Kvam
Encyclopedia
Kvam is a municipality in the county of Hordaland
, Norway
. The parish of Vikør was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). Parts of Strandebarm
were merged with Kvam on 1 January 1965. The municipality borders Voss
to the north, Vaksdal
, Samnanger
and Fusa
to the west, Granvin
to the east and Hardangerfjorden to the south.
Important settlements in the municipality include Norheimsund
, Øystese
, Ålvik
, Tørvikbygd, Strandebarm
and Mundheim
. Norheimsund and Øystese are the largest settlements with 2,087 and 1,626 inhabitants respectively. The largest lakes are Bjølsegrøvvatnet
and Holmavatnet. In addition a portion of Hamlagrøvatnet
is located in Kvam.
In 2007 Kvam participated in a trial where the mayor was directly elected. The sitting mayor, Astrid Selsvold, won the election with 26.7% of the votes.
form of the name was Hvammr, identical with the word hvammr which means "(small) valley".
is from modern times. They were granted on 27 November 1981. The arms show the Fykesund, a bay
in the municipality. The shape of the bay is symbolized in the coat-of-arms.
, named after the parish today known as Vikøy. According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 2,321. The name was changed from Vikør to Kvam in 1912.
On 1 January 1965 the district Åsgrenda with 61 inhabitants was moved to Ullensvang
municipality. At the same time the size of Kvam was significantly enlarged when parts of the municipalities Strandebarm
, Varaldsøy
and Jondal
were incorporated into Kvam. After the merger Kvam had a population of 9,119.
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
, 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 parish of Vikør was established as a municipality 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...
). Parts of Strandebarm
Strandebarm
Strandebarm is a former municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.It was created in 1837 as Strandebarm formannskapsdistrikt. In 1863 the rural district Jondal, located on the opposite shore of the Hardangerfjord, was separated from Strandebarm to constitute a municipality of its own...
were merged with Kvam on 1 January 1965. The municipality borders Voss
Voss
is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Voss. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen....
to the north, Vaksdal
Vaksdal
is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordhordland. The administrative centre is the village of Dalekvam....
, Samnanger
Samnanger
Samnanger is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Samnanger was separated from Os on 1 January 1907. The municipality is located east of Bergen. Development of hydroelectric power plants started here in 1909.-Name:...
and Fusa
Fusa
Fusa is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Fusa was separated from Os in 1856. Hålandsdal and Strandvik were separated from Fusa on 1 January 1903, but they were both again merged with Fusa on 1 January 1964....
to the west, Granvin
Granvin
Granvin is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. The population is 964. About half of these, 444 people, live in the village of Granvin, situated at the end of a side arm of the Hardangerfjord.-Name:...
to the east and Hardangerfjorden to the south.
Important settlements in the municipality include Norheimsund
Norheimsund
Norheimsund is the municipal administrative centre of Kvam, Norway. The village is located on the northern side of the Hardangerfjord, about 80 km from Bergen. The waterfall Steinsdalsfossen, as of 2006 the 6th most visited natural tourist attraction in Norway, is located near Norheimsund. In...
, Øystese
Øystese
Øystese is a village located at the Hardangerfjord in Kvam municipality, Norway, about 7 kilometres east of Norheimsund. Riksvei 7 passes through. In 2004 Øystese had a population of 1641.-External links:* *...
, Ålvik
Ålvik
Ålvik is a village located at the Hardangerfjord in Kvam municipality, Norway. In 2006 Ålvik had a population of 740.Ålvik became an industrial village in 1905 when Bjølvefossen AS was established. The factory was acquired by Elkem in 1986, and is today one of four foundry production plants Elkem...
, Tørvikbygd, Strandebarm
Strandebarm
Strandebarm is a former municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.It was created in 1837 as Strandebarm formannskapsdistrikt. In 1863 the rural district Jondal, located on the opposite shore of the Hardangerfjord, was separated from Strandebarm to constitute a municipality of its own...
and Mundheim
Mundheim
Mundheim is a village in southern Kvam municipality, Norway.From 1837 Mundheim was administratively a part of Strandebarm. On 1 January 1902 Varaldsøy was separated from Strandebarm to create a separate municipality. The municipality consisted of the island Varaldsøy as well as the mainland...
. Norheimsund and Øystese are the largest settlements with 2,087 and 1,626 inhabitants respectively. The largest lakes are Bjølsegrøvvatnet
Bjølsegrøvvatnet
Bjølsegrøvvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Kvam in Hordaland county, Norway....
and Holmavatnet. In addition a portion of Hamlagrøvatnet
Hamlagrøvatnet
Hamlagrøvatnet is a lake in the municipalities of Voss and Kvam in Hordaland county, Norway....
is located in Kvam.
In 2007 Kvam participated in a trial where the mayor was directly elected. The sitting mayor, Astrid Selsvold, won the election with 26.7% of the votes.
Name
The Old NorseOld 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....
form of the name was Hvammr, identical with the word hvammr which means "(small) valley".
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is from modern times. They were granted on 27 November 1981. The arms show the Fykesund, a bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
in the municipality. The shape of the bay is symbolized in the coat-of-arms.
History
Kvam was created in 1837 as Vikør formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt
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...
, named after the parish today known as Vikøy. According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 2,321. The name was changed from Vikør to Kvam in 1912.
On 1 January 1965 the district Åsgrenda with 61 inhabitants was moved to Ullensvang
Ullensvang
Ullensvang is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre is the village of Kinsarvik....
municipality. At the same time the size of Kvam was significantly enlarged when parts of the municipalities Strandebarm
Strandebarm
Strandebarm is a former municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.It was created in 1837 as Strandebarm formannskapsdistrikt. In 1863 the rural district Jondal, located on the opposite shore of the Hardangerfjord, was separated from Strandebarm to constitute a municipality of its own...
, Varaldsøy
Varaldsøy
Varaldsøy is a former municipality in Hordaland county, Norway.Varaldsøy is an island in the Hardangerfjord in western Kvinnherad. The village of Varaldsøy is located on the island....
and Jondal
Jondal
Jondal is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Jondal was separated from Strandebarm in 1846.-Name:The Old Norse form of the name was Jónardalr. The first element is an old rivername Jón and the last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale"...
were incorporated into Kvam. After the merger Kvam had a population of 9,119.
Notable residents
- Jon FosseJon FosseJon Fosse is a Norwegian author and dramatist.Fosse was born in Haugesund, Norway and currently lives in Bergen. He debuted in 1983 with the novel Raudt, svart . His first play, Og aldri skal vi skiljast, was performed and published in 1994. Jon Fosse has written novels, short stories, poetry,...
- Valgerd Svarstad HauglandValgerd Svarstad HauglandValgerd Svarstad Haugland is a former Minister of Culture and Church Affairs and former leader of the Christian Democratic Party in Norway between 1995 and 2004, to which also former Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik belongs....
- Per Øyvind HeradstveitPer Øyvind HeradstveitPer Øyvind Heradstveit was a Norwegian television journalist and non-ficiton writer. He was born in Skjold in Ryfylke and grew up in Hardanger. He was the brother of Daniel Heradstveit....
- Geirr TveittGeirr TveittGeirr Tveitt, born Nils Tveit was a Norwegian composer and pianist. Tveitt was a central figure of the national movement in Norwegian cultural life during the 1930s.-Early years:...
- Svein RosselandSvein RosselandSvein Rosseland was a Norwegian astrophysicist and a pioneer in the field of theoretical astrophysics. -Biography:...
- Kaptein Kvam, local vigilante
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...