Kvalsund

Kvalsund (Northern Sami: Fálesnuorri and Kven: Valasnuora) is a former municipality in the old Finnmark county in Norway. The municipality is now part of Hammerfest Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county. The municipality existed from 1869 until its dissolution in 2020. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Kvalsund. Other villages in the municipality include Áisaroaivi, Kokelv, Oldernes, Oldervik, Revsneshamn, Skaidi.

This article is about the municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. For other uses, see Kvalsund (disambiguation).
Kvalsund kommune
Fálesnuori gielda
Valasnuoran komuuni
Former municipality
View of Ráhkkerávju
Flag
Coat of arms
Finnmark within
Norway
Kvalsund within Finnmark
Coordinates: 70°29′56.3″N 23°58′26.2″E
CountryNorway
CountyFinnmark
DistrictVest-Finnmark
Established1 July 1869
 • Preceded byHammerfest landdistrikt
Disestablished1 Jan 2020
 • Succeeded byHammerfest
Administrative centreKvalsund
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total1,844.29 km2 (712.08 sq mi)
 • Land1,739.35 km2 (671.57 sq mi)
 • Water104.94 km2 (40.52 sq mi)  5.7%
 • Rank#37 in Norway
Population
 (2018)
 • Total1,027
 • Rank#392 in Norway
 • Density0.6/km2 (2/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
 −6.7%
DemonymKvalsundværing[1]
Official language
[2]
 • Norwegian formBokmål
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-2017
Data from Statistics Norway

At the time of its dissolution on 1 January 2020, the 1,844-square-kilometre (712 sq mi) municipality was the 37th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Kvalsund was also the 392nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,027. The municipality's population density was 0.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (1.6/sq mi) and its population had decreased by 6.7% over the previous decade.[3][4]

The Kvalsund Bridge (Kvalsundbrua) is a suspension bridge that crosses the Kvalsundet strait from the mainland to the island of Kvaløya.

In 2015, the media said that for four years an application has been filed for establishing Norway's largest copper mine, depending on a permit for creating a zone in Repparfjorden for depositing waste from the mine.[5]

General information

The municipality of Kvalsund was established on 1 July 1869 when it was separated from the Hammerfest landdistrikt (the rural municipality surrounding the town of Hammerfest). Initially, Kvalsund had 514 residents. On 1 January 1963, the Kokelv area in southern Måsøy Municipality (population: 34) was transferred to Kvalsund.[6]

On 1 January 2020, Kvalsund municipality was merged into the neighboring municipality of Hammerfest, a decision that the people of the two municipalities had agreed to in 2017.[7]

Name

The Old Norse form of the name was Hvalsund. The first element is hvalr which means "whale" and the last element is sund which means "strait" or "sound". The Sámi name also translates to Whale (fáles) Strait (nuorri).[8]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 27 March 1987. The official blazon is "Azure, three salmon argent in pall heads to center" (Norwegian: I blått tre hvite lakser i trepass med hodene innover). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is three salmon arranged in pall with their heads facing the centre. The salmon have a tincture of argent which means they are commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The blue color in the field and the salmon were chosen to represent fishing in various forms: as a traditional way of living and source of income, as modern fish farming, and as a recreational activity in the area. The arms were designed by Ingunn Bjerkås.[9][10][11]

See also: the coats of arms for: Grane, Mandal, and Nordreisa

Churches

The Church of Norway had two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Kvalsund. It is part of the Hammerfest prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Churches in Kvalsund
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
KvalsundKvalsund ChurchKvalsund1936
Sennalandet ChapelÁisaroaivi1961
KokelvKokelv ChurchKokelv1960

Culture
Nicolas Nielsen and Kristin Mikkelsdatter photographed in Kvalsund by ethnographer Roland Bonaparte in 1884

Aboriginal culture

Until a few hundred years ago, the Coast Sámi culture was completely dominant in Kvalsund. Norwegian and Kven immigration soon made the area multicultural. During Norwegianization much of the traditional culture was lost. Kokelv is the village that has most successfully preserved elements of Sámi culture, and today has a Coast Sámi museum. The gakti of the Kvalsund region is easily recognizable by dots and jags on the collars (for men) and sleeves (for women).

Fægstock

The municipality hosts an annual rock festival known as Fægstock, which takes place in Fægfjord (Northern Sami: Veaigesvuotna, meaning "twilight fiord").

Government

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Kvalsund was made up of 15 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Kvalsund kommunestyre 2016–2019 [12]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)7
 Conservative Party (Høyre)1
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)3
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)4
Total number of members:15
Kvalsund kommunestyre 2012–2015 [13]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)10
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)3
Total number of members:15
Kvalsund kommunestyre 2008–2011 [12]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)6
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Kvalsund Social Democratic List
 (Kvalsund Sosialdemokratiske liste)		2
 Kvalsund and surroundings (Kvalsund og Omegn bygdelag)3
Total number of members:19
Kvalsund kommunestyre 2004–2007 [12]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)7
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Kvalsund Social Democratic List
 (Kvalsund Sosialdemokratiske liste)		3
 Kvalsund and surroundings (Kvalsund og Omegn bygdelag)2
Total number of members:19
Kvalsund kommunestyre 2000–2003 [12]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Kvalsund Social Democratic List
 (Kvalsund Sosialdemokratiske liste)		5
 Kvalsund and surroundings (Kvalsund og Omegn bygdelag)2
Total number of members:19
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1996–1999 [14]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)7
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
Total number of members:19
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1992–1995 [15]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)5
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)3
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1988–1991 [16]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 Conservative Party (Høyre)1
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)3
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1984–1987 [17]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)12
 Conservative Party (Høyre)1
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1980–1983 [18]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)10
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)2
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1976–1979 [19]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 Conservative Party (Høyre)1
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)3
 Liberal Party (Venstre)2
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1972–1975 [20]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)12
 Conservative Party (Høyre)1
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)3
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1968–1971 [21]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)14
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund kommunestyre 1964–1967 [22]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)14
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund herredsstyre 1960–1963 [23]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)12
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)3
Total number of members:17
Kvalsund herredsstyre 1956–1959 [24]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)11
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)2
Total number of members:15
Kvalsund herredsstyre 1952–1955 [25]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)1
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)1
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)2
Total number of members:12
Kvalsund herredsstyre 1948–1951 [26]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)2
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)2
Total number of members:12
Kvalsund herredsstyre 1945–1947 [27]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)2
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)2
Total number of members:12
Kvalsund herredsstyre 1938–1941* [28]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)7
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)3
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)2
Total number of members:12
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.

Geography
View of the Kvalsund Bridge

The municipality is mostly located on the mainland, but parts of the municipality are also located on the islands of Kvaløya and Seiland. The Seilandsjøkelen glacier is partially located in Kvalsund. Lakes in the municipality include Bjørnstadvatnet and Doggejávri.

Settlements

The main village is called Kvalsund in Norwegian and Ráhkkerávju in Sámi. Historically, that village was called Finnbyen, a name meaning simply "Coast Sámi settlement". Most villages in the municipality have two names: one in Norwegian and one in Sami. Other villages in the municipality include Skáidi ("meeting-place of rivers" in Sámi); Stállugárgu or Stallogargo ("troll beach"); Neverfjord or Návvuotna; and Kokelv/Guoikejohka. Regarding the latter toponyms, the Neverfjord translates to "tinder fjord" and Návvuotna to "cowshed fjord"; while Kokelv is "boiling river" in Norwegian and Guiokejohka means "rushing river" in Sámi.

Birdlife

The municipality of Kvalsund has several localities that have a rich and varied bird fauna. One of these is Repparfjordbotn with its large colony of Arctic terns and its autumn numbers of goosander.

Climate
Climate data for Kvalsund
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.0
(21.2)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 −4.1
(24.6)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 3.5
(38.3)		 8.3
(46.9)		 11.6
(52.9)		 10.8
(51.4)		 6.7
(44.1)		 1.9
(35.4)		 −2.0
(28.4)		 −4.6
(23.7)		 1.6
(34.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 65
(2.6)		 56
(2.2)		 52
(2.0)		 46
(1.8)		 40
(1.6)		 47
(1.9)		 52
(2.0)		 58
(2.3)		 69
(2.7)		 85
(3.3)		 74
(2.9)		 76
(3.0)		 720
(28.3)
Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[29]

See also

References
  1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2018). "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  4. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  5. Ytreberg, Rune (2015-09-12). "Dette er ikke en lek". Dagens Næringsliv. p. 16.
  6. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
  7. "Om sammenslåingen" (in Norwegian). Nye Hammerfest kommune. Archived from the original on 2018-06-18. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  8. Rygh, Oluf (1924). Norske gaardnavne: Finmarkens amt (in Norwegian) (18 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 138.
  9. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  10. "Kvalsund, Finmark (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  11. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 1987-03-27. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  12. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  13. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Finnmark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  14. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  15. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  16. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  17. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  18. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  19. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  20. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  21. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  22. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  23. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  24. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  25. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  26. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  27. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  28. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  29. "eKlima Web Portal". Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 2004-06-14.
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