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Luster, Norway

Luster is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative centre is the village of Gaupne. Other villages in Luster include Fortun, Hafslo, Indre Hafslo, Jostedal, Luster, Nes, Ornes, Skjolden, Solvorn, and Veitastrond.

Luster is centered around the inner branch of the Sognefjord, which is called the Lustrafjorden. Its landscape includes fjords, steep mountains, water-abundant waterfalls, blue glaciers, and valleys. Both Jostedalsbreen National Park and Breheimen National Park are partially located in this municipality. The Sognefjellsvegen road goes over a mountain pass in eastern Luster.

The 2706 km2 municipality is the 17th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Luster is the 176th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,302. The municipality's population density is 2 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 5.2% during the previous 10-year period.

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Luster be closed.

General information
Lyster was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Lyster parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Fortun, Dale, Nes, and Gaupne. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1963, the neighboring municipalities of Hafslo and Jostedal were merged with Luster, forming a much larger municipality. After the merger, Luster had 5,854 residents.

Since the consolidation of the three municipalities of Hafslo, Jostedal and Luster in 1963, the area has been characterized by scattered rural settlements and large distances between these settlements. Luster was the largest municipality by area in the old Sogn og Fjordane county.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Lustrafjorden (Lústr) and the village of Luster which grew up along the fjord. The name is derived from the word which means "light" or "bright", referring to the bright color of the water from the glaciers. Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Lyster. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Luster.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 20 April 1990. The official blazon is "Azure, a tilia curled argent forming an annulet" (På blå grunn ein sølv linderanke lagt i sirkel). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a tilia branch curled into a 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 arms are inspired by an old woodcarving found in the Urnes Stave Church which is located in the municipality. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn from Nordfjordeid. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has eight parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Luster. It is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government

Luster 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 Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Luster is made up of 25 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 Luster:

 * 1838-1841: Mons S. Fuhr
 * 1842-1843: Peder Lavold
 * 1844-1845: Hans Hanson Urdahl, Sr.
 * 1846-1853: Sølfest Urdahl
 * 1854-1861: Mons S. Fuhr
 * 1862-1863: Hans Hanson Urdahl, Sr.
 * 1864-1865: John Z. Næs
 * 1866-1866: Sølfest Urdahl
 * 1867-1867: John Z. Næs
 * 1868-1869: Sølfest Urdahl
 * 1870-1875: John Z. Næs
 * 1876-1877: Hans Hanson Urdahl, Jr.
 * 1878-1881: John Z. Næs
 * 1888-1893: Hans Hanson Urdahl, Jr.
 * 1894-1897: Sjur O. Fuhr
 * 1898-1898: Hans J. Næss
 * 1899-1900: Sjur T. Næss
 * 1901-1904: Sjur O. Fuhr
 * 1905-1906: Sjur T. Næss
 * 1907-1910: Per Urdahl
 * 1911-1916: Halvard Drægni
 * 1917-1919: Johannes Fladhammer
 * 1920-1921: Halvard Drægni
 * 1922-1922: Hermann Prestegård
 * 1923-1925: Jens Døsen
 * 1926-1927: Halvard Drægni
 * 1928-1928: Olav Tjønn
 * 1929-1931: Anders Molland
 * 1932-1934: Hermann Prestegård
 * 1935-1941: Anders Molland
 * 1942-1944: Eirik Weka
 * 1946-1947: Hans Prestegård
 * 1948-1959: Olav Listou
 * 1960-1975: Anders Bjørk (Sp)
 * 1976-1977: Kåre Øvregard (Ap)
 * 1978-1979: Knut P. Nes (KrF)
 * 1980-1989: Jan Haugen (Sp)
 * 1990-2003: Ernst Weum (Ap)
 * 2003-2011: Torodd Urnes (KrF)
 * 2011-2023: Ivar Kvalen (Sp)
 * 2023-present: Andreas Wollnick Wiese (Sp)

Location
Luster, one of the largest municipalities in southern Norway, is located in the glacial mountains where the Sognefjorden begins its path to the North Sea. The fjord is fed by many large glaciers such as the Harbardsbreen, Holåbreen, Jostedalsbreen, Nigardsbreen, Spørteggbreen, and others.

It is bordered by four municipalities in Vestland county: Stryn to the north, Sunnfjord to the west, Sogndal to the southwest, and Årdal to the southeast. It is also bordered by three municipalities in Innlandet county: Skjåk to the northeast and by Lom and Vang to the east.

Feigumfoss waterfall
With a vertical drop of 218 m, the Feigumfoss Waterfall is one of the highest in Scandinavia.

Mountains
The Hurrungane, Breheimen, and Jotunheimen mountains cover parts of the municipality. Store Skagastølstind (or Storen) is the third highest mountain peak in Norway at 2405 m high, and it is located on the southern border of Luster and Årdal. It is part of the Hurrungane mountain range which contains some of the most alpine peaks in Norway.

Lakes and Rivers
There are notable lakes such as Veitastrondsvatnet, Austdalsvatnet, Styggevatnet, Tunsbergdalvatnet, Prestesteinsvatnet, and Hafslovatnet. There are also many big waterfalls such as the Feigumfoss waterfall at 218 m tall. The river Jostedøla runs through the Jostedal valley and empties into the fjord at Gaupne.

Glaciers
The Jostedalsbreen glacier (including the arm called Nigardsbreen) is the biggest glacier in continental Europe, the highest point on it is Høgste Breakulen. It is located west of Jostedal, north of Gaupne, in Jostedalsbreen National Park, much of which is located in the municipality of Luster. Other glaciers include the Austerdalsbreen, Harbardsbreen and Spørteggbreen.

Economy
The inhabitants of Luster make their living by farming, growing berries and fruit, tourism, and hydroelectricity. Jøstedal and Fortun have large hydroelectric power stations. Summer tourism is quite busy. Tourist activities include mountain climbing, skiing, fishing, hiking, and hunting. The Sognefjellsvegen tourist road passes through Luster.

River fishing
Fishing permits (for salmon fishing) are sold for use on specific rivers, including Årøy-elva.

Historic churches
Urnes Stave Church was built around 1150 and is Norway's oldest Stave church. The Church lies majestically on the top of Urnes. The Stave church is one of four Norwegian Churches on UNESCO`s list of the most precious cultural monuments in the world.
 * Urnes Stave Church

The Stave churches are constructions of high quality, richly decorated with carvings. In virtually all of them the door frames are decorated from top to bottom with carvings. This tradition of rich ornamentation appears to go back to the animal carvings of the Viking age. The dragons are lovingly executed and transformed into long-limbed creatures of fantasy, here and there entwined with tendrils of vine, with winding stems and serrated leaves. The elaborate designs are executed with supreme artistic skill. The stave church doorways are, therefore, among the most distinctive works of art to be found in Norway. However, it is difficult to connect them with the Christian gospel.

The Old Gaupne Church is a magnificent church that was built in 1647 on a hill directly opposite Gaupne centre.
 * Old Gaupne Church

Dale Church is a stone church that was built in gothic style in the year 1250.
 * Dale Church

Breheim center
The Breheim Center contains a comprehensive exhibition. A journey through 20,000 years - from the Ice age to the present day, an audio/visual show takes visitors inside the glacier. Glacier boat M/S "Jostedalsrypa" crosses the Nigard Glacier Lake. There are internationally approved guides, glacier and climbing courses, and ski-trips.

Education
In 2020, 32% of the municipality's applicants for [secondary schooling] videregående skole, sought [non-vocational schooling],  studiespesialisering; [67% or] the rest of the applicants sought vocational schooling.

Notable people

 * Gerhard Munthe (1795 in Hafslo - 1876), a military officer, historian, and cartographer
 * Christian Ellefson (1842 in Luster - 1925?), an American farmer and member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
 * Peter J. Dale (1845 in Luster – 1935), a Norwegian-American member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
 * Henrik Angell (1861 in Luster – 1922), a military officer, sportsman, writer, skiing pioneer, and the first Norwegian delegate to the International Olympic Committee
 * Sylfest Lomheim (born 1945 in Hafslo), a Norwegian philologist, academic, and politician
 * Tor Bremer (born 1955 in Luster), a farmer and politician
 * Kurt Heggestad (born 1982 in Veitastrond), a Norwegian former professional footballer
 * Stine Pettersen Reinås (born 1994 in Hafslo), a Norwegian football defender with over 150 club caps and eight for the Norway women's national football team

Twin cities/towns
Luster has sister city agreements with the following places:
 * 🇺🇸 Viroqua, Wisconsin, United States

title: Luster, Norway


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Askvoll

is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Askvoll. Other villages in the municipality include Holmedal, Kvammen, and Stongfjorden. The most important industries in Askvoll today are Helle Knivfabrikk (a knife factory), Bulandet Fiskeindustri (fish industry), and Sigurd Løkeland Hermetikkfabrikk (a producer of crabs).

The 326 km2 municipality is the 255th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Askvoll is the 227th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,949. The municipality's population density is 9.4 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 2.3% over the previous 10-year period.

The municipality stretches from the Bulandet islands in the west and Sunnfjord Municipality in east. The highest peak is the 1304 m high mountain Blegja. Alden Mountain (known as the "Norwegian Horse") is located on the island of Alden in Askvoll. It rises almost vertically out of the sea to a height of 481 m above sea level and is visible from more than 100 km out at sea.

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Askvoll be closed.

General information
Askvoll was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Askvoll parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Askvoll, Vilnes, Øn, and Hyllestad. In 1862, the two southernmost sub-parishes of Øn and Hyllestad (population: 2,475) were separated from Askvoll and (along with the Bø sub-parish from Lavik municipality) formed the new municipality of Hyllestad. This left Askvoll with 2 sub-parishes and a population of 3,065.

On 1 January 1888, several farms in the Hersvikbygda area on the northern part of the island of Sula and the smaller surrounding islands (population: 317) were transferred from Askvoll municipality to the neighboring municipality of Utvær. 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 the municipalities of Vevring (population: 407) and Bru (population: 92) that were located south of the Førdefjorden were merged into Askvoll municipality. This gave Askvoll a population of 3,585. On 1 January 1990, Askvoll and Fjaler did a land trade: the Fjaler farms of Vårdal, Holmedal, Rivedal, and part of Hestad (population: 731) were transferred to Askvoll; and the Askvoll farms of Fure, Folkestad, and Våge (population: 482) were transferred to Fjaler.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Askvoll farm (Askvǫllr) since the first Askvoll Church was built there. The first element is which means "ash tree". The last element is which means "meadow" or "field". Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Askvold. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Askvoll.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 5 January 1990. The official blazon is "Vert, a pierced Latin cross pattée argent" (På grøn grunn ein utskrådd gjennombora sølv kross). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a latin cross with a cross pattée design and a circular hole in the centre. The cross 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 was chosen to symbolize the Korssundkrossen, an old medieval stone cross found in the municipality. The old cross is connected to several stories of St. Olav. The arms were designed by Kåre Ness. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Local Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Askvoll. It is part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
Askvoll 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 Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal Council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Askvoll is made up of 21 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 of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. Ole André Klausen of the Conservative Party was elected mayor in 2017 to finish out the 2015–2019 term after the previous mayor who left the job, because she was elected to parliament in 2017.

The mayors (ordførar) of Askvoll:

 * 1837–1839: Georg Prahl Harbitz
 * 1839–1840: Mads M. Askevold
 * 1842–1857: Carl Johan Christie
 * 1858–1862: Mons Andersen Askevold
 * 1863–1867: Mads Mathiassen Askevold
 * 1868–1871: Mathias Villumsen Rødsæth
 * 1872–1873: Jens Olsen Askevold
 * 1874–1879: Kolbein Sørensen Fismen
 * 1880–1907: Ole Sjursen Nordeide
 * 1908–1934: Mathias Kristiansen Stubseid (V)
 * 1934–1942: Olai Einen
 * 1942–1945: Harald Slåttelid (NS)
 * 1945–1945: Olai Einen
 * 1946–1955: Sverre Ringstad (Bp)
 * 1956–1963: Mads Flokenes (V)
 * 1964–1971: Magne Loftheim
 * 1972-1988: Kåre Ness (Sp)
 * 1988-1993: Jorunn Ringstad (Sp)
 * 1993-2003: Kjellaug Veivåg Høyvik (Sp)
 * 2003-2011: Aud Kari Steinsland (Ap)
 * 2011-2017: Frida Melvær (H)
 * 2017–present: Ole André Klausen (H)

Geography
Askvoll municipality covers an area of 321 km2. Of this, 254 km2 are on the mainland while the remaining 67 km2 are made up of islands and skerries along its 52 km coastline. To the west, lies the North Sea, to the north is the municipalities of Flora and Naustdal, to the east are the municipalities of Førde and Gaular, and to the south are the municipalities of Fjaler and Solund. The majority of the municipality is on the mainland between the Førdefjorden (in the north) and the Dalsfjorden (in the south). The Bulandet archipelago lies in the westernmost part of the municipality. There are many other islands between Bulandet and the mainland, notably Værlandet, Alden, and Atløyna. Geita Lighthouse lies on a very small island off the coast of Askvoll.

Birdlife
Askvoll has many seabird reserves within the municipality. Otherwise mainland Askvoll provides habitat that is typical for the region. These however have restrictions, especially during the breeding season. One area that is good for birding is the Askvika nature reserve. This wetland area has a rich bird life with 69 recorded species.

Bulandet
Bulandet is Norway´s westernmost fishing community. Bulandet includes 365 islands and has approximately 270 inhabitants. During the summer, Bulandet is a favourite spot for boaters and tourists staying in cottages and fisherman cabins. The name "Bulandet" comes from the numerous wharf-side cabins here, known as "bu". Bulandet are linked together to the neighbour community Værlandet by six bridges and 5240 m of road. The Nordsjøporten road is not only important for traffic and communication in the area but also allows for a fantastic journey through the islands.

Værlandet
At the mouth of the fjord, near Alden Mountain, is Værlandet island. Værlandet has a population of approximately 200 people. Fishing and fish farming are the most important industries, but both tourism and the export of high quality stone (breccia) to Italy are expanding. There is a collection of picturesque small houses on the water's edge in Værøyhamna harbour.

Alden
Also known as the "Norwegian Horse", Alden Mountain is an old and pronounced landmark for sailors along the coast. It rises almost vertically out of the sea to a height of 481 m above sea level and is visible from more than 100 km out at sea. There is a marked path to the top, accessible using the scheduled boat service from Askvoll.

Blegja
The 1304 m high Blegja mountain in Askvoll has views from the top, and hikers can see the Jostedal glacier to the east and as far as Snønipa and the Ålfotbreen glacier in Bremanger municipality.

Stongfjord Industries
Stongfjord Industries is Norway's oldest aluminium factory, and it is located in the village of Stongfjorden. British Aluminium Company started hydropower plant development in 1906, and produced aluminium from 1908 to 1945. Traces of the English industry are still apparent in the form of private houses, tennis courts, and football fields.

Vilnes Church
The Vilnes Church on the island of Atløyna is a medieval wooden church constructed in 1674.

Ingólfur Arnarson
The Ingólfur Arnarson statue in Rivedal is a monument to the pioneer spirit in the Dalsfjorden prior to the year 1000. Together with his brother, Ingólfur Arnarson he discovered Iceland, and laid the groundwork for the first Norwegian settlement there.

Notable people

 * Anders Askevold (1834 in Askvoll – 1900), a Norwegian painter of landscapes and animal paintings
 * Nikolaus Gjelsvik (1866 in Vevring – 1938), a Norwegian jurist and law professor
 * Arve Furset (born 1964 in Askvoll), a Norwegian composer, jazz musician (piano, keyboards), and music producer
 * Alexander Breidvik (born 1986 in Askvoll), a TV3 talent contest winner and retired Norwegian footballer

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

title: Askvoll


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Fjaler

Fjaler is a municipality in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Dale. Other places in Fjaler include Espedal, Flekke, Folkestad, Guddal, and Hellevika.

Fjaler was the birthplace of famous Norwegian poet Jakob Sande. The UWC Red Cross Nordic at Haugland, one of the eighteen United World Colleges of the world is also located here, as well as the Nordic Art Centre at Dalsåsen. There is a bridge connecting Dale to Eikenes in Askvoll municipality, and buses depart from Dale to Førde, Rysjedalsvika, Hyllestad, and the western part of Fjaler. Førde Airport, Bringeland is located about 28 km to the east, with flights to Oslo and Bergen.

The 417 km2 municipality is the 234th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Fjaler is the 231st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,913. The municipality's population density is 7.5 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 1.5% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
Ytre Holmedal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Ytre Holmedal parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Holmedal, Dale, and Fjaler. In 1912, the name Ytre Holmedal was changed to Fjaler.

On 1 January 1990, some changes were made to the boundaries between the municipalities of Fjaler, Gaular, and Askvoll. The areas surrounding the villages of Fure, Folkestad, and Våge (population: 482) in Askvoll were transferred to Fjaler municipality. The areas surrounding the villages of Vårdal, Holmedal, Rivedal, and a part of Hestad (population: 731) in Fjaler were transferred to Askvoll municipality. The parts of Hestad that did not go to Askvoll (population: 90) were transferred to Gaular municipality.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) was named Ytre Holmedal, after the old Holmedal farm (Hǫlmudalr) since the first Holmedal Church was built there. The meaning of the first element of Holmedal is uncertain, but it may have been an old name for a local river, Holma. It is unknown what the river name meant. The last element is which means "valley" or "dale". The prefix (which means "outer") was added to distinguish the area from its neighbor, Indre Holmedal.

On 6 December 1912, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Fjaler. This new name brought back a very old name for the area (Fjalir). The name was the ancient name for the fjord (now called the Dalsfjorden). The name comes from the plural form of the word which means "board" or "table". Older forms of the name were Fjalir or Fjalar.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 8 February 1991. The official blazon is "Gules, two arched bridges argent" (På raud grunn to sølv kvelvingsbruer). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is two arched stone bridges. 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 two bridges symbolize the old, historic bridges in the municipality that are part of the old post road that goes through Fjaler on its way to Trondheim. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn from Nordfjord. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Fjaler. It is part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
Fjaler 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 Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Fjaler 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 (ordførar) of Fjaler:

 * 1838–1847: Johan Widing Heiberg Landmark
 * 1847–1847: Bertel Vonen
 * 1847–1855: Peder J. Fossedal
 * 1855–1860: P. J. Smith
 * 1860–1862: Ola Mathiasson Bakke
 * 1863–1868: Peder C. Mork
 * 1868–1868: J. Vonen
 * 1868–1872: J. Kalstad
 * 1872–1876: Mons Davidson Huustvedt
 * 1876–1880: P. J. Smith
 * 1880–1892: L. Larsen
 * 1892–1896: Mons Davidson Huustvedt
 * 1896–1898: David Olsen Bakke
 * 1899–1904: Ole A. Skarstein
 * 1904–1910: David Olsen Bakke
 * 1911–1913: Øystein Sørebø
 * 1914–1916: Andreas Sande
 * 1917–1919: Ola J. Espedal
 * 1920–1928: Andreas Sande
 * 1929–1934: Knut Bakkelid
 * 1935–1940: Ragnvald Fagerheim
 * 1941–1942: Søren K. Hauge
 * 1945–1945: David M. Hustveit
 * 1945–1947: Ragnvald Fagerheim
 * 1948–1959: Søren K. Hauge
 * 1960–1961: Jonas Mork
 * 1961–1963: Aksel Hovland (V)
 * 1964–1965: Gustav Stavøstrand (V)
 * 1966–1967: Ola Sørebø (V)
 * 1968–1971: Andreas Sande (Sp)
 * 1972–1975: Arne Barnsnes (Ap)
 * 1976–1981: Trygve Bjånes (Ap)
 * 1982–1987: Kåre Kleppe (Sp)
 * 1988–1989: Magnar Vagstad (Ap)
 * 1990–1995: Rasmus Felde (Sp)
 * 1995–2002: Arne Kyrkjebø (Ap)
 * 2002–2003: Jan Ulltang (Sp)
 * 2003–2015: Arve Helle (Ap)
 * 2015–2019: Gunhild Berge Stang (V)
 * 2019-2023: Kjetil Høgseth Felde (Sp)
 * 2023-present: Leif Jarle Espedal (Ap)

Geography
Fjaler municipality lies to the south of the Dalsfjord in the Sunnfjord region. The municipality of Askvoll lies to the north (across the fjord), the municipality of Sunnfjord lies to the northeast, the municipality of Høyanger lies to the southeast, and the municipalities of Hyllestad and Solund lie to the southwest.

Notable people

 * Nikka Vonen (1836 in Dale – 1933), a Norwegian educator, folklorist, and author
 * Haldis Halvorsen (1889 in Dale – 1936), a Norwegian mezzo-soprano opera singer
 * Erik Grant Lea (1892–1979), a mythical tycoon and Norwegian ship-owner, banker, insurer, and mill owner who settled in Gjølanger in Fjaler in 1922
 * Jakob Sande (1906 in Dale – 1967), a Norwegian writer, poet, and folk singer who wrote in Nynorsk
 * Herbjørn Sørebø (1933 in Fjaler – 2003), a Norwegian journalist and broadcasting personality

title: Fjaler


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Gaular

Gaular is a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre was the village of Sande. Other villages in the municipality included Bygstad, Hestad, and Vik. Gaular was sometimes referred to as Fosselandet (the land of the waterfalls) because it was home to 28 large and small waterfalls. The municipality was centered on the river Gaula. The Viksdalen valley was located in Gaular.

At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 582 km2 municipality is the 190th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Gaular is the 263rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,027. The municipality's population density is 5.7 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 9.8% over the last decade.

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Gaular be closed.

General information
The parish of Indre Holmedal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Indre Holmedal parish (prestegjeld) which included the sub-parishes (sokn) of Bygstad, Sande, and Vik. In 1912, the name of the municipality was changed to Gaular. On 1 January 1990, parts of the Hestad area (west of Sunde-Klepp, west of Bygstad) were transferred from Fjaler to Gaular.

On 1 January 2020, the neighboring municipalities of Gaular, Førde, Naustdal, and Jølster were merged to form the new Sunnfjord Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) was named Indre Holmedal, after the old Holmedal farm (Hǫlmudalr) since the first Holmedal Church was built there. The meaning of the first element of Holmedal is uncertain, but it may have been an old name for a local river, Holma. It is unknown what the river name meant. The last element is derived from the word which means "valley" or "dale". The prefix (which means "inner") was added to distinguish the area from its neighbor, Ytre Holmedal.

On 16 October 1911, a royal resolution changed the name of the municipality to Gaular, reviving an old name for the area. The new name is the plural form of the word Gaul which is the old name for the river Gaula. The old name of the river is identical with the word which means "to bellow" or "to howl", likely referring to the sound of the river.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 24 April 1992 and it was in use until 1 January 2020 when the municipality was dissolved. The official blazon is "Vert, a pale argent engrailed" (På grøn grunn ein sølv stolpe laga med taggesnitt). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a vertical bar with scalloped edges. 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 green color in the field symbolizes the forests and farmland in the municipality. The charge was chosen to symbolize the river Gaula and its many waterfalls. The arms were designed by Even Skoglund after an original idea by Margrete Hareide from Bygstad. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Gaular. It was part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Gaular was made up of 21 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Gaular:

 * 1846–1847: Ole O. Selberg
 * 1847–1851: I. Hansen
 * 1851–1855: Ole Rognaldsen Døskeland
 * 1855–1859: Reinhardt
 * 1859–1861: Ole Rognaldsen Døskeland
 * 1861–1863: L. Rennord
 * 1863–1865: I. Hansen
 * 1865–1869: Ole Rognaldsen Døskeland
 * 1869–1873: L. Rennord
 * 1873–1877: Anders Daae
 * 1877–1881: O. Hammer
 * 1881–1897: Johannes Risting
 * 1897–1898: M. Foss
 * 1899–1901: Ole O. Døskeland
 * 1901–1909: Anders Ousen
 * 1909–1922: Peder Hage
 * 1922–1925: A.O. Lunde
 * 1925–1945: Mathias M. Råheim
 * 1945–1951: Rasmus Espeland (Bp)
 * 1951–1967: Olav Døskeland (H)
 * 1967–1973: Kristian Lien (KrF)
 * 1973–1979: Andreas Berg (Sp)
 * 1979–1987: Per Kjelstad (Sp)
 * 1987–1995: Henrik Lunde (Sp)
 * 1995–2003: Per Kjelstad (LL)
 * 2003–2011: Jenny Følling (Sp)
 * 2011–2019: Mathias Råheim (H)

Geography
Gaular is located in the central part of Vestland county, in the Sunnfjord region. It is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Askvoll and Førde, to the east by Balestrand, to the south by Høyanger, and to the west by Fjaler.

The Gaula River flows west through the municipality and empties into the Dalsfjorden near the village of Bygstad. There are several large lakes that are part of the river Gaula including the lakes Haukedalsvatnet and Viksdalsvatnet. The river begins in the Gaularfjellet mountains to the east of the municipality.

Transportation
The European route E39 highway runs through the centre of Sande south to the city of Bergen, a distance of 150 km (with a ferry between the villages of Lavik and Oppedal across the Sognefjorden). The Norwegian County Road 13 runs through the eastern part of the municipality. Førde Airport, Bringeland (ENBL) is located at Bringelandsåsen in Gaular municipality.

The Salmon Stairs
William T. Potts from Coreen Castle in Ireland initiated the building of the salmon stairs (a type of fish ladder), which were completed in 1871, in return for an agreement made with the farmers that had 25 years of free fishing. The salmon stairs at Osen in Bygstad are the oldest in the world. The stairs consist of 17 pools/stages and has height of around 11 m. It is very effective as the salmon are forced to make their way up the stair construction, due to the current below the falls.

National Tourist Road
Fylkesvei 13 (Fv13) is one of 18 national tourist roads in Norway because of the nearby waterfalls. From near the town of Førde, drivers start on a sightseeing journey with cultural attractions that date from the 19th century to the present day's city environment. The districts of Holsen and Haukedalen are typical of Western Norwegian farming communities that have created a picturesque cultivated landscape.

Rørvik Mountain is on the road and it has fascinating stone walls and a marvellous view over the Haukedalen valley. Along Råheimsdalen and Eldalen to the Gaularfjellet mountains, you will see a marvellous waterfall landscape that has been landscaped with paths for visitors. From the top of Gaularfjellet mountains, hairpin bends wind down to the Vetlefjorden, an arm of the Sognefjorden. The breathtaking contrasts of steep mountainsides, winding roads, and waterfalls are characteristic of Western Norway's exceptional scenery.

title: Gaular


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Jølster

Jølster is a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre was the village of Skei. Other villages in the municipality included Helgheim, Ålhus, Vassenden, and Langhaugane.

Jølster was located at the centre of the old Sogn og Fjordane county and was known for its rich cultural traditions in home crafts, folk music, song, dancing, and creative arts. Agriculture was the largest industry in the municipality. The principal attraction in Jølster was the scenery, with easy access to the glaciers Grovabreen, Jostedalsbreen, and Myklebustbreen. Jølster was home to part of the largest glacier of continental Europe, the Jostedalsbreen as well as a clear green lake named Jølstravatnet. The trout caught in Jølstravatn were renowned throughout Norway and beyond.

At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 671 km2 municipality is the 168th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Jølster is the 260th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,047. The municipality's population density is 4.9 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 3.3% over the last decade.

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Jølster be closed.

General information
The parish of Jølster was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Jølster parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Ålhus and Helgheim. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the farm area of Førde in the neighboring municipality of Breim (population: 38) was transferred to Jølster municipality.

On 1 January 2020, the neighboring municipalities of Jølster, Førde, Naustdal, and Gaular were merged to form the new Sunnfjord Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the local river Jølstra (Jǫlmstr) since it runs through the lower parts of the municipality. The may be derived from the word which means "noise", likely referring to the noise and rumble of the river.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 22 July 1983. The official blazon is "Gules, a cross fleury Or" (På raud grunn ein gull liljekross). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a cross fleury. The cross 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 are loosely inspired by the medieval arms of Audun Hugleiksson who was from Hegranes in Jølster. He was a medieval nobleman (died in 1302) who built Audunborg, one of only two private stone castles in Norway. On his seals, he used a shield with a rose that was surrounded with double tressure -. He also used the fleur-de-lis as ornamentation throughout his castle. The arms of Jølster were derived from this tressure and the fleur-de-lis. The modern arms were designed by Elsa Norunn Håheim Nydal who based it off an idea by Magnus Hardeland. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Jølster. It was part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Jølster was made up of 25 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Jølster:

 * 1838-1841: Thor Hansen Veiteberg
 * 1842-1843: Samuel N. Dvergsdal
 * 1844-1847: Anders J. Aalhus
 * 1848-1855: Michael Fasting
 * 1856-1857: Samuel N. Dvergsdal
 * 1858-1861: Anders J. Aalhus
 * 1861-1863: Ludvig G. Klakegg
 * 1864-1871: Nils O. Øvrebø
 * 1872-1873: Anders K. Myklebust
 * 1874-1875: Anton K. Øygard
 * 1876-1877: Bendikt J. Nedrebø
 * 1878-1879: Anders K. Myklebust
 * 1880-1889: Sjur B. Heggheim
 * 1890-1891: Ole O. Viken
 * 1892-1899: Nils S. Dvergsdal
 * 1900-1909: Sjur B. Heggheim
 * 1910-1919: Thor H. Veiteberg, Jr.
 * 1920-1929: Ludvig D. Klakegg
 * 1929-1936: Nils O. Øvrebø
 * 1936-1942: Anton K. Øygard
 * 1942-1945: Arne Egge (NS)
 * 1945-1951: Anton K. Øygard
 * 1952-1965: Nils J. Helgheim (Sp)
 * 1966-1973: Erling Slåtten (LL)
 * 1974-1981: Sverre P. Befring (Sp)
 * 1982-1985: Anders Helgheim (LL)
 * 1986-1987: Arne Sandnes (Ap)
 * 1988-1991: Normann Aarseth (KrF)
 * 1992-1995: Knut O. Øygard (Sp)
 * 1995-2011: Gerd Dvergsdal (Sp)
 * 2011-2019: Oddmund Klakegg (Sp)

Geography
The Jølstravatnet lake splits the municipality in half, which creates a centre of population at each end of the lake: Skei in the eastern end of the lake and Vassenden (English: the water-end) in the western part, where the river Jølstra starts. A small end of the lake Breimsvatnet crosses over into the municipality of Jølster.

Jølster is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Stryn and Gloppen, to the east by Luster, to the southeast by Sogndal, and to the south and west by Førde. The Jostedalsbreen National Park lies partially in this municipality.

Economy
Tourism is one of the largest industries in Jølster, and there are hotels, campsites, and a number of tourist facilities in each centre of the municipality. In addition to tourism, agriculture and construction are the other most important industries.

Astruptunet
Astruptunet was the home of the painter Nikolai Astrup (1880–1928) for the last fourteen years of his life. The Astrup Farm (Astruptunet) was the artist's home and small farm, but today it is a museum and art gallery, kept as it was in Astrup's days, nestled among the steep but fertile slopes on the south side of Jølstravatn. The barn was torn down and rebuilt as a gallery, but in the same style as the old barn. The gallery has permanent exhibitions of Astrup's work such as paintings, graphics, wood-engraving plates and sketches. Most of his scenes have been taken from Jølster and Nikolai Astrup has since remained one of the most Norwegian of our national artists.

Nikolai Astrup lived most of his life in Jølster. Astrup often is regarded as the artist of Western Norway, as he found virtually all of his motives in his home surroundings. He's considered the "most Norwegian" of all the national artists of Norway.

Eikaas Gallery
Another Norwegian painter and graphic artist, Ludvig Eikaas, is closely connected to Jølster. The artist grew up in Jølster, but later moved to Oslo. He is among other things famous for his non-figurative art and portraits/self-portraits.

The Eikaas Gallery was originally an old dairy farm in Ålhus that was purchased by the municipality of Jølster and converted to a modern art gallery. The collection contains about 300 works of art by Ludvig Eikaas.

Jølstra Museum
The Jølstra museum is a private village green with many original Jølstra buildings and a collection of around 3,000 artifacts. There are also exhibitions of paintings by Ludvig Eikaas and Oddvar Torsheim and of Jølster textiles.

Jølster Alpine Ski Centre
Jølster alpine ski centre lies at Vassenden. There are lighted ski trails in the villages of Årdal and Dvergsdalen. Jølster also has mountains for Telemark skiing enthusiasts.

title: Jølster


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Førde

Førde is a former municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center was the town of Førde which in 2016 had 10,255 inhabitants. Other villages in Førde municipality included Bruland, Holsen, Moskog, and Haukedalen. The Øyrane area in the town of Førde was a large industrial/commercial area for the region. The European Route E39 highway passed through the municipality, and it passed by the lake Holsavatnet. Førde Airport, Bringeland was the regional airport, located about 16 km from the town centre with flights that connect Oslo and Bergen with Førde. The airport was actually located in neighboring Gaular municipality, just south of the border. The largest hospital in Sogn og Fjordane county, Førde Central Hospital, and the regional offices of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation are located in the town. The International Førde Folk Music Festival is held each summer. The local newspaper is called Firda.

At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 586 km2 municipality is the 189th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Førde is the 93rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 13,092. The municipality's population density is 23.7 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 10.6% over the last decade.

General information
Førde was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Førde parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Førde, Holsen, and Naustdal. On 1 January 1896, the northern sub-parish of Naustdal (population: 2,543) was separated from Førde and it became a municipality of its own. This left Førde with 2,903 residents.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the areas of Naustdal south of the Førdefjorden (population: 265) were transferred to Førde municipality.

On 1 January 2020, the neighboring municipalities of Førde, Naustdal, Gaular, and Jølster were merged to form the new Sunnfjord Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Førde farm (Fjǫrðr [ nominative ] and Firði [ dative ] ) since the first Førde Church was built there. The name is identical with the word which means "firth" or "fjord", referring to the fjord now called Førdefjorden.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 27 April 1990 and it was in use until 1 January 2020 when the municipality was dissolved. The official blazon is "Gules, three plowshares argent, two over one" (På raud grunn tre sølv plogjarn, 2-1). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a set of three plowshares. 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 was chosen to symbolize the three pillars of the local economy: agriculture, horticulture, and development. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Førde. It was part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Geography
The municipality of Førde encompasses the valleys that lead away from the inner end of the Førdefjorden. The municipality of Naustdal borders Førde to the north, the municipalities of Jølster, Sogndal, and Balestrand are to the east, Gaular municipality is to the south, and the municipality of Askvoll lies to the west. The two largest lakes are Holsavatnet and Haukedalsvatnet. The rivers Jølstra and Gaula are both partially located in Førde municipality. The Gaularfjellet mountains are located in the east and south of the municipality. The glaciers Grovabreen and Jostefonn are located in the eastern mountainous part of Førde. The westernmost edges of the Jostedalsbreen National Park are located in the Haukedalen valley in Førde.

Government
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Førde was made up of 27 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Førde:

 * 1837-1840: Andreas Gunnerus Lind
 * 1840-1842: Heinrich Rachlew
 * 1842-1846: S. Steen
 * 1846-1850: Boyesen
 * 1850-1858: N. Friis
 * 1858-1870: Th. Christensen
 * 1870-1874: C.J. Steen
 * 1875-1882: N. Hafstad
 * 1882-1892: Albert Steen
 * 1893-1895: K.B. Thune
 * 1896-1898: Ole Martinus Erdal
 * 1899-1904: Johannes Kvaal
 * 1905-1914: Ole Martinus Erdal
 * 1914-1933: Olai Tefre
 * 1934-1945: A.G. Holsen
 * 1946-1951: Lars Hustveit
 * 1952-1963: Bertel Flaten (V)
 * 1963-1968: Erik Hagen (Sp)
 * 1968-1979: Reidar Tveit (V/DLF)
 * 1980-1981: Helge Barstad (H)
 * 1982-1983: Lars Gunnar Lie (KrF)
 * 1984-1987: Sverre Øygard (Sp)
 * 1988-2003: Aud Viken (Ap)
 * 2003-2003: Wilhelm Sandal (KrF)
 * 2003-2011: Nils Gjerland (Sp)
 * 2011-2019: Olve Grotle (H)

Waterfalls

 * Huldefossen: Located approximately 10 km from the town of Førde, it is a 90 m tall waterfall into the peaceful valley below.
 * Halbrendsfossen: located a short walk from the Førde town center. It is a very powerful waterfall in the spring.

The Salmon
The Salmon is a 65 m long stone sculpture which is Norway's longest individual sculpture. It was created by Jørn Rønnau. It blends naturally in with the green surroundings on the banks of the river Jølstra, close to the Førdehuset cultural centre.

Førdehuset
Førdehuset (literal meaning: the Førde house) is a regional cultural centre, a cornerstone for cultural life in Western Norway. The centre is centrally located in the town of Førde, surrounded by a sports complex, amphitheatre, and is next door to the County Gallery. A multitude of cultural activities are gathered together under one roof - small and large attractions/events the whole year round.

National Tourist Road
Norwegian County Road 13 (Fv13) is one of 18 national tourist roads in Norway because of the nearby waterfalls. From Førde, drivers start on a sightseeing journey with cultural attractions that date from the 19th century to the present day's city environment. The districts of Holsen and Haukedalen are typical of Western Norwegian farming communities that have created a picturesque cultivated landscape.

Rørvik Mountain, the trail with the fascinating stone walls and a marvellous view over Haukedalen. Along Råheimsdalen and Eldalen to the Gaularfjellet mountains, you will see a marvellous waterfall landscape that has been landscaped with paths for visitors. From the top of Gaularfjell mountains, hairpin bends wind down to the Vetlefjorden, an arm of the Sognefjorden. The breathtaking contrasts of steep mountainsides, winding roads, and waterfalls are characteristic of Western Norway’s exceptional scenery.

Sunnfjord Museum
The Sunnfjord Museum is one of four district museums in Sogn og Fjordane County. The main courtyard of the outdoor museum is a cluster of 25 restored antiquarian buildings sited in a cultural landscape representative of the same period. These buildings provide an insight into life and lifestyles in the Sunnfjord districts around the middle of the 19th century. The land tenant's home is on its original site with the interior as it was at the end of the 19th century. In June, July and August, there are daily guided tours through the old buildings.

Twin towns — sister cities
Førde is twinned with:
 * 🇺🇸 La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States.
 * 🇺🇸 Kent, Washington, United States. Each year two students ages 14–17 are exchanged between the two cities to be youth ambassadors of their country.

title: Førde


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Naustdal

Naustdal is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre was the village of Naustdal, which has 1,188 inhabitants (2017). Other villages in Naustdal include Indrevevring and Helle. The municipality became part of Sunnfjord Municipality in Vestland county on 1 January 2020.

Naustdal was situated between the towns of Førde and Florø, along the Norwegian National Road 5 highway. The Naustdal Tunnel ran through the mountains to connect to the town of Florø. The Førde Airport in Bringeland in Gaular municipality is the closest regional airport, and it lies about 30 km from Naustdal. At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 369 km2 municipality is the 251st largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Naustdal is the 276th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,793. The municipality's population density is 7.9 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 5.2% over the last decade.

Naustdal was a farming community with diversity and cultural activities ranging from annual art exhibitions at Vevring to fairs, music, and dancing. Several renowned artists and writers come from Naustdal. Some of the local farmers breed horses, and horse shows are held every second year. Athletes from Naustdal do very well both in national and international championships, especially in volleyball and weightlifting. Naustdal offers rich opportunities for outdoor life such as fishing on the fjord from hired boats. The famous salmon river, Nausta, is in one of the county's largest wilderness areas with mountains, streams, lakes, and mountain farms, and it attracts many tourists from around the world. A recreational area and marina have recently been laid out near the center of Naustdal.

General information
The parish of Naustdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1896 when it was split off from the large municipality of Førde. Initially, Naustdal had a population of 2,543. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, all of Naustdal that was located north of the Førdefjorden (population: 1,633) and all of the municipality of Vevring that was to the north of the Førdefjorden (population: 439) were merged to form the new municipality of Naustdal. The parts of Naustdal that were located south of the Førdefjorden (population: 265) were transferred to the municipality of Førde.

On 1 January 2020, the neighboring municipalities of Jølster, Førde, Naustdal, and Gaular were merged to form the new Sunnfjord Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Naustdal farm (Naustdalr) since the first Naustdal Church was built there. The first element is the name of the local river Nausta. The river name is identical with the word which means "boathouse". The last element is which means "valley" or "dale".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 11 December 1987. The official blazon is "Argent, a chief dancetty azure" (På sølv grunn blått skjoldhovud laga med breitt tannsnitt). This means the arms are divided with a line that is dancetty which divides the chief from the rest of the shield in a ratio of 1:3. The field (background) above the line has a tincture of blue. Below the line, the field 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 two colors are divided by a jagged line which symbolizes the profile of the gables of three boathouses. The arms are canting since the Norwegian word naust means "boathouse". The two colors symbolize the sky above and the silver/white represents the sea. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Naustdal. It was part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Naustdal was made up of 21 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Naustdal:

 * 1896-1907: Gunder B. Thune
 * 1908-1913: Olai Horstad
 * 1914-1916: Ola Schei
 * 1917-1920: Bendik Erdal
 * 1920-1928: Anders Erdal
 * 1929-1937: Elias Aamot
 * 1938-1938: Oddgeir Erdal
 * 1939-1940: Sivert Reed
 * 1941-1945: Anders Øye
 * 1945-1945: Sivert Reed
 * 1946-1951: Albert Buanes
 * 1952-1955: Ottar Molnes
 * 1955-1955: Alfred Rygg
 * 1956-1956: Olav Vaksdal
 * 1956-1957: Nikolai Svoen
 * 1958-1959: Albert Buanes
 * 1960-1963: Andreas Schei
 * 1964-1975: Ola Fimland
 * 1976-1979: Magnus Grimset
 * 1980-1983: Oddbjørn Schei
 * 1984-1987: Magnus Grimset
 * 1988-1988: Sigmund Brekke
 * 1988-1991: Per Storegjerde
 * 1992-1999: Kjell Klopstad
 * 1999-2007: Jan Herstad
 * 2007-2019: Håkon Myrvang (Ap)

Geography
Naustdal is located on the north shore of the Førdefjorden, stretching from the mouth of the fjord to the east, almost reaching to the end of the fjord. It is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Flora and Gloppen, to the east by Jølster, to the south by Førde, and to the south and west by Askvoll.

Climate
The climate in Naustdal is wet with a short summer and a mild winter. Naustdal has a yearly precipitation of 2335 mm. There are great regional differences in the climate. There is snow rarely more than a week furthest out in the fjord. Up in the valley the first snow comes in early October and stays until late April/May and 1 to 2 m of snow is common.

Inland fishing
The municipality of Naustdal is ideal for freshwater fishing. Over 30 lakes and connecting streams contain trout. Many of the lakes also contain char. Most of your catch will be small fish but will taste delicious when fried in a pan. In the right places, you can also catch really big fish–6 kg trout have been caught in this area.

Salmon and sea trout fishing
The Nausta river is one of the best rivers for salmon in Sogn og Fjordane county. Salmon travel 12 km upstream from the river mouth. The stretch from the fjord to the Hovefoss waterfall is also good for sea trout fishing. The small Redal water system contains small salmon, sea trout, trout, and char. Small salmon and sea trout are best caught during floods.

Sea fishing
Naustdal has 40 km of shoreline bordering on the fjord. Distances from motor roads to the sea are short at all locations. In outlying, non-farming areas, fishing from the seashore is unrestricted. Fishing from boats on the fjord using a rod or line is free for all. The main types of fish caught in the area include cod, saithe, mackerel, herring, salmon, and sea trout, although every type of fish commonly found in Norwegian waters can be caught here. The Russenes recreational area near the sound at Ålesundet is an excellent place for fishing from land, offering a one-mile shoreline. For boat fishing trips contact boat rental agents or the "Russenes Tur og Fiske", who will bring you to the best fishing places.

Nausta river
From the old bridge across the Nausta river near the waterfall Naustdalsfossen you can watch salmon conquer the waterfall in powerful leaps—unless they are caught by rivaling anglers on the banks of the plunging pool. Hooking the fish is difficult — landing it a work of art. The local landowners will show you the best fishing places. Fishing permits may be purchased at the local petrol station or from the landowners. Nausta was in 2005 ranked best in Sogn og Fjordane and number 19 nationally with a total catch of 4698 kg.

Mountains
The large mountain area in the eastern part of Naustdal offers a wealth of scenery. There are large lakes and connecting streams. The trout fishing is excellent and fishing permits are available. "Longvasshytta", a self-catering cabin for hikers, can be reached after a 6-hour hike from the nearest road.

Russenes
Recreational grounds have been laid out at Russeneset near the inlet Ålesundet. Several footpaths in the area are signposted. Along the paths, you will find information posters about cultural history, flora, and fauna. Excellent for fishing, swimming, bird watching or just walking.

Sanden Beach
Recreational grounds are laid out along the fjord near the center of Naustdal. There is a marina, sandy beach, diving tower, and a place for beach volleyball.

Air Combat Museum
The museum covers the air battle between German and British aircraft over Sunnfjord on 9 February 1945, also known at the Black Friday. In the museum there are objects from the battles, airplane parts, maps, and photographs. It has a rich collection of splendid model airplanes from the navigator Bernard Nicholl, who participated in the battles.

title: Naustdal


text:
Bremanger

Bremanger is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village of Svelgen is the administrative centre of the municipality. Other villages include Bremanger, Berle, Davik, Isane, Kalvåg, Svelgen, Rugsund, and Ålfoten. Bremanger is the only municipality in Vestland, which is located in two districts. The northern and eastern parts comprising the villages of Oldeide, Berle, Rugsund, Davik, Isane, and Ålfoten is located in the Nordfjord region, while the villages of Bremanger, Kalvåg, Svelgen, Sørgulen, and Botnane are located in the Sunnfjord region. Politically, the municipality works with the Nordfjord region in the council of Nordfjord municipalities.

Bremanger has many tourist destinations such as Kalvåg, which has one of the largest and best-kept waterfront environment in the county, the Grotlesanden ocean beach, the Hornelen mountain, with the tallest sea cliff in Northern Europe, Rock carvings at Vingen, and the old trading stations of Rugsund and Smørhavn. The Bortne Tunnel was completed in 2013 to more easily connect the outer islands of Bremanger to the municipal centre of Svelgen. The Skatestraum Tunnel and Rugsund Bridge connect the islands to the mainland.

The 833 km2 municipality is the 138th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Bremanger is the 215th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,482. The municipality's population density is 4.4 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 11.7% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
The parish of Kinn was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The northern district of Kinn was established as the parish (prestegjeld) of Bremanger within the municipality of Kinn in 1864. On 1 January 1866, the parish of Bremanger was established as a separate municipality with a population of 1,852. The Bremanger parish was sub-divided into new sub-parishes in the early 1900s. Midtgulen sub-parish was created in 1903 and Bremangerpollen in 1908.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the Husefest and Breivik farms were transferred from Bremanger to the neighboring municipality of Flora. On 1 January 1965, the neighboring municipality of Davik was dissolved and most of it was transferred to Bremanger. All of Davik south of the Nordfjorden and all the islands except Husevågøy, Grindøy, Gangsøy, and Risøy were merged into Bremanger. This added 1,567 residents to the population of Bremanger, bringing the new total to 5,600.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the local Bremangerpollen fjord (Brimangr). The first element is which means "breaker wave" or "heavy sea". The last element is which means "bay" or "inlet".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 24 October 1986. The official blazon is "Quartered embowed azure and argent" (Firedelt av blått og sølv med virvelsnitt). This means the arms have are divided into four embowed waves. The field (background) alternates between the four waves. The top and bottom waves have a tincture of blue and the other two waves have a tincture of argent which means they are commonly colored white, but if the arms are made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms symbolize the sea and hydro-electric power, both of which are of great economic importance to the municipality. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has seven parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Bremanger. It is part of the Nordfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
Bremanger 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 Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Bremanger 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 (ordførar) of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. The mayors (ordførar) of Bremanger:

 * 1866-1869: Rasmus Andreas Lexau
 * 1870-1871: Gullak Vindspoll
 * 1872-1873: Nils Øvrebotten
 * 1874-1875: Absalon Gulestøl
 * 1876-1879: Nils Øvrebotten
 * 1880-1880: Eilert O. Nøttingnes
 * 1881-1881: Didrik Lexau
 * 1882-1890: Eilert O. Nøttingnes
 * 1891-1891: Anders Hauge
 * 1892-1896: Abraham N. Øvrebotnen
 * 1897-1898: Didrik Lexau
 * 1898–1913: Kristofer Indrehus (V)
 * 1913-1913: Didrik Værøy
 * 1914-1914: Augustinus Nordbotten
 * 1915-1916: Didrik Værøy
 * 1917-1919: Augustinus Nordbotten
 * 1920-1928: Henrik Grotle
 * 1929-1941: Alf Torvanger
 * 1945-1951: Alf Torvanger
 * 1952-1959: Reidar Torvanger
 * 1960–1965: Mons Monsen (Ap)
 * 1966–1967: Alf Bakke (LL)
 * 1968–1979: Abraham Øvrebotten (Ap)
 * 1980–1981: Bjarne Haugland (V)
 * 1982–1988: Svein Kåre Senneset (Ap)
 * 1988–1996: Roar Førde (H)
 * 1996–2004: Einar Kjerpeset (Sp)
 * 2004–2011: Kåre Olav Svarstad (Ap)
 * 2011–2015: Karl Vidar Førde (Sp)
 * 2015–2019: Audun Åge Røys (H)
 * 2019–present: Anne Kristin Førde (Ap)

Geography
Bremanger is located along the south side of the Nordfjorden. Most of the municipality is on the mainland, but there are many islands that are also part of the municipality including Bremangerlandet, Rugsundøya, and Frøya, the three largest. These islands are separated from the mainland by the Frøysjøen strait.

Bremanger is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Vågsøy and Eid (across the fjord), to the east by Gloppen, to the south by Flora, and to the west by the North Sea. The Frøysjøen is the sea between the mainland and the main islands of Bremangerlandet and Frøya. The Gulen fjord branches off of the Frøysjøen, and that fjord splits off into the Nordgulen, Midtgulen, and Sørgulen. On the east end of the municipality is the Isefjord and Ålfotfjorden. Valleys in the municipality include the Førdedalen.

Industry
Elkem Bremanger is the largest company in Bremanger. The company's own port facility provides good and regular connections with the main ports of Norway and the rest of Europe. Elkem Bremanger has specialized in the manufacturing of silicon metal, ferrosilicon, and specialty inoculants. Silicon metals are primarily used in electronics, solar, and aluminium industries.

The variety of Elkem Bremanger's operations shows the importance it places on both tradition and looking toward the future. The expansion of hydropower resources began in 1917, while the first pig iron production began in 1928. The company then developed and patented several of its production processes, and today manufactures metallurgic products and chemicals for the world market. Much has happened since 1917, but the company is still known for its developmental know-how and state-of-the-art technology.

Tongane Coastal Fortress
Tongane Coastal Fortress lies on the western end of the island of Rugsundøya near the mouth of the Nordfjorden. This is one of the largest German fortifications which was built in Norway during World War II. The coastal fort was attacked under the well-known Måløy raid, Operation Archery, during Christmas 1941. The majority of the fortification still remains, among other the main cannons and soldier's barracks. The fort at Rugsundøy is situated with a good view over the approach to the town of Måløy and the entrance to Nordfjorden.

Ålfotbreen Glacier
The Ålfotbreen glacier, the westernmost glacier in Norway, is located at an elevation of 1682 m above sea level. Ålfotbreen Glacier can be reached by foot on marked footpaths or walking with a guide. Ålfotbreen Glacier can be seen from the road in the village of Ålfoten. The Gjegnalundsbreen glacier lies northeast of the Ålfotbreen glacier.

Hornelen
The legendary mountain cliff Hornelen is situated straight across the fjord from Vingen rock carving site. Many legends are linked to this mountain which is Europe's tallest sea cliff. It raises 860 m over the sea and is a good landmark for ships. Over the centuries, it has been a well-known sailing mark. The trip to the top of Hornelen takes approximately 3 hours from Hunskår, or 4 hours from Berleneset.

Kalvåg
The fishing village of Kalvåg is the largest and best preserved fishing village in Western Norway. In 1860, there were thousands of people working in the large herring fisheries. Today, approximately 500 people live there.

Vamråkbuene is situated in Kalvåg. During the large herring fisheries in the middle of the 18th century, thousands of fishermen visited Kalvåg. Vamråkbuene represents one part of the trading life that the herring fisheries created, and today it is part of the Coastal museum in Vestland.

Myklebust Farm
At the Myklebust hill farm, there is still a working hill farm. The hill farm in Ålfoten is authentic and unique in this part of Norway. Many of the local hill farms have stopped running and following the tradition of moving the livestock to the hill farms in the summer.

Rugsund
The islands of Storøya and Litleøya (Big island and Little island) lie in the sound, providing shelter for the old trading post at Rugsund. The excellent, sheltered harbour centrally located beside the inner shipping fairway along the coast was popular with seafarers. Today, the harbour is very popular with boat tourists who have seriously begun to discover the attractions of this peaceful, idyllic harbour.

Rugsund Handelsstad is a preserved trading post dated back to the 17th century. The historical and restored buildings are clustered around the edge of the sea.

Smørhavn Handelstad
Smørhamn Handelstad (Old Trading Post) is from the 16th century and has been an important junction point for clippers and cutters (sailing boats) between Nordfjord and Bergen. The trading post was important to fishermen and to local inhabitants in the area. Here you could buy everything from sharpening stones, pins, syrup to soap, together with beer and distilled spirits. In 1790, there were approximately 30 houses in Smørhamn. Today, there are a few boat houses and houses. Presently, Smørhamn Handelstad is privately owned and not open to tourists. You can see the trading post from the road and from the sea approximately 4 km from the centre of Kalvåg.

Vingen
The Rock carvings at Vingen is one of the largest rock carving sites in Northern Europe. Animal carvings, human figures, and many other abstract symbols are sketched on the mountains. The oldest dates back 4,500 years. In all, more than 1,500 figures are registered. Vingen has probably been a cultist meeting place in the region for thousands of years.

Botnane
If you stop at the grave mounds at Botnane you get a feeling of the Bronze Age. There are altogether 8 mounds dating back to early Stone Age and Bronze Age. Because some of them are so large, it's easy to see them from the road.

Ålfoten Church
Ålfoten Church is the oldest wooden church in Nordfjord. The log timber church was built in 1610 on the site of an earlier stave church. In the small church, its history is still on the walls, which is a testimony to life and destiny of the remote fjord through the ages.

Rugsund Church
Rugsund Church was built at the beginning of the 1930s. It is a very interesting church and is rich in decoration with wall paintings, Mosaic glass, and carvings. The church was designed by Hans Ditlev F. Linstow. It is often said to be the most beautiful church in Nordfjord.

Vicarage
The poet-priest Claus Frimann lived and worked in Davik. Frimann (1780–1822) established a reading room for the village's young men and women. But he didn't just carry out unselfish activities. In his official capacity he also looked after the large estate and was also known to be rather zealous in collection of debts and land taxes. Frimann is best known as a "poet priest" and he has often been mentioned in the same connection as Petter Dass. The vicarage is situated on the priest's farm estate. Here you can see a memorial column to Claus Frimann at the church.

Beaches
Grotlesanden is one of the largest sandy beaches in outer Bremanger. Here there is silky soft sand as far as the eye can see.

Vetvika is situated on the north-western side of Bremangerlandet island. Vetvika is accessible only by boat or foot. Vetvika has a beautiful sandy beach and an old graveyard. Vetvika is deserted since the 1950s, but the houses still remain well kept as holiday houses. The largest farm in Bremanger in early times was the farm Solheim at Vetvika. The farm is situated on the northern side of Vetvika.

Notable people

 * Nikolai Astrup (1880–1928), a distinctive, innovative painter with intense use of colour
 * Arvid Eikevik (1935–2015), a Norwegian painter
 * Bjørg Hope Galtung (born 1942), a Norwegian politician and Mayor of Jondal from 1979-1993
 * Åge Nigardsøy (1954–2008), a disability rights activist, hobby drummer, and former piano tuner

title: Bremanger


text:
Vågsøy

Vågsøy is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The municipality's administrative center was the town Måløy. Other population centers in Vågsøy included the villages of Bryggja, Deknepollen, Holvika, Kvalheim, Langeneset, Raudeberg, Refvika, Silda, Tennebø, Totland, Vedvika, and Vågsvåg. The municipality included the island of Vågsøy, several small surrounding islands, and part of the mainland. On 1 January 2020, the municipality was dissolved and divided between Kinn Municipality and Stad Municipality in Vestland county.

At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 177 km2 municipality is the 345th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Vågsøy is the 175th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 6,001. The municipality's population density is 35 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 0.1% over the last decade.

The municipality of Vågsøy was the second largest fishing municipality in Norway, and it was home to one of Norway's most modern fish-processing plants.

General information
Historically, Vågsøy was part of Selje Municipality (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1910, the municipality of Selje was split into three separate municipalities: Nord-Vågsøy (population: 1,111), Sør-Vågsøy (population: 1,517), and Selje (population: 3,367). Nord-Vågsøy included the northern half of the island of Vågsøy and Sør-Vågsøy included the southern part of the island and some of the mainland.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, a new municipality of Vågsøy was created by merging the following areas together: The new municipality had an initial population of 6,962.
 * Nord-Vågsøy municipality (population: 1,476)
 * Sør-Vågsøy municipality (population: 3,926)
 * from Selje: the island of Silda, the Hagevik-Osmundsvåg area, and Sørpollen (population: 344)
 * from Davik: the islands of Husevågøy, Grindøy, Gangsøy, and Risøy; and all of Davik that was north of the Nordfjorden and west of Lefdal (population: 1,216)

On 1 January 2020, Vågsøy Municipality was dissolved. The Bryggja-Totland area in the eastern part of Vågsøy was merged with the neighboring municipalities of Eid and Selje to become the new Stad Municipality. The rest of Vågsøy was merged with the municipality of Flora to the south to create a new (non-contiguous) municipality called Kinn.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the island of Vågsøy (Vágsey). The first element is the genitive case of which means "bay" or "inlet". The last element is which means "island".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms of Vågsøy was granted on 27 March 1987 and they were in use until 1 January 2020 when the municipality was dissolved. The official blazon is "Azure, two rudders in bend| argent" (I blått to skråstilte sølv ror). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a set of two rudders lined up diagonally. 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 arms depict the type of rudders used in the one-man boats which have been used for a long time in this area. This design was chosen to symbolize "steering on land and sea". The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Vågsøy. It is part of the Nordfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Vågsøy was made up of 27 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Vågsøy:

 * 1965-1965: Marius Larsen (H)
 * 1966-1967: Leif Våge (V)
 * 1968-1969: Leif Iversen (H)
 * 1970-1977: Jon Lillestøl (KrF)
 * 1978-1981: Otto Hoddevik (V)
 * 1982-1983: Jon Lillestøl (KrF)
 * 1984-1987: Rolf Domstein (H)
 * 1988-1993: Olav Horn (Sp)
 * 1994-1995: Anfinn Slinning (KrF)
 * 1996-1999: Liv Henjum (V)
 * 2000-2011: Roger Bernt Silden (Ap)
 * 2011–2015: Morten Andreas Hagen (H)
 * 2015-2019: Kristin Maurstad (Ap)

In 2007, Vågsøy participated in a trial where the mayor was directly elected. The sitting mayor, Roger B. Silden, received 44.1% of the votes and won the election. His party (the Norwegian Labour Party), however, did poorer than in 2003 and it became the second largest party with only 21.8% of the votes.

Geography
Vågsøy was made up of the mainland and islands on the northern and outer shore of the Nordfjorden. The municipality was named after its largest island, Vågsøy. Other populated islands in Vågsøy included Silda, Moldøen, and Husevågøy. The lake Degnepollvatnet was located between the villages of Degnepoll and Tennebø.

The municipalities of Selje (in Sogn og Fjordane county) and Vanylven (in Møre og Romsdal county) bordered it to the north, the municipality of Eid was located to the east, the municipality of Bremanger was to the south, and the North Sea bordered Vågsøy to the west.

Måløy
Måløy attained city status in 1997. It lies along the Ulvesundet strait on the island of Vågsøy, and is joined to the mainland by the 1224 m long Måløy Bridge, a structure that forms a gateway for all seagoing traffic. The Coastal Steamer (Hurtigruten) has daily departures. The old part of the city lies on the island of Moldøen, from which the city that has expanded onto the mainland and further west to Holvik, has its name.

Kannestein
Over thousands of years, ocean waves have ground the rock to the shape it has today. It is located in the village of Oppedal, approximately 10 km west of the center of Måløy. Every year many visitors come to Oppedal to take a closer look at the stone. The Kannestein or Kanne Stone was formed by loose stones and the pounding of the waves over a period of thousands of years, and stands today as a 4 to 5 m high, narrow-footed rock. This is caused by stones having split loose, which have knocked and gnawed at the rockface until they have become polished and rounded. Loose stones have then worked themselves deeper into the rock. New stones have come, and in time the potholes have become deeper and wider. Several potholes near to each other have been polished for so long that the sides have been rubbed away, leaving just the middle section, such as the Kanne Stone.

Vågsberget trading post
In 1636, trader Didrik Fester from Bergen came to Vågsberget to open a trading business. There was probably trading activity and an inn before Fester's arrival, and the trading post at Vågsberget has changed hands several times throughout the years. Restoration work is being carried out on Vågsberget, but the café and exhibition is open in summer and guided tours are available. There is also an exhibition featuring old fishing boats and equipment. Vågsberget is now part of the large village of Vågsvåg.

Silda
Silda, the island in Sildagapet bay, is an old fishing community, which in its heyday had a population of 150 who made a living from fishing and farming. Its current winter population is only about 30, while in summer it is host to several hundred people, staying in holiday houses and cabins. The island has a restaurant perched on a rock out in the southern harbor. There are also cabins for rent there. The jetty in Silda's northern harbor was started in the 1860s and completed in the 20th century. With the exception of a few tractors, the island is "car free", but it has cycling and walking tracks, footpaths and walking terrain. A regular boat service runs to and from Måløy several times a day.

Lighthouses
Vågsøy municipality had four lighthouses. Three of them are open daily and are available for let for short or long periods.

 * Kråkenes Lighthouse is a working lighthouse and also a weather station that collects important information. Kråkenes lighthouse, which offers views of the ocean at Stadhavet, lies at the most northerly point on the island of Vågsøy and is accessible by road.
 * Skongenes Lighthouse is an automatic lighthouse with no road access. It is a one-hour walk from Langeneset in easy hiking terrain. There are also views towards Stadlandet. Ytre Nordfjord Turlag runs this lighthouse and offers overnight accommodation and day visits.
 * Hendanes Lighthouse is an automatic lighthouse on the west side of the Torskanger inlet. It is located a short walk from the road and offers views of Stadhavet and Klovningen.
 * Ulvesund Lighthouse is a lighthouse located south of Stadlandet, about 10 km north of Måløy. It was built in 1870, and was staffed until 1985 when it was automated.

Beaches
Refviksanden Beach is a 1.5 km long beach. Refvika is approximately 10 km from Måløy.

title: Vågsøy


text:
Selje

Selje is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway and was located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The village of Selje was the administrative center this municipality. and neighborhoods in the municipality included Barmen, Ervik, Flatraket, Hoddevik, Hoddevika, Håvik, and Leikanger. On 1 January 2020 the municipality became part of the new Stad Municipality in the newly formed Vestland county.

Selje municipality had been located at the northwesternmost part of Sogn og Fjordane county. Most of the municipality was located on and around the Stadlandet peninsula as well as some small surrounding islands such as Selja and Barmøya.

At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 226 km2 municipality was the 317th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Selje was the 279th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,757. Its population density was 12.5 PD/km2 and its population had decreased by 4% over the prior decade.

Selje was one of the first three Episcopal sees in Norway (Oslo, Nidaros, and Selje). After the diocese was moved to Bergen, monks took over the church in Selje, which was later destroyed by pirates in 1536. The municipality of Selje was also home to the Selje Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery located on the island of Selja. Ruins of the abbey and church can still be seen on the island.

General information
Selje was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the historic Selje prestegjeld with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Hove and Vågsøy. The municipality originally included all of the Stadlandet peninsula, the island of Vågsøy and the mainland area north of the mouth of the Nordfjorden.

On 1 January 1910, the southwestern district of Vågsøy was separated from Selje to form two new municipalities: Nord-Vågsøy and Sør-Vågsøy. The sub-parish of Hove was renamed Selje at the same time. After the separation, Selje had a population of 3,367 residents.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the municipalities of Nord-Vågsøy and Sør-Vågsøy as well as a small part of southern Selje municipality were merged to form the new Vågsøy Municipality. The parts of Selje involved were the island of Silda, the Hagevik-Osmundsvåg area, and the farms of Sørpollen and Straumen. There were 344 residents in those areas that were moved out of Selje.

On 1 January 2020, Selje was dissolved as a municipality and it was merged with the neighboring municipality of Eid and the Bryggja-Totland area of Vågsøy and they formed the new Stad Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the small island of Selja since the first Selje Church was built there. The meaning of the name is uncertain. One possibility is that it is derived from the word which means "pasture shed", particularly used in the sæter mountain farms. A less likely possibility is that it comes from the word which means "room" or "hall", referring to the local cave where Saint Sunniva and her followers dwelled after reaching the island in the 10th century. Prior to 1889, the name was written Selø or Selløe.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 5 April 1991 and it was in use until 1 January 2020 when the municipality was dissolved. The official blazon is "Azure, a half woman with raised hands argent" (På blå grunn ein halv sølv kvinnefigur med lyfta hender). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is the upper half of a woman with raised arms and crown. 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 woman is a depiction of Saint Sunniva, the royal Irish missionary who died as a martyr on the island of Selja while trying to convert he locals to Christianity. Later, the Selje Abbey was built on the spot where she died. She was later named the patron saint of the Norwegian Diocese of Bjørgvin and all of Western Norway. The arms were designed by Turid Haye. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Selje. It is part of the Nordfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Selje was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Selje:

 * 1838-1843: W. Koren
 * 1844-1849: Josef P. Moldestad
 * 1850-1857: W. Koren
 * 1858-1861: Josef P. Moldestad
 * 1862-1869: Julius Hartmann
 * 1870-1871: Peder I. Sandvik
 * 1872-1873: Knut Halvorsen
 * 1874-1875: Sivert J. Berge
 * 1876-1890: Christian B. U. Wiese
 * 1890-1891: Anders O. Listau
 * 1892-1895: Lars Strømme
 * 1896-1897: Anders O. Listau
 * 1898-1916: R. Hjertenæs
 * 1917-1922: Reiel Nybø
 * 1923-1928: Johannes J. Bortne
 * 1929-1941: Petter Vederhus
 * 1945-1945: Hilmar Ervik
 * 1946-1963: Johannes O. Sande
 * 1964-1967: Ragnvald Berge
 * 1968-1971: Julius Fure (H)
 * 1972-1975: Nils Sætren (Sp)
 * 1976-1981: Julius Fure (H)
 * 1982-1983: Magne Aarøen (KrF)
 * 1984-1989: Åge Starheim (FrP)
 * 1990-1997: Sverre Hoddevik (H)
 * 1998-2001: Magny Husetuft Myklebust (H)
 * 2001-2011: Gunn Helgesen (KrF)
 * 2011-2015: Ottar Nygård (LL)
 * 2015-2019: Stein Robert Osdal (KrF)

Geography
Selje was located in the northwesternmost part of Sogn og Fjordane county, in the Nordfjord region. It included the Stad peninsula and the islands of Barmøya, Venøya, and Selja. Selje was surrounded by water on three sides: the Sildagapet bay on the west, the North Sea to the north, and the Vanylvsfjorden to the northeast. Selje municipality was bordered to the south and west by Vågsøy Municipality and to the east by Vanylven and Sande municipalities (in Møre og Romsdal county).

Economy
Historically, the main industries in the municipality of Selje were fishing and farming. These industries were present in Selje throughout its existence, with the addition of new industries such as fish breeding, boat building, ready-made clothing manufacturing, and service industries. The Skorge Hydroelectric Power Station was located in the municipality.

Selja
On the island of Selja, a 15-minute boat trip from the village of Selje, lie the ruins of the Selje Abbey, its tower still intact. The abbey was built by Benedictine monks early in the 12th century in honour of St. Sunniva. The legend of St. Sunniva who was martyred here lives on. Norway has two male saints (St. Olav and St. Hallvard) and one female one, St. Sunniva, the guardian saint of Western Norway. According to legend, Sunniva, daughter of an Irish king, fled when her country was conquered by heathens and the new king wanted to marry her. She came ashore on the island of Selja. The St. Sunniva cave where Sunniva is said to have died is a large cavern containing remains of walls and traces of the first church dedicated to the Archangel Michael.

The island of Selja is also home to the following sites:
 * The site of the first Selje Church which was later moved to the mainland. The ruins of St. Sunniva's Church on the site where Olav Trygvasson built one of the first churches in Norway.
 * The ruins of St. Alban's Church, the monastery church dedicated to the English Saint Alban. The monastery ruins are still used for church ceremonies such as masses and weddings.
 * Several Viking graves and the remains of an Iron Age long house have also been found on the south side of the island.

Vestkapp
The part of Norway's mainland that is farthest west is in Selje. The West Cape (Vestkapp) is 496 m above sea level at the northwestern end of the Stad peninsula. It is a precipitous rocky plateau, almost flat on top, that drops steeply down to the sea. In good weather, there is a panoramic view in all directions. It is immediately north of the village of Ervik.

Ervik
Ervik is located by the ocean near the West Cape at the end of the Stad peninsula. The Ervik Church is located here in memory of those who died when the coastal express ship Sanct Svithun was wrecked here after being mistakenly bombed in 1943 by Canadian planes. Ervik has a fine sandy beach which is popular for surfing, and a river rich in trout and salmon.

title: Selje


text:
Eid

Eid as a name may refer to:

Islamic holidays
An Eid is a Muslim religious festival:
 * Eid Milad un Nabi, alternate name for Mawlid (مَولِد النَّبِي, "Birth of the Prophet"), the date of observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
 * Eid al-Fitr (عيد الفطر ʿĪd al-Fiṭr, "Feast of Breaking the Fast"), marks the end of the month of Ramadan
 * Eid al-Adha (عيد الأضحى ʿĪd al-ʾAḍḥā, "Feast of the Sacrifice"),  falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah and lasts for four days until the 13th day

In addition, Shia Muslims may observe:
 * Eid al-Ghadir, an Eid for Shia Muslims which marks the nomination of Ali, Mohammed's cousin, as the successor of Mohammed
 * Eid al-Mubahila, an Eid for Shia Muslims which marks the success of Muslims in a peaceful debate with the Christians of the time
 * Eid-e-Shuja', an Eid for Shia Muslims which marks the end of the mourning period after the events of Karbala

People

 * Eid (surname), list of people with the name

Norway

 * Eid, Norway, a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county
 * Eid, Hordaland, a former municipality in Hordaland county
 * Eid, Møre og Romsdal, a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county

Scotland

 * Eid, the Shetland dialect name for Aith, Shetland

title: Eid