Helgeland is the most southerly 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,...

 in Northern Norway. Generally speaking, Helgeland refers to the part 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 that is located south of the Arctic Circle

Arctic Circle

The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....

. The district covers an area of about 18832 square kilometres (7,271.1 sq mi), with nearly 79,000 inhabitants. There are four towns in the district: from south to north these are Brønnøysund

Brønnøysund

is a town and the administrative centre of the municipality of Brønnøy, Norway. It is also a former municipality in Nordland county. The village of Brønnøysund received town status in 2000. The city lies along the coast and is often called "the coastal town in the middle of Norway." Brønnøysund...

, 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...

, Sandnessjøen

Sandnessjøen

Sandnessjøen is the centre of the municipality of Alstahaug in the county of Nordland, Norway, with a population of over 9,000. It was made a township in 1788....

, and Mo i Rana

Mo i Rana

Mo i Rana is a town in the municipality of Rana, Nordland, Norway, located just south of the Arctic Circle and in the region Helgeland. The town is called "Mo i Rana" to distinquish it from other places named Mo - most notably the town of Mosjøen, also in Helgeland - though locally the town is...

.

Geography

Helgeland is commonly divided into three or four sections:

• Southern Helgeland (actually southwest), which consists of the municipalities Bindal
  Bindal
  Bindal is a municipality in the Helgeland region in the extreme southwest part of Nordland county, Norway. The administrative centre is the village of Terråk...
  
  , Sømna
  Sømna
  Sømna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative center of Sømna is the village of Vik i Helgeland...
  
  , Brønnøy
  Brønnøy
  Brønnøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region. The administrative and commercial centre is the town of Brønnøysund. A secondary centre is the village of Hommelstø. Other villages include Tosbotn, Lande, Trælnes, and Indreskomo.The Brønnøysund Register...
  
  , Vega
  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....
  
   and Vevelstad
  Vevelstad
  Vevelstad 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 Forvika. -General information:...
  
  .
• Central Helgeland, which is sometimes further divided into the regions:
  • Inner Helgeland, which consists of the municipalities Grane, Hattfjelldal
    Hattfjelldal
    Hattfjelldal 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 Hattfjelldal. Other villages include Grubben, Svenskvollen, and Varntresk...
    
     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....
    
    .
  • Outer Helgeland, which consists of the municipalities 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....
    
    , 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....
    
    , Herøy
    Herøy, Nordland
    Herøy 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 Herøy. Herøy was separated from Alstahaug in 1862...
    
     and Dønna
    Dønna
    Dønna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region.Outer Helgeland, consists of the municipalities Leirfjord, Alstahaug, Herøy as well as Dønna. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Solfjellsjøen. The municipality has a large...
    
    .
• Northern Helgeland, which consists of the municipalities Hemnes
  Hemnes
  Hemnes 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 Korgen.- Municipality history :...
  
  , Rana
  Rana, Norway
  Rana is the second largest municipality in Nordland county – and the third largest in North Norway – by population. By area, Rana is largest in Norway south of Finnmark , taking in large areas of mountains and forested valleys. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region...
  
  , Nesna
  Nesna
  Nesna 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 Nesna....
  
  , Lurøy
  Lurøy
  Lurøy 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 Lurøy. Lurøy was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
  
  , Træna
  Træna
  Træna 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 Husøya. Træna was separated from the municipality of Lurøy in 1872....
  
   and Rødøy
  Rødøy
  Rødøy 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 Vågaholmen. The municipality consists of islands outside Norway's second biggest glacier, Svartisen.Rødøy was established as a...
  
  .

Helgeland is characterized by pointed mountains and Strandflaten, a shallow lowland area, sometimes just above the sea surface, and sometimes just below the surface. People living on the coast have settled on this lowland (while inland towns, such as Mo and Mosjøen, are situated in valleys). A consequence of the Strandflaten is thousands of islands, and shallow waters going far into the sea. This has provided some shelter from stormy weather, which might occur in winter. Some islands are fairly large, often with unique mountains, such as Torghatten

Torghatten

Torghatten is a mountain on Torget island in Brønnøy municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is known for its characteristic hole, or natural tunnel, through its center...

, De syv søstre

De syv søstre

De syv søstre is a mountain range on the island of Alsten in Norway.The seven peaks are :* Botnkrona * Grytfoten * Skjæringen * Tvillingene...

 (The Seven Sisters), Hestmannen, Rødøyløva (in Rødøy

Rødøy

Rødøy 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 Vågaholmen. The municipality consists of islands outside Norway's second biggest glacier, Svartisen.Rødøy was established as a...

), Dønnamannen (picture), and Træna

Træna

Træna 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 Husøya. Træna was separated from the municipality of Lurøy in 1872....

. There are several sea bird colonies, such as Lovund

Lovund

Lovund is a village in Lurøy municipality, Norway, located on the island Lovund west of Solvær. Its population is approximately 450.Lovund is notable for the large Puffin breeding colony located on the rocky North slope of the island.-The name:...

 (picture) with thousands of puffin

Puffin

Puffins are any of three small species of auk in the bird genus Fratercula with a brightly coloured beak during the breeding season. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among...

s.

The highest mountains, are located inland, where Oksskolten

Oksskolten

Oksskolten is a mountain in Hemnes, Nordland, Norway. It is the highest point in Nordland, the highest in Nord-Norge, and has Norway's eight largest primary factor...

 is the highest mountain in Northern Norway. There are many valleys inland, such as Dunderlandsdal

Dunderlandsdal

Dunderlandsdalen is a valley in Rana municipality in the county of Nordland, Norway. From just below the plateau of eastern Saltfjellet, it continues south-westward to the Ranfjord...

, Vefsndalen, and Hattfjelldal

Hattfjelldal

Hattfjelldal 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 Hattfjelldal. Other villages include Grubben, Svenskvollen, and Varntresk...

. Røssvatnet

Røssvatnet

Røssvatnet is a lake and reservoir in the municipalities of Hattfjelldal and Hemnes in Nordland county, Norway. It has been the site of human occupation since the Stone Age. Its area of makes it the second largest lake in Norway by surface area. Without the dam which has regulated the lake...

 is the second largest lake in Norway. There are three large national parks in Helgeland: Saltfjellet–Svartisen National Park (partly), Børgefjell National Park

Børgefjell National Park

Børgefjell National Park is an inaccessible and undeveloped national park in Norway, straddling the border between Nord-Trøndelag and Nordland county, with a border to Sweden. The park is for the most part a reservation, with few trails or other facilities for visitors. Visitors can hike for...

 (partly), and Lomsdal–Visten National Park

Lomsdal–Visten National Park

Lomsdal–Visten National Park is a Norwegian national park that was established on 26 June 2009. The park consists of a total protected area of . It is located in Nordland county, Norway, and covers parts of the municipalities of Brønnøy, Vevelstad, Grane, and Vefsn.The landscape is dominated by...

(created in May 2009).