text:
Larvik

Larvik is a municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Vestfold. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Other main population centres in the municipality include the town of Stavern and the villages of Gjone, Helgeroa, Hem, Kjose, Kvelde, Nevlunghavn, Skinmo, Svarstad, Ula, Verningen, and Tjøllingvollen.

The 813 km2 municipality is the 140th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Larvik is the 21st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 48,246. The municipality's population density is 62.5 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 5.9% over the previous 10-year period.

The city of Larvik achieved market town status in 1671, but it did not become a self-governing municipality until 1 January 1838 when the formannskapsdistrikt law went into effect.

Larvik is known as the hometown of Thor Heyerdahl. It is also home to Bøkeskogen, the northernmost beech tree forest in the world. Larvik is the home of Norway's only natural mineral water spring, Farriskilden. Farris Bad, located in Larvik, has been described as one of the best spas in Europe. It has the largest spa department in Scandinavia.

General information
The town of Larvik was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1875, a small area of Brunlanes Municipality (population: 4) and a different area of Hedrum Municipality (population: 46) were both transferred into the town of Larvik. In 1937, another area of Hedrum Municipality (population: 69) was transferred into Larvik. In 1948, an area of Hedrum Municipality (population: 296) was transferred into Larvik. On 1 January 1974, the unpopulated Tagtvedt area of Hedrum was transferred to Larvik. On 1 January 1986, part of the Åsveien 3 property in Hedrum was transferred to the neighboring town of Larvik.

On 1 January 1988, the city of Larvik was part of a major municipal merger which consolidated the municipalities of Brunlanes (population: 8,138), Hedrum (population: 10,449), and Tjølling (population: 7,878) with the towns of Larvik (population: 8,045) and Stavern (population: 2,538) to create a new, much larger Larvik Municipality with a population of 37,048 people.

On 1 January 2018, Lardal Municipality was merged the neighboring Larvik Municipality as part of a nationwide municipal reform. After merging, Larvik was the largest municipality in Vestfold by area and the second-most populous municipality in Vestfold.

Etymology
The municipality (originally the town of Larvik) is named after the small cove at the end of the Larviksfjorden, which was historically called Lagarvík in Old Norse. The first element is the genitive case of 'water, river' (here referring to the Numedalslågen River). The last element is 'cove, inlet'. Thus, the meaning of the name is 'cove at the mouth of a river'. Prior to 1889, the name was written Laurvik or Laurvig.

Coat of arms
Larvik has had three different coats of arms since 1889.

The first coat of arms was granted in 1889 and it was in use until 20 January 1989 when a new coat of arms was granted. The official blazon was "Argent, a leaved tree issuant from a mount vert". This means the arms have a field (background) has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The charge is a green tree growing out of a green hill. The green color in the field and the tree design symbolize the local beech forest around the town. This design may have been chosen because for a couple of reasons. A beech tree had been used by the 18th century governor of the area, Jens Kielman. Also this beech tree design was part of a seal of a local guild in the early 19th century.

The second coat of arms was granted on 17 March 1989 and it was in use until 1 January 2018. The official blazon was "Azure, a mast with three sails argent" (I blått en sølv mast med tre seil). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a ship's mast with three sails. 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 blue color in the field and the design were chosen to represent the maritime traditions of the municipality. The arms were designed by Kjell Ronald Hansen. The municipal flag had the same design as the coat of arms.

The current coat of arms was adopted for use starting on 1 January 2018. The blazon is "Azure, a tree with seven droplet-shaped leaves, of which six are opposite two and two, issuant from a mount argent" (I blått et oppvoksende tre med syv dråpeformede blader hvor av seks er motstående to og to, alt i sølv). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a tree design with six leaves shaped like water droplets that are arranged symmetrically, three on each side and one on top. 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 have a complex symbolism. The seven drops symbolize forest water that flows into streams and further into the main Numedalslågen and Farriselva rivers. The tree design symbolizes the importance of the local beech forests and forestry industry. The six water drops also symbolized the ports spread along the coast as well as the six former municipalities that are now together as one large municipality. The arms were designed by Tormod Henriksen from Svarstad. The municipal flag had the same design as the coat of arms.

History
Various remains from the Stone Age have been discovered throughout the municipality of Larvik, for instance by Torpevannet near the village of Helgeroa. Raet goes through all of Vestfold County before peaking out of the ocean in Mølen in Larvik. Ancient peoples have carried rocks from Raet and constructed vast numbers of burial mounds at Mølen. During the Roman Iron Age, ancient peoples erected a stone monument resembling a ship at Istrehågan, one of Norway's greatest remains (oldtidsminne) from prehistoric times.

About 4 km southeast of the town is Skiringssal, an archaeological site where archaeologists first discovered burial mounds and an ancient Viking hall, and later uncovered the nearby remains of an ancient town, Kaupang. This is now known as the oldest known merchant town in Norway. There was international trade from this area, over 1,200 years ago. Skiringssal has remains from the oldest town yet discovered in the Nordic countries, and it was one of Scandinavia's earliest urban sites.

Larvik (which historically used the Danish spelling: Laurvig) was an old coastal village. In 1671, the village received kjøpstad (market town) status in 1671 when Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve bought the Fritsø estate. He later became the first Count of Laurvig. The count built a new residence in 1674, "Herregården", which can still be visited today. The whole Larvik area was owned by a Danish Count (grevskap) until 1817. Since the rest of Norway had come under Swedish rule in 1814, the county was purchased by four local businessmen in 1817. Then in 1821, it became part of the newly created Jarslberg og Laurvigs amt (county).

Larvik is also the site of the Treschow estate, "Fritzøehus", which is currently owned by the heirs of Mille-Marie Treschow, reportedly "Norway's richest woman". The Treschow estate was created in 1835 when Willum Frederik Treschow bought the county from the Danish crown, who in turn had bought the county from the local consortium "grevlingene", four local entrepreneurs who proved unable to manage the ownership financially (the consortium had bought the county from the Danish crown in 1817 originally, the crown taking over the county when the last of the counts had to sell it because of debt).

Larvik, along with neighbouring cities of Sandefjord and Tønsberg, were the three dominant whaling cities of Norway in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Government
Larvik 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 Vestfold District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.

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

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Larvik:

 * 1838-1840: Parish priest Castberg
 * 1841-1848: Ahlert Hysing
 * 1849-1857: Johan Sverdrup (V)
 * 1858-1860: Thorvald Olsen
 * 1861-1868: Christian Christiansen (H)
 * 1869-1870: T.M. Nielsen
 * 1871-1874: Jens Zetlitz
 * 1875-1875: Carl Lund
 * 1875-1878: Christian Christiansen (H)
 * 1878-1880: J.W. Falch
 * 1880-1884: Lauritz Schmidt
 * 1885-1886: Jul. Johnsen
 * 1887-1888: Lauritz Schmidt
 * 1889-1890: Colin Archer
 * 1891-1891: Mr. Sølsberg
 * 1891-1892: Sophus Caspar Singdahlsen
 * 1893-1897: Michael Velo (SmP)
 * 1898-1898: Thorvald Johansen
 * 1899-1901: Michael Velo (SmP)
 * 1901-1903: Magnus Hesselberg Oppen
 * 1904-1904: Niels Christian Odberg (V)
 * 1905-1907: Thomas Arbo Høeg
 * 1908-1910: Niels Christian Odberg (V)
 * 1911-1911: Magnus Hesselberg Oppen
 * 1912-1914: Ludvig Næss (V)
 * 1915-1919: Karl B. Løwe (V)
 * 1920-1921: Oscar Andersen (Ap)
 * 1922-1923: Johan Andersen (Ap)
 * 1924-1928: Trygve Rynning (LL)
 * 1929-1931: Oscar Andersen (Ap)
 * 1932-1934: Trygve Rynning (LL)
 * 1934-1940: Oscar Andersen (Ap)
 * 1941-1941: Karl B. Løwe (V)
 * 1941-1945: Rolf Bjørn Høvik (NS)
 * 1945-1945: Oscar Andersen (Ap)
 * 1946-1953: Charles Anderssen (Ap)
 * 1953-1955: Kristian Albert Christiansen (Ap)
 * 1956-1959: Christian Larsen (Ap)
 * 1960-1971: Reidar Hansen (Ap)
 * 1972-1983: Gunnar Ellefsen (Ap)
 * 1984-1987: Gunnar Jensen (Ap)
 * 1988-1991: Arild Lund (H)
 * 1992-1993: Ragnar Johannessen (Ap)
 * 1994-1999: Øyvind Hunskaar (Sp)
 * 1999-2011: Øyvind Riise Jenssen (H)
 * 2011-2019: Rune Høiseth (Ap)
 * 2019-2023: Erik Bringedal (H)
 * 2023–present: Birgitte Gulla Løken (H)

Demographics
Larvik's population is primarily centred along the coast. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Larvik, is one of two cities in the municipality; the other one being Stavern. The city's residential areas are first and foremost in the hills between the fjord and Bøkeskogen.

The municipality had a total population of 48,396 as of 2023, with 4,159 of them being immigrants to Norway from other countries. Figures from a census held at the beginning of the 19th century indicate that Larvik's population has quadrupled in approximately 200 years. Its population however is spread through the municipality, and about 50% of the people reside in the city of Larvik. The majority of the population is found along and around the Larviksfjorden, from Stavern in the west to Gon in the east. The population sometimes doubles during summer weeks due to tourism. Larvik is home to 4,886 vacation homes as of 2023.

Economy
Larvik is the most important agricultural municipality in Vestfold county. Besides grains, other crops grown include potatoes and vegetables. It has the county's largest production of cucumbers and tomatoes. Important industries are commerce, hotel management, and restaurant management. The fishing industry in Larvik is the second-largest in Vestfold, only smaller than the fishing industry in Færder Municipality. Important fishing harbours include Stavern, Helgeroa, and Nevlunghavn. Furthermore, Larvik has the biggest logging industry in the county. Norway Spruce is the most important tree species. The mined mineral Larvikite is exported from Larvik to countries in Europe and to the United States.

Tourism
Larvik is first and foremost known as a summer vacation community. Due to its stable climate and one of Norway's highest median temperatures, Larvik experiences significant summer tourism. Larvik's climate is among the mildest in Norway, with one of the nation's highest number of annual sunshine days. It is home to nearly 5,000 holiday homes.

The coastal town of Stavern and picturesque villages of Helgeroa and Nevlunghavn receive large numbers of tourists during summer months. Stavern is known as a summer community, and its population more than doubles during summers. Tourist attractions in Stavern include Hall of Remembrance, Fredriksvern, and Citadellet. Citadel Island is home of Staverns Fortress which dates to the 1680s. The island is a current refuge for artists.

Kaupang has been described as the "chief attraction" for visitors in Larvik. Kapuang is also known as Norway's most important monument from the Viking Age. Another source describes Mølen Geopark as Larvik's most visited tourist attraction. Other attractions include the Maritime Museum, Fritzøehus, Herregården, the home of Thor Heyerdahl, and Bøkeskogen. Larvik is also home to Farris Bad, the largest spa in the Nordic countries, which has been described as one of Europe's best spa facilities.

Geography
Larvik occupies the southwestern corner of Vestfold county, between Sandefjord Municipality in the east and the Langesundsfjorden in the west. The coastline of Larvik stretches from the entrance to the Sandefjordsfjord and to the Langesundsfjord, with the Larviksfjorden in the middle. The coastline consists of various beaches, bays, islets, and skerries. The land is relatively flat along the coast and by the many bays, while the interior parts consist of large and hilly woodlands. Larger mountains are found along the border with Telemark County in the west. The municipality has a 110 km coastline, a listtle shorter than that of neighbouring Sandefjord Municipality.

The municipality is located approximately 105 km southwest of the Norwegian capital, Oslo. The municipality covers an area of 813 km2, making it the largest municipality in Vestfold county. By population, however, Larvik is the third-most populous municipality, only smaller than neighbouring Tønsberg and Sandefjord municipalities. Larvik has its own fjord which connects to the Lågen River.

Larvik borders Kongsberg Municipality in the north (in Buskerud county), Sandefjord Municipality in the east, and Porsgrunn Municipality and Siljan Municipality (both in Telemark county) in the west. The southernmost point in the municipality is Tvistein Lighthouse in the sea south of Hummerbakken in Brunlanes. On the mainland, its southernmost point is found in Oddane, between Mølen and Nevlunghavn. The westernmost point is Geiterøya Island in the Langesundsfjord, and the easternmost point is one of the Rauer islets. The highest point is the 622 m tall mountain Vindfjell which lies on the western border with Siljan Municipality in Telemark county.

Notable geographical features include the lake Farris and the river Numedalslågen, locally called Lågen, which terminates at the Larviksfjorden at the town of Larvik. Other bodies of water include the lakes Farris, Goksjø, and Hallevatnet.

Larvik is also noted for its natural springs of mineral water, Farriskildene, which have been commercially exploited under the brand name Farris. At Kaupang in Tjølling lies the remains of the medieval Skiringssal trading outpost. Larvik is also home to the world's northernmost natural occurrence of Fagus sylvatica forests (European Beech tree), known as Bøkeskogen ("The Beech Tree Forest").

Villages
The municipality is home to two cities and seven larger urban villages:

 * Larvik (city), population: 26,851
 * Stavern (city), population: 5,902
 * Tveteneåsen, population: 850
 * Hem, population: 676
 * Helgeroa and Nevlunghavn, population: 1,962
 * Kvelde, population: 1,103
 * Verningen, population: 1,003
 * Svarstad, population: 611

Himberg is an exclave which is part of Sandefjord Municipality, although it is completely surrounded by Larvik Municipality in all directions. Attempts at annexing Himberg into Larvik Municipality have largely been met with protests from Himberg residents. A 1995 attempt at annexing Himberg was cancelled due to protests from local residents. There are only four such enclaves in Norway, and Himberg is the most populous enclave in Norway, with a population of approximately 40 people. Himberg is 1.4 km2.

Transportation
Larvik is served by Sandefjord Airport Torp, its nearest international airport. The European route E18 highway traverses the municipality and is one of Norway's most important main highways. Larvik Station is the city's main railway station along the Vestfoldbanen railway line. Daily ferries to Hirtshals, Denmark depart from the city harbour and are operated by Color Line. The neighbouring city of Sandefjord has several ferry links with daily departures to Strömstad, Sweden and, further south, the town of Langesund links to Hirtshals, Denmark through a ferry which is operated by Fjord Line.

Recreation areas
Recreation areas in Larvik include the beach Lydhusstranda at Naverfjorden.

The river Numedalslågen is considered to be one of Norway's best salmon fishing rivers. Freshwater fishing is also common at the lake Goksjø, which lies on the Sandefjord-Larvik border. Fish species in this lake include Northern pike, European perch, Ide, Common dace, European eel, Salmon, and Brown trout. The lake is also used for ice-skating, canoeing, swimming, boating, and other recreational activities.

The 12 m tall Trollfoss is the largest and tallest waterfall in Vestfold County.

Hiking trails can be found throughout the municipality, including in the city forest Bøkeskogen, Norway's largest beech tree forest. This forest is home to various trails, starting at 2.6 km in length up to 10 km in length. Hiking trails can also be found at Mølen, which is an UNESCO GeoPark and home of Norway's largest stone beach. The Coastal Path (Kyststien) is a 35 km path through Brunlanes to the town Stavern. Additional hiking trails can be found by the lakes Goksjø and Farris. Farris Lake is the largest lake in Vestfold County.

Due to the municipality's many rural areas, Larvik is known for its game hunting, and large forests are open for hunting. There are great stocks of moose; Larvik has among Norway's highest number of moose. Between 700 and 800 moose are annually slaughtered in the county. Other important species of game are Roe deer, Red deer, Mountain hare, European beaver, and Common wood pigeon.

Beaches
List of publicly-owned beaches in Larvik:
 * Farris
 * Rekkeviksbukta
 * Batteritomta
 * Gonstranda (Østre Halsen)
 * Hvittensand (Østre Halsen)
 * Corntin (Stavern)
 * Blokkebukta (Naverfjord)
 * Anvikstranda (Naverfjord)
 * Stolpstadstranda (Naverfjord)
 * Lydhusstranda (Naverfjord)
 * Roppestad (Farris)
 * Skjærsjø (Kvelde)
 * Ula (Tjølling)
 * Kjerringvik (Tjølling)

Larvik Museum
The Larvik Museum Society was founded in 1916. The museum is now associated with the Vestfold Museum (Vestfoldmuseene). Larvik Museum was established with the purpose of preserving, and restoring the city's collection of historic buildings.

The Treschow-Fritzøe Museum (Verkensgården) houses exhibitions from the former Treschow-Fritzøe ironworks. Verkensgarorden displays tools, equipment, drawings, and models illustrating the iron-production era in Larvik, which dated from 1670 to 1870. The exhibition shows various aspects; from the geological process of creation to production, and use of the stone larvikite, the area's main export product. The Iron Works was closed during 1868.

Manor House (Herregården) was built by Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve for his third wedding in 1677. It is a large wooden structure with well-preserved baroque interiors from the 1730s. Herregården manor house is a large Baroque wooden building with classic elements. The interior design is mainly Baroque and Regency style. The house is filled with 17th- and 18th-century antiques. Herregården from 1677 is considered one of Norway's finest secular Baroque structures. It is one of few baroque architectural monuments representing nobility in Norway. Furthermore, it is one of Norway's largest wooden buildings from 17th century.

The Larvik Maritime Museum (Larvik Sjøfartsmuseum) is housed in Larvik's oldest brick building, dating from 1730. Larvik Maritime Museum is located in the old customs house, and is the residence of the local building inspector. This museum displays models of ships, paintings of sailing vessels, and other nautical artifacts to bring the port's maritime history alive. One section of the museum is devoted to the expeditions of Larvik-born Thor Heyerdahl.

Fritzøehus
Fritzøehus is a private estate located in Larvik. The estate has traditionally been associated with various members of the Treschow family and is presently owned by Mille-Marie Treschow. It is Norway's largest privately owned estate.

Churches
The Church of Norway has twelve parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Larvik. It is part of the Larvik prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

Points of interest
Notable points of interest include:

 * Istrehågan, ancient burial ground on the Larvik-Sandefjord border
 * Bøkeskogen, Norway's largest and the world's northernmost beech tree forest.
 * Larvik Maritime Museum, museum dedicated to Larvik's nautical history. It is home to several models by Colin Archer, and has its own exhibition dedicated to Thor Heyerdahl.
 * Helgeroa and Nevlunghavn, adjacent coastal villages
 * Kaupang in Skiringssal, remains from the oldest Nordic town yet discovered.
 * Mølen, first UNESCO Global Geopark in the Nordic countries. It is home to 230 cairns dating to the Iron Age.
 * Farris Lake, largest lake in Vestfold County.
 * Stavern, coastal town and former home of Norway's main naval base in Fredriksvern
 * Hall of Remembrance, largest monument in Vestfold County.
 * Citadel Island, fort which came to prominence during the Nordic War of 1709–1720.
 * Farris Bad, built next to Larvik's best sandy beach, Farris Bad is named amongst the best spas in Europe by Lonely Planet Publications.
 * The Nesjar Monument, located in Helgeroa, made on the 1,000th anniversary for the Battle of Nesjar. First unveiled July 29, 2016.
 * Herregården, erected in 1677 and recognised as one of Norway's finest secular Baroque structures.
 * Larvik Church, erected in 1877 and situated at Tollerodden. Famous for its paintings.
 * Childhood home of Thor Heyerdahl, located at Steingata 7 in Larvik proper.
 * Goksjø, third-largest lake in Vestfold County, located on the Sandefjord-Larvik border. Used for swimming, fishing, kayaking, ice-skating, and skiing.

Honorary citizens

 * Thor Heyerdahl (1914–2002), an adventurer and ethnographer
 * Carl Nesjar (1920–2015), a painter, sculptor, and graphic artist who worked with Pablo Picasso
 * Antonio Bibalo (1922–2008), an Italian-Norwegian pianist who composed classical operas
 * Arne Nordheim (1931–2010), a composer
 * Ingvar Ambjørnsen (born 1956), a writer

Explorers

 * Johan Bryde (1858–1925), a ship-owner and whaler
 * Carl Anton Larsen (1860–1924), an Antarctic explorer who discovered fossils
 * Oscar Wisting (1871–1936), a Norwegian Naval officer and polar explorer
 * Erik Hesselberg (1914-1972), a Kon-Tiki crew member, author, painter, and sculptor
 * Thorstein Baarnes (born 1984), an explorer, hunter, philanthropist, and inventor
 * Jarle Andhøy (born 1977), a controversial adventurer and sailing skipper

Public Service & public thinking

 * Jens Schou Fabricius (1758–1841), a Vice-admiral and Norwegian Minister of the Navy from 1817–1818
 * Friderich Adolph von Schleppegrell (1792–1850), a Dano-Norwegian military officer
 * Johan Sverdrup (1816–1892), a politician who was Prime Minister of Norway from 1884-1889
 * Thomas Archer (1823-1905), an Australian pastoralist and Agent General for Queensland
 * Colin Archer (1832–1921), a Norwegian naval architect and shipbuilder
 * Sophus Bugge (1833–1907) a philologist and linguist
 * Karl Gether Bomhoff (1842–1925), a pharmacist, politician, and Governor of Norges Bank
 * Bertrand Narvesen (1860–1939), a businessman who founded Narvesen
 * Bernt Berntsen (1863–1933), a Norwegian-American Protestant Christian missionary to China
 * Anna Hvoslef (1866–1954), a journalist, politician, and feminist
 * Adolf Fonahn (1873–1940), a physician, medical historian, and orientalist
 * Niels Christian Ditleff (1881–1956), a diplomat and architect of White Buses operation
 * Erling Utnem (1920–2006), a theologian, priest, and Bishop of Agder from 1973-1983
 * Herman Sachnowitz (1921-1978), one of the few Norwegian Jews who survived deportation to a concentration camp
 * Knut Helle (1930–2015), a historian and academic
 * Mille-Marie Treschow (born 1954–2018), a landlord and businessperson
 * Lars Gule (born 1955), a philosopher and commentator on extremism and terrorism
 * Anders Anundsen (born 1975), a politician who was Minister of Justice from 2013-2016
 * Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow (1990–2013), a Norwegian-Somalian Islamist terrorist

The arts

 * Cecil Aagaard (1916–1984), a jazz vocalist and band leader
 * Absolute Steel (formed in 1999), a heavy metal band
 * Mari Bjørgan (1950–2014), an actress and variety show comedian
 * Birgitte Einarsen (born in 1975), a singer and musical theatre artist from Helgeroa
 * Terje Gewelt (born 1960), a jazz musician who plays the upright bass who was raised in Larvik
 * Hans Holmen (1878–1958), a painter and sculptor
 * Anne Holt (born 1958), a crime writer, lawyer, and former minister of justice
 * Louis Jacoby (born 1942), a singer and writer
 * Ruth Lagesen (1914–2005), a pianist and conductor
 * Bjørn Lynne (born 1966), a sound engineer and music composer
 * Carl Nesjar (1920–2015), a painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and fabricator for Pablo Picasso
 * Arne Nordheim (1931–2010), a composer
 * Arthur Omre (1887–1967), a novelist, liquor smuggler, swindler, and thief
 * Gunnar Reiss-Andersen (1896–1964), a lyric poet and author
 * Jonas Kilmork Vemøy (born 1986), a jazz trumpeter and composer who was raised in Larvik
 * Herman Wildenvey (1885–1959), a poet

Sport

 * Sverre Hansen (1913–1974), a footballer who was a team bronze medallist at the 1936 Summer Olympics
 * Gunnar Thoresen (1920-2017), a famous footballer who had 261 caps for Larvik Turn and 64 for Norway
 * Anette Bøe (born 1957), a cross-country skier who was a team bronze medallist at the 1980 Winter Olympics
 * Hallvar Thoresen (born 1957), a footballer with 320 club caps and 50 for Norway
 * Tom Erik Oxholm (born 1959), a speed skater and twice bronze medallist at the 1980 Winter Olympics
 * Tom Sundby (born 1960), a footballer with 39 caps for Norway
 * Bjørg Eva Jensen (born 1960), a speed skater and gold medallist at the 1980 Winter Olympics
 * Gunnar Halle (born 1965), a football manager and player with 509 club caps and 64 for Norway
 * Espen Hoff (born 1981), a retired professional footballer with 427 club caps
 * Alexander Hvaal (born 1992), a professional rallycross driver

Sports teams

 * Larvik HK (handball)
 * Larvik TIF
 * IF Fram Larvik

Twin towns – sister cities
Larvik has sister city agreements with the following places:
 * 🇸🇪 Borlänge, Sweden
 * Frederikshavn, Denmark

title: Larvik


text:
Svelvik

is a town in Drammen Municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The town is located along the west shore of the Drammensfjorden, about 20 km to the southeast of the town of Drammen and about 8 km north of the village of Berger. The village of Klokkarstua (in Asker Municipality) lies about 2 km to the east, across the fjord.

The 2.33 km2 town has a population (2023) of 4,256 and a population density of 1825 PD/km2. The town lies mostly in Drammen Municipality, but a small part of the urban area of Svelvik lies on the other side of the fjord (which is only 200 m wide at that point). About 130 people live right across the fjord in Asker Municipality.

The newspaper Svelviksposten has been published in Svelvik since 1983.

History
The town of Svelvik was established as a ladested on 1 January 1845 when it was separated from Strømm Municipality. Initially, the new town had a population of 1,201. The town was historically located in Jarlsberg og Laurvig county (present-day Vestfold county). Under the formannskapsdistrikt law, Svelvik was granted self-governing status as a municipality since it was a town. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the town of Svelvik (population: 1,188) was merged with Strømm Municipality (population: 2,618) to form the new Svelvik Municipality. On 1 January 2020, Svelvik Municipality (population: 6,685) was merged into the neighboring Drammen Municipality (which made it switch from Vestfold to Viken county), so from then on, the town of Svelvik has been part of Drammen Municipality. On 1 January 2024, Viken county was dissolved and this area became part of Buskerud county.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Svelvik farm (Sverðvík) since the first Svelvik Church was built there. The first element comes from the word which means "sword". The last element is which means "bay" or "cove". The name "sword bay" is likely referring to the Ryggen promontory ridge across from the town of Svelvik. The ridge juts out into the Drammensfjorden like a sword and divides the fjord into two halves. The neighboring farm is called Sverstad (Sverðstaðir) which has the same etymology.

Geography
The town is located on the western shore of the Drammensfjorden. The narrow Svelvikstrømmen strait is located part-way along the fjord, near the town of Svelvik. The shortest ferry line in Norway crosses the fjord there, connecting Svelvik to the Hurum peninsula.

The little town has small, winding streets and traditional, white-painted houses. Svelvik has many venues for swimming and sunbathing.

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

title: Svelvik


text:
Sande, Vestfold

Sande or Sande i Vestfold is a village in Holmestrand Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located along the Sandebukta bay off the Ytre Oslofjord about 60 km south of Oslo (about 50 minutes driving time). There are several nearby villages around Sande including the villages of Klever and Eikeberg about 7 km to the north, the village of Selvik about 4 km to the southeast, the town of Holmestrand about 10 km to the south, and the village of Hof about 10 km to the west. The European route E18 highway and the Vestfoldbanen railway line both past through the village of Sande.

The 1.36 km2 village has a population (2023) of 2,342 and a population density of 1727 PD/km2. In recent years the village of Sande has grown significantly due to many new apartments and stores. The newspaper Sande Avis is published in Sande. Portions of the 1973 Olsenbanden movie Olsenbanden tar gull from were filmed in Sande. Another portion was filmed in Stavern.

History
Finds from the Stone Age indicate that the settlement in the area is up to 6,000–7,000 years old. The village was formerly called Angr (meaning "fjord"), but was later named after the rectory farm called "Sandvin". About 400 ancient artefacts and Burial mounds have been found in several places around Sande. The rock carvings on Sjøl are the only known carving field from the Bronze Age between Bærum and Sandefjord.

The village was the administrative centre of the old Sande Municipality which existed from 1838 until 2020 when the municipality became part of Holmestrand Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Sande farm (Sandvin) since the first Sande Church was built there. The first element comes from the word which means "sand". The last element comes from the word which means "meadow" or "pasture".

Sande Church
The medieval era Sande Church is located in the village of Sande. The parish is part of the Nord-Jarlsberg prosti. The building material is stone and brick, and it was built in 1150. In 1783, the church burned down; only the walls remained. Over the next eight years, it was rebuilt, and 1860 the church was refurnished. But the older altarpiece, baptismal font, and pulpit were retained. The pulpit is also from 1783 and features Rococo-style carvings. The font of soapstone is the only medieval inventory preserved.

title: Sande, Vestfold


text:
Hof, Vestfold

Hof is a village in Holmestrand Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located about 14 km northwest of the town of Holmestrand, about 10 km southwest of the village of Sande i Vestfold, and about 8 km south of the village of Eidsfoss. The smaller villages of Sundbyfoss and Hvittingfoss are both located a short distance south of Hof.

The 0.82 km2 village has a population (2023) of 915 and a population density of 1112 PD/km2.

Hof Prison was located in the village until its closure in 2019.

History
The village has a number of ancient burial mounds which testify to the fact that the village was relatively densely populated in ancient times. Eidsfos Verk was established as an ironworks at the end of the 17th century and had its heyday under Peder von Cappelen (1763–1837). On the company's property is a stately main building, Eidsfos Hovedgård, which was made into a historical landmark in 1923. The farm has a large park and unique workers' housing from the 18th century. In Hof, there is an ironworks museum that shows cultural and ironworks history.

The village of Hof served as the administrative centre of the old Hof Municipality from 1838 until 2018 when it became part of Holmestrand Municipality. The medieval Hof Church is located in the village.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hof farm (Hof) since the first Hof Church was built there. The name is identical with the word hof which means "pagan temple", a place for worshiping the old Norse Gods.

title: Hof, Vestfold


text:
Andebu

Andebu is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The 186 km2 municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution on 1 January 2017. The area is now part of Sandefjord Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Andebu. Other main villages in Andebu include Høyjord and Kodal.

Andebu was the fourth-largest municipality in Vestfold county and it was situated in the center of the county. Upon its dissolution, the 186 km2 municipality had a population of 5,937. The municipality's population density was 32 PD/km2.

Andebu's economy was primarily related to logging and forestry. Andebu has been inhabited for centuries and the oldest artifacts retrieved here dates back 4000 years to the Iron Age. Most retrieved artifacts are various types of tools, mainly axes made of flint and other rocks. Andebu’s geography consists mainly of valleys, hills, mountains, forests, and lakes.

General information
The parish of Andebo (later spelled Andebu) was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1878, an area of Hedrum municipality (population: 61) was transferred to Andebu. On 1 January 2017, a municipal merger took place: the municipalities of Sandefjord (population: 45,820), Stokke (population: 11,657), and Andebu (population: 5,937) were merged to form a new, larger Sandefjord Municipality. Andebu now makes up the northern part of the new municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Andebu farm (Andabú) since the first Andebu Church was built there. The meaning of the first element is unknown, but one possibility is that it comes from the old male name Andi, but this is not certain. The last element comes from the word which means "dwelling" or "farm". Prior to 1889, the name was spelled "Andebo".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 12 December 1986. The official blazon is "Vert, three triangles argent, one over two" (I grønt tre sølv triangler, 1-2). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a set of three equilateral triangles with one over two. 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 importance of agriculture and forestry. The three triangles were chosen to symbolize the three villages/parishes in the municipality: Andebu, Høyjord, and Kodal. The three triangles also are set up to look like the letter A, the first letter of the municipal name. The arms were designed by Kjell Skoli. The municipal flag had the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Andebu. It was part of the Sandefjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

Andebu Church was the main church for the municipality. It was built around the year 1100. It is a stone church with seating for 300. The soapstone baptismal font is from the 1100s. The altarpiece and the pulpit are in Renaissance style and date from about 1650. The church was extensively restored in 1686. The church is home to Norway's oldest existing written parish register from 1623. The ridge turret was destroyed in a storm in 1701 and had to be rebuilt.

The Høyjord Stave Church is also located in Andebu and it is the only stave church in Vestfold County.

History
Various historical artifacts and burial mounds dated to the Viking Age have been discovered in Andebu. Finds include a bronze key, a stone axe, arrows, and more. Burial mounds have been discovered on approximately 30 farms in Andebu, including 17 in the village of Andebu, 5 in Høyjord, and 7 in Kodal. Some mounds are dated back as far as 500 BCE (in other words, over a thousand years prior to the Viking Age). Large amounts of burial mounds are found at Nordre Haugan, Nedre Skjelland, Våle, Vestre Høyjord, Bjørndal, and Gjerstad.

The 14th century Black Plague had a devastating impact on the population of Andebu. It is estimated that the population was 600 as of 1600 A.D., approximately the same amount as prior to the plague, meaning that it took about 200 years to regain the lost population for the area.

Andebu municipality was established on 1 January 1838, with priest Jens H. Otterbeck as its first mayor. Otterbeck served as mayor for 24 years and was the longest-serving mayor of Andebu.

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.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Andebu was made up of 25 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Andebu:

 * 1838-1862: Jens H. Otterbech
 * 1863-1863: Gullik Chr. Herre-Skjelbred
 * 1864-1865: Johan G. Gran
 * 1866-1867: Gullik Chr. Herre-Skjelbred
 * 1868-1869: Johan G. Gran
 * 1870-1873: Abraham Chr. Wegger
 * 1874-1877: Peder K. Nilsen
 * 1878-1880: Johan G. Gran
 * 1881-1881: Karl Nilsen
 * 1882-1889: Abraham Chr. Wegger
 * 1890-1897: Anton Bjørndal
 * 1898-1898: Edvard A. Hallenstvedt
 * 1899-1901: A. Ljosnæs
 * 1902-1905: Anton Bjørndal
 * 1905-1913: A. Ljosnæs
 * 1914-1916: Abraham Andersen Tolsrød
 * 1917-1922: Anders Flaatten
 * 1923-1927: O. Bakkeland
 * 1928-1930: Anders Flaatten
 * 1931-1939: Hans R. Trevland
 * 1939-1941: Ole Bergan
 * 1945-1945: Ole Bergan
 * 1946-1955: O. Strandskog
 * 1956-1959: Ole Bergan
 * 1960-1961: Johan Gran
 * 1962-1963: Ivar Bjørndal
 * 1964-1965: Johan Gran
 * 1966-1967: Ole Bergan
 * 1968-1975: Thor Wrangsund
 * 1976-1981: Paul Kristian Berg
 * 1982-1985: Ingolf Wegger
 * 1986-1991: Jan Vestby
 * 1992-1999: Rolf Fevang
 * 1999-2011: Hans Hilding Hønsvall (KrF)
 * 2012-2016: Bjarne Sommerstad (Sp)

Geography
Andebu was located in the interior central parts of Vestfold County. Most of Andebu is forested, but numerous rivers and mountains can also be found in Andebu. Rivers include Merkedamselva, which flows through eastern parts of the village of Høyjord. Steinselva (Skorgeelva), Bergselva and Bølevannsbekken are other rivers in Andebu. Lakes in Andebu included Stålerødvannet, Heievannet, Goksjø, and others. The highest points of the former municipality are in northwestern parts near the village of Høyjord. Some peaks include Brånafjell, which is the tallest peak in Sandefjord municipality, as well as Åletjønnåsen and Storås. Smaller peaks include Bustingen, Skørsåsane, and Storås by Skjeau. The municipality of Andebu was home to 35 lakes, including the 0.37 km2 Askjemvannet, which was the largest lake in Andebu. Parts of the lake Goksjø were also located in Andebu, while minor lakes included Ilestadvannet and Åletjønn, both located near the village of Høyjord.

The 399 m tall Brånafjell was the tallest mountain peak in the former municipality of Andebu, and currently the highest peak in Sandefjord municipality. It is located in northernmost Andebu on the border with what used to be Re Municipality and about 2 km from the border with Lardal (now part of Larvik Municipality). Parking for mountain hiking trails can be found by Trollsvann.

Nature preserves in Andebu included Veggemyra (marsh), Nordre Skarsholttjønn (marsh), Dalaåsen (birch forest), and Flisefyr-Hidalen (forest).

Recreation
Heisetra is a cabin owned by Sandefjord Tourist Association which lies by the lake Heivannet and the river Svartåa. There are 100 km of marked hiking trails are located near the cabin. The trails are used by cross-country skiers, bicyclists, hikers, and equestrians. Heisetra is situated in western Andebu near the border to the municipality of Larvik. A nature trail with interactive signs detailing local nature is located near the lake Heivannet. The lake is used for paddling, kayaking, swimming, and fishing. Nearby trails are used for hiking, skiing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and collection of mushrooms and berries. The 100 km trail network from the cabin leads as far as Hardangervidda, while shorter trails include those leading to Grevesteinen and Sliradammen. The 9.7 km Svartåa culture trail was previously used for the movement of logs to Larvik. This trail has various interactive signs describing the river’s cultural and historical significance, including signs near the Hansekanal, a canal created by Hans Anders Dahl in 1950.

Andebu is home to numerous gravel trails, for instance located by Snappen, Trolldalen, and Vidaråsen. Parking for Snappen can be found nearby Heisetra cabin, along with a variety of other forest- and mountain hikes. It can be reached by driving to Pipenholt, which lies along county road 210 between Kodal and Åsrum in Larvik. From Pipenholt, drive towards Hvitstein. Heiaveien goes through an agricultural landscape and passes by Geirastadir.

Andebu's highest mountain, Brånafjell is located in northernmost Andebu. The trail to the mountain can be found by Trollsvann Lake. Trollsvann is located on the border with Lardal and is surrounded by tall hillsides. A trail, Trollstien, follows the lake on its western side. A number of trailheads can be found near the cabin Trollsvannstua, a cabin owned by the Norwegian Trekking Association. Trails from Trollsvannstua lead as far as to Merkedammen Lake in Re and westwards to Åletjønn Lake. There are also trails leading to the waterfall Løkedalsfossen in Lardal.

Another mountain trail leads to the peak and tower at Vetan, a 1.5 km hike from the village of Andebu. From the village centre, follow Kodalveien to Familiesenteret. From there, make a right and follow the gravel Møylandsveien over the farm fields. Before the farm, the trail winds left into the woodlands. Interpretive signs can be found throughout the trail, which describe the area's species of wildlife and flora. The peak has an elevation of 180 m and the house on top was originally a lookout tower meant to be used in times of war. An overlook tower was constructed at Vetan in 1988, which provides panoramic views of Tønsberg Fortress, the Oslo Fjord, Gaustatoppen, and Skrim. Parking for the trail to Vetan is located by the Møyland kindergarten, immediately west of the centre of the village of Andebu.

Andebu is home to 35 lakes, where fishing is permitted in 16 lakes. The largest rivers are Svartåa and Skorgeelva.

Points of interest

 * Høyjord Stave Church, the only remaining stave church in Vestfold County
 * Heisetra, a cabin owned by Sandefjord Tourist Association, adjacent to 100 km of hiking trails
 * Andebu Church, the largest medieval church in Sandefjord municipality
 * Goksjø Lake, the third-largest lake in Vestfold County
 * Svartåa River, one of Andebu's largest rivers, popular fishing river
 * Brånafjell, the tallest mountain in Sandefjord municipality

Notable people

 * Kaare Reitan (1903–2000), an orthodontist

title: Andebu


text:
Stokke

Stokke is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The 118 km2 municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution on 1 January 2017. The area is now part of Sandefjord Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Stokke. Other main villages in Stokke included Vear, Melsomvik, Storevar, and Valberg.

Upon its dissolution, the 118 km2 municipality had a population of 11,657. The municipality's population density is 98 PD/km2.

General information
The parish of Stokke was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1901, the island of Håøya (population: 70) was transferred from Stokke to the neighboring Nøtterøy municipality. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the island of Veierland (population: 165) was transferred from Stokke to the neighboring Nøtterøy municipality. Then on 1 January 1967, there was a very small boundary adjustment between the municipalities of Sem and Stokke: an area of Sem (population: 2) and an area of Stokke (population: 5) were swapped.

During a nationwide municipal reform by the Solberg Cabinet, 77.8 percent of Stokke residents voted to merge with Sandefjord during the September 2015 elections. On 1 January 2017, a municipal merger took place: the municipalities of Sandefjord (population: 45,820), Stokke (population: 11,657), and Andebu (population: 5,937) were merged to form a new, larger Sandefjord Municipality. Stokke now makes up the central part of the new municipality. On the same date, the village of Vear was transferred from the old Stokke municipality to the neighboring Tønsberg Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Stokke farm (Stokkar) since the first Stokke Church was built there. The name is the plural form of stokkr which means "log" or "stick". This is probably referring to some hills/ridges near the local church site.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 13 January 1984. The official blazon is "Gules, three s Or" (I rødt tre opprette kvistede gull trestammer). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a set of three s. The charge 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 canting since means "sticks" or "logs". The arms show three to represent the three main parishes in the municipality: Stokke, Skjee and Arnadal. The arms were designed by Truls Nygaard, who based it off an original proposal by Hallvard Trætteberg which was further developed by Hans Gerhard Sørensen. The municipal flag had the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Stokke. It is part of the Sandefjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

History
About 16,000 historic artifacts have been found at Brunstad in Stokke, mostly tools made out of flint but also roughly sixty hearths. The first recorded grave from Mesolithic times is also found here and dated to 5900 BCE.

Leading up to 2017, Stokke residents were deciding whether or not to remain as an independent municipality or if they should merge with a neighboring municipality. Relatively few Stokke residents read Sandefjords Blad, the main newspaper of Sandefjord, and few residents reside or work in the city of Sandefjord. The wealthiness of Sandefjord, however, was often used as an argument for the merger with Sandefjord. Its international airport Sandefjord Airport, Torp was also seen as a deciding factor for Stokke's decision to merge into Sandefjord. For the village of Vear, on the other hand, a majority of residents preferred a merge into neighboring Tønsberg. Consequentially, the village was transferred into Tønsberg on 1 January 2017, the day Stokke joined Sandefjord. Vear is home to 2,500 residents as of 2016, which made up 22 percent of Stokke's total population prior to the merge.

Sundås Fort

Remains of a fort, the Sundås battery, can be found across the Tønsbergfjorden from Håøya Island. The fortifications were constructed in the late 19th century during turbulent times with Sweden during the Union between Sweden and Norway. It was part of the newly established Norwegian Coastal Artillery (Kystartilleriet). The fort was erected to keep potential enemies from entering Tønsberg by sea, and was also meant to protect the Marine harbor in the village of Melsomvik. Work on the fort began in 1897, and the forts at both Håøya Island and Sundåsen were completed in 1899. Trenches, commando posts, fencing, concrete gun pits, and other remains from the fort can still be seen at Sundås. The fort lies by the Tønsbergfjord with surrounding views of Færder Lighthouse and islands such as Håøya, Tjøme, Veierland, and Nøtterøy. The cannons were demolished by German forces in 1942 during the German occupation of Norway. The Norwegian Armed Forces remained in control of the fort from 1945 until 1962, when it became public property.

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.

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

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Stokke:

 * 1838–1841: Christian Richard Nygaard
 * 1842–1843: Herman A. Klem
 * 1843–1851: Ditman Ditmansen
 * 1852–1853: Hans Mikkelsen
 * 1854–1855: Ole Andersen
 * 1856–1863: Ditman Ditmansen
 * 1864–1865: Hans Christian Hansen
 * 1866–1869: Johan Peder Andresen
 * 1870–1886: Jørgen Hammelow Berg
 * 1887–1897: Mathias L. Gjein (H)
 * 1897–1898: Abraham Olsen (H)
 * 1899–1901: Lars Sørensen Borge
 * 1902–1904: Hans Mathias Korterød
 * 1905–1910: Ragnvald Berg (V)
 * 1911–1913: Ingvald Skorge (H)
 * 1914–1919: Johan G. Austeen (V)
 * 1920–1931: Ingvald Skorge (H)
 * 1932–1941: Anders Ellefsen (H)
 * 1941–1945: Lars Holt (NS)
 * 1945–1946: Anders Ellefsen (H)
 * 1946–1959: Olav O. Haugen (V)
 * 1960–1963: Georg Aas (H)
 * 1964–1971: Hans Wåle (Sp)
 * 1972–1975: Oddvar Aas (H)
 * 1976–1979: Tor Svensson (KrF)
 * 1980–1987: Johnny Freitag (H)
 * 1988–2003: Per-Eivind Johansen (H)
 * 2003–2011: Nils Ingar Aabol (Ap)
 * 2011–2016: Erlend Larsen (H)

Geography
Stokke municipality had a total area of 118 km2 and had a 14 km long coastline along the Tønsbergfjord. The village of Stokke is located in-between the cities of Tønsberg and Sandefjord. However, Stokke was primarily a rural community and far smaller than its neighbors. Stokke had a variety of recreation areas, including the Storås area, which includes lakes, rivers, historic sites, and an abundance of plant and wildlife species. Another recreational site is located at Bogen, which also includes a beach and an art gallery. Other coastal communities include the villages of Vear, Melsomvik, and Storevar. Islands included Langø, Ravnø, Gåsø, Gåsøkalven, Verjø, Tryteknatten, and others. Lakes include Akersvannet, Gjennestadvannet, Kulerødvannet, Fossnesdammen, and others. The former municipality was located south of Andebu, north of Sandefjord, west of the Tønsbergfjord, and southwest of Tønsberg and Ramnes.

Both the Vestfoldbanen railway line and the European route E18 highway pass through the former municipality. Its highest point was Høgståsen at 175.6 m. The village of Stokke is home to a nature preserve known as Bokemoa, a birch forest located on Raet. The dense forest creates shade and a habitat for mushrooms; over 100 species of mushrooms have been recorded in Bokemoa, including species only found in birch tree forests.

Nature preserves
Nature preserves in Stokke include the island of Langøya, Bokemoa, Melsomvik plant and wildlife preserve as well as the lakes Robergvannet and Akersvannet. The island of Langøya lies in the Tønsbergfjorden and is a car-free island consisting of meadows, knolls, salt meadows, small bays, and forests. It became a landscape conservation area in 2006. It is known for its wide variety of rare wildflowers including species such as sea thrift, alternate-leaved golden-saxifrage, cowslip, greater yellow-rattle, sticky catchfly, and many others.

Demographics
The annual population growth in Stokke was twice as high as Vestfold County as a whole, and the expected life expectancy is higher than the county median. About 13 percent of Stokke's population were first- or second-generation immigrants as of 2014.

Transportation
European route E18 passes through the former municipality. Vestfoldbanen operates the Stokke Station, a railway station in the village of Stokke. Sandefjord Airport Torp is located on the former border with Sandefjord municipality.

Recreation
Hiking trails can be found at Trælsodden, Løke, Høgåsen, Grorudvannet, Feen, Furulund, Ramsum, and Borgeskogen. Coastal hiking paths make up a total of 14 km in former municipality. Coastal hiking trails can be found in Melsomvik and also a trail connecting Storevar and Rakkevik.

A 3 km forest hike can be found at Løke, which is a popular forest for collecting mushrooms. A mountain trail is located by Høgåsen, the highest point in the former municipality with an elevation of 172 m. The peak can be reached from two trails: from Langevann in Re or from Grorudvannet in Stokke. The shortest hike is from Grorudvannet.

Trælsodden by the Tønsbergfjorden is home to several burial mounds as well as fortifications dated to World War II. Sandy beaches, diving boards and hiking trails can also be found at Trælsodden. At Trælsodden are graves dated to the Iron Age. At the time, sea levels were 4–5 m higher than today, and the graves were consequentially placed near the shoreline. A popular fishing site is located between Trælsodden and Brunstad. The trail goes by the municipal beach at Brunstad, immediately south of Oslofjord Convention Center. During summers, convenience stores and seafood restaurants are open at Brunstad. From Brunstad, the coastal path heads inwards and passes through the Himalayapark, a park offering tree climbing. The trail passes by a home built by singer Jahn Teigen, known as "Teigen's Pyramid". The trail reaches a beach before entering the boat harbor in Rakkevik. It is a 3.5 km hike from Storevar to Melsomvik, and a similar distance between Melsomvik and Brunstad.

Wildlife
Brown bears were common in Stokke until the 1850s, and until the early 1900s, a group of bears lived in the inner parts of Vestfold County. The last Brown bear shot in the county was in Lardal in 1916. The last bear to be shot in Stokke was around 1850 by Andreas Smitten of Russeltvet. A number of local place names derives from its former bears, including Bjønnemyra (Borgen), Bjønnestøkket (Bredholt), Bjønndal (Hauanlia), Bjønneleet (Nedre Anholt), and Bjønnelia (Askerød). Some place names also derive from the Gray wolf, including Ulvekula (Oserød) and Ulvehølet (Rørkollskogen). Other notable mammals in Stokke include the Red fox, European badger, European otter, European pine marten, Short-tailed weasel, European Lynx, Moose, Roe deer, Red deer, European beaver, Mountain hare, Red squirrel, European hedgehog, bats, mice, and rats.

Points of interest

 * Stokke Bygdetun, the oldest village museum in Vestfold County, established in 1978
 * Sundås Fort, a fort from 1899 that was constructed during the Union between Sweden and Norway
 * Trælsodden, a beach and remains from fortifications and burial mounds.
 * Brunstad Beach
 * Oslofjord Convention Center
 * Stokke Station, a railway station operated by Vestfoldbanen
 * Bokemoa, a birch tree forest and nature preserve on Raet
 * Bogen, a beach and hiking trails
 * Storevar, a small coastal village
 * Stokke Church, a brick church by architect Jacob Wilhelm Nordan from 1886

Notable people

 * Einar Tørnquist, a TV-personality, talk-show host, and podcaster
 * Lise Davidsen, an opera singer

title: Stokke


text:
Nøtterøy

Nøtterøy is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The 61 km2 island municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution on 1 January 2018. The area is now part of Færder Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Borgheim. Other villages in Nøtterøy included Årøysund, Buerstad, Duken, Føynland, Glomstein, Hårkollen, Kjøpmannskjær, Nesbrygga, Oterbekk, Skallestad, Skjerve, Strengsdal, Tenvik, Torød, Vestskogen, and Vollen. The whole northern part of the municipality was considered to be part of the city of Tønsberg metropolitan area.

The municipality was made up of nearly 200 islands, including the main island of Nøtterøy plus Veierland and Føynland.

At the time of its dissolution in 2017, the 60.56 km2 municipality was the 410th largest by area out of the 426 municipalities in Norway. Tjøme was the 15th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 21,748. The municipality's population density was 359 PD/km2 and its population had increased by 7.1% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
The parish of Nøtterø (later spelled Nøtterøy) was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1877, an area on the north end of the island of Nøtterøy (population: 102) was transferred into the city of Tønsberg. On 1 January 1901, the island of Håøya (population: 70) was transferred from Stokke Municipality to Nøtterøy Municipality. On 1 July 1915, an area of northern Nøtterøy (population: 12) was transferred to Sem Municipality.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the island of Veierland (population: 165) was transferred from Stokke Municipality to Nøtterøy Municipality. On 1 January 2018, Tjøme Municipality (population: 4,928) and Nøtterøy Municipality (population: 21,748) were merged to form the new Færder Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the island of Nøtterøy (Njótarøy) since the first Nøtterøy Church was built there. The first element is the verb which means "to enjoy" or "to receive benefit from". The last element is which means "island". Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Nøtterø, using the Riksmal spelling. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Nøtterøy. The letter y was added to the end of the word to "Norwegianize" the name (ø is the Danish word for "island" and øy is the Norwegian word).

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 24 October 1986. The official blazon is "Azure, an anchor argent in bend" (I blått et skråstilt sølv anker). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is an anchor that is displayed diagonally. The anchor has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The blue color and the anchor were both chosen to emphasize the importance of fishing and sailing in this island municipality. The anchor was used as the municipal symbol since the 17th century. The arms were designed by Truls Nygaard. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Nøtterøy. It was part of the Tønsberg domprosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

Geography
The whole municipality was made up of a group of islands located to the south of Tønsberg Municipality and between the Tønsbergfjorden and the Ytre Oslofjord. The municipality included almost all of the island of Nøtterøy plus the smaller islands of Føynland, Veierland, Bolærne, Bjerkøy, Nordre Årøy, and Søndre Årøy. In addition to this, there were also about 175 smaller islands and skerries. The island of Nøtterøy is the largest island in Vestfold County. The highest point in the municipality was Vetan on the island of Nøtterøy, which reached an elevation of 99.7 m. The mountain was controlled by the Norwegian Armed Forces since 1897. The military operated a radio station at Vetan. The Fulehuk Lighthouse was located in Nøtterøy municipality.

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.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Nøtterøy is made up of 35 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Nøtterøy:

 * 1838-1838: Christian Severin Bloch Wille
 * 1838-1839: Lars Evensen Glomsten
 * 1839-1847: Jacob Andreas Wille
 * 1847-1855: Johan Henrik Davidsen
 * 1856-1857: Nils Ambjørnsen
 * 1858-1859: Hans Christian Foden
 * 1860-1867: Anders H. Gundersen
 * 1868-1876: Anders Berg Bull
 * 1877-1877: Peter Michael Bugge
 * 1878-1891: Christian Kaldager
 * 1892-1894: Nils Jacobsen
 * 1895-1897: Anders O. Gundersen (H)
 * 1898-1916: Jonathan Johnson (H)
 * 1917-1919: Edvard Martin Jespersen (H)
 * 1920-1922: Nils Christensen Agerup (H)
 * 1923-1928: Edvard Martin Jespersen (H)
 * 1929-1931: Jørgen Øhre (H)
 * 1932-1941: Peter Syse (H)
 * 1941-1942: Johannes Margido Jønland (NS)
 * 1943-1945: Olaf Frich (NS)
 * 1945-1948: Peter Syse (H)
 * 1948-1953: Johan Møller Warmedal (H)
 * 1954-1959: Hans Thorød-Hanssen (H)
 * 1959-1969: Torgeir Andersen (H)
 * 1969-1987: Sigurd Tjomstøl (H)
 * 1987-1991: Bernt Johannessen (H)
 * 1991-2003: Svein Harding Hansen (H)
 * 2003-2007: Bjørn Kåre Sevik (FrP)
 * 2007-2017: Roar Jonstang (H)

Notable people

 * Trygve Bratteli, a Prime minister of Norway
 * Fred Anton Maier, a speed skater
 * Jan P. Syse, a Prime Minister of Norway
 * Tor Thodesen, a professional football manager

title: Nøtterøy


text:
Tjøme

Tjøme is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The 39 km2 island municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2018. The area is now part of Færder Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Tjøme. Other villages in Tjøme included Bjørnevåg, Grimestad, Hulebakk, Ormelet, Solvang, Sundene, and Svelvik.

At the time of its dissolution in 2017, the 39.4 km2 municipality was the 417th largest by area out of the 426 municipalities in Norway. Tjøme was the 212th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,928. The municipality's population density was 125 PD/km2 and its population had increased by 9.7% over the previous 10-year period.

The whole municipality was made up of a group of islands located to the south of Nøtterøy Municipality. The municipality included all of the island of Tjøme plus the smaller islands of Hvasser, Brøtsø, Hui, and Sandø. In addition to this, there were also about 475 smaller islands and skerries. The main island of Tjøme is the second-largest island in Vestfold County.

Tjøme was the childhood holiday destination for writer Roald Dahl.

General information
The parish of Tjømø (later spelled Tjøme) was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The borders of the municipality were never changed. On 1 January 2018, Tjøme municipality (population: 4,928) and Nøtterøy Municipality (population: 21,748) were merged to form the new Færder Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the island of Tjøme (Tjúma) since the first Tjøme Church was built there. The name is very old and its meaning is not certain. The name may be derived from the word which means "bridle" or "rope", likely referring to the shape of the island. Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Tjømø. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Tjøme.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 17 February 1989. The official blazon is "Azure, three oarlocks argent, 2 over 1" (I blått tre sølv åregafler, 2-1). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a set of three oarlocks. 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 blue color in the field symbolizes the importance of the sea for this island community. The oarlock was chosen as a symbol for the importance of fishing and trading for the municipality. There are three oarlocks to represent the three main islands: Tjøme, Hvasser, and Brøtsø. The arms were designed by Even Jarl Skoglund after winning a public competition to design the arms. 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 Tjøme. It was part of the Tønsberg domprosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

Geography
Tjøme municipality was completely located on islands between the Tønsbergfjorden and the Ytre Oslofjord. The main island being the island of Tjøme, where the municipal centre Kirkebygda is located. This village was also were the shops, schools, and restaurants were located. There are a few other central areas on the islands such as Hvasser, with active fishermen as well as the tourist industry for the travelers passing through. Hvasser has an icebar, shops, petrol station, and a number of places to buy food and supplies.

There were approximately 4,600 permanent residents in Tjøme, but in the summer months that number rose to around 40,000 inhabitants, including the Norwegian royal family who have a summer house on Tjøme. The reason for the extreme increase is mainly the sea sports available in the area and the remarkably good weather. Summers in Tjøme are both warm and sunny, and the beaches are filled with locals and tourists. Tjøme has been nicknamed Sommerøya (the summer island) because so many tourists, particularly from the Oslo area, visit the municipality.

Verdens Ende (World's End, or more figuratively, The End of the Earth) lies at the southern tip of Tjøme Island, and has for years been visited by tourists. Tjøme is also a great place for hiking, even though they are limited by the size of the island. The spectacular seaside scenery can be seen all year round. Færder Lighthouse and the Store Færder Lighthouse were both located in Tjøme municipality.

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.

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

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Tjøme:

 * 1838-1839: Hans L. Bache
 * 1840-1843: Lars O. Bockelie
 * 1844-1845: Christen Torbjørnsen
 * 1846-1847: Anders Torbjørnsen
 * 1848-1851: Lars O. Bockelie
 * 1852-1853: Johannes O. Rød
 * 1854-1857: Torger J. Bache
 * 1858-1859: Arnt C. Jacobsen
 * 1860-1863: Thomas Reiersen
 * 1864-1867: Torger J. Bache
 * 1868-1869: A. Munthe Kaas
 * 1870-1871: P.S. Norstrøm
 * 1872-1873: Thore J. Ness
 * 1874-1875: P. A. Poulsen
 * 1876-1877: Lars H. Bache
 * 1878-1885: O.L. Røed
 * 1886-1893: Johannes von der Lippe
 * 1894-1897: L.S. Guttormsen
 * 1898-1898: Oscar Bjørnskaug
 * 1899-1910: B.S. Iversen
 * 1911-1916: Hans Larsen Bache (H)
 * 1917-1920: E.M. Olsen
 * 1921-1923: Lars Iversen
 * 1923-1930: Hans Larsen Bache (H)
 * 1930-1937: Wilhelm Sundene (H)
 * 1938-1941: Christen R. Granøe (H)
 * 1941-1941: Håkon Sverre Olsen Holme
 * 1941-1945: Brynjulf Wiese (NS)
 * 1945-1947: Christen R. Granøe (H)
 * 1948-1951: Carl Aarø (H)
 * 1952-1960: Alf Lysgaard (H)
 * 1960-1962: Carl Aarø (H)
 * 1962-1971: Arne Stenli (H)
 * 1972-1975: Julie Caspersen (H)
 * 1975-1983: Egil Jahre (H)
 * 1983-1991: Ola Ingar Gjertsen (H)
 * 1991-2003: Roar Tandberg (Ap)
 * 2003-2007: Per Hotvedt Nielsen (FrP)
 * 2007-2011: Bente Kleppe Bjerke (Ap)
 * 2011-2015: John Marthiniussen (H)
 * 2015-2017: Bente Kleppe Bjerke (Ap)

title: Tjøme


text:
Lardal

Lardal is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The 278 km2 municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2018. The area is now part of Larvik Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Svarstad. The village of Steinsholt was also part of Lardal.

Pikstein, the highest point in Lardal, is located in western Lardal along the Buskerud county border.

General information
The parish of Laurdal (later spelled Lardal) was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The municipality included the three sub-parishes of Svarstad, Styrvoll, and Hem. On 1 January 1983, an unpopulated area of Bergan, just south of Steinsholt, was transferred to Lardal from the neighboring municipality of Hedrum. On 9 January 1987, another unpopulated area was transferred to Lardal from the neighboring municipality of Hedrum. On 1 January 2018, the municipality of Lardal was merged into the neighboring Larvik Municipality.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Lardal valley (Lagardalr). The first element is the genitive case of which means "water" or "river" (referring to the local river Numedalslågen). The last element is which means "valley" or "dale". Prior to 1889, the name was spelled "Laurdal". In 1889, the spelling was changed to "Lardal".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 17 July 1992. The official blazon is "Gules, a hulder Or" (I rødt ei gull hulder). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a hulder. The hulder 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 hulder is a part of old Scandinavian folklore. This was chosen to represent the large forested areas in Lardal that were said to be inhabited by hulder. The arms were designed by Arvid Steen. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Lardal. It was part of the Larvik prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

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 Vestfold District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.

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

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Lardal:

 * 1838-1842: C.F. Blehr
 * 1842-1845: Engebret L. Sverkholt
 * 1845-1852: Jacob Schjerven
 * 1852-1856: Nils Hem
 * 1856-1861: Jacob Schjerven
 * 1861-1863: K. Olafsen
 * 1863-1865: Nils Hem
 * 1865-1867: Jacob Schjerven
 * 1867-1871: M.O. Aschjem
 * 1871-1873: Christian Smukkestad
 * 1873-1881: H.J. Aschjem
 * 1881-1884: Halvor L. Sogn
 * 1884-1886: Gullik Hogstvedt
 * 1886-1897: O.J. Schjerven
 * 1897-1898: M.O. Aschjem
 * 1898-1901: Gullik Hogstvedt
 * 1901-1907: Rasmus Lie
 * 1907-1910: J. Stensholt
 * 1910-1916: Olaf G. Hogstvedt
 * 1920-1922: Nils Jakob Schjerven (H)
 * 1923-1928: Hans J. Lie
 * 1929-1931: Nils Jakob Schjerven (H)
 * 1934-1940: Halvor Sogn
 * 1945-1945: Halvor Sogn
 * 1946-1951: Syvert H. Lie
 * 1952-1975: Nefton S. Melås
 * 1976-1981: Tjodolf Hoff (Sp)
 * 1984-1987: Borger Steinsholt (Ap)
 * 1987-1992: Dag Terje Andersen (Ap)
 * 1992-1998: Dagfinn Gjerden (Ap)
 * 1998-2003: Rune Høiseth (Ap)
 * 2003-2007: Nils Røsholt (Sp)
 * 2007-2015: Liv Grinde (Ap)
 * 2015-2017: Knut Olav Omholt (Ap)

title: Lardal


text:
Geostationary transfer orbit

A geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) or geosynchronous transfer orbit is a type of geocentric orbit. Satellites that are destined for geosynchronous (GSO) or geostationary orbit (GEO) are (almost) always put into a GTO as an intermediate step for reaching their final orbit.

A GTO is highly elliptic. Its perigee (closest point to Earth) is typically as high as low Earth orbit (LEO), while its apogee (furthest point from Earth) is as high as geostationary (or equally, a geosynchronous) orbit. That makes it a Hohmann transfer orbit between LEO and GSO.

While some GEO satellites are launched directly to that orbit, often times the launch vehicle lacks the power to put both the rocket and the satellite into the particular orbit. So, extra fuel is added to the satellite, the launch vehicle launches to a geostationary transfer orbit; then the satellite circularises its orbit at geostationary altitude. This benefits from staging: the launch vehicles and the mass of its structure and engines do not need to be lifted up to a circular geostationary altitude.

Manufacturers of launch vehicles often advertise the amount of payload the vehicle can put into GTO.

Technical description
GTO is a highly elliptical Earth orbit with an apogee (the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is furthest from the earth) of 42164 km, or a height of 35786 km above sea level, which corresponds to the geostationary altitude. The period of a standard geosynchronous transfer orbit is about 10.5 hours. The argument of perigee is such that apogee occurs on or near the equator. Perigee can be anywhere above the atmosphere, but is usually restricted to a few hundred kilometers above the Earth's surface to reduce launcher delta-V ($$\Delta V$$) requirements and to limit the orbital lifetime of the spent booster so as to curtail space junk.

If using low-thrust engines such as electrical propulsion to get from the transfer orbit to geostationary orbit, the transfer orbit can be supersynchronous (having an apogee above the final geosynchronous orbit). However, this method takes much longer to achieve due to the low thrust injected into the orbit. The typical launch vehicle injects the satellite to a supersynchronous orbit having the apogee above 42,164 km. The satellite's low-thrust engines are thrusted continuously around the geostationary transfer orbits. The thrust direction and magnitude are usually determined to optimize the transfer time and/or duration while satisfying the mission constraints. The out-of-plane component of thrust is used to reduce the initial inclination set by the initial transfer orbit, while the in-plane component simultaneously raises the perigee and lowers the apogee of the intermediate geostationary transfer orbit. In case of using the Hohmann transfer orbit, only a few days are required to reach the geosynchronous orbit. By using low-thrust engines or electrical propulsion, months are required until the satellite reaches its final orbit.

The orbital inclination of a GTO is the angle between the orbit plane and the Earth's equatorial plane. It is determined by the latitude of the launch site and the launch azimuth (direction). The inclination and eccentricity must both be reduced to zero to obtain a geostationary orbit. If only the eccentricity of the orbit is reduced to zero, the result may be a geosynchronous orbit but will not be geostationary. Because the $$\Delta V$$ required for a plane change is proportional to the instantaneous velocity, the inclination and eccentricity are usually changed together in a single maneuver at apogee, where velocity is lowest.

The required $$\Delta V$$ for an inclination change at either the ascending or descending node of the orbit is calculated as follows:
 * $$\Delta V = 2 V \sin \frac{\Delta i}{2}.$$

For a typical GTO with a semi-major axis of 24,582 km, perigee velocity is 9.88 km/s and apogee velocity is 1.64 km/s, clearly making the inclination change far less costly at apogee. In practice, the inclination change is combined with the orbital circularization (or "apogee kick") burn to reduce the total $$\Delta V$$ for the two maneuvers. The combined $$\Delta V$$ is the vector sum of the inclination change $$\Delta V$$ and the circularization $$\Delta V$$, and as the sum of the lengths of two sides of a triangle will always exceed the remaining side's length, total $$\Delta V$$ in a combined maneuver will always be less than in two maneuvers. The combined $$\Delta V$$ can be calculated as follows:
 * $$\Delta V = \sqrt{ V_{t,a}^2 + V_\text{GEO}^2 - 2 V_{t,a} V_\text{GEO} \cos \Delta i},$$

where $$V_{t,a}$$ is the velocity magnitude at the apogee of the transfer orbit and $$V_\text{GEO}$$ is the velocity in GEO.

Other considerations
Even at apogee, the fuel needed to reduce inclination to zero can be significant, giving equatorial launch sites a substantial advantage over those at higher latitudes. Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is at 46° north latitude. Kennedy Space Center in the United States is at 28.5° north. China's Wenchang is at 19.5° north. India's SDSC is at 13.7° north. Guiana Space Centre, the European Ariane and European-operated Russian Soyuz launch facility, is at 5° north. The "indefinitely suspended" Sea Launch launched from a floating platform directly on the equator in the Pacific Ocean.

Expendable launchers generally reach GTO directly, but a spacecraft already in a low Earth orbit (LEO) can enter GTO by firing a rocket along its orbital direction to increase its velocity. This was done when geostationary spacecraft were launched from the Space Shuttle; a "perigee kick motor" attached to the spacecraft ignited after the shuttle had released it and withdrawn to a safe distance.

Although some launchers can take their payloads all the way to geostationary orbit, most end their missions by releasing their payloads into GTO. The spacecraft and its operator are then responsible for the maneuver into the final geostationary orbit. The 5-hour coast to first apogee can be longer than the battery lifetime of the launcher or spacecraft, and the maneuver is sometimes performed at a later apogee or split among multiple apogees. The solar power available on the spacecraft supports the mission after launcher separation. Also, many launchers now carry several satellites in each launch to reduce overall costs, and this practice simplifies the mission when the payloads may be destined for different orbital positions.

Because of this practice, launcher capacity is usually quoted as spacecraft mass to GTO, and this number will be higher than the payload that could be delivered directly into GEO.

For example, the capacity (adapter and spacecraft mass) of the Delta IV Heavy is 14,200 kg to GTO, or 6,750 kg directly to geostationary orbit.

If the maneuver from GTO to GEO is to be performed with a single impulse, as with a single solid-rocket motor, apogee must occur at an equatorial crossing and at synchronous orbit altitude. This implies an argument of perigee of either 0° or 180°. Because the argument of perigee is slowly perturbed by the oblateness of the Earth, it is usually biased at launch so that it reaches the desired value at the appropriate time (for example, this is usually the sixth apogee on Ariane 5 launches ). If the GTO inclination is zero, as with Sea Launch, then this does not apply. (It also would not apply to an impractical GTO inclined at 63.4°; see Molniya orbit.)

The preceding discussion has primarily focused on the case where the transfer between LEO and GEO is done with a single intermediate transfer orbit. More complicated trajectories are sometimes used. For example, the Proton-M uses a set of three intermediate orbits, requiring five upper-stage rocket firings, to place a satellite into GEO from the high-inclination site of Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan. Because of Baikonur's high latitude and range safety considerations that block launches directly east, it requires less delta-v to transfer satellites to GEO by using a supersynchronous transfer orbit where the apogee (and the maneuver to reduce the transfer orbit inclination) are at a higher altitude than 35,786 km, the geosynchronous altitude. Proton even offers to perform a supersynchronous apogee maneuver up to 15 hours after launch.

The geostationary orbit is a special type of orbit around the Earth in which a satellite orbits the planet at the same rate as the Earth's rotation. This means that the satellite appears to remain stationary relative to a fixed point on the Earth's surface. The geostationary orbit is located at an altitude of approximately 35,786 kilometers (22,236 miles) above the Earth's equator.

title: Geostationary transfer orbit