Falkenberg Municipality
Encyclopedia
Falkenberg Municipality (Falkenbergs kommun) is a municipality
in Halland County
on the Swedish
west coast. The town Falkenberg
is the municipal seat.
The municipality was created in 1971 when the City of Falkenberg was amalgamated with six rural municipalities (themselves formed by the 1952 local government reform) and part of a seventh. There are 24 original entities within the area.
Today, Falkenberg holds a strong position in the food and beverage industry with companies such as Arla Foods
, Carlsberg and SIA Glass
having plants in the city. In the inland Gekås
, a major department store, draws visitors from all over the country. Falkenberg is also a tourist city, mainly for its many beaches.
2 700 000 000 (340 500 000 US Dollars) kronor each year. The shoppingcentre in Wal-Mart style (almost without food)company has 3,800,000 visitors each year which makes it Sweden's most visited place.
was the major party until 1931, when the Social Democratic Party
gained that position. With the exception of the 1946 election the social democrats won a majority of the seats from 1938 until 1966. Falkenberg has remained a stronghold for the social democrats even after the municipal reform in the early 1970s. The municipality has, however, been run by the centre-right
, except for 1994-1998.
s (also called a tätort, or locality) in Falkenberg Municipality.
In the table the localities are listed according to the size of the population as of 31 December 2005. The municipal seat is in bold characters.
with:
Borgarfjörður
, Iceland Gniezno
, Poland
Leirvík
, Faroe Islands Pieksämäki
, Finland
Ullensaker
, Norway
Municipalities of Sweden
The municipalities of Sweden are the local government entities of Sweden. The current 290 municipalities are organized into 21 counties...
in Halland County
Halland County
Halland County is a county on the western coast of Sweden. It corresponds roughly to the cultural and historical province of Halland. The capital is Halmstad....
on the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
west coast. The town Falkenberg
Falkenberg
Falkenberg is a locality and the seat of Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 18,972 inhabitants in 2005.The town has a population of 19,000 and is located at the mouth of the river Ätran. The name consists of the Swedish words for falcon and mountain...
is the municipal seat.
The municipality was created in 1971 when the City of Falkenberg was amalgamated with six rural municipalities (themselves formed by the 1952 local government reform) and part of a seventh. There are 24 original entities within the area.
Today, Falkenberg holds a strong position in the food and beverage industry with companies such as Arla Foods
Arla Foods
Arla Foods is a Swedish-Danish cooperative based in Århus, Denmark, and the largest producer of dairy products in Scandinavia. Arla Foods was formed as the result of a merger between the Swedish dairy cooperative Arla and the Danish dairy company MD Foods on 17 April 2000.Arla Foods is the seventh...
, Carlsberg and SIA Glass
SIA Glass
SIA Glass is a company in Slöinge, Falkenberg Municipality, Sweden. The company has 110 employees and approximately 12 percent of the Swedish ice cream market. The company was established in 1961....
having plants in the city. In the inland Gekås
Gekås
Gekås i Ullared AB is a Swedish superstore in Ullared, Sweden, founded in 1963 by Göran Karlsson as Ge-kås Manufaktur. It has an annual turnover of 3 800 000 000 Swedish kronor ,, with a total store area of over 20 000m2 in addition to a 50000m2 storage area just a few hundred yards away. Boris...
, a major department store, draws visitors from all over the country. Falkenberg is also a tourist city, mainly for its many beaches.
Economy
The main income for the Municipality is tourism from around Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Holland and Norway. The food industry is important. Here has Carlsberg Brewery a plant with 570 employees and Arla Foods who makes cheese has a factory with 400 employees. Other important workplaces is the Gekås shoppingcentre in Ullared which has more than 1,100 employees. The centre is a "Mecka" for low-price shoppers and the company earns more than2 700 000 000 (340 500 000 US Dollars) kronor each year. The shoppingcentre in Wal-Mart style (almost without food)company has 3,800,000 visitors each year which makes it Sweden's most visited place.
Politics
The Right PartyModerate Party
The Moderate Party is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1904 as the General Electoral League by a group of conservatives in the Swedish parliament...
was the major party until 1931, when the Social Democratic Party
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
gained that position. With the exception of the 1946 election the social democrats won a majority of the seats from 1938 until 1966. Falkenberg has remained a stronghold for the social democrats even after the municipal reform in the early 1970s. The municipality has, however, been run by the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
, except for 1994-1998.
| Number of seats in the municipal assembly | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | 1998 | 2002 | 2006 |
| Moderata samlingspartiet | 8 | 7 | 9 |
| Centerpartiet | 12 | 10 | 12 |
| Folkpartiet Liberalerna | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Kristdemokraterna | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Miljöpartiet de Gröna | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Socialdemokraterna | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Vänsterpartiet | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Aktiv Politik | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| SPI | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Sverigedemokraterna | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Localities
There are 17 urban areaUrban areas in Sweden
Urban area is a common English translation of the Swedish term tätort. The official term in English, used by Statistics Sweden, is, however, locality. There are 1,940 localities in Sweden . They could be compared with census-designated places in the United States.A tätort in Sweden has a minimum of...
s (also called a tätort, or locality) in Falkenberg Municipality.
In the table the localities are listed according to the size of the population as of 31 December 2005. The municipal seat is in bold characters.
| # | Locality | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falkenberg Falkenberg Falkenberg is a locality and the seat of Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 18,972 inhabitants in 2005.The town has a population of 19,000 and is located at the mouth of the river Ätran. The name consists of the Swedish words for falcon and mountain... |
18,972 |
| 2 | Skogstorp Skogstorp, Falkenberg Skogstorp is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 2,180 inhabitants in 2005.... |
2,180 |
| 3 | Slöinge Slöinge Slöinge is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 974 inhabitants in 2005.Archeological excavations has revealed a chieftain estate from the 8th century; among the remains is a large number of golden figures.... |
974 |
| 4 | Ullared Ullared Ullared is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 820 inhabitants in 2005.The village hosts a large department store, Gekås. It is one of the largest stores in Sweden and the growth of the store has made Ullared more or less synonymous with low prices among... |
820 |
| 5 | Skrea Skrea Skrea is a locality in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 789 inhabitants in 2005.It was first mentioned in writing in 1447. Remains of houses used 100–550 have been found in the village. The nature reserve Grimsholmen is near the village.... |
789 |
| 6 | Vessigebro Vessigebro Vessigebro is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 774 inhabitants in 2005.The village was formed at a ford over river Ätran. Its original name, Vessigevad notice this as vad is the Swedish name for a ford... |
774 |
| 7 | Glommen | 687 |
| 8 | Vinberg Vinberg Vinberg is a locality and a parish situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 598 inhabitants in 2005.The parish is home to three villages: Vinberg, Vinbergs kyrkby and Tröingeberg, the latter being a suburb of Falkenberg.... |
598 |
| 9 | Långås Långås Långås is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 516 inhabitants in 2005. The footballer Patric Andersson is from the village.- References :... |
516 |
| 10 | Älvsered Älvsered Älvsered is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 475 inhabitants in 2005.... |
475 |
| 11 | Heberg Heberg Heberg is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 463 inhabitants in 2045.... |
463 |
| 12 | Ätran Ätran (locality) Ätran is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 400 inhabitants in 2005.- References :... |
400 |
| 13 | Ringsegård Ringsegård Ringsegård is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 383 inhabitants in 2005.- References :... |
383 |
| 14 | Bergagård Bergagård Bergagård is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 265 inhabitants in 2005. It is located about 11 kilometers east of Falkenberg.... |
265 |
| 15 | Årstad Årstad, Falkenberg Årstad is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 258 inhabitants in 2005.- References :... |
258 |
| 16 | Morup Morup Morup is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 248 inhabitants in 2005.... |
248 |
| 17 | Vinbergs kyrkby Vinbergs kyrkby Vinbergs kyrkby is a locality situated in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 216 inhabitants in 2005.... |
216 |
Twin towns — Sister cities
The municipality is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
Borgarfjörður
Borgarfjörður
Borgarfjörður is a fjord in the west of Iceland near the town of Borgarnes. The waters of Borgarfjörður appear to be calm, however the fjord is on the contrary a rather dangerous part of the sea because of its undercurrents and shallows....
, Iceland Gniezno
Gniezno
Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...
, Poland
Leirvík
Leirvík
Leirvík is a town on the Faroe Islands and was an important regional ferry harbour at the east coast of the second largest island Eysturoy. Leirvík has 867 inhabitants...
, Faroe Islands Pieksämäki
Pieksämäki
Pieksämäki is a town and municipality of Finland. Its original name was Haukivuori .It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region.The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
, Finland
Ullensaker
Ullensaker
Ullensaker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Jessheim. It has a population of approximately 30,000 inhabitants...
, Norway
Notable natives
- Pär ZetterbergPär ZetterbergPär Zetterberg is a Swedish former football midfielder, who played most of his career for R.S.C. Anderlecht.Zetterberg started his career at his local club, Falkenbergs FF, but after only seven games at senior level he became professional, joining the Belgian team RSC Anderlecht...
, football player - Niclas Alexandersson, football player
- Magnus Svensson, football player
- Stellan BengtssonStellan BengtssonStellan Bengtsson is a former Swedish table tennis player. He won, as first Swede, the singles at the World Table Tennis Championships 1971...
, former world champion, table tennis - Per-Gunnar AnderssonPer-Gunnar Andersson (touring car driver)Per-Gunnar "Peggen" Andersson is a race car driver from Falkenberg, Sweden.He started his career in Sweden in 1980. In 1988 he won the Thai Touring Car Championship and the Swedish Touring Car Championship. He won the Swedish championship again in 1989, 1991 and 1992...
, race driver
See also
- Hallands NyheterHallands NyheterHallands Nyheter is a Swedish newspaper, founded by Artur Lagerihn in 1905. The newspaper is published in Falkenberg. It has a daily circulation of 31,600 and is owned by Stampen. The editorial page supports Centerpartiet. It is printed six days a week, all days except Sunday.The paper employs...
- Sport
- Falkenbergs FFFalkenbergs FFFalkenbergs FF, also known simply as Falkenberg or FFF, is a Swedish football club based in Falkenberg. The club, formed on 3 January 1928 and the ladies section was created in 1955, is currently playing in the second highest Swedish league, Superettan. Falkenberg are affiliated to the Hallands...
, association football - Falkenbergs VBKFalkenbergs VBKFalkenbergs VBK is a Swedish volleyball club, formed in 1985 by a merger of Ätradalens VK and Köinge JUF. It has played in the highest league since 2002. It won the league for the first time in 2007. The club reached the final of the Swedish championships in 2006 and won the championships for the...
, volleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive... - Falkenbergs BTKFalkenbergs BTKFalkenbergs Bordtennisklubb is a Swedish table tennis club formed on November 30, 1925.The club played its first season in the top league in 1951 and has over the years won ten national championships and one European championship.Several world class players has represented the club, including...
, table tennisTable tennisTable tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net... - Falkenberg racing track (Motorsport)
- Falkenbergs FF
External links
- Falkenberg Municipality - Official site
- Falkenberg racetrack