Honningsvåg
Encyclopedia
at 70° 58' N, in Nordkapp
municipality, claims to be the northernmost city
in Norway
and even in the world, although the title is disputed by Hammerfest
, Norway; Barrow, Alaska
; and Longyearbyen
, Svalbard
. Legislation effective from 1997 states that a Norwegian city must have 5,000 inhabitants, but Honningsvåg with its population of 2367 (in 2009) was declared a city in 1996, thus exempt from this legislation. It is situated at a bay on the southern side of Magerøya
island, while the famous North Cape
and its visitors center is on the northern side. It is a port of call for cruise ships, especially in the summer months. Honningsvåg Airport, Valan
is located 4 km outside the town, with flights to mainly Tromsø
.
) provides rich fisheries even today, and tourism is also important. Even at 71°N, many private gardens in Honningsvåg have tree
s, although rarely more than 3 – 4 m tall.
Hurtigruten
has one of its main stops in Honningsvåg on its lengthy route along the Norwegian coast from Kirkenes in the north to Bergen the south. From 11:45 am to 03:15 pm the ships dock in the port of Honningsvåg, generating heavy tourist activity in the city. The famous dog Bamse
came from Honningsvåg.
which many foreigners may find strange, given the small size of both of these places. In Norwegian the word 'by' can mean both town
and city
and Norwegian does not distinguish between the terms in the same way as English or other languages do. The translation of the word into English is thus ambiguous and can be chosen as one sees fit. If both Hammerfest
and Honningsvåg were to be defined according to British tradition, neither of them would be considered cities, as neither has a university or a cathedral. Both of them would, however, be considered town
s, given the status of both settlements as economic hubs of the surrounding areas and the status as municipal centers.
form of the name was probably *Hornungsvágr. The first element is then the genitive case of a disappeared name of a mountain: *Hornungr. This (hypothetical) name could have been an older name of the mountain Storefjell (literally just 'big mountain' - a tall and hornlike mountaintop near Honningsvåg), and it is then derived from the word horn n 'horn'. The last element is vágr m 'bay'. The full meaning of the name is then 'the bay lying beneath the mountain *Hornungr.
Nordkapp
Nordkapp is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Honningsvåg.Nordkapp was separated from Porsanger on 1 July 1861...
municipality, claims to be the northernmost city
Northernmost cities and towns
This is a list of the northernmost cities and towns in the world.-Larger cities:Northernmost cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants.Northernmost cities with more than 250,000 inhabitants.-See also:*Southernmost cities and towns...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and even in the world, although the title is disputed by Hammerfest
Hammerfest
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The municipality encompasses parts of three islands: Kvaløya, Sørøya, and Seiland. Hammerfest was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
, Norway; Barrow, Alaska
Barrow, Alaska
Barrow is the largest city of the North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is one of the northernmost cities in the world and is the northernmost city in the United States of America, with nearby Point Barrow being the nation's northernmost point. Barrow's population was 4,212 at the...
; and Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen is the largest settlement and the administrative centre of Svalbard, Norway. It is located on the western coast of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, on the southern side on Adventfjorden , which continues inland with Adventdalen...
, Svalbard
Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude , and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the...
. Legislation effective from 1997 states that a Norwegian city must have 5,000 inhabitants, but Honningsvåg with its population of 2367 (in 2009) was declared a city in 1996, thus exempt from this legislation. It is situated at a bay on the southern side of Magerøya
Magerøya
Magerøya is an island in Finnmark county in the extreme north of Norway, in the community of Nordkapp. The island features a bleak, barren tundra-landscape devoid of any trees , with steep cliff faces on the coast and dramatic mountainscapes in the interior. It has an area of...
island, while the famous North Cape
North Cape, Norway
North Cape is a cape on the island of Magerøya in Northern Norway, in the municipality of Nordkapp. Its 307 m high, steep cliff is often referred to as the northernmost point of Europe, located at , 2102.3 km from the North Pole. However, the neighbouring point Knivskjellodden is actually...
and its visitors center is on the northern side. It is a port of call for cruise ships, especially in the summer months. Honningsvåg Airport, Valan
Honningsvåg Airport, Valan
Honningsvåg Airport, Valan is located at Valan, north of the city centre of Honningsvåg, in Nordkapp municipality in Finnmark, Norway. It is owned and operated by Avinor AS....
is located 4 km outside the town, with flights to mainly Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
.
History and environment
People have lived in this area as far back as 10,300 years ago. The sea was probably the main food supplier for this prehistoric settlement. Indeed, the ice-free ocean (southwestern part of the Barents SeaBarents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
) provides rich fisheries even today, and tourism is also important. Even at 71°N, many private gardens in Honningsvåg have tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s, although rarely more than 3 – 4 m tall.
Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten or Hurtigruta is a Norwegian passenger and freight line with daily sailings along Norway's western and northern coast. Sometimes referred to in English as Norwegian Coastal Express, Hurtigruten ships sail almost the entire length of the country, completing the roundtrip journey in 11...
has one of its main stops in Honningsvåg on its lengthy route along the Norwegian coast from Kirkenes in the north to Bergen the south. From 11:45 am to 03:15 pm the ships dock in the port of Honningsvåg, generating heavy tourist activity in the city. The famous dog Bamse
Bamse (St. Bernard)
Bamse was a St. Bernard that became the heroic mascot of the Free Norwegian Forces during the Second World War...
came from Honningsvåg.
The city status
The status of Honningsvåg as a city is a point of contention between the inhabitants of Honningsvåg and HammerfestHammerfest
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The municipality encompasses parts of three islands: Kvaløya, Sørøya, and Seiland. Hammerfest was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
which many foreigners may find strange, given the small size of both of these places. In Norwegian the word 'by' can mean both town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
and Norwegian does not distinguish between the terms in the same way as English or other languages do. The translation of the word into English is thus ambiguous and can be chosen as one sees fit. If both Hammerfest
Hammerfest
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The municipality encompasses parts of three islands: Kvaløya, Sørøya, and Seiland. Hammerfest was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
and Honningsvåg were to be defined according to British tradition, neither of them would be considered cities, as neither has a university or a cathedral. Both of them would, however, be considered town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
s, given the status of both settlements as economic hubs of the surrounding areas and the status as municipal centers.
The name
The NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
form of the name was probably *Hornungsvágr. The first element is then the genitive case of a disappeared name of a mountain: *Hornungr. This (hypothetical) name could have been an older name of the mountain Storefjell (literally just 'big mountain' - a tall and hornlike mountaintop near Honningsvåg), and it is then derived from the word horn n 'horn'. The last element is vágr m 'bay'. The full meaning of the name is then 'the bay lying beneath the mountain *Hornungr.