Kvæfjord
Encyclopedia
Kvæfjord is a municipality
in Troms
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Hålogaland
traditional region
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borkenes
.
Together with Harstad
, the two municipalities cover a large part of the island of Hinnøya
in the southern part of the Troms. Kvæfjord consists mostly of mountains and fjords. The fjord Kvæfjord is a central part.
Kvæfjord is also where the Norwegian national cake originally comes from.
). On 25 October 1956, a part of Kvæfjord (population: 32) was transferred to neighboring Trondenes
municipality. The district of Godfjorden was transferred from Kvæfjord to Sortland
municipality (in neighboring Nordland
county) on 1 January 2000.
(Old Norse
: Kviðjufjörðr). The first element is the genitive case
of the name of the island
Kviðja (now Kveøya) and the last element is fjörðr which means "fjord". The name of the island is maybe derived from the word kviðr which means "belly" or "stomach
". Prior to 1889, the name was spelled Kvædfjord.
is from modern times. They were granted on 4 April 1986. The arms show a strawberry
plant. The main source of income in the municipality is agriculture
and it is also the northernmost village in Norway where strawberries can grow.
A large institution for the mentally handicapped was once located in Kvæfjord. It employed a large number of health workers.
, Kvæfjorden, and Godfjorden.
The landscape of today was largely formed during the last ice age
. When the ice retreated, the terrain rose by 50 metres (164 ft). It is in this belt of old seabed that today's best farm land is located. There are four county roads connecting the municipality: two to the north and one each to the east and south. The 412 metres (1,351.7 ft) tall mountain Nupen
is located in the northern part of the municipality on the border with Harstad.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
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...
. It is part of the Hålogaland
Hålogaland
Hålogaland was the northernmost of the Norwegian provinces in the mediaeval Norse sagas. In the early Viking Age, before Harald Fairhair, Hålogaland was a petty kingdom extending between Namdalen in Nord-Trøndelag and Lyngen in Troms.-Etymology:...
traditional 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,...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borkenes
Borkenes
Borkenes is a village in the municipality of Kvæfjord in Troms county, Norway. The village has about 1,524 inhabitants and it also is the administrative centre of Kvæfjord municipality....
.
Together with Harstad
Harstad
is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...
, the two municipalities cover a large part of the island of Hinnøya
Hinnøya
-Geography and environment:Covering an area of , it is the fourth-largest island in the country, and the largest off the mainland. The western part of the island is in the Vesterålen district, while the southwestern part is in Lofoten. As of 2006, it had a population of 31,851, of which the only...
in the southern part of the Troms. Kvæfjord consists mostly of mountains and fjords. The fjord Kvæfjord is a central part.
Kvæfjord is also where the Norwegian national cake originally comes from.
General information
Kvæfjord was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see 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...
). On 25 October 1956, a part of Kvæfjord (population: 32) was transferred to neighboring Trondenes
Trondenes
Trondenes is a parish and a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. It is located along the Vågsfjorden in the present-day municipality of Harstad. Trondenes includes the majority of the island of Grytøya and part of the island of Hinnøya as well as some smaller islands...
municipality. The district of Godfjorden was transferred from Kvæfjord to Sortland
Sortland
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...
municipality (in neighboring Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
county) on 1 January 2000.
Name
The municipality is named after the fjordFjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
(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....
: Kviðjufjörðr). The first element is the genitive case
Genitive case
In grammar, genitive is the grammatical case that marks a noun as modifying another noun...
of the name of the island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
Kviðja (now Kveøya) and the last element is fjörðr which means "fjord". The name of the island is maybe derived from the word kviðr which means "belly" or "stomach
Stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
". Prior to 1889, the name was spelled Kvædfjord.
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 4 April 1986. The arms show a strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
plant. The main source of income in the municipality is agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and it is also the northernmost village in Norway where strawberries can grow.
Economy
The municipality is known for agriculture and farming. The quality of the strawberries is famous. The long hours of daylight, combined with relatively low summer temperatures, make the strawberries more tasteful than berries grown in warmer climates.A large institution for the mentally handicapped was once located in Kvæfjord. It employed a large number of health workers.
Geography
The municipality is split by three smaller branches of the large Andfjorden: GullesfjordenGullesfjorden
Gullesfjorden is a fjord that cuts into the island of Hinnøya in Troms county in Norway. It is located in the municipality of Kvæfjord.The long fjord is one of three which branch off of the Andfjorden on the north side of Hinnøya. The other two branches are Godfjorden and Kvæfjorden...
, Kvæfjorden, and Godfjorden.
The landscape of today was largely formed during the last ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. When the ice retreated, the terrain rose by 50 metres (164 ft). It is in this belt of old seabed that today's best farm land is located. There are four county roads connecting the municipality: two to the north and one each to the east and south. The 412 metres (1,351.7 ft) tall mountain Nupen
Nupen
Nupen is a small mountain in Troms county in Northern Norway. It's on the border of the municipalities of Kvæfjord and Harstad, west of the city of Harstad, just east of the village of Bremnes, Kvæfjord. The tall mountain by the fjord is known for its view of the midnight sun....
is located in the northern part of the municipality on the border with Harstad.
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...