Andøy
Andøy is the northernmost municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen archipelago. The main island in the municipality is Andøya. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Andenes. Other villages in the municipality include Bjørnskinn, Bleik, Dverberg, Fiskenes, Fornes, Nordmela, Risøyhamn, Skarstein, Å, Åknes, and Åse.
Andøy kommune | |
|---|---|
 View of the village of Andenes in Andøy | |
 Flag  Nordland within Norway | |
 Andøy within Nordland | |
| Coordinates: 69°05′40″N 15°45′52″E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Nordland |
| District | Vesterålen |
| Established | 1 Jan 1964 |
| • Preceded by | Andenes, Bjørnskinn, and Dverberg |
| Administrative centre | Andenes |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2019) | Knut Andreas Nordmo (Sp) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 656.19 km2 (253.36 sq mi) |
| • Land | 616.78 km2 (238.14 sq mi) |
| • Water | 39.41 km2 (15.22 sq mi) 6% |
| • Rank | #172 in Norway |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Total | 4,572 |
| • Rank | #188 in Norway |
| • Density | 7.4/km2 (19/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) |  −9.1% |
| Demonym | Andværing[1] |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Neutral |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1871 |
| Website | Official website |
The 656-square-kilometre (253 sq mi) municipality is the 172nd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Andøy is the 188th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,572. The municipality's population density is 7.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (19/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 9.1% over the previous 10-year period.[3][4]
General information
The municipality of Andøy was established as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 due to the work of the Schei Committee. Andøy Municipality was created from the merger of the old municipalities of Andenes (population: 3,812), Bjørnskinn (population: 1,835), and Dverberg (population: 1,719). Initially, the new Andøy Municipality had 7,366 residents. The municipal boundaries have not changed since that time.[5]
Name
The municipality is named after the island on which it is located, Andøya (Old Norse: Amdarøy). The first element is the genitive case of the old uncompounded name of the island Ǫmd which has an unknown meaning. The last element is øy which means "island".[6][7]
Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 7 January 1983. The official blazon is "Azure, a schnecke argent from base sinister to sinister" (Norwegian: Delt av blått og sølv ved virvelsnitt mot venstre). This means the arms have a field (background) that is divided by a line called a schnecke (a swirling counter-clockwise spiral design that is looks like a wave). The field located below the line has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The tincture above the line is blue. The colors and design of the arms were chosen as a symbol for the fact that the municipality is situated at the sea and that fishing is important economically to the municipality. The arms were designed by Hallvard Trætteberg after an idea of Henry Oddlo Erichsen.[8][9][10]
Churches
The Church of Norway has three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Andøy. It is part of the Vesterålen prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andenes | Andenes Church | Andenes | 1876 |
| Bjørnskinn | Bjørnskinn Church | Bjørnskinn | 1885 |
| Dverberg | Dverberg Church | Dverberg | 1843 |
| Fornes Chapel | Fornes | 1965 |
Rocket Range
Andøya Space, formerly Andøya Rocket Range, is a civilian rocket range located a few kilometres south of Andenes. As of 2022, construction is in progress for a spaceport capable of launching small satellites. Andøya Space supports research as well as providing educational programming and military work. It also operates another launch site in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard.[11]
Geography
The municipality of Andøy is spread across the island of Andøya (the northernmost island in the Vesterålen archipelago) and the northeastern part of the island of Hinnøya (the largest and most populous island in Norway). The municipality also consists of smaller skerries including Bleiksøya, Vomma, and Stavaøyan. Andøy is located between the Gavlfjorden and the Andfjorden, and the Risøysundet strait separates the two main islands in Andøy. The Andøy Bridge connects the two islands.
The midsection of the island consists of bogs and marshes, known for their Arctic cloudberries. There are numerous lakes on the island including Bleiksvatnet and Skogvollvatnet. The island is also the only place in continental Norway where coal and fossils from dinosaurs are found. Forfjorddalen nature reserve on Hinnøya has some of the oldest pine trees in Scandinavia, some more than 700 years old.[12]
Birdlife
Lying furthest north in the area known as Vesterålen, Andøy is a mixture of vast areas of marshland fens, with a backdrop of high peaked mountains such as Kvasstinden. The coast is famous for its sheltered bays with white sandy shores. The area has a rich bird life and this is reflected in some good birding localities like Forfjorddalen Nature Reserve and Skogvoll, the latter a Ramsar site of international importance.
The bird cliff at Bleiksøya, outside of Bleik, is a spectacular and photogenic landmark outside the northern part of Andøya, with many species of seabirds including puffin.[13]
Climate
Andøya has a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc).
| Climate data for Andenes 1991-2020 (10 m, extremes 1958-2022) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 9.0 (48.2) |
8.1 (46.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
15.1 (59.2) |
21.1 (70.0) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.6 (81.7) |
25.7 (78.3) |
21.0 (69.8) |
16.6 (61.9) |
12.5 (54.5) |
10.5 (50.9) |
27.6 (81.7) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 1.2 (34.2) |
0.7 (33.3) |
1.5 (34.7) |
4.2 (39.6) |
8.3 (46.9) |
11.1 (52.0) |
14 (57) |
13.9 (57.0) |
11.1 (52.0) |
6.7 (44.1) |
3.8 (38.8) |
2.1 (35.8) |
6.6 (43.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.9 (30.4) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
2 (36) |
5.9 (42.6) |
8.9 (48.0) |
11.6 (52.9) |
11.6 (52.9) |
8.8 (47.8) |
4.7 (40.5) |
1.7 (35.1) |
0.2 (32.4) |
4.4 (39.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −3.4 (25.9) |
−4 (25) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
3.1 (37.6) |
6.7 (44.1) |
9.3 (48.7) |
9.1 (48.4) |
6.2 (43.2) |
2.4 (36.3) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
1.9 (35.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −19.9 (−3.8) |
−18.4 (−1.1) |
−19.8 (−3.6) |
−13.6 (7.5) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
0.6 (33.1) |
0.5 (32.9) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−14.1 (6.6) |
−17.4 (0.7) |
−19.9 (−3.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 118.2 (4.65) |
102.7 (4.04) |
88.4 (3.48) |
74.7 (2.94) |
59.2 (2.33) |
52.5 (2.07) |
66.4 (2.61) |
75.6 (2.98) |
110.9 (4.37) |
146.0 (5.75) |
107.8 (4.24) |
119.1 (4.69) |
1,122.1 (44.18) |
| Source: yr.no/Météo Climat [14][15][16] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Andøya 1961-1990 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 0.3 (32.5) |
0.1 (32.2) |
0.8 (33.4) |
3.3 (37.9) |
7.5 (45.5) |
11.1 (52.0) |
13.5 (56.3) |
13.3 (55.9) |
10.0 (50.0) |
6.2 (43.2) |
2.8 (37.0) |
1.1 (34.0) |
5.8 (42.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.1 (28.2) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
1.1 (34.0) |
5.2 (41.4) |
8.5 (47.3) |
11.0 (51.8) |
11.0 (51.8) |
7.8 (46.0) |
4.2 (39.6) |
0.9 (33.6) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
3.6 (38.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −5.1 (22.8) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
2.5 (36.5) |
6.2 (43.2) |
8.7 (47.7) |
8.3 (46.9) |
5.2 (41.4) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
0.9 (33.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 98 (3.9) |
86 (3.4) |
79 (3.1) |
68 (2.7) |
53 (2.1) |
61 (2.4) |
67 (2.6) |
77 (3.0) |
108 (4.3) |
144 (5.7) |
109 (4.3) |
110 (4.3) |
1,060 (41.7) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 15.3 | 13.1 | 13.5 | 13.1 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 12.1 | 12.8 | 16.6 | 19.2 | 17.0 | 17.4 | 172.5 |
| Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[17] | |||||||||||||
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Andøy, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor.[18] The municipality falls under the Vesterålen District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Andøy is made up of 23 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 | |
| Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
| Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 14 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 23 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 9 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
| Andøy List (Andøylista) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 23 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 9 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
| Andøy List (Andøylista) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 23 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 9 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 23 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 10 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 23 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 4 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 11 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 13 | |
| Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 8 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 13 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 4 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 14 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 14 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 15 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 12 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
| Free Voters' List (Frie Velgeres liste) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 12 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 | |
| Andenes Non-party List (Andenes Upolitiske Liste) | 1 | |
| Free Voters' List (Frie Velgeres Liste) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 12 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 7 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 | |
| Andenes Non-party List (Andenes Upolitiske Liste) | 3 | |
| Free Voters' List (Frie Velgeres Liste) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 14 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 7 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 7 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 15 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 9 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) | 11 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 15 | |
| Total number of members: | 37 | |
Mayors
- 1964-1964: Anton P. Medby
- 1964–1966: Knut Bolstad
- 1966–1967: Johan Kleppe (V)
- 1968–1973: Harold Nicolaisen (H)
- 1974–1975: Ole Benjaminsen (H)
- 1976-1979: Johan Kleppe (V)
- 1980-1995: Leif A. Iversen (H)
- 1995-1999: Kjell Are Johansen (Ap)
- 1999-2019: Jonni Helge Solsvik (H)
- 2019–present: Knut Andreas Nordmo (Sp)
Transportation
The Hurtigruten boat stops at Risøyhamn in Andøy. Andøya Airport at Andenes is served by Widerøe airlines. During the summer, Andenes is connected to Gryllefjord on the island of Senja by ferry. By car, you reach Andøy on Norwegian County Road 82, northbound from Sortland.
Military
Andøya Air Station is located next to Andenes. It is the home of the 333rd Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force and houses all P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft in the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Notable people
- Torbjørn Bratt (ca.1502 in Andenes – 1548) a Norwegian clergyman, the first Bishop of Trondheim
- Helmer Hanssen (1870 in Bjørnskinn – 1956) a Norwegian sailor, pilot and polar explorer; one of the first five explorers to reach the South Pole with Roald Amundsen
- Nanna With (1874 in Andenes – 1965) a Norwegian journalist and voice pedagogue
- Torstein Raaby (1918 in Dverberg – 1964) a Norwegian telegrapher, resistance fighter and explorer; crew member on the Kon-Tiki expedition
- Finn Myrvang (born 1937 in Bjørnskinn) a Norwegian historian, folklore collector and academic
- Nick Borgen (born 1952 in Andenes) a Norwegian–Swedish musician, singer and writer
References
- "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
- "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
- Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
- Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
- Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
- Store norske leksikon. "Andøy" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 5 August 2012.
- Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 404 and 411.
- "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- "Andøy, Nordland (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 8 March 1983. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- "About ASC". Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- "Forfjorddalen naturreservat" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
- "Bleiksøya naturreservat" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
- "Météo Climat stats Norway 1991-2020". Météo Climat. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- "Météo climat stats extreme values for Andeyes". Météo Climat. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- https://www.yr.no/en/statistics/table/5-87110/Norway/Nordland/And%C3%B8y/And%C3%B8ya%20LH?q=last-13-months%7Ctitle=yr.no climate statistics for Andenes (monthly mean)
- "eKlima Web Portal". Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 14 June 2004.
- Hansen, Tore, ed. (12 May 2016). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
- "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Ordfører" (in Norwegian). Andøy kommune. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)
Nordland travel guide from Wikivoyage
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