The Vefsnfjord is a fjord

Fjord

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...

 in the Helgeland

Helgeland

Helgeland is the most southerly district in Northern Norway. Generally speaking, Helgeland refers to the part of Nordland county that is located south of the Arctic Circle. The district covers an area of about , with nearly 79,000 inhabitants...

 traditional district

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,...

 of 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, 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 about 51 kilometres (31.7 mi) long, reaching a maximum depth of about -440 m. The fjord flows through the municipalities of Alstahaug

Alstahaug

Alstahaug is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandnessjøen....

, Leirfjord

Leirfjord

Leirfjord is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Leland....

, and Vefsn

Vefsn

Vefsn is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Mosjøen....

.

The fjord begins at Tjøtta

Tjøtta

Tjøtta is an island, village and former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is now part of Alstahaug municipality..-Location:The village Tjøtta is located on the southern tip of the island of the same name, which is located south of Alsten.The municipality was created in 1862 by a split...

, south of the island of Alsten

Alsten

Alsten is an island in Alstahaug municipality off the coast of Nordland county, Norway. The Seven Sisters mountain range and the town Sandnessjøen are situated on the island.Its area is 153 km². The highest point is Botnkrona, 1072 m....

 and meets Leirfjord

Leirfjord

Leirfjord is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Leland....

 at Sundøya before turning to the south as it proceeds inland to Mosjøen

Mosjøen

-History:Mosjøen was founded in the 17th century as local farmers met here to trade, and has been growing since then. Sawmills were built here in 1866 by a British company, and Mosjøen got township rights in 1875. It is the oldest town in the Helgeland region and the second oldest town in Nordland...

. The outer part of the fjord is also called Sørfjord.

Several large rivers run into the Vefsnfjord, including the Vefsna

Vefsna

The river Vefsna is the largest river in Nordland county, Norway. It is long and drains a watershed of . Its headwaters lie in the mountains of Børgefjell National Park at the lake Simskardvatnet. The river runs through the municipalities of Hattfjelldal, Grane, and Vefsn. The southern parts of...

, Fusta, and Drevja. All three of the rivers are traditionally excellent salmon

Salmon

Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...

 fishing rivers, although they now have been infected with the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus salaris

Gyrodactylus salaris

Gyrodactylus salaris is a small monogenean ectoparasite which mainly lives on the skin of freshwater fish, especially Atlantic salmon. This species is a leech-like parasite that has been implicated in some diminution of Atlantic salmon populations in the Norwegian fjords. Its common name is Salmon...

.

A German prisoner ship was sunk here by British Aircraft during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

with major loss of life. A memorial is located on a nearby island.