Vega, Norway

Vega 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 Gladstad. Other villages include Holand and Ylvingen.

This article is about the municipality in Norway. For the island in this municipality, see Vega (island in Norway).
Vega kommune
Municipality
View of Nes harbour in Vega
View of Nes harbour in Vega
Flag of Vega kommune
Flag
Coat of arms of Vega kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Vega kommune
Nordland within
Norway
Vega within Nordland
Vega within Nordland
Coordinates: 65°40′31″N 11°57′28″E
CountryNorway
CountyNordland
DistrictHelgeland
Established1 Jan 1838
 • Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Administrative centreGladstad
Government
 • Mayor (2007)Andre Møller (Ap)
Area
 • Total164.79 km2 (63.63 sq mi)
 • Land162.54 km2 (62.76 sq mi)
 • Water2.25 km2 (0.87 sq mi)  1.4%
 • Rank#314 in Norway
Population
 (2022)
 • Total1,175
 • Rank#320 in Norway
 • Density7.2/km2 (19/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Decrease −6.4%
DemonymVegværing[1]
Official language
[2]
 • Norwegian formBokmål
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1815
WebsiteOfficial website
Official nameVegaøyan
The Vega Archipelago
CriteriaCultural: v
Reference1143
Inscription2004 (28th Session)
Area107,294 hectares (414 sq mi)
Buffer zone28,952 hectares (112 sq mi)
Data from Statistics Norway

The municipality comprises about 6,500 islands in the Vega Archipelago. The main island of the municipality is the island of Vega, and it is also the largest at 163 square kilometres (63 sq mi). Bremstein Lighthouse is located in the southwestern part of the municipality.[3]

The 165-square-kilometer (64-square-mile) municipality is the 314th biggest by area among Norway's 356 municipalities. Vega is the 320th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,175. The municipality's population density is 7.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (19/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 6.4% over the previous 10-year period.[4][5]

General information
View of the Eidem beach on Vega

The municipality of Vega was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1965, the Skogsholmen area (population: 196) was transferred from Tjøtta Municipality to Vega Municipality. Then on 1 January 1971, the Skålvær islands (population: 32) in the northeastern part of Vega was transferred to Alstahaug Municipality.[6]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the main island of Vega (Old Norse: Veiga) since the first Vega Church was built there. The first element is veig which means "liquid" or "fluid" (referring to the lakes and the marshes of the island). The name was written "Vegø" prior to 1891.[7]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 20 November 1987. The official blazon is "Gules, a scoop Or" (Norwegian: I rødt en gull øsekar). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a bailer for a boat. The bailer or scoop has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. A bailer is an essential tool that is important to the municipality due to its dependence on the sea. The arms were designed by Tore Engen. An earlier plan for the Vega coat of arms pictured the black silhouette of a sailing boat on a yellow background, but this design was chosen as the coat of arms for Nordland county.[8][9][10]

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Vega. It is part of the Sør-Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

Churches in Vega
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
VegaVega ChurchGladstad1864
Ylvingen ChapelYlvingen1967

History

Early settlements on the main island date back 10,000 years, making it one of the oldest places of inhabitance in Northern Norway. Agriculture and fishing are at present as they were in the past, key fields of labour. Today's inhabitants are concentrated in Holand, Valla, Igerøy, Ylvingen, and Gladstad, the latter being the location of the municipal council and most of the island's commerce.

Geography

In 2004, the archipelago's cultural landscape was inscribed by UNESCO on the World Heritage Site list as representative of "the way generations of fishermen/farmers have, over the past 1,500 years, maintained a sustainable living in an inhospitable seascape near the Arctic Circle, based on the now unique practice of eider down harvesting." The oceanic climate and limestone bedrock has allowed 10 different species of orchids to grow in Vega, and 210 species of birds have been recorded at the archipelago.

Eidemsliene nature reserve has many warmth-loving species of plants and the most oceanic pine forest in North Norway.[11] Holandsosen nature reserve is an important wetland area with a shallow lake and soil rich in lime; 149 species of birds have been observed in this reserve which has a rich bird life all year (many birds use this as their winter quarter). Lånan nature reserve preserves many types of coastal nature and is a very important area for many species of birds; eider down harvesting is still practiced here.[12]

Climate

Vega has a temperate oceanic climate, also known as marine west coast climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb). The all-time high of 31.7 °C (89.1 °F) was recorded July 27, 2019, and the all-time low −16.5 °C (2.3 °F) was recorded February 2010 (extremes database from 2003). The average date for the last overnight freeze (low below 0 °C (32.0 °F)) in spring is 29 April[13] and average date for first freeze in autumn is 17 October[14] giving a frost-free season of 170 days (1981-2010 average).

Climate data for Vega 1991-2020 (4 m, Vallsjø)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 3
(37)		 2.6
(36.7)		 3.7
(38.7)		 6.9
(44.4)		 10.6
(51.1)		 13.4
(56.1)		 16.2
(61.2)		 16.3
(61.3)		 13.4
(56.1)		 8.9
(48.0)		 5.6
(42.1)		 3.9
(39.0)		 8.7
(47.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 0.8
(33.4)		 0.1
(32.2)		 1
(34)		 4
(39)		 7.5
(45.5)		 10.6
(51.1)		 13.2
(55.8)		 13.2
(55.8)		 10.5
(50.9)		 6.4
(43.5)		 3.3
(37.9)		 1.7
(35.1)		 6.0
(42.8)
Average low °C (°F) −1.9
(28.6)		 −2.4
(27.7)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 1.5
(34.7)		 4.9
(40.8)		 8.4
(47.1)		 10.8
(51.4)		 10.7
(51.3)		 8.1
(46.6)		 4
(39)		 0.9
(33.6)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 3.6
(38.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 127
(5.0)		 115
(4.5)		 117
(4.6)		 84
(3.3)		 62
(2.4)		 64
(2.5)		 67
(2.6)		 85
(3.3)		 126
(5.0)		 126
(5.0)		 125
(4.9)		 143
(5.6)		 1,241
(48.7)
Source 1: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[15]
Source 2: Noaa WMO averages 91-2020 Norway [16]

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Vega, 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.[17] The municipality falls under the Brønnøy District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Vega is made up of 15 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:

Vega kommunestyre 2020–2023 [18]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Red Party (Rødt) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
Total number of members:15
Vega kommunestyre 2016–2019 [19]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Coastal Party (Kystpartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:15
Vega kommunestyre 2012–2015 [20]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 1
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Coastal Party (Kystpartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:15
Vega kommunestyre 2008–2011 [19]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 1
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:15
Vega kommunestyre 2004–2007 [19]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 2
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
Total number of members:15
Vega kommunestyre 2000–2003 [19]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1996–1999 [21]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1992–1995 [22]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
 Vega Social Democrat list (Vega sosialdemokratiske liste)1
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1988–1991 [23]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
 Vega Social Democrat List (Vega sosialdemokratiske liste)4
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1984–1987 [24]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
 Vega Social Democrat list (Vega Sosialdemokratiske liste)3
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1980–1983 [25]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet) and the Liberal Party (Venstre) 6
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1976–1979 [26]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1972–1975 [27]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 2
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1968–1971 [28]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 2
Total number of members:19
Vega kommunestyre 1964–1967 [29]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 4
Total number of members:17
Vega herredsstyre 1960–1963 [30]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 11
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:17
Vega herredsstyre 1956–1959 [31]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 11
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:17
Vega herredsstyre 1952–1955 [32]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:16
Vega herredsstyre 1948–1951 [33]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 2
Total number of members:16
Vega herredsstyre 1945–1947 [34]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 11
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 2
Total number of members:16
Vega herredsstyre 1938–1941* [35]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 5
Total number of members:16
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayors of Vega (incomplete list):

  • 1883-1886: Nicolai Hansen Kjælkdalen
  • 1887-1904: Andreas Andersen Grimsø (V)[36]
  • 1905-1928: Peter Nicolaisen (V)[37]
  • 1929-1931: Oskar Floa (Ap)[38]
  • 1932-1937: Emil Wahl (V)[39]
  • 1938-1941: Oskar Floa (Ap)[40]
  • 1943-1945: J. Robertsen (NS)
  • 1945-1948: Oskar Floa (Ap)
  • 1948-1967: Haakon O. Wika (Ap)
  • 1968-1974: Olav D. Gullsvåg (Ap)
  • 1975-1979: Osvald Floa (Ap)
  • 1980-1981: Egil Mortensen (Sp)[41]
  • 1982-1983: Gunnar Sundsvold (Sp)[41]
  • 1984-1995: Osvald Floa (Ap)
  • 1995-2007: Einar Silseth (Sp)
  • 2007-present: Andre Møller (Ap)

Notable people
  • Haakon Olsen Wika (1899 in Vega – 1981) a Norwegian politician, Mayor of Vega 1947 to 1966
  • The Vega islands
    The Vega islands
  • Søla island
    Søla island
  • A summer day
    A summer day

References
  1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. Store norske leksikon. "Vega (bilde)" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  4. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  5. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
  6. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
  7. Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 32.
  8. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  9. "Vega, Nordland (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  10. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 20 November 1987. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  11. "Eidemsliene naturreservat" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
  12. "Lånan - Skjærvær naturreservat/Fuglefredningsområde" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
  13. "Siste frostnatt om våren". 4 May 2012.
  14. "Første frostnatt". 25 September 2013.
  15. "Norwegian Meteorological Institute".
  16. "NOAA WMO normals Norway 1991-2020".
  17. Hansen, Tore, ed. (12 May 2016). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  18. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  19. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  20. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  21. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  22. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  23. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  24. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  25. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  26. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  27. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  28. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  29. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  30. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  31. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  32. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  33. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  34. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  35. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  36. "Fra Vega". Nordlands Folkeblad (in Norwegian). 25 January 1895. p. 1. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  37. "Ordførervalg i Vega". Brønnøysunds Avis (in Norwegian). 30 November 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  38. "Ordførervalg i Vega". Nordlands Avis (in Norwegian). 4 December 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  39. "Ordførervalg". Helgelands Blad (in Norwegian). 21 December 1934. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  40. "vega%2Bordfører"~8 "Ordførervalg". Lofotposten (in Norwegian). 29 December 1937. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  41. "Sundsvold ble ny ordfører på Vega". Helgeland Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 5 January 1982. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
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