Åfjord Municipality Åfjord kommune | |
|---|---|
| Å herred (historic name) Aa herred (historic name) Aafjorden herred (historic name) | |
 View of the Åfjorden | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Trøndelag within Norway | |
 Åfjord within Trøndelag | |
| Coordinates:63°58′40″N10°23′08″E / 63.97778°N 10.38556°E /63.97778; 10.38556 | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Trøndelag |
| District | Fosen |
| Established | 1 Jan 1838 |
| • Created as | Formannskapsdistrikt |
| Administrative centre | Årnes |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2023) | Erling Iversen (Sp) |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,329.43 km2 (513.30 sq mi) |
| • Land | 1,250.60 km2 (482.86 sq mi) |
| • Water | 78.83 km2 (30.44 sq mi) 5.9% |
| • Rank | #74 in Norway |
| Highest elevation | 675.05 m (2,214.7 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 4,339 |
| • Rank | #197 in Norway |
| • Density | 3.3/km2 (8.5/sq mi) |
| • Change(10 years) |  +2.6% |
| Demonym | Åfjording[2] |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Neutral |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-5058[4] |
| Website | Official website |
Åfjord is amunicipality inTrøndelagcounty,Norway. It is part of theFosenregion. Theadministrative centre of the municipality is the village ofÅrnes. Other villages in the municipality includeRevsnes,Roan,Bessaker,Harsvika, andBy. Åfjord is located on the northwestern side of theFosen peninsula, northwest of the city ofTrondheim.[5]
The 1,329-square-kilometre (513 sq mi) municipality is the 74th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Åfjord Municipality is the 197th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,339. The municipality'spopulation density is 3.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (8.5/sq mi) and its population has increased by 2.6% over the previous 10-year period.[6][7]
The municipality ofAafjord was established on 1 January 1838 (seeformannskapsdistrikt law). On 26 March 1870, a royal resolution moved a small, unpopulated part to Aafjord Municipality to the neighboringBjugn Municipality. On 1 January 1896, the southwestern coastal area of Aafjord Municipality (population: 1,529) was separated to form the newJøssund Municipality. This left Aafjord Municipality with 2,419 residents. On the same date, the name ofAafjord Municipality was changed to justAa Municipality. The spelling was later changed toÅ Municipality. On 13 July 1934, the name of the municipality was changed from "Å" to "Åfjord Municipality". After that, theadministrative centre in the municipality was referred to as "Å" or "Å i Åfjord".
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of theSchei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the neighboringStoksund Municipality (population: 2,643) and Åfjord Municipality (population: 1,515) were merged to form a new, larger Åfjord Municipality.[8] On 1 November 1980, the postal service changed the name of the municipal center from"Å i Åfjord" to"Årnes".
On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the oldSør-Trøndelag county to the newTrøndelag county.
On 1 January 2020, the neighboringRoan Municipality was merged into Åfjord Municipality. The new municipality adopted thecoat of arms of the old Roan Municipality.[9][10]
The municipality (originally theparish) is named after the oldAa farm (Old Norse:Ár) since the firstÅfjord Church was built there. The localfjord (Åfjorden) is also named after this farm. The first element of the current name is theplural form ofá which means "river", probably since there are two rivers, the Norddalselva and Stordalselva, that run together just south of the farm. The last element of the current name isfjǫrðr which means "fjord".[11]
The spelling of the name has varied over the years. Historically, the name of the municipality was spelledAafjorden. On 23 March 1895, aroyal resolution approved the division of the municipality effective 1 January 1896. On that date, the southwestern part became the newJøssund Municipality and the remaining portion of Aafjorden Municipality would be renamedAa (leaving off the "fjord" part of the old name).[12] On 21 December 1917, aroyal resolution enacted the1917 Norwegian language reforms. Prior to this change, the name was spelledAa with thedigraph "Aa", and after this reform, the name was spelledÅ, simply using the letterÅ instead.[13][14] On 13 July 1934, aroyal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality toÅfjord.[15]
The currentcoat of arms was approved for use starting on 1 January 2020 after a municipal merger with Åfjord Municipality andRoan Municipality. These arms had previously been used by Roan from 1987 until 2020. The officialblazon is"Azure, three ternsvolantargent" (Norwegian:I blått tre oppflyvende sølv terner, 2-1). This means the arms have a bluefield (background) and thecharge is a group of three flyingterns. The bird design has atincture ofargent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. Terns, a very watchful and energeticbird, are intended to symbolize the local inhabitants and the coast with the vast bird life in the area. The arms were initially designed by Solfrid Krogfjord with the final design by Einar H. Skjervold. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[16][17][18]
The previouscoat of arms was granted on 18 April 1997 until 1 January 2020 when the municipality was enlarged and the arms were changed. The officialblazon is"Azure, two boatsargent issuant fromsinister" (Norwegian:I blått to fremvoksende sølv båter). This means the arms have a bluefield (background) and thecharge is two boats coming out of the right side of the shield. The boats have atincture ofargent which means they are commonly colored white, but if the arms are made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms show twostems of a boat to represent the special boatsNorwegian:Åfjordbåt that are built in the municipality. These boats had a long, shallowkeel and straight masts. The arms were designed by Einar H. Skjervold. The municipal flag had the same design as the coat of arms.[19][20][21]
TheChurch of Norway has three parishes (sokn) within Åfjord Municipality. It is part of theFosen prosti (deanery) in theDiocese of Nidaros.
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Åfjord | Åfjord Church | Årnes | 1879 |
| Stoksund | Stoksund Church | Revsnes | 1825 |
| Roan | Roan Church | Roan | 1702 |
There are archeological findings on many sites across the municipality. At Dragseid. archaeologists have locatedgrave mounds. It is said that the wooden boats were dragged over the thin Dragseidpeninsula to shorten the journey and to avoid risking them in bad weather. Up to theMiddle Ages theFosen peninsula was included as a part of the district ofNordmøre, immediately to the south.[22]
Prior to 1950, there were no roads leading into and out of the municipality. In 1950, the road to the neighboringBjugn Municipality to the south was finally finished. In 1955, the road toStoksund Municipality in the northern part of the municipality was finished.
An old type of wooden boat, the Åfjord boat, comes from this area. The boat is a direct descendant form the old NorseViking boats. It is still being produced, although in very small numbers. The boat is rounded at both ends. It is known to be a good coastal sailer. Different sizes exist. From the small "faering" to the largest of them all, the "fembøring".
Åfjord Municipality is responsible forprimary education (through 10th grade), outpatienthealth services,senior citizen services,welfare and othersocial services,zoning,economic development, and municipalroads and utilities. The municipality is governed by amunicipal council ofdirectly elected representatives. Themayor isindirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[23] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of theTrøndelag District Court and theFrostating Court of Appeal.
Themunicipal council (Kommunestyre) of Åfjord Municipality is made up of 27 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by politicalparty.
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 23 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Note: On 1 January 2020,Roan Municipality became part of Åfjord Municipality. | ||
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 11 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 6 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 11 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 6 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Joint list of theLiberal Party(Venstre) and New People's Party(Nye Folkepartiet) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 27 | |
| Note: On 1 January 1964,Stokksund Municipality became part of Åfjord Municipality. | ||
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 5 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Local List(s)(Lokale lister) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 6 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties(Borgerlige Felleslister) | 9 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties(Borgerlige Felleslister) | 11 | |
| Local List(s)(Lokale lister) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s)(Lokale lister) | 16 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Note: Due to theGerman occupation of Norway duringWorld War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. | ||
Themayor (Norwegian:ordfører) of Åfjord Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:[43][44]
The people of Åfjord make their living fromagriculture,forestry,fishing,transport (sea and land),aquaculture (fish and shellfish), construction, and services. The largest employer in the area isStjern (forestry, sawmill, entrepreneur). The contractor, building, sector now employs about 19% of the working force, and is now larger than the agricultural sector.
Åfjord Municipality is located next toOsen Municipality to the north,Namsos Municipality to the northeast,Steinkjer Municipality to the east,Indre Fosen Municipality to the south, andØrland Municipality to the southwest.
The major centre of the municipality isÅrnes (also called "Å in Åfjord"). All major services of the municipality are located there. Other populated areas areMonstad/Å, a couple of minutes by car from Årnes, andStoksund/Revsnes. Åfjord covers an area of approximately 1,300 square kilometres (500 sq mi), with about 4300 residents— about one third of which live in theÅrnes urban area.
Åfjord consists of many small settlements—from the islands in the west to the highlands in the east. Traditionally, Åfjord has been an agricultural society, whileStoksund in the west has had a more of afishing-based economy. There is an increasing amount of weekend houses and recreational cabins in the area. Åfjord has two big islands;Stokkøya (380 inhabitants) andLinesøya (80 inhabitants). Stokkøya is connected with the mainland through a bridgeStokkøy Bridge. TheLinesøy Bridge connects the islands of Stokkøya and Linesøya. The other main island isLauvøya near the south at the end of theÅfjorden.
The highest point in Åfjord Municipality is the 676-metre (2,218 ft) tall Finnvollheia.[1] There are over 1,000 lakes with fish. Åfjord also has two majorsalmon rivers—theNordalselva andStordalselva, which flow intoÅfjorden. English Lords used to fish here in the late 19th century. The lakeStordalsvatnet lies just east ofÅrnes. The lakeSelavatnet lies in the east, along the border withSteinkjer Municipality.
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