratangen Municipality (population: 1,967) in the southeast, Astafjord Municipality (population: 1,018) in the southwest, and (a much smaller) Ibestad Municipality (population: 1,768) in the northwest.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Ibestad (population: 1,821) was merged with Andørja Municipality (population: 1,330) and the part of Skånland Municipality located on the island of Rolla (population: 143), creating a new Ibestad Municipality with a total of 3,294 residents.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Ibestad farm (Ívarsstaðir) since the first Ibestad Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the male name Ívarr. The last element is which means "homestead" or "farm". Historically, the name of the municiaplity was spelled Ibbestad. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Ibestad.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 19 December 1986. The official blazon is "Azure, a cross formy within and conjoined to an annulet argent" (I blått et sølv hjulkors med utbøyde armer). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a cross formy inside an annulet (circle). The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The design is reminiscent of the Ibestad Church, built around the year 1200. It is one of the northernmost stone churches in the world. In the 1960s a 13th-century gravestone was found at the church which had the same type of "wheel cross" design. This design was eventually chosen for the Ibestad coat of arms. These types of crosses were often used as ornaments in wooden stave churches. The arms were designed by Steinar Hanssen.

Churches
The Church of Norway has two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Ibestad. It is part of the Trondenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
The municipality encompasses the islands of Andørja and Rolla and the tiny surrounding islets. The two main islands are connected by the undersea Ibestad Tunnel. The Mjøsund Bridge connects Andørja to Salangen Municipality on the mainland. There is a regular ferry connection from Sørrollnes on Rolla to the town of Harstad.

The Astafjorden forms the southeastern border of the municipality and the Vågsfjorden forms the western and northern borders. The small Mjøsundet strait forms the eastern border. The highest point in Ibestad is the 1276 m tall Langlitinden mountain.

Government
All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Ibestad is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Ibestad:

 * 1838–1845: Peter Munch Brager
 * 1846–1847: Poul Irgens Holst
 * 1848–1849: Nikolai Normann Dons
 * 1850–1855: Jørris Schjelderup Hanssen
 * 1856–1857: Jens Bing Dons, Jr.
 * 1858–1862: Fredrik Hegge
 * 1863–1868: Jens Bing Dons, Jr.
 * 1869–1872: Peder B. Dons
 * 1873–1876: Johan Barak Dønnesen
 * 1877–1880: Peder B. Dons
 * 1881–1882: Konrad Saugestad
 * 1883–1884: Andreas Simon Olsen
 * 1885–1888: Konrad Saugestad
 * 1889–1890: Peder B. Dons
 * 1891–1898: Konrad Saugestad
 * 1899–1907: Johan Laurits Johansen
 * 1908–1910: Helge Hallesen (V)
 * 1911–1913: Martin Rasmussen (V)
 * 1914–1919: John Lind-Johansen (Ap)
 * 1923–1940: Håkon Breivoll (Ap)
 * 1941–1945: Fridtjof Kjæreng (NS)
 * 1945-1945: Håkon Breivoll (Ap)
 * 1946–1953: Hans Simonsen (Ap)
 * 1954–1957: Einar Horsberg (V)
 * 1957–1959: Hans Simonsen (Ap)
 * 1960–1961: Einar Horsberg (V)
 * 1962–1963: Ove Bergvoll (Ap)
 * 1964–1967: Olav Eriksen (Ap)
 * 1968–1975: Peder H. Pedersen (Sp)
 * 1976–1979: Odd Jacobsen (Ap)
 * 1980–1983: Peder H. Pedersen (Sp)
 * 1984–2007: Arne Olav Ekman (H)
 * 2007–2011: Marit Johansen (Ap)
 * 2011–2023: Dag Brustind (H)
 * 2023-present: Jim Kristiansen (H)

Notable people

 * Håkon Martin Breivoll (1886 in Ibestad – 1955), a Norwegian politician who was Mayor of Ibestad municipality from 1922 to 1940

title: Ibestad


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Gratangen

Gratangen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Central Hålogaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Årstein.

The 313 km2 municipality is the 261st largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Gratangen is the 328th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,079. The municipality's population density is 3.5 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 3.6% over the previous 10-year period.

The largest settlement in the municipality is Årstein, which is located approximately 60 km north of the town of Narvik and 85 km east of the town of Harstad. Other villages in Gratangen include Elvenes, Fjordbotn, and Hilleshamn. The European route E6 highway runs through the southeastern part of the municipality.

General information
The municipality of Gratangen was established on 1 July 1926 when it was separated from the large municipality of Ibestad. The initial population of Gratangen was 1,967. The municipal boundaries have not changed since that time.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Gratangen fjord (Grjótangr). The first element is grjót which means "stone". The last element is angr which means "fjord".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 15 June 1990. The official blazon is "Azure, a chevron embowed argent" (I blått en innbøyd sølv sparre). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a curved chevron. The chevron has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The blue color in the field symbolizes the blue sky (on top) and the Gratangen fjord and sea (on the bottom). The chevron was chosen to represent the snowy mountain peaks. The arms were designed by Even Jarl Skoglund.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Gratangen. It is part of the Trondenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

History
Gratangen was the site of the Battle of Gratangen, one of the first battles between the German 3rd Mountain Division under Eduard Dietl and the Norwegian 6th Division under General Carl Gustav Fleischer after the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940.

Geography
The municipality encompasses the land on both sides of the Gratangen and southeast of the Astafjorden. The municipality borders Skånland to the west, Ibestad (across the Astafjorden) to the north, Lavangen to the east, and Narvik (in Nordland county) to the south.

The municipality is very mountainous, with only one third of the land being below the tree line of 250 to 300 m above sea level. Most of the livable land is a narrow area along both sides of the fjord, several side valleys that branch away from the fjord, plus the Fjordbotn area at the head of the fjord.

Government
All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Gratangen is made up of 15 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Gratangen:

 * 1926–1929: Mikal Jakobsen
 * 1929–1931: O.M. Eilivsen-Thraning
 * 1932–1934: Mikal Jakobsen
 * 1935–1937: Arthur Heggelund (Ap)
 * 1938–1941: Mikal Nilsen
 * 1941–1942: Arthur Heggelund (Ap)
 * 1942-1942: Ove Seines
 * 1942-1942: O.M. Eilivsen-Thraning
 * 1942–1945: Christian Selnes
 * 1946–1947: Arthur Heggelund (Ap)
 * 1948–1951: Øyvind Bahr
 * 1952–1961: Anker Nikolaisen (Ap)
 * 1962–1967: Alfred Pedersen (Ap)
 * 1968–1971: Heiberg Karlsen (LL)
 * 1972–1975: Odd Thraning (Ap)
 * 1976–1979: Arvid Fjellheim (Ap)
 * 1980–1983: Reidar Schjelderup (Sp)
 * 1984–1985: Odd Thraning (Ap)
 * 1986–1989: Arvid Fjellheim (Ap)
 * 1990–1991: Roy-Idar Sandberg (Sp)
 * 1992–1993: Håkon Kristiansen (Ap)
 * 1994–1999: Roy-Idar Sandberg (Sp)
 * 1999–2003: Rita H. Roaldsen (Sp)
 * 2003-2003: Håkon Kristiansen (Ap)
 * 2003–2011: Eva Ottesen (Ap)
 * 2011–2015: Ronny Grindstein (Sp)
 * 2015-2019: Eva Ottesen (Ap)
 * 2019–present: Anita Karlsen (Sp)

title: Gratangen


text:
Lavangen

or is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Tennevoll. Other villages in Lavangen include Fossbakken and Spansdalen (in the inland areas) and Kjeiprød, Røkenes, Låternes, Tennevoll, Hesjevika, Soløy, and Å (surrounding the fjord).

The 302 km2 municipality is the 266th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Lavangen is the 334th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 970. The municipality's population density is 3.3 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 4.5% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
Lavangen was established on 1 January 1907 when it was separated from Ibestad Municipality. The initial population was 1,536. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Lavangen Municipality (population: 1,677) and Salangen Municipality (population: 2,611) were merged into a new, larger Salangen Municipality. The merger was brief, however, because on 1 January 1977, the old Lavangen Municipality (except for the Lavangsnes area) was made a separate municipality once again.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality is named after the local Lavangen fjord (Laufangr) since it is a central geographical feature of the area. The first element is which means "leaf" (here in the sense of 'birchwood'). The last element is which means "fjord" or "bay". On 19 December 2015, the national government approved the municipality's request to add Loabák as a co-equal, official name of the municipality in the Northern Sami language. Both Loabák and Lavangen can be used interchangeably for the municipality. The spelling of the Sami language name changes depending on how it is used. It is called Loabák when it is spelled alone, but it is Loabága suohkan when using the Sami language equivalent to "Lavangen municipality".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 18 December 1987. The official blazon is "Gules, three birch leaves Or in pall stems conjoined" (I rødt tre gull bjørkeblad forent i trepass). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is three birch leaves that are connected and in a Y-shape design. The leaves have a tincture of Or which means they are commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The arms are a canting of the name of the municipality (which means leaf). The three leaves represent how the municipality was settled by Norwegians, Samis, and Kvens. The arms were designed by Øystein Hermod Skaugvolldal.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Lavangen. It is part of the Indre Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
The municipality encompasses the land around the Spansdalelva river valley and most of the area around the Lavangen fjord, south of the Astafjorden. The municipality borders Narvik Municipality (in Nordland county) to the south, Gratangen Municipality to the west, Salangen Municipality to the north, and Bardu Municipality to the east.

Government
All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Lavangen is made up of 15 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Lavangen (incomplete list):

(Part of Salangen Municipality from 1964 to 1977)
 * 1907–1913: Bernhard Dahl Karlsen
 * 1926–1937: Lorentz K. Brattberg Aa (Ap)
 * 1938–1942: Johan Sandmel
 * 1942–1945: Albert Olaus Dahl
 * 1948–1959: Alfred Ottesen (Ap)
 * 1983–2003: Torleif Myrseth (Ap)
 * 2003–2007: Bernhardt Halvorsen (Sp)
 * 2007–2011: Viktor Andberg (Ap)
 * 2011–2015: Erling Bratsberg (Sp)
 * 2015–2019: Bernhardt Halvorsen (Sp)
 * 2019–present: Hege Beathe Myrseth Rollmoen (Ap)

Attractions
Spanstind rundt is a famous cross-country skiing race in Lavangen that is held on Maundy Thursdays each year.

Notable people

 * Cecilie Myrseth (born 1984) a Norwegian psychologist and politician, grew up in Lavangen
 * Sandra Borch (born 1988 in Lavangen) a Norwegian politician

title: Lavangen


text:
Bardu Municipality

Bardu ( and Perttulan komuuni) is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Setermoen, the largest urban area in the municipality.

The 2704 km2 municipality is the 18th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Bardu is the 203rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,986. The municipality's population density is 1.5 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 0.03% over the previous 10-year period.

Norway's largest military garrison is located at Setermoen. The military is the municipality's largest employer and more than 1,000 young soldiers perform their duty service here each year. The world's most northern zoo, Polar Park, is located in the southern part of the municipality.

General information
The municipality of Bardodalen was established in 1854 when the eastern part of the old Ibestad Municipality was separated to form the new municipality. The initial population of the new municipality was 757. The municipal borders have not changed since then, although the name was later changed to Bardu.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality has had several name variations since its establishment in 1854. Initially, the name was Bardodalen from 1854 until 1889. In 1889, the name was shortened to Bardo. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Bardu. The root of the name is possibly a Norwegianized form of the Sámi name Beardu. The meaning of the Sámi name is probably "long and steep mountain side". The original suffix of the name, means "the valley", thus the name was "the valley of Bardo". An alternate explanation is that "Bardo" is a corruption of the old Norwegian male name Berto or Berdo (Bergþórr).

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 6 June 1980. The official blazon is "Or, a wolverine statant sable" (I gull en gående svart jerv.). This means the arms have a charge that is a wolverine which has a tincture of sable. The field (background) has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The wolverine was chosen as a symbol for the large forests and the rich wildlife in the municipality. There is a permanent population of wolverines living in the extensive forests and mountain areas of Bardu. The motif also expresses strength and continuity. The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within Bardu Municipality. It is part of the Indre Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Government
Bardu Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Nord-Troms og Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Bardu is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayor (ordfører) of Bardu is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position (incomplete list):

 * 1908-1917: Peder M. Hasvold
 * 1917-1921: Ludvig Lande
 * 1922-1928: Olav Foshaug (Bp)
 * 1928-1943: Johan P. Hasvold (Bp)
 * 1943-1945: Olaf Asplund
 * 1945-1950: I.M. Riise (Ap)
 * 1950-1954: Einar Bjørnsen (V)
 * 1955–1961: Alfred Henningsen (Ap)
 * 1961-1967: Ola Tønseth (Ap)
 * 1967-1975: Peder J. Evensgård (Ap)
 * 1975–1979: Alfred Henningsen (Ap)
 * 1980–1988: Reidar Kroken (Sp)
 * 1988–1991: Bjørn Espenes (H)
 * 1991–1995: Bjarne Kollstrøm (H)
 * 1995–1999: Ragnhild Movinkel (Sp)
 * 1999–2003: Roald Linaker (Ap)
 * 2003–2011: Oddvar Bjørnsen (Sp)
 * 2011–2015: Arne Nysted (Ap)
 * 2015–present: Toralf Heimdal (Sp)

Geography
Bardu borders Lavangen Municipality and Salangen Municipality to the west, Målselv Municipality to the north, Narvik Municipality (in Nordland county) to the south, and Sweden to the east. The Barduelva river runs through the municipality from south to north along the Bardudalen valley. The Salangsdalen valley is located along the western part of the municipality. The largest lake in the county, Altevatnet, is located in the eastern part of the municipality, near the smaller lakes Geavdnjajávri and Leinavatn. These lakes lie in and near Rohkunborri National Park. The highest point in the municipality is the 1660.61 m tall mountain Rohkunborri, also located within Rohkunborri National Park.

Climate
Bardu, although not far from the coast, is known for its cold winters compared to the coastal areas. This is caused by mountains usually blocking the milder, coastal air from reaching the Bardu valley. In summer, however, it is usually warmer than the coastal areas.

Notable people

 * Alfred Henningsen (1918–2012), a military officer, spy, politician, and Mayor of Bardu for over nine years; lived in Setermoen
 * Sissel Solbjørg Bjugn (1947 in Bardu – 2011), a poet and children's writer
 * Regina Alexandrova (born 1967), a Norwegian politician and Bardu municipal councillor from 2007 to 2015

Sport

 * Ole Hegge (1898 in Bardu – 1994), a cross-country skier and ski jumper who was a silver medallist at the 1928 Winter Olympics
 * Fred Børre Lundberg (born 1969), a Nordic combined performer won two team silver medals and one team gold medal at the 1992, 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics and an individual gold at the 1994 Winter Olympics; raised in Bardufoss
 * Kristian Hammer (born 1976), a Nordic combined skier who grew up in Setermoen

title: Bardu Municipality


text:
Salangen

Salangen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sjøvegan, where most of the people in the municipality live. Other villages include Elvenes, Laberg, and Seljeskog.

The municipality is situated along the Sagfjorden in south central Troms county. The municipality is mostly coastal areas around the fjord as well as some inland valleys. Salangen is home to the world's northernmost bat population.

The 458 km2 municipality is the 219th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Salangen is the 276th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,048. The municipality's population density is 4.7 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 7.7% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
The municipality of Salangen was established on 1 January 1871 when it was separated from the large Ibestad Municipality. The initial population of Salangen was 1,384.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Lavangen Municipality (population: 1,677) and Salangen Municipality (population: 2,611) were merged to form a new, larger Salangen Municipality with a new population of 4,288.

This merger was not popular and on 1 January 1977, it was mostly undone. Most of the old Lavangen Municipality (except for the Lavangsnes area) was separated from Salangen Municipality to form a separate municipality once again. After the split, the new, smaller Salangen Municipality had 2,611 residents.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the local Salangen fjord (Selangr). The first element is selr which means "seal". The last element is which means "fjord".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 2 December 1985. The official blazon is "Azure, a seal hauriant argent" (I blått en skråstilt sølv sel). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a seal. The seal has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. They are canting arms since the name of the municipality is derived from the old word "Sellanger", meaning "fjord of seals". The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Salangen. It is part of the Indre Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
The municipality is located in the southern part of Troms county, at the northeastern end of the Astafjorden. Ibestad Municipality is located west of Salangen, connected by the Mjøsund Bridge; Lavangen Municipality to the south; Bardu Municipality to the east; and Dyrøy Municipality and Sørreisa Municipality are to the north.

Geology
The area itself is part of the Caledonian Orogeny formed of part of a series of Nappes that run down the coast of Norway. These nappes were metamorphosed as a result of partial subduction beneath Laurentia during the early to middle Paleozoic. On a smaller scale, the municipality is located mainly on quartzite (known as Sjøvegan quartzite locally and regionally as Bø quartzite). In the hills to the south, there is garnet-rich schist (known as Trollvannet schist).

Across the nearby lake Nervatnet and towards the village of Strokkenes, granite within marble is present (Høglund marble and Strokkenes granite). This granite is Leucratic, an indicative sign of granite intruded within an orogenic mountain building event.

Government
All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Salangen is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors of Salangen:

 * 1871–1872: Johan Enoksen
 * 1873-1876: Christian Strøm
 * 1877-1880: Samuel Tollefsen
 * 1881-1889: J. B. Markussen
 * 1899-1906: Hans Lund
 * 1907-1934: Kristian Pedersen Tønder (Ap)
 * 1934-1940: Magnus Elvevoll (Ap)
 * 1940-1941: Per Olai Prestbakmo (V)
 * 1946-1963: Johan A Johansen (Ap)
 * 1964-1984: Per Tønder (Ap)
 * 1984-1994: Håkon Bendiktsen (Ap)
 * 1994-1999: Astrid Tunheim (Ap)
 * 1999-2014: Ivar B. Prestbakmo (Sp)
 * 2014–2023: Sigrun W. Prestbakmo (Sp)
 * 2023-present: Simon Løvhaug (Sp)

Notable people

 * Nels Nelsen (1894 in Salangen – 1943), a Canadian ski jumper active from 1916 to 1932
 * Dag Tønder (1907 in Salangen – 1989), an editor, lawyer, judge and acting county governor
 * Birger Vestermo (born 1930 in Salangen), a cross-country skier, competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics
 * Bård Tønder (born 1948 in Salangen), a Norwegian judge; Supreme Court Justice from 2006 to 2018

title: Salangen


text:
Målselv Municipality

Målselv is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moen. The main commercial centre of the municipality is the town of Bardufoss (which includes the neighborhoods of Andselv, Andslimoen, and Heggelia). Other villages in the municipality include Alapmoen, Fossmoen, Holmen, and Skjold.

The 3324 km2 municipality is the 11th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Målselv is the 149th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 6,714. The municipality's population density is 2 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 1.2% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
The municipality of Maalselven was established in 1848 when it was separated from the large Lenviken Municipality. The initial population of Maalselven was 2,616. In 1891, some parts of the Maalsnes area (population: 30) were transferred to neighboring Malangen Municipality. On 1 January 1904, an area with 5 inhabitants was transferred from Balsfjord Municipality to Maalselven. The spelling of the name was changed to Målselv in 1918. On 1 July 1925, the eastern district of the municipality was separated from Målselv to form the new Øverbygd Municipality. This left Målselv with 3,531 residents.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Øverbygd Municipality (population: 1,232), Målselv Municipality (population: 5,584), the Naveren and Målsnes areas of Malangen Municipality (population: 118), and the "Skogli ved Heia" farm in Balsfjord Municipality (population: 2) were all merged to form a new, larger municipality of Målselv with a new population of 6,936. On 1 January 1966, the Sørelvmo/Aursfjordbotn area (population: 131) was transferred from Balsfjord Municipality to Målselv Municipality. Then on 1 January 1972, the "Blomli i Fagerfjell" area of Målselv Municipality (population: 63) was transferred to Lenvik Municipality.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the river Målselva which flows through the area. The first element is the genitive case of the old uncompounded name of the Malangen fjord which means "bag" or "sack" (referring to the shape of the fjord). The last element is the finite form of which means "river". Historically, the name of the municiaplity was spelled Maalselven. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Maalselv, removing the definite form ending -en. On 21 December 1917, a royal resolution enacted the 1917 Norwegian language reforms. Prior to this change, the name was spelled Maalselv with the digraph "aa", and after this reform, the name was spelled Målselv, using the letter å instead.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 1 February 1985. The official blazon is "Vert, a pile wavy argent issuant from base dexter" (I grønt en sølv spiss, skråstilt venstre høyre, dannet ved bølgesnitt). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a wavy line rising from the bottom left to the top right. The wavy line has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms are a canting that represent the Målselva river which runs on serpentine-like loops through a fertile valley as it passes through the municipality. The green color symbolizes the fertile valley and the wavy white or silver line represents the river. The arms were designed by Ottar Jarl Myrvang.

Churches
The Church of Norway has two parishes (sokn) within Målselv Municipality. It is part of the Indre Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
Målselv was settled by farmers from southern Norway, especially Østerdalen from 1788 and onwards. They were attracted by the vast forests and areas of fertile land in the broad Målselvdalen. The valley and municipality take their name from the river Målselva. The river is well known for its salmon, and forms the Målselv waterfall (Målselvfossen), which has been selected as Norway's national waterfall. The Målselva empties into the Malangen fjord north of Olsborg.

The highest point in the municipality is the 1720.86 m tall mountain Njunis. There are several other mountains in the municipality such as Istind, which is popular among hikers. There are many lakes such as Andsvatnet, Finnfjordvatnet, Rostojávri, Lille Rostavatn, and Takvatnet. One of the rarest orchids in Europe, Lysiella oligantha (Sibirnattfiol), is found in Målselv. Øvre Dividal National Park (740 km2) is located in the easternmost part of Målselv, near the border with Sweden.

Besides bordering Sweden to the east and the ocean (Malangen fjord) to the northwest, it borders Balsfjord Municipality and Storfjord Municipality to the north, Bardu Municipality to the south, and Sørreisa Municipality and Senja Municipality to the west.

Climate
Målselv has a boreal climate (Köppen climate classification: Dfc) with cold winters, and with spring and early summer as the driest season.

Målselv is fairly sheltered from the coastal weather, and has a somewhat inland climate. The all-time high 33.5 C is from July 2018, while the warmest month on record at Bardufoss Airport is July 2014 with average daily high 23.4 C and mean 17.7 C. The all-time low -38.1 C was recorded December 1978. The coldest month recorded is February 1966 with mean -18.1 C and average daily low -23 C. Mean annual precipitation is 703 mm at Bardufoss and only 282 mm in the Divi valley, which sits at 282 m above sea level.

There is on average 93 days each winter with daily low -10 C or colder, and 28 days with low -20 C or colder. The winter season sees on average 68 days with at least 50 cm snow cover on the ground, 126 days with at least 25 cm snow cover, and 179 days with at least 5 cm snow cover. In the warm season there is on average 116 days each year when the daily average high reaches 10 C or warmer and 22 days with daily average high above 20 C. Precipitation is fairly moderate, there is on average 75 days per year with at least 3 mm precipitation and 15 days per year with at least 10 mm precipitation. This is based on data from Met.no with 1971–2000 as base period. The average date for first overnight freeze (below 0 °C) in autumn is 4 September (1981-2010 average).

Government
Målselv Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Nord-Troms og Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Målselv is made up of 23 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayor (ordfører) of Målselv is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position (incomplete list):

 * 1849-1852: Ole Krogseng
 * 1852-1856: E.A. Sandeggen
 * 1857-1859: Ole Krogseng
 * 1859-1860: Tollef Olsen Fagerlidal
 * 1861-1871: E.A. Sandeggen
 * 1871-1872: M. Hay
 * 1873-1876: Lars I. Fagerlidal
 * 1877-1877: Martens
 * 1877-1882: Tollef Olsen
 * 1883-1890: Ole Tollefsen Fagerlidal
 * 1891-1894: Monrad Hay
 * 1895-1910: Erik Myre
 * 1911-1913: Rønning Tollefsen
 * 1913-1915: Erik Myre
 * 1915-1916: P. Steingrimsen
 * 1917-1919: Rønning Tollefsen
 * 1920-1922: D.E. Jachwitz
 * 1923-1925: J. Traasdahl
 * 1926-1928: M. Foshaug
 * 1988-1990: Kristian Eldnes (Ap)
 * 1990-1993: Vidkunn Haugli (V)
 * 1993-1995: Helge Paulsen (Ap)
 * 1995-2003: Lars Nymo (Sp)
 * 2003-2011: Viggo Fossum (Ap)
 * 2011-2015: Helene Rognli (H)
 * 2015-2019: Nils Foshaug (Ap)
 * 2019–2023: Bengt-Magne Luneng (Sp)
 * 2023-present: Martin Nymo (H)

Economy
A local newspaper, Nye Troms, covering Målselv, Bardu, and Balsfjord, has its main office in the Olsborg/Moen area. The municipality administration is located at Moen, about 2 km east of Olsborg.

Further south along European route E6 is the Bardufoss region, which encompasses the local communities Andselv, Andslimoen, and Heggelia, the latter including the Norwegian army's 6th division. Near Andselv is the Bardufoss Airport and the Bardufoss Air Station of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, including the 337th and 339th Air Force helicopter squadrons. Målselv municipality, together with neighbouring Bardu, has the largest concentration of army bases in the country.

Moving further up the valley, another local community is Rundhaug, and moving eastwards, closer to Øvre Dividal National Park, is the community of Øverbygd, housing two more sub-communities Skjold and Holt. The former also houses the Skjold base for mechanized infantry and combat engineers.

Tourism is a growing industry in Målselv, with the opening of Målselv Fjellandsby, an alpine ski destination. Målselv is also home to Målselvfossen, Norway's national waterfall and a mecca for salmon fishermen. Bardufoss concentration camp was located here during World War II.

Arne Berggren established a film production hub, Shuuto Arctic, at FilmCamp Nord, a former military base in Målselv. Shuuto Arctic's first production was The River (2017) and was followed by Outlier (2020).

Notable people

 * Meyer Foshaug (1868 in Foshaug – 1955), a farmer and politician
 * Johannes Martens (1870 in Målselv – 1938), a newspaper editor
 * Erling Mossige (1907 in Målselv – 1997), a jurist and banker
 * Aase Nordmo Løvberg (1923 in Målselv – 2013), an opera soprano
 * William Engseth (born 1933 in Målselv), a Norwegian politician and President of the Norwegian Olympic Committee
 * Viggo Fossum (1949–2019), a Norwegian politician who was Mayor of Målselv from 2003 to 2011
 * Svein Nymo (1953 in Målselv – 2014), a violinist and composer
 * Geir Pollen (born 1953 in Målselv), a poet, novelist, and translator
 * Karen Anette Anti (born 1972), a Norwegian Sami politician
 * Ragnhild Furebotten (born 1979), a fiddler, folk musician, and composer who lives in Målselv
 * Ingerid Stenvold (born 1977), a television presenter and former cross-country skier

Sport

 * Jostein Nordmoe (1895 in Målselv – 1965), a Canadian skier who competed at the 1932 Winter Olympics
 * Sverre Stenersen (1926 in Målselv – 2005), a Norwegian Nordic combined skier who was a bronze medallist at the 1952 Winter Olympics and gold medallist at the 1956 Winter Olympics
 * Odd Brandsegg (born 1948 in Målselv), a Swedish former ski jumper
 * Erik Valnes (born 1996), a cross-country skier

title: Målselv Municipality


text:
Sørreisa

Sørreisa is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sørreisa. Other villages include Grunnreisa, Skøelva, and Smørsgård.

The 363 km2 municipality is the 248th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Sørreisa is the 218th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,428. The municipality's population density is 9.9 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 0.6% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
The municipality of Sørreisen was established on 1 September 1886 when the large Tranøy Municipality was divided into three: Tranøy Municipality (population: 1,239) in the west, Dyrøy Municipality (population: 1,281) in the south, and Sørreisen Municipality (population: 1,361) in the east. Later, the spelling was changed to Sørreisa. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the part of Sørreisa Municipality across the Reisafjorden on the island of Senja (population: 129) was transferred to Lenvik Municipality.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the local Reisafjorden (Reisa). The fjord was named after the river Reisaelva which flows into the fjord. The river name is derived from the verb which means "to raise" (referring to flooding). The prefix (meaning "southern") was added to the name to distinguish the municipality from the nearby Nordreisa Municipality to the north. Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Sørreisen. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Sørreisa.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 7 September 1984. The official blazon is "Gules, three six-pointed mullets Or" (I rødt 3 seksoddete gull stjerner, to over en). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is three six-pointed stars. Each star has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The arms were designed by Ottar Jarl Myrvang. The design was inspired by the oldest seal preserved from Sørreisa. The seal belonged to the local politician Jacob Hansen Kinapel who was a policeman in Sørreisa from 1715 to 1748. His heptagonal 18th century seal shows his initials IHSK around three stars, an eight-pointed star in the centre over two six-pointed stars.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Sørreisa. It is part of the Indre Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
Sørreisa is located on the western coast of Norway, along the Reisafjorden, just east of the large island of Senja. The 363 km2 municipality is mostly populated along the shoreline. Dyrøy Municipality lies to the west, Salangen Municipality and Bardu Municipality are to the south, Målselv Municipality is to the east, and Senja Municipality is to the north.

Climate
Sørreisa has continental subarctic climate. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Dfc". The Norwegian Meteorological Institute has been operating a weather station in Sørreisa for many years.

Government
All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Nord-Troms og Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Sørreisa is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors of Sørreisa:

 * 1886–1888: Jacob Moe
 * 1889–1907: Johan Jørgensen
 * 1908–1925: Ingvald Andersen (V)
 * 1926–1928: Hans Nordgård
 * 1929–1940: Kristian Simonsen (Ap)
 * 1942–1945: Oliver Krogstad (NS)
 * 1945–1952: Kristian Simonsen (Ap)
 * 1953–1969: Thoralf Dalseth (Ap)
 * 1970–1982: Arnold W. Johansen (Ap)
 * 1982–1991: Kjell Bakkland (Ap)
 * 1992–1999: Paul Dahlø (Ap)
 * 1999–2007: Magnor Olsen (Ap)
 * 2007–2011: Knut H. Olsen (H)
 * 2011–2015: Paul Dahlø (Ap)
 * 2015–present: Jan-Eirik Nordahl (Ap)

Notable people

 * Amalie Øvergaard (1874 in Sørreisa – 1960) a Norwegian women's leader
 * Berger Torrissen (1901 in Sørreisa – 1991) an American skier, competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics for the USA
 * Willy Ovesen (1924 in Sørreisa – 2015) a Norwegian civil servant, director of the Norwegian Tax Administration from 1982 to 1994
 * Herborg Finnset (born 1961 in Sørreisa) a Norwegian prelate of the Church of Norway and the Bishop of Nidaros from 2018
 * Tore Rismo (born 1961 in Sørreisa) a retired Norwegian football midfielder
 * Siri Pettersen (born 1971) a Norwegian writer and comics creator, brought up in Sørreisa

title: Sørreisa


text:
Dyrøy

Dyrøy is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Brøstadbotn. Other villages include Dyrøyhamn, Espenes, Holm, and Hundstrand.

The 289 km2 municipality is the 270th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Dyrøy is the 328th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,056. The municipality's population density is 3.8 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 11.3% over the previous 10-year period.

The municipality is named after the island of Dyrøya, which is connected with the mainland with the modern Dyrøy Bridge. Most people, however, don't live on the island, but live in Brøstadbotn on the mainland.

General information
The municipality of Dyrøy was established on 1 September 1886, when it was separated from Tranøy Municipality. The initial population of Dyrøy was 1,281. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the parts of Tranøy Municipality located on the mainland (population: 382) were transferred to Dyrøy.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the island of Dyrøya (Dýrøy) since the first Dyrøy Church was built there. The first element is which means "wild animal", here likely referring to deer or reindeer. The last element is which means "island". Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Dyrø. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Dyrøy, to give the name a more Norwegian and less Danish spelling due to Norwegian language reforms.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 4 April 1986. The official blazon is "Azure, a fox statant argent" (I blått en stående sølv rev). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a locally-bred platinum fox. The fox has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The fur industry has had a long tradition in Dyrøy and in the 1930s, a special sort of arctic fox was bred there which was called the platinum fox. The arms were designed by Svein A. Berntsen.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Dyrøy. It is part of the Senja prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
The municipality is located on the island of Dyrøya and the mainland area to the east, with the Dyrøy Bridge connecting the island to the mainland. The Vågsfjorden, Tranøyfjorden, and Solbergfjorden flow along the western and northern border of the municipality.

The municipality is mountainous with a narrow beach area along the coast. On the mainland, the Bjørkebakkdalen valley leads south from the municipal center Brøstadbotn. The municipality has several peaks over 1000 m, the highest being the 1237 m tall Løksetind on the border with Salangen in the south.

Government
All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Nord-Troms og Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Dyrøy is made up of 15 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Dyrøy (incomplete list):
 * 1995-2011: Rolf Espenes (Ap)
 * 2011-2015: Randi Lillegård (Ap)
 * 2015-2023: Marit Alvig Espenes (Ap)
 * 2023-present: Kjell-Sverre Myrvoll (Sp)

title: Dyrøy


text:
Tranøy Municipality

Tranøy is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The municipality was situated on the southern coast of the large island of Senja. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into the new Senja Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Vangsvik in the eastern part of the municipality. Other important villages included Stonglandseidet, Skrollsvika, and Å.

Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the 524 km2 municipality was the 204th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Tranøy was also the 352nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,513. The municipality's population density was 2.9 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 1.6% over the previous decade.

The nearly-abandoned island of Tranøya, with the 18th-century wooden Tranøy Church, used to be the centre of activities for the municipality. From Tranøybotn it is only a short walk to the Ånderdalen National Park, with varied landscapes within a very limited area, including deep pine forests.

General information
The parish of Tranøy was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality included all the land surrounding the large Solbergfjorden. On 1 September 1886, the municipality was divided into three separate municipalities: Tranøy Municipality (population: 1,239) on the west, Dyrøy Municipality (population: 1,281) in the south, and Sørreisa Municipality (population: 1,361) in the east.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964 several changes took place:
 * The mainland areas of Tranøy (population: 382) were transferred to Dyrøy Municipality.
 * The Hellemo, Paulsrud, Johnsgård, and Stormo farms of Tranøy (population: 106) were transferred to Lenvik Municipality.
 * The parts of Bjarkøy Municipality on the island of Senja and Lemmingsvær islands (population: 480) were transferred to Tranøy Municipality.
 * The Rødsand area of Torsken Municipality (population: 160) was also transferred to Tranøy Municipality.

In March 2017, the Parliament of Norway voted to merge Berg Municipality, Torsken Municipality, Lenvik Municipality, and Tranøy Municipality. The new municipality would encompass the whole island of Senja plus part of the mainland located between the Gisundet strait and the Malangen fjord. On 1 January 2020, Tranøy Municipality ceased to exist when it became part of the new Senja Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the small island of Tranøya (Tranøiar) since the first Tranøy Church was built there. The first element is which means "crane". The last element is which means "island". Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Tranø. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Tranøy, to give the name a more Norwegian and less Danish spelling due to Norwegian language reforms.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 15 May 1987. The official blazon is "Argent, a flounder embowed reversed sable" (I sølv en krummet svart kveite). This means the arms have a field (background) that has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The charge is an Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) that is curved like a U-shaped arch facing upwards. The fish is a main species of local fish, which symbolizes the importance of fishing for the local community. In addition to this, the fish has played a major role in local legends, similar to the role of bears in land-based legends. The arms were designed by Svein A. Berntsen.

Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Tranøy Municipality. It was part of the Senja prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
The municipality of Tranøy was located on the southern end of the large island of Senja. The Andfjorden, Vågsfjorden, and Solbergfjorden surrounded the municipality to the west, south, and southeast. The neighboring Torsken Municipality and Berg Municipality were located to the north and Lenvik Municipality was to the east. Ånderdalen National Park was located in the northwestern part of the municipality. The highest point in the municipality was the 898.6 m tall mountain Tredjefjellet.

Government
While it existed, Tranøy Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality fell under the Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Tranøy was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayor (ordfører) of Tranøy is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position (incomplete list):

 * c.1880-1907: Jørgen Christian Holmboe
 * 1911-1912: Fredrik Isaksen
 * 1917-1919: Ole Nilsen
 * 1919-1929: J. Sivertsen
 * 1929-1934: Ole Solbø
 * 1934-1942: Oscar Edvardsen (Ap)
 * 1943-1945: Oscar Andreassen (NS)
 * 1945-1960: Oscar Edvardsen (Ap)
 * 1960-1971: Trygve Sollied (Ap)
 * 1971-1979: Lyder Johan Nilssen (Ap)
 * 1979-1983: Kjell Benjaminsen (Ap)
 * 1983-2003: Martin Rolness (Ap)
 * 2003-2015: Odd Arne Andreassen (Ap)
 * 2015-2019: Jan Fredrik Jenssen (H)

title: Tranøy Municipality


text:
Torsken Municipality

Torsken (Doaskku suohkan) is a former municipality that was located on the western coast of the large island of Senja in Troms county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1902 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into the new Senja Municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Gryllefjord. Other larger villages in Torsken Municipality included the villages of Torsken, Medby, and Flakstadvåg.

Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the 243 km2 municipality was the 310th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Torsken was also the 403rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 931. The municipality's population density was 3.8 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 1.6% over the previous decade.

The historic Torsken Church in the village of Torsken dates back to the 18th century. Ånderdalen National Park was partially located inside the old borders of both Torsken Municipality and neighboring Tranøy Municipality.

General information
Torsken Municipality was established on 1 January 1902 when it was separated from Berg. The initial population of Torsken was 1,229. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the Rødsand area of Torsken (population: 160) was transferred to the neighboring Tranøy Municipality.

In March 2017, the Parliament of Norway voted to merge Berg Municipality, Torsken Municipality, Lenvik Municipality, and Tranøy Municipality. The new municipality would encompass the whole island of Senja plus part of the mainland located between the Gisundet strait and the Malangen fjord. On 1 January 2020, Torsken Municipality ceased to exist when it became part of the new Senja Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Torsken farm (Þoskar) since the first Torsken Church was built there. The farm (and municipal) name were taken from the nearby mountain, Torsken. The name comes from the word which means "cod". (Several mountains in Norway are named after their likeness with a fish.)

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 23 March 1990. The official blazon is "Sable, a cross moline Or" (I svart et gull ankerkors). This means the arms have a black field (background) and the charge is a cross moline (ankerkors; lit. 'anchor cross'). The cross moline has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The cross is a symbol for both Christianity and the importance of the local harbor. The economy of Torsken is largely dependent on its harbors and an anchor cross is an appropriate symbol. The arms were designed by Ivar Enoksen.

Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Torsken Municipality. It was part of the Senja prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Economy
Most of the inhabitants of the municipality lived in the fishing village of Gryllefjord in the northern part of the municipality. The second most important village was Torsken, only a few kilometers to the south. Kaldfarnes/Medby, Grunnfarnes, and Flakstadvåg were other fishing villages further south. The municipality was close to the resources of the major fishing grounds off the Vesterålen archipelago, and 2004 landed 9.8 million tons of fish with a value of NOK76.3 million for fish-processing in Torsken, Gryllefjord, Kaldfarnes, and Grunnfarnes. Most people worked in the fishing or fish processing industries.

The municipality had few productive forests, but there were some spruce trees planted in sheltered areas. In the southern parts of Torsken there was some usable farmland. There were five farms with more than 5 daa of agricultural land in the entire municipality (as of 1999).

Transportation
The Andenes–Gryllefjord Ferry went across the Andfjorden to the village of Andenes on the island of Andøya. The ferry was operated during about two months each summer. The road from the northern part of the municipality to Kaldfarnes, Grunnfarnes, and Flakstadvåg was far from direct. One had to drive north and then east into the neighboring Berg Municipality and then south into Tranøy Municipality before turning northwest and returning to Torsken Municipality. These were the only road connections from the rest of Norway into Torsken.

Government
While it existed, Torsken Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality fell under the Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Torsken was made up of 15 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayor (ordfører) of Torsken was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:

 * 1902-1910: Edvard Pedersen
 * 1911-1916: M.F. Carlsen
 * 1917-1919: Christian Eilertsen
 * 1920-1923: M.F. Carlsen
 * 1923-1928: Harry Alvær (V)
 * 1928-1932: M.F. Carlsen
 * 1932-1934: Harry Alvær (V)
 * 1935-1941: Ingvald Johansen (V)
 * 1941-1942: Harry Alvær (V)
 * 1942-1945: Hjalmar Johansen
 * 1945-1945: Ingvald Johansen (V)
 * 1946-1951: Arthur Brox (V)
 * 1951-1955: Arne Andreassen (Ap)
 * 1956-1957: Ingvald Johansen (V)
 * 1958-1959: Arne Andreassen (Ap)
 * 1960-1963: Ingvald Johansen (V)
 * 1964-1967: Konrad Fagerthun (Ap)
 * 1968-1975: Ottar Jakobsen (Ap)
 * 1975-1979: Ottar Alver (Ap)
 * 1979-1983: Oddmund Thobiassen (Ap)
 * 1983-1987: Atle Hilmarsen (Ap)
 * 1987-1991: Annie Ingvarda Halvorsen (Ap)
 * 1991-2007: Hans Peder Pedersen (Sp)
 * 2007–2019: Fred Flakstad (Ap)

Geography
Torsken was a rugged area along the west coast of the island of Senja. Many different fjords cut into its mountainous coastline including Sifjorden, Selfjorden, Torskefjorden, Gryllefjorden, and Skipsfjorden. Between mountain peaks that ranged from 600 to 1000 m, there were deep valleys and narrow depressions. The highest point in the municipality was the 963.4 m tall mountain Kvænan. Many of the valleys contained marshes or lakes. The bedrock under Torsken consisted mostly of gneiss and granite.

title: Torsken Municipality


text:
Berg Municipality (Troms)

Berg is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into the new Senja Municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Skaland. Other villages included Finnsæter, Mefjordvær, and Senjahopen. The municipality was located on the western part of the large island of Senja.

Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the 294 km2 municipality was the 281st largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Berg was also the 406th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 888. The municipality's population density was 3 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 5.7% over the previous decade.

The municipality was the first place in the world to utilize a hydroelectrical power station in the mining community of Hamn. When the mining industry ceased, the "electrical adventure" did as well. The buildings are still located at Hamn, now functioning as a special hotel/lodge.

The first female pastor in the Lutheran Church of Norway, Ingrid Bjerkås, worked in this parish, starting in 1961.

General information
The parish of Berg was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1902, the southern part of Berg (population: 1,229) was separated to form the new Torsken Municipality. This left Berg with 1,002 residents. The municipal borders did not change after that time.

In March 2017, the Parliament of Norway voted to merge Berg Municipality, Torsken Municipality, Lenvik Municipality, and Tranøy Municipality. The new municipality would encompass the whole island of Senja plus part of the mainland. The new Senja Municipality will be established on 1 January 2020.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Berg farm (Berg) in what is now the village of Skaland. The farm is where Berg Church is located. The name is the same as the word which means "mountain".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 2 October 1987. The official blazon is "Per bend sinister double bevilled argent and sable" (Venstre skrådelt av sølv og svart ved dobbelt lynsnitt). This means the arms have a double bevilled division of the field running along a diagonal path (bend sinister). The field (background) below the line has a tincture of sable. The field above the line has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms are canting since "berg" means "mountain" in Norwegian and the arms show the profile of the three mountains of Trælen, Oksen, and Kjølva. The colors represent "winter darkness", "black sea", and "toward brighter times." The arms were designed by Rolf Tidemann.

Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Berg Municipality. It was part of the Senja prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
The municipality faced the Atlantic Ocean on the west side of the large island of Senja. The largest urban area in Berg was the village of Senjahopen. The highest point in the municipality (and on the whole island of Senja) was the 1001 m tall mountain Breidtinden. There were three large fjords that cut into the municipality: Bergsfjorden, Ersfjorden, and Mefjorden.

Government
While it existed, Berg Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality fell under the Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Berg was made up of 15 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayor (ordfører) of Berg was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position (incomplete list):

 * 1902-1907: Kristian Fredriksen Finborud
 * 1917-1919: Rudolf Brox
 * 1928-1932: Jørgen Pedersen
 * 1946-1948: Johannes Schanke (V)
 * 1951-1959: Eivind Kristian Midtgård (Ap)
 * 1971-1975: Inge Mikalsen (Ap)
 * 1975-1979: Nils Heiberg (LL)
 * 1979-1995: Roald Johan Nymo (Ap)
 * 1995-2007: Trond Abelsen (Ap)
 * 2007-2011: Jan Harald Jansen (Ap)
 * 2011-2015: Guttorm Nergård (V)
 * 2015-2019: Roar Jakobsen (LL)

title: Berg Municipality (Troms)


text:
Lenvik Municipality

Lenvik is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020. The municipality was partly situated on the mainland and partly on the island of Senja in what is now Senja Municipality. The administrative centre was the town of Finnsnes, where the Gisund Bridge connects Senja to the mainland on Norwegian County Road 86. Other villages in the municipality included Aglapsvik, Gibostad, Botnhamn, Fjordgård, Finnfjordbotn, Husøy, Langnes, Laukhella, Silsand, and Rossfjordstraumen.

Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the 893 km2 municipality was the 126th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Lenvik was also the 101st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 11,679. The municipality's population density was 13.1 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 4.2% over the previous decade.

General information
The parish of Lenvik was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In 1848, most of the mainland parts of Lenvik (population: 2,616) were separated to form the new Målselv Municipality, leaving Lenvik with 3,029 residents. Then in 1855, the northern part of Lenvik (population: 811) was separated to form the new Hillesøy Municipality. This left Lenvik with 2,757 inhabitants. On 1 January 1871, a small part of Lenvik (population: 70) was transferred to the neighboring Malangen Municipality.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the following areas were merged into Lenvik: These areas joined to old areas of Lenvik to form a new, larger Lenvik Municipality with a total population of 10,219.
 * the part of Sørreisa Municipality on the island of Senja (population: 129)
 * the Hellemo, Paulsrud, Johnsgård, and Stormo farms in Tranøy Municipality (population: 106)
 * the part of Hillesøy Municipality on the island of Senja and the whole island of Hekkingen (population: 1,159)

In March 2017, the Parliament of Norway voted to merge Berg Municipality, Torsken Municipality, Lenvik Municipality, and Tranøy Municipality. The new municipality would encompass the whole island of Senja plus part of the mainland located between the Gisundet strait and the Malangen fjord. On 1 January 2020, Lenvik Municipality ceased to exist when it became part of the new Senja Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Lenvik farm (Lengjuvík) since the first Lenvik Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the river name Lengja. The river name is derived from the word which means "long". The last element is which means "cove" or "bay". Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Lenviken. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Lenvik, removing the definite form ending -en.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 22 August 1986 and it was in used until 1 January 2020 when the municipality became part of the new Senja Municipality. The official blazon is "Azure, three oars bendwise Or, blades to the chief" (I blått tre skråstilte gull årer med bladene opp). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is three oars laying diagonally with the blades at the top of the shield. The oars have a tincture of Or which means they are commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The blue color in the field and the oars were chosen as a symbol for sailing and shipping along with the fishing industry which is the main form of income in the municipality. The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.

Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Lenvik Municipality. It was part of the Senja prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

History
The first local church was built around the year 1150 at Bjorelvnes, and for a century, this was the northernmost church in the world. Important villages in the past include Klauva and Gibostad. Gibostad was the administrative centre until the 1960s, when the administration was moved to Finnsnes. In 2000, Finnsnes was declared a town.

Geography
Lenvik Municipality was partly located on the island of Senja and also on the mainland of Norway. The Malangen fjord flowed along the northern boundary and the Solbergfjorden was located along the southern boundary. The Gisundet strait ran north–south through the center of the municipality with only one road crossing, the Gisund Bridge. The neighboring Berg Municipality and Tranøy Municipality bordered the municipality to the west, Tromsø Municipality was to the north (across the Malangen fjord), Balsfjord Municipality and Målselv Municipality were to the east, and Sørreisa Municipality and Dyrøy Municipality were to the south (across the Solbergfjorden). The highest point in the municipality was the 1202.8 m tall mountain Vassbruntinden. The lake Lysvatnet was located in the municipality on Senja island, west of Gibostad.

Government
While it existed, Lenvik Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality falls under the Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Lenvik was made up of 31 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayor (ordfører) of Lenvik is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position (incomplete list):

 * 1901-1904: Hans Andreas Henningsøn Irgens
 * 1905-1921: Lorentz Hansen
 * 1926-1935: Søren Sørensen Hannes (Ap)
 * 1935–1941: Søren Berg Sørensen Moen (Ap)
 * 1941-1941: Oscar Didriksen
 * 1941-1945: Ingvald Th. Sørvig
 * 1945-1945: Søren Sørensen Hannes
 * 1945–1954: Bjarne Daniel Solli (Ap)
 * 1954-1957: Laurits Olsen (Ap)
 * 1957-1964: Erling Nilsen (V)
 * 1964-1968: Birger Gjerdrum (Ap)
 * 1968-1971: Karl Steffensen
 * 1971-1975: Oddmar Mathiassen (KrF)
 * 1975-1979: Arvid Johnsgård (Ap)
 * 1979-1983: Trygve Stefanussen (H)
 * 1983-1987: Arvid Johnsgård (Ap)
 * 1987-1995: Arne Bergland (Ap)
 * 1995-2001: Åge Konradsen (H)
 * 2001-2007: Arne Bergland (Ap)
 * 2007–2011: Martin Ness (Ap)
 * 2011–2019: Geir-Inge Sivertsen (H)

title: Lenvik Municipality