Karmøy Municipality Karmøy kommune | |
|---|---|
 Karmsund Bridge linksKarmøy island to themainland | |
 Flag | |
 Rogaland within Norway | |
 Karmøy within Rogaland | |
| Coordinates:59°15′23″N05°14′57″E / 59.25639°N 5.24917°E /59.25639; 5.24917 | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Rogaland |
| District | Haugaland |
| Established | 1 Jan 1965 |
| Administrative centre | Kopervik |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2023) | Leiv Arne Marhaug (H) |
| Area | |
• Total | 229.99 km2 (88.80 sq mi) |
| • Land | 219.59 km2 (84.78 sq mi) |
| • Water | 10.40 km2 (4.02 sq mi) 4.5% |
| • Rank | #294 in Norway |
| Population (2025) | |
• Total | 43,870 |
| • Rank | #26 in Norway |
| • Density | 199.16/km2 (515.8/sq mi) |
| • Change(10 years) |  +4.3% |
| Demonyms | Karmøybu Kartabu[1] |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Neutral |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1149[3] |
| Website | Official website |
Karmøy is amunicipality inRogaland county,Norway, located in thetraditional district ofHaugaland. It bordersHaugesund to the northwest,Tysvær to the northeast,Bokn to the east across the sea,Kvitsøy to the south, andUtsira to the west. As of the second quarter of 2025, the municipality has 43,870 inhabitants, making it Rogaland’s largest municipality afterStavanger andSandnes, measured by population.[4]
Karmøy encompasses several islands and a smallermainland area. The largest island, also namedKarmøy, has an area of 177.9-square-kilometre (68.7 sq mi), making it the largest island in Rogaland and the 23rd largest in Norway.[5][6] The island is connected to the mainland by theKarmsund Bridge and theKarmøy Tunnel. Approximately 33,000 of the municipality’s inhabitants live on the island, making it the most populous island inSouth Norway and the fourth most populous in the country,[5] while around 10,000 reside on the mainland, among them in the settlements ofNorheim andVormedal. The municipality is also noted for its industries andfishing, as well as for its heather moors and white sand surfing beaches.
The total area of the municipality is 229.96-square-kilometre (88.79 sq mi), ranking it as the 294th largest of Norway’s 356 municipalities. Karmøy is the 26th most populous municipality in the country, with apopulation density of 199.16 inhabitants per square kilometre (515.8/sq mi) and steady growth over the previous 10-year period.[7][8]
Karmøy municipality was established in 1965 through the merger of seven former municipalities. It has three towns:Kopervik, which is theadministrative centre,Åkrehamn on the west coast, andSkudeneshavn at the southern tip of the island.
The municipality of Karmøy is a recent creation. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of theSchei Committee. On 1 January 1965, Karmøy municipality was created upon the merger of two towns and parts of five municipalities into one large municipality with 23,217 residents. The areas that were merged were:[9]
The municipality is named after the island ofKarmøy (Old Norse:Kǫrmt), since the majority of the municipality is located on this island. The first element is derived from the wordkarmr which means "bargeboard", likely in the sense of a "sheltering island". The last element,øy which means "island", was added later.[10]
Thecoat of arms was granted on 18 April 1975. The officialblazon is"Gules, afretargent" (Norwegian:I rødt et sølv gitterkryss). This means the arms have a redfield (background) and theordinary is afret (a diamond interwoven with a cross). The ordinary has atincture ofargent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The design iscanting, as the central diamond shape stands forkarm (which is Norwegian for a "frame"). The island forms a border (or frame) against the sea and protects the inland areas from its forces. The cross in the design symbolizes the localAvaldsnes Church that was the royal chapel here during theMiddle Ages. The island is said to be a central location and medieval kings would often choose to stay there to be able to "get everywhere in haste" if needed. The arms were designed by Magnus Hardeland. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[11][12][13]
TheChurch of Norway has eight parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Karmøy. It is part of theKarmøy prosti (deanery) in theDiocese of Stavanger.
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avaldsnes | Avaldsnes Church | Avaldsnes | 1250 |
| Falnes | Falnes Church | Skudeneshavn | 1851 |
| Ferkingstad | Ferkingstad Church | Ferkingstad | 1854 |
| Kopervik | Kopervik Church | Kopervik | c. 2017 |
| Norheim | Norheim Church | Norheim | 1978 |
| Torvastad | Torvastad Church | Torvastad | 1880 |
| Veavågen | Veavågen Church | Veavågen | 2009 |
| Åkra | Åkra Church | Åkrahamn | 1985 |
| Old Åkra Church | Åkrahamn | 1821 |
There are several finds from theStone Age,Bronze Age andIron Age. Large burial mounds, stone monuments, and many other ancient monuments are found on the island. Karmøy is the site of the Storhaug, Grønhaug, and Flagghaugen burial mounds.[14]
Karmøy was known for sailing in the old times. Theeddic poemGrímnismál says thatThor, the weather god, wades theKarmsundet strait every morning on his way toYggdrasil, the tree of life. The ocean outside Karmøy is dangerous, filled with underwater currents and rocks. Thus the ships were forced into the narrowKarmsundet. Chieftains and kings controlled the ships passing up and down the coast and demanded taxes.
TheKarmsundet strait was also the source of the name of the kingdom, at the time when the first king of the unified Norway,Harald Fairhair, lived onKarmøy. (SeeHistory of Norway.)
Avaldsnes is located on the northeastern coast of the island. KingAugvald who has given his name to this ancient site is mentioned in theOld Norsesagas as having his home here. Later the residence ofHarald Fairhair and other kings are mentioned. There is also amedieval church,St. Olav's church of Avaldsnes, located on this coast.
Visnes, a village in the northwest of Karmøy was once the site of an importantcopper mine. This mine was source of the copper used for theStatue of Liberty inNew York City.[15]
In the 18th century, two girls fromUyea inShetland rowed toHaaf Gruney to milk some of the cows grazing there. Unfortunately, their return was marred by a strong storm, and eventually they found their tiny boat blown to Karmøy. The Uyea girls ended up marrying Karmøy men, and their descendants still live there. The Dyrland family of Karmoy are believed to be the family that the two girls married into after they arrived on Karmøy. Sivert Dyrland was a member of the Norwegian government in the early 20th century.[16]
The majority of the municipality is located on the large island ofKarmøy, but it also includes themainland peninsula between the Karmsundet strait andFørresfjorden, plus the island ofFeøy and several other small islands.
The natural and cultural landscape is highly heterogeneous, encompassing chalk-white sands,moorland, and several piers around the island. The landscape in the north is mainly agricultural, while large parts of the inland south areheather moors. The island has many white, sandy beaches facing theNorth Sea, attracting surfers as one of the top spots forwindsurfing in Norway.
Towns and villages are mostly located along the coast. The three towns in Karmøy are all on the island, the administrative centerKopervik is on the east side,Åkrehamn is on the west side, whileSkudeneshavn is on the southern tip. On the mainland part of Karmøy, the village ofNorheim is contiguous with the neighboring town ofHaugesund. To the south of Norheim is the village ofVormedal while the village ofKolnes is in the northeastern part of mainland Karmøy. Other villages in Karmøy includeAvaldsnes,Eike,Ferkingstad,Sævelandsvik,Sandve,Veavågen, andVisnes.
Haugesund Airport is also located on the island rather than in the town of Haugesund proper. TheGeitungen Lighthouse lies at the southern end of the municipality, marking the entrance to theBoknafjorden.
Karmøy has anoceanic climate (Cfb), also known as marine west coast climate, with rainy winters and warm or mild summers, and a long frost-free season for the latitude. The all-time high 31.2 °C (88.2 °F) was recorded July 2019, and the all-time low −16.6 °C (2.1 °F) was set in January 2010 (extremes since 2003). The wettest time of year is autumn and winter, while April–July is the driest season. Haugesund Airport is situated in Karmøy municipality and has been recording since 1975.
| Climate data for Haugesund Airport Karmøy 1991–2020 (24 m, precipitation Haugesund-Rossabø, extremes 2003–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 10.2 (50.4) | 11.5 (52.7) | 16.9 (62.4) | 20.8 (69.4) | 30.8 (87.4) | 29.4 (84.9) | 31.2 (88.2) | 29.6 (85.3) | 25.9 (78.6) | 20.2 (68.4) | 15.9 (60.6) | 11.6 (52.9) | 31.2 (88.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4 (39) | 4 (39) | 6 (43) | 10 (50) | 13 (55) | 15 (59) | 18 (64) | 18 (64) | 15 (59) | 12 (54) | 8 (46) | 6 (43) | 11 (51) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3 (37) | 2.1 (35.8) | 3.3 (37.9) | 6.3 (43.3) | 9.4 (48.9) | 12 (54) | 14.9 (58.8) | 15.2 (59.4) | 12.9 (55.2) | 8.8 (47.8) | 5.9 (42.6) | 3.6 (38.5) | 8.1 (46.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 1 (34) | 0 (32) | 1 (34) | 4 (39) | 7 (45) | 10 (50) | 13 (55) | 13 (55) | 11 (52) | 7 (45) | 4 (39) | 2 (36) | 6 (43) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −16.6 (2.1) | −13 (9) | −13.3 (8.1) | −5.9 (21.4) | −2.2 (28.0) | 1.6 (34.9) | 5.6 (42.1) | 4.9 (40.8) | 1.1 (34.0) | −3.4 (25.9) | −11.4 (11.5) | −14.9 (5.2) | −16.6 (2.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 160 (6.3) | 133 (5.2) | 123 (4.8) | 86 (3.4) | 76 (3.0) | 85 (3.3) | 97 (3.8) | 143 (5.6) | 172 (6.8) | 197 (7.8) | 199 (7.8) | 192 (7.6) | 1,663 (65.4) |
| Source 1: yr.no/met.no/eklima[17] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weatheronline (avg highs/lows 1996–2020)[18] | |||||||||||||
The municipality is divided into 79 circuits, grouped into 10 areas:[19]
Karmøy 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.[20] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of theHaugaland og Sunnhordland District Court and theGulating Court of Appeal.
Themunicipal council (Kommunestyre) of Karmøy is made up of 45 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) | 7 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 9 | |
| Green Party(Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 6 | |
| Industry and Business Party(Industri‑ og Næringspartiet) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 | |
| Red Party(Rødt) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Karmøy List(Karmøylista) | 7 | |
| Total number of members: | 45 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 6 | |
| Green Party(Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 9 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Karmøy List(Karmøylista) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 45 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 15 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 9 | |
| Green Party(Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 8 | |
| The Christians Party(Partiet De Kristne) | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 7 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 45 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 11 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 12 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 7 | |
| Pensioners' Party(Pensjonistpartiet) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 1 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 45 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 16 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 10 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 1 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 45 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 15 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 11 | |
| Pensioners' Party(Pensjonistpartiet) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 1 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 45 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 14 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 13 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 8 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 17 | |
| Pensioners' Party(Pensjonistpartiet) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 17 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 10 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 7 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 16 | |
| Pensioners' Party(Pensjonistpartiet) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 13 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 5 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 8 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 15 | |
| Pensioners' Party(Pensjonistpartiet) | 6 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Fatherland Party(Fedrelandspartiet) | 1 | |
| Cross-party alternative(Tverrpolitisk alternativ) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 16 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 10 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 12 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 14 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 17 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 7 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 15 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 15 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 15 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 4 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 19 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 16 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 16 | |
| Anders Lange's Party(Anders Langes parti) | 3 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 9 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 21 | |
| New People's Party(Nye Folkepartiet) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 17 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 7 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 14 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Socialist People's Party(Sosialistisk Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 7 | |
| Local List(s)(Lokale lister) | 9 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 20 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 6 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 9 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Socialist People's Party(Sosialistisk Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 11 | |
| Local List(s)(Lokale lister) | 9 | |
| Total number of members: | 61 | |
Themayors (Norwegian:ordfører) of Karmøy:[34]
Norsk Hydro is a largealuminium smelter operator located on the island of Karmøy. The power supply of this facility is done by three overhead power lines, which cross the Karmsundet strait on 143.5-metre (471 ft) tall pylons. These pylons are the tallest electricity pylons in Norway.
Bauer-Nilsen design and producehigh-pressurehydraulics located at Karmøy.
Karmøy hassister city agreements with the following places:
Rogaland travel guide from Wikivoyage
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