Malangen
Encyclopedia
Malangen is a fjord
and a former municipality
in Troms
county
in Norway
. The fjord is located between the islands of Kvaløya and Senja
and the area today is divided between the municipalities of Balsfjord
, Lenvik
, Tromsø
, and Målselv
. Malangen is a beautiful place, and very nice to watch over the sea during sunny days in the middle of summer.
word mál which means "bag" and it may refer to the baggy shape of the fjord. The same word mál is probably also the origin of the name of the Målselva
, the big river that enters the fjord from the Målselvdalen
and Bardu
valleys. The second element of the name angr which means "inlet" or "fjord".
The municipality of Malangen was established on 1 January 1871 when it was separated from Balsfjord
. The initial population was 1,425. Also on that date, a small area of Lenvik
(population: 70) was transferred to the new municipality of Malangen. On 1 January 1873, an area of northern Malangen (population: 287) was transferred to Tromsøysund
municipality. In 1891, a small part of Målsnes in Målselv (population: 30) was transferred to Malangen. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Malangen ceased to exist. The Naveren and Målsnes areas (population: 118) were transferred to neighboring Målselv
. The remaining areas of Malangen (population: 1,940) were transferred back into Balsfjord
.
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
and a former municipality
Former municipalities of Norway
This is a list of former municipalities of Norway, i.e. municipalities that no longer exist.When the local council system was introduced in Norway in 1837-38, the country had 392 municipalities. In 1958 the number had grown to a total of 744 rural municipalities, 64 city municipalities as well as a...
in Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
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...
. The fjord is located between the islands of Kvaløya and Senja
Senja
Senja is the second largest island in Norway . It is located along the Troms county coastline with Finnsnes as the closest town. Senja is connected to the mainland by the Gisund Bridge. The municipalities located on Senja are Lenvik , Berg, Torsken, and Tranøy...
and the area today is divided between the municipalities of Balsfjord
Balsfjord
Balsfjord is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storsteinnes, while Nordkjosbotn at the head of the fjord is another village....
, Lenvik
Lenvik
Lenvik is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The municipality is partly situated on the mainland, partly on the island of Senja. The administrative center is the town of Finnsnes, where the Gisund Bridge connects Senja to the mainland by road. Other settlements include Aglapsvik, Gibostad,...
, 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...
, and Målselv
Målselv
Målselv is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moen. Some other villages include Andslimoen, Bardufoss, Alappmoen, Holmen, Fossmoen, and Heggelia...
. Malangen is a beautiful place, and very nice to watch over the sea during sunny days in the middle of summer.
Name
The name Malangen is probably derived from the Old 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....
word mál which means "bag" and it may refer to the baggy shape of the fjord. The same word mál is probably also the origin of the name of the Målselva
Målselva
The Målselva river in Troms county, Norway has given name to Målselv municipality and the Målselvdalen valley. The river empties into the in Målselvfjorden, an arm of the Malangen fjord, north of Olsborg. The rivers Divielva, Tamokelva, and Rostaelva converge near the Lille Rostavatn lake to form...
, the big river that enters the fjord from the Målselvdalen
Målselvdalen
Målselvdalen is the largest valley in Troms county, Norway. The river Målselva runs through the valley, ending in the Målselvfjorden. With a landscape reminiscent of that of Østerdalen, the valley was settled in the late eighteenth century by farmers from Østerdalen and Gudbrandsdalen. The bailiff...
and Bardu
Bardu
Bardu is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Setermoen, the largest urban area in the municipality.Norway's largest military garrison is located at Setermoen...
valleys. The second element of the name angr which means "inlet" or "fjord".
History
Balsfjord
Balsfjord is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storsteinnes, while Nordkjosbotn at the head of the fjord is another village....
. The initial population was 1,425. Also on that date, a small area of Lenvik
Lenvik
Lenvik is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The municipality is partly situated on the mainland, partly on the island of Senja. The administrative center is the town of Finnsnes, where the Gisund Bridge connects Senja to the mainland by road. Other settlements include Aglapsvik, Gibostad,...
(population: 70) was transferred to the new municipality of Malangen. On 1 January 1873, an area of northern Malangen (population: 287) was transferred to Tromsøysund
Tromsøysund
Tromsøysund is a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. It is located in the southern and eastern parts of the present-day municipality of Tromsø, including the villages of Tromsdalen and Movik.-History:...
municipality. In 1891, a small part of Målsnes in Målselv (population: 30) was transferred to Malangen. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Malangen ceased to exist. The Naveren and Målsnes areas (population: 118) were transferred to neighboring Målselv
Målselv
Målselv is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moen. Some other villages include Andslimoen, Bardufoss, Alappmoen, Holmen, Fossmoen, and Heggelia...
. The remaining areas of Malangen (population: 1,940) were transferred back into Balsfjord
Balsfjord
Balsfjord is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storsteinnes, while Nordkjosbotn at the head of the fjord is another village....
.