close
Jump to content

Salangen Municipality

Salangen Municipality
Salangen kommune

Siellága suohkan (Northern Sami)
Village of Sjøvegan
Village of Sjøvegan
Troms within Norway
Troms within Norway
Salangen within Troms
Salangen within Troms
Coordinates: 68°54′02″N 17°53′35″E / 68.90056°N 17.89306°E / 68.90056; 17.89306
CountryNorway
CountyTroms
DistrictMidt-Troms
Established1 Jan 1871
  Preceded byIbestad Municipality
Administrative centreSjøvegan
Government
  Mayor (2023)Simon Løvhaug (Sp)
Area
  Total
458.07 km2 (176.86 sq mi)
  Land438.09 km2 (169.15 sq mi)
  Water19.98 km2 (7.71 sq mi)  4.4%
  Rank#217 in Norway
Highest elevation1,378.52 m (4,522.7 ft)
Population
 (2024)
  Total
2,069
  Rank#278 in Norway
  Density4.5/km2 (12/sq mi)
  Change (10 years)
Decrease −6.9%
DemonymSalangsværing[2]
Official language
  Norwegian formNeutral
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-5522[4]
WebsiteOfficial website

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

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

The 458-square-kilometre (177 sq mi) municipality is the 217th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Salangen is the 278th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,069. The municipality's population density is 4.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (12/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 6.9% over the previous 10-year period.[5][6]

General information

[edit]
Mountains of Salangen in February

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

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

This merger was not popular and on 1 January 1977, it was mostly undone. Most of the old Lavangen Municipality (except for the Lavangsnes area) was separated from Salangen Municipality to form a separate municipality once again. After the split, the new, smaller Salangen Municipality had 2,611 residents.[7]

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county.[8] On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.[9]

Name

[edit]

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the local Salangen fjord (Old Norse: Selangr). The first element is selr which means "seal". The last element is angr which means "fjord".[10]

Coat of arms

[edit]

The coat of arms was granted on 2 December 1985. The official blazon is "Azure, a seal hauriant argent" (Norwegian: I blått en skråstilt sølv sel). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a seal. The seal has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. They are canting arms since the name of the municipality is derived from the old word "Sellanger", meaning "fjord of seals". The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.[11][12][13]

Churches

[edit]

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

Churches in Salangen Municipality
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
SalangenSalangen ChurchSjøvegan1981
Elvenes ChapelElvenes1959

Geography

[edit]

The municipality is located in the southern part of Troms county, at the northeastern end of the Astafjorden. Ibestad Municipality is located west of Salangen, connected by the Mjøsund Bridge; Lavangen Municipality to the south; Bardu Municipality to the east; and Dyrøy Municipality and Sørreisa Municipality are to the north. The highest point in the municipality is the 1,378.52-metre (4,522.7 ft) tall mountain Hjerttinden.[1]

Geology

[edit]

The area itself is part of the Caledonian Orogeny formed of part of a series of Nappes that run down the coast of Norway. These nappes were metamorphosed as a result of partial subduction beneath Laurentia during the early to middle Paleozoic.[14] On a smaller scale, the municipality is located mainly on quartzite (known as Sjøvegan quartzite locally and regionally as Bø quartzite). In the hills to the south, there is garnet-rich schist (known as Trollvannet schist).

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

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for Sjøvegan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.1
(21.0)
−5.3
(22.5)
−2.5
(27.5)
1.4
(34.5)
6.7
(44.1)
10.7
(51.3)
12.9
(55.2)
11.8
(53.2)
7.2
(45.0)
2.6
(36.7)
−2.0
(28.4)
−4.5
(23.9)
2.7
(36.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 88
(3.5)
86
(3.4)
65
(2.6)
57
(2.2)
48
(1.9)
58
(2.3)
69
(2.7)
77
(3.0)
96
(3.8)
121
(4.8)
97
(3.8)
98
(3.9)
960
(37.8)
Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[15]

Government

[edit]

Salangen 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.[16] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

[edit]

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

Salangen kommunestyre 20232027 [17]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 4
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
Total number of members:19
Salangen kommunestyre 20192023 [18]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 9
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
Total number of members:19
Salangen kommunestyre 20152019 [19]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:19
Salangen kommunestyre 20112015 [20]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 9
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:19
Salangen kommunestyre 20072011 [19]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 11
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:19
Salangen kommunestyre 20032007 [19]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:15
Salangen kommunestyre 19992003 [19]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 5
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:21
Salangen kommunestyre 19951999 [21]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
Total number of members:21
Salangen kommunestyre 19911995 [22]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 4
Total number of members:21
Salangen kommunestyre 19871991 [23]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 12
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
Total number of members:21
Salangen kommunestyre 19831987 [24]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 13
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:21
Salangen kommunestyre 19791983 [25]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 11
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:21
Salangen kommunestyre 19751979 [26]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 17
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
 Political independents list for Lavangen (Politisk Uavhengig Liste for Lavangen)1
Total number of members:29
Note: From 1964 until 1977, Lavangen Municipality was part of Salangen Municipality.
Salangen kommunestyre 19711975 [27]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 17
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 2
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 5
Total number of members:29
Note: From 1964 until 1977, Lavangen Municipality was part of Salangen Municipality.
Salangen kommunestyre 19671971 [28]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 11
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 3
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 10
Total number of members:29
Note: From 1964 until 1977, Lavangen Municipality was part of Salangen Municipality.
Salangen kommunestyre 19631967 [29]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 14
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) 1
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 4
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 8
Total number of members:29
Note: From 1964 until 1977, Lavangen Municipality was part of Salangen Municipality.
Salangen herredsstyre 19591963 [30]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 13
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:21
Salangen herredsstyre 19551959 [31]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 13
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:21
Salangen herredsstyre 19511955 [32]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 12
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 1
Total number of members:20
Salangen herredsstyre 19471951 [33]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 11
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 6
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 1
Total number of members:20
Salangen herredsstyre 19451947 [34]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 13
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 5
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 2
Total number of members:20
Salangen herredsstyre 19371941* [35]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 11
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 9
Total number of members:20
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

[edit]

The mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Salangen Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:[36][37]

  • 1871–1872: Johan Enoksen
  • 1873–1876: Christian Strøm
  • 1877–1880: Samuel Tollefsen
  • 1881–1889: J. B. Markussen
  • 1899–1906: Hans Lund
  • 1907–1934: Kristian Pedersen Tønder (Ap)
  • 1934–1940: Magnus Elvevoll (Ap)
  • 1940–1941: Per Olai Prestbakmo (V)
  • 1946–1963: Johan A Johansen (Ap)
  • 1964–1984: Per Tønder (Ap)
  • 1984–1994: Håkon Bendiktsen (Ap)
  • 1994–1999: Astrid Tunheim (Ap)
  • 1999–2014: Ivar B. Prestbakmo (Sp)
  • 2014–2023: Sigrun W. Prestbakmo (Sp)
  • 2023–present: Simon Løvhaug (Sp)[38]

Notable people

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 16 January 2024.
  2. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  3. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  4. Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (9 January 2024). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon.
  5. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  6. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
  7. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
  8. Mæhlum, Lars, ed. (24 December 2019). "Troms og Finnmark". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  9. "Fylkesinndelingen fra 2024" (in Norwegian). Regjeringen.no. 5 July 2022.
  10. Rygh, Oluf (1911). Norske gaardnavne: Tromsø amt (in Norwegian) (17 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 52.
  11. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  12. "Salangen, Troms (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  13. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 13 December 1985. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  14. Steltenpohl, M.G.; Andresen, A.; Lindstrom, M.; Gromet., P.; Steltenpohl, L.W. (2003). "The Role of Felsic And Mafic Igneous Rocks in Deciphering The Evolution of Thrust-Stacked Terranes: An Example from the North Norwegian Caledonides". American Journal of Science. 303 (2): 149–185. doi:10.2475/ajs.303.2.149.
  15. "eKlima Web Portal". Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 14 June 2004.
  16. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  17. "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Troms Romsa". Valgdirektoratet. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  18. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Troms og Finnmark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  20. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Troms Romsa". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  21. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  22. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  23. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  24. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  25. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  26. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  27. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  28. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  29. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  30. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  31. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  32. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  33. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  34. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  35. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  36. Rønhaug, Eliseus Johan (1996). Salangen kommune 125 år 1871–1996 : Jubileumsskrift (in Norwegian). Sjøvegan: Salangen kommune. ISBN 8299396506.
  37. Fiva, Jon H; Sørensen, Rune J.; Vøllo, Reidar, eds. (2024). "Local Candidate Dataset" (PDF).
  38. Straumsnes, Malin; Skoglund, Kari Anne (19 September 2023). "Ordførerduo på til sammen 49 år gir håp til fraflytningskommunen". NRK Troms og Finnmark (in Norwegian). Retrieved 6 January 2024.
[edit]