Gjøvdal
Encyclopedia
Gjøvdal is a former municipality in Aust-Agder
county
, Norway
. The municipality covered the Gjøv river valley and the surrounding moors
. It is currently part of the municipality of Åmli
in the Sørlandet region
.
) is named after the valley Gjevedal (Old Norse
: Gefardalr). The first element is the name of the river Gjøv (Old Norse: Gef) which flows through the valley. Gef means "to give (as in a reward to the fisherman)". The last element is dalr which means "valley
" or "dale".
on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). On 1 January 1908, the municipality was split into three separate municipalities: Gjevedal (population: 590), Tovdal
(population: 389), and Åmli (population: 2,024). In 1911, the name was changed to "Gjøvdal".
On 1 January 1960, the municipality of Gjøvdal (population: 362 - Norway's smallest municipality at the time) was reunited with Åmli (population: 1,947) to form an enlarged Åmli municipality. The municipality of Tovdal was also merged into Åmli again in 1967.
Aust-Agder
is a county in Norway, bordering Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is . The administrative center of the county is in Arendal....
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The municipality covered the Gjøv river valley and the surrounding moors
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
. It is currently part of the municipality of Åmli
Åmli
Åmli is a municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. It is located in the traditional region of Sørlandet. The main population centre and administrative center is the village of Åmli which lies along the river Nidelva.-Name:...
in the Sørlandet region
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
.
Name
The municipality (originally the parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
) is named after the valley Gjevedal (Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
: Gefardalr). The first element is the name of the river Gjøv (Old Norse: Gef) which flows through the valley. Gef means "to give (as in a reward to the fisherman)". The last element is dalr which means "valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
" or "dale".
History
Gjøvdal was part of the municipality of ÅmliÅmli
Åmli is a municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. It is located in the traditional region of Sørlandet. The main population centre and administrative center is the village of Åmli which lies along the river Nidelva.-Name:...
on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). On 1 January 1908, the municipality was split into three separate municipalities: Gjevedal (population: 590), Tovdal
Tovdal
Tovdal is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. Tovdal was made up of the valley surrounding the Tovdalselva. It is a part of the present-day municipality of Åmli in the Sørlandet region.-Name:...
(population: 389), and Åmli (population: 2,024). In 1911, the name was changed to "Gjøvdal".
On 1 January 1960, the municipality of Gjøvdal (population: 362 - Norway's smallest municipality at the time) was reunited with Åmli (population: 1,947) to form an enlarged Åmli municipality. The municipality of Tovdal was also merged into Åmli again in 1967.