North Norway (
NorwegianNorwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants ...
:
Nord-Norge (
BokmålBokmål , is the more commonly used of the two Norwegian written standard languages, the other being Nynorsk. Bokmål is used by 85-90% of the population in Norway, regardless of dialect, and is the standard most commonly taught to foreign students of the Norwegian language.Bokmål is regulated by the...
) or
Nord-Noreg (
NynorskNynorsk or New Norwegian is one of the two official written languages in Norway, the other being Bokmål. Just above 10% of the Norwegian population use Nynorsk as their primary written language...
), North Sámi:
Davvi-Norga) is the geographical
regionNorway is divided into five major regions , which consist of counties as follows:*Northern Norway **Finnmark**Troms**Nordland*Trøndelag**Nord-Trøndelag**Sør-Trøndelag*Western Norway...
of northern
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
, consisting of the three counties
Nordlandis a county in Norway, 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 in Bodø. The remote Arctic...
,
Tromsor 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...
and
Finnmarkor Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
, in total about 35% of the Norwegian mainland. Some of the largest towns in North Norway (from south to north) are
Mo i RanaMo 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...
,
Bodøis a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
,
Narvikis a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
,
Harstadis the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...
,
Tromsøis a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø....
and
Altais a town and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Alta....
.
The region is multi-cultural – housing not just Norwegians – but also the
indigenousThe term indigenous peoples can be used to describe any ethnic group of people who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest known historical connection, alongside more recent immigrants who have populated the region and may be greater in number...
Sami peopleThe Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are one of the indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia but also in the border area between south and middle Sweden...
, the Norwegian
FinnsThe terms Finns and Finnish people are used in English to mean "a native or inhabitant of Finland". They are also used to refer to the ethnic group historically associated with Finland or Fennoscandia, and they are only used in that sense here....
(known as
KvenKvens are a Norwegian ethnic minority descended from Finnish peasants and fishermen who emigrated from the northern parts of Finland and Sweden to Northern Norway in the 18th and 19th centuries...
s) and
RussianThe Russian people are an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
populations. The
Norwegian languageNorwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants ...
dominates in most of the area; Sami-speakers are mainly found in inner parts and some of the fjord areas of Nordland, Troms and particularly Finnmark - though ethnic Sámi who do not speak the language are found more or less everywhere in the region. Finnish is spoken in only a few communities in the east of Finnmark. North Norway is often described as the land of the
midnight sunThe midnight sun is a natural phenomenon occurring in summer months at latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle, and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight...
and the land of the
northern lightsNorthern Lights is a common name for the Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere.Northern Lights may also refer to:-Literature:...
.
Geography
North Norway covers about a third of Norway. The southernmost part, roughly the part south of the
Arctic CircleThe Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. In , it is the parallel of latitude that runs approximately 66° 33′ 39″ north of the Equator. The region north of this circle is known as the Arctic, and the zone just to the south is called the Northern...
, is called
HelgelandHelgeland is the most southerly district in North Norway. Generally speaking, Helgeland refers to the part of Nordland county that is located south of the Arctic circle. The district covers an area of almost 18,000 km², with nearly 79,000 inhabitants...
. Here there is a multitude of islands and skerries on the outside of the coastal range, some flat, some with impressive shapes, like Mount
TorghattenTorghatten is a mountain on Torget island in Brønnøy municipality in Norway. It is known for its characteristic hole, or natural tunnel, through its center....
, which has a hole right through it, and the Seven Sisters near
SandnessjøenSandnessjøen is the centre of the municipality of Alstahaug in the county of Nordland, Norway, with a population of 5,716. It was made a township in 1999....
. The inland is covered with dense
spruceNorway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is a large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 35-55 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 1-1.5 m. The shoots are orange-brown and glabrous...
forests and mountains near the Swedish border; some of the biggest rivers in the region are the
VefsnaThe Vefsna is the largest river in Nordland county, Norway. It is 163 km long and drains a watershed of 4,122 km². Its headwaters lie in the Børgefjell mountains and it forms the border between Norway and Sweden for part of its course...
and the
RanelvaRanelva is a 130 km long river in the municipality of Rana, and is one of the longest rivers in the county of Nordland, Norway. The river begins on Saltfjellet, in the borders between Norway and Sweden, and flows nortwestwards under the name Randalselv . Ranelva begins where Randalselva and the...
. The highest mountain in Northern Norway is found here in the
OkstindanOkstindan is a mountain range which lies in inner Helgeland, Hemnes municipality, Nordland. In the range are, among others, Oksskolten, which is the highest mountain in Nord-Norge. Other mountains in the range are Okstinden, Okshornet, Vesttinden and Bessedørtinden...
range south of
Mo i RanaMo 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...
with
OksskoltenOksskolten 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. It lies in the mountain range Okstindmassivet between Korgen and Røssvatnet.In order to get to the summit, parts of the glacier...
reaching 1,915 m above sea level, and with the glacier
OkstindbreenOkstindbreen is the eighth largest glacier in mainland Norway, and lies in the mountain range Okstindan.Its highest point is above sea level and its lowest point is above sea level....
.
The
SaltfjelletSaltfjellet is a mountain area in Nordland, Norway that separates the two regions of Helgeland and Salten. It is also a cultural border between the Southern and Central parts of Sápmi. This is one of the largest mountain ranges in Norway, and is also where the Arctic Circle cuts through the country...
range, with its
SvartisenSvartisen is a collective term for two glaciers located in northern Norway. The system consists of two separate glaciers,* Vestre Svartisen , which is the second largest glacier on the Norwegian mainland after Jostedalsbreen* Østre Svartisen , which is the country's fourth...
glacier and intersecting Arctic Circle, divides Helgeland from the next region, called
SaltenSalten is a district in Nordland in North Norway, consisting of the municipalities Meløy, Gildeskål, Bodø, Beiarn, Saltdal, Fauske, Sørfold, Steigen and Hamarøy....
. Notable peaks in Salten are the Børvasstindan south of
Bodøis a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
, the Steigartindan, the phallic Hamarøytinden and the most spectacular of them all, Stetinden, that looms over the
TysfjordTysfjord or Divtasvuodna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Ofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kjøpsvik...
, bordering the
OfotenOfoten is a district in North Norway, consisting of the municipalities Tysfjord, Ballangen, Evenes, Tjeldsund, Narvik and Lødingen. It is named after the main fjord Ofotfjord, which is at the center of this landscape...
landscape. Between Saltfjellet and eastern Finnmark, all Norwegian spruce trees have traditionally been hand planted and are mostly privately owned.
LofotenLofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
is a chain of peaks that jut out of the ocean. From the mainland side it looks very barren, but behind the violet-black peaks there are also flatlands with good grazing for sheep, partially on soil made from
seaweedSeaweedSeaweed has antioxidents. Is a loose colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
. The
VesterålenVesterålen is a district in the county Nordland in Norway, just north of Lofoten.- Geography :Vesterålen consists of the municipalities Andøy, Bø, Hadsel, Sortland and Øksnes. Vesterålen is made up of several islands: Langøya, Andøya, Hadseløya, the western part of Hinnøya, the northern part of...
islands consist of smaller and bigger islands with a huge variation of landscape.
OfotenOfoten is a district in North Norway, consisting of the municipalities Tysfjord, Ballangen, Evenes, Tjeldsund, Narvik and Lødingen. It is named after the main fjord Ofotfjord, which is at the center of this landscape...
, further inland, is a fjord landscape with high mountains, the highest is Storsteinfjellet in Narvik, 1,894 m above sea level, and there are also glaciers, like
FrostisenThe glacier Frostisen is one of the larger plateau glaciers in Norway. Frostisen covers an area of about 25 km², and is 1,710 meters above sea level at its highest point and 840 meters above sea level at its lowest point. It lies near Skjomen, a fjord branch of Ofotfjorden in the Ofoten...
and Blåisen.
Tromsor 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 has surprising greenery for the latitude, and the inner waterways and fjords are lined with birch forests, and further inland there are pine forests and highlands around the rivers
MålselvMålselv is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moen. Besides bordering Sweden to the east and the ocean to the west, it borders on the municipalities of Balsfjord, Storfjord, Bardu, Sørreisa, and Lenvik.Målselv was separated...
and Reisa. Big islands like
SenjaSenja is the second largest island in Norway . It is located along the Troms county coastline with Finnsnes as the closest town...
, Kvaløya and Ringvassøya have green, forested interiors and a barren, mountainous coastline, with smaller islands offshore. The
Lyngen AlpsThe Lyngen Alps is a mountain range in northeastern Troms, North Norway, east of Tromsø, mostly in the municipalities of Lyngen and Balsfjord. The mountains follow the western shore of the Lyngen Fjord in a north-south direction...
are the highest mountains of the area, rising to 1,833 metres, an area of glaciers and waterfalls. The waterfall of Mollisfossen in
NordreisaNordreisa is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storslett. Nordreisa was separated from the municipality of Skjervøy on 1 January 1886...
, at 269 metres, is the highest waterfall in the north.
Finnmarkor Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
county has fjords and glaciers in the far southwest, and the northwestern coasts are characterized by big islands, like
SørøyaSørøya is a large island in western Finnmark, Norway. It is Norway's fourth largest island in terms of area, and is divided between the municipalities of Hasvik and Hammerfest....
and
SeilandSeiland is an island in the southwest of Hammerfest in Finnmark county. The island is divided between the municipalities of Hammerfest, Alta and Kvalsund and has an area of...
. The inland is covered by
FinnmarksviddaFinnmarksvidda is Norway's largest mountain plateau, with an area greater than 22,000 km². It lies at 300-500 meters above sea level. Approximately 36% of Finnmark county lies in the Finnmarksvidda...
a plateau about 300-400 metres high, with bush vegetation and the rivers of Alta-Kautokeino and Tana/Deatnu. Even at this latitude, pockets of pine forests manage to survive, notably in Alta,
KarasjokKárášjohka or is a village and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Karasjok.-Name:Karasjok is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi name Kárášjohka...
,
PorsangerPorsanger or Porsáŋgu or Porsanki is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lakselv...
and
Sør-VarangerSør-Varanger is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kirkenes. Sør-Varanger was separated from the municipality of Vadsø on 1 July 1858.-General information:-Name:...
. East of Honningsvåg, there are no islands protecting the barren coasts that rise directly up from the sea. The landscape towards the Russian border is comparatively flat.
KnivskjelloddenKnivskjellodden, located in the municipality of Nordkapp in Norway is the northernmost point of the island Magerøya, and is sometimes considered the northernmost point of the entire continent of Europe...
on the island of
MagerøyaMagerøya 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...
marks the northern end of Europe; tourism is directed to the slightly more southern, but much more accessible
North CapeNorth 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 1,457...
, whereas Kinnarodden on the Nordkyn peninsula is the northernmost point of Europe's mainland.
History
The oldest culture in the area is called Komsa, named after a mountain in Alta. The first people possibly came around 12-13,000 years ago, but it is uncertain whether they came from southern Norway or from the
Kola PeninsulaThe Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far north of Russia, part of the Murmansk Oblast. It borders upon the Barents Sea on the North and the White Sea on the East and South...
. Today the rock carvings at Hjemmeluft in Alta or at
Leknesis a town and administrative centre of municipality Vestvågøy in the county of Nordland in North Norway. The town is situated in the geographical middle of Lofoten, approximately 68 km west of Svolvær and 65 km east of Å...
in Nordland are among the remainders of the Stone Age cultures, showing reindeer swimming across the fjords. A significant find area is between the river
TanaTana river , is a long river in Sápmi, in the Norwegian county of in Finnmark and the Lapland Province of Finland. The Sámi name means "Great River"....
and the fjord of
VarangerVaranger may refer to:*Varanger Peninsula of Norway*Cryogenian...
, where the reindeer probably ran over the isthmus on the way between the winter and summer grazing. However, we do not know the ethnic identity of the Stone Age cultures. Metals were introduced around 500 BC or possibly
somewhat earlier.
The
Sami cultureThe Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are one of the indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia but also in the border area between south and middle Sweden...
can be traced back at least 2,000 years. There are also some archeological evidence of
Bronze AgeThe Nordic Bronze Age is the name given by Oscar Montelius to a period and a Bronze Age culture in Scandinavian pre-history, c. 1700-500 BC, with sites that reached as far east as Estonia. Succeeding the Late Neolithic culture, its ethnic and linguistic affinities are unknown in the absence of...
agricultural settlements about 2,500 years old, as in
SteigenSteigen is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Leinesfjord....
and
SømnaSømna 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 . Other communities in the municipality are Dalbotn, Sund, and Berg....
. In 2009, archeologist discovered evidence of barley grown in
KvæfjordKvæfjord is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is part of the Hålogaland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borkenes....
near Harstad in the Bronze Age 1,000 BC (
Norwegian). A larger settlement by people of Germanic origin, with substantial archeological evidence, seem to have occurred around 200-300 AD. These settled along the coasts roughly up to Tromsø. The two ethnic groups traded with each other, and there seems to have been quite a lot of intermarriage. The nature of the co-existence is still being hotly debated.
In the Viking age, several chieftains along the coast played a significant role in Norwegian history, usually resisting unification of Norway. The voyage and story of
Ottar from HålogalandOhthere of Hålogaland was a Viking adventurer from Hålogaland. Around 890 AD he travelled to England, where Alfred the Great, king of Wessex, had his tales written down....
was recorded by the king of England. Hårek from Tjøtta and
Tore HundThorir Hund , , one of the leaders of the so-called peasant faction opposing the Norwegian king Olaf Haraldsson, also an important character in Snorre Sturlason's saga chronicling the king.Thorir was an influential man in the area of Hålogaland, his home being the island of Bjarkøy...
, who killed Saint Olav at the
Battle of StiklestadThe Battle of Stiklestad in 1030 is one of the most famous battles in the history of Norway. In this battle King Olaf II of Norway was killed...
in 1030 were important leaders according to
HeimskringlaHeimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
. The chieftain and poet Øyvind Skaldespiller was the first to receive international acclaim, as his poems were rewarded when the
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
ic parliament organized a money collection to buy him a thick ring of gold. This flourishing period of resistance was followed by a take-over from the south, reducing the might and wealth of the chieftains.
In the Middle Ages, churches were built along the coast. By 1150,
LenvikLenvik 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...
was the northernmost. In 1252 the first church was built in Tromsø, adding it to Norway. Finally in 1307 the Vardø church was built, clearly establishing that this was part of Norway. This was accompanied by the building of a fortress. At roughly the same time, the cod fishing gained momentum. Dried cod was exported through Bergen to the whole
Hanseatic worldThe Hanseatic League was an alliance of trading cities and their guilds that established and maintained a trade monopoly along the coast of Northern Europe, from the Baltic to the North Sea and inland, during the Late Middle Ages and early modern period...
, bringing prosperity to the north. This is reflected in the numerous pieces of imported church art from the late Middle Ages. There were numerous wars with the republic of Novgorod in Russia at the time, that stopped by the late 15th century.
Reduced fish prices in the 17th century led to a significant decline in the population. Large coastal areas were depopulated, and Sami culture made a comeback, as it was less dependent on fish exports. After 1700, the Russians started to come every summer on trading expeditions, bringing rye in exchange for fish. In the 1740s the first settlers from Finland, escaping hunger and war, came. In 1789, the trade monopoly of the city of Bergen was lifted, and
Hammerfestis 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
Vardøis a town and a municipality in Finnmark county in the extreme northeast part of Norway.Vardø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The law required that all cities should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was...
were issued their city charters, and Tromsø followed suit in 1794. Interrupted by the British blockade of the Napoleonic wars, this introduced a period of unprecedented growth in the north. Bodø was founded in 1816, and
Vadsøis a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The city is the administrative centre of the municipality and the county of Finnmark....
in 1833. The
HurtigrutenHurtigruten or Hurtigruta is a Norwegian passenger and freight line with daily sailings along Norway's spectacular western and northern coast. Ships sail almost the entire length of the country, completing the roundtrip journey in 11 days...
shipping line, introduced in 1893, gave quicker communications with the south. In 1906, the iron mines in
Kirkenesis the centre of the municipality of Sør-Varanger in Finnmark county, Norway.-Geography and climate:...
opened.
At the same time, the ethnic diversity of the area came under threat. All the progress within fishing and agriculture was introduced by Norwegians, making
SamiThe Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are one of the indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia but also in the border area between south and middle Sweden...
and
FinnishFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
ways less attractive. In schools, only Norwegian was promoted, and from around 1900, the Norwegian authorities were very insistent that all should speak Norwegian only. From now on, the Sami language was banned in schools, churches and in public administration. People who wanted to buy parts of the state lands in Finnmark had to prove they could speak Norwegian before they were allowed to settle.
This region of Norway was the area most affected by
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1940, the Allies and the Germans fought over the strategic port for iron exports of Narvik. King Haakon VII and the government fled towards the north, and stayed in the Tromsø area for three weeks. On 27 May, Bodø was bombed by German planes, and on 7 June, the Allies retreated from the North, forcing the King and government to flee to Britain from Tromsø.
In 1944, the German Wehrmacht started to retreat from the
MurmanskMurmansk is a city and seaport in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, 12 km from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland....
front. They burned everything after them in the area between the Russian border and the
LyngenLyngen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lyngseidet....
fjord, as part of their
tacticsA scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area...
. The population was forcibly evacuated, although a third of them chose to hide in the wilderness instead. All who were found where shot.
After WW II, reconstruction was on the agenda. Norway made a huge effort to rebuild the destroyed towns and villages. Also, modernizing fishing and agriculture was important, as Northern Norway was considerably poorer and less developed than the south. In 1946 the huge steel works of
Mo i RanaMo 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...
were founded, heralding industrialization of the north.
Communications were also improved, as airports were built throughout the area, notably in Bodø 1952 and Tromsø in 1964. The train network was extended to reach Bodø in 1961. In 1972, the
University of TromsøThe University of Tromsø is the world's northernmost university. Located in the city of Tromsø, Norway, it was established in 1968, and opened in 1972. It is one of seven universities in Norway. The University of Tromsø is the largest research and educational institution in northern Norway...
opened, accompanied by a number of colleges, notably in Bodø, Alta, Harstad and Narvik. In 1972 and 1994, the strong anti-EU movements of the north were instrumental when Norway voted against EU membership in referendums.
The tide has also turned for the
SamiThe Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are one of the indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia but also in the border area between south and middle Sweden...
population of the north. Sami-language instruction was introduced in schools in the 1970s. In 1979, and the building of a hydro-electric dam in Alta caused huge demonstrations, giving the Sami question national attention for virtually the first time. The result was a significant effort by the authorities to promote Sami language and culture. In 1989, the Norwegian Sami parliament, Samediggi, opened, and the Law of Finnmark of 2005 dealt with the land question. A similar law is on the way for Nordland and Troms.
Working against all this, emigration to the south has been strong after World War II, and today Oslo is Norway's biggest city. The population is slowly declining in the north, although the regional centres of Bodø, Tromsø and Alta continue to grow. Lately, the off-shore gas field of
SnøhvitSnøhvit is the name of a natural gas field in the Barents Sea, situated 140 km northwest of Hammerfest, Norway. Snøhvit is also the name of a development of Snøhvit and the two neighbouring natural gas fields Albatross and Askeladden...
, off Hammerfest, has brought hopes of new development in the north, and the population of the north hopes that oil and gas might give new optimism.
Languages
The Northern Norwegian dialects share a common, musical intonation, different from the southern dialects of Norway. Apart from this, there is great variation in sound system, grammar and vocabulary. In general, one can say that the southernmost of the northern dialects, particularly in Helgeland and Salten, are the most distinct. Notably they cut grammar endings (like French relative to Italian). Further north, the dialects are somewhat more in line with standard written Norwegian (
BokmålBokmål , is the more commonly used of the two Norwegian written standard languages, the other being Nynorsk. Bokmål is used by 85-90% of the population in Norway, regardless of dialect, and is the standard most commonly taught to foreign students of the Norwegian language.Bokmål is regulated by the...
,
NynorskNynorsk or New Norwegian is one of the two official written languages in Norway, the other being Bokmål. Just above 10% of the Norwegian population use Nynorsk as their primary written language...
). In some inland valleys in the county of Troms, settlers from the inland of Southern Norway immigrated 200 years ago. Even today, these dialects have southern characteristics in intonation and vocabulary.
Earlier, Northern dialects had a low status in Norway, but recently they have been used extensively in song lyrics, poetry, in TV and radio. Today, anyone from fishermen to university professors via insurance agents use their dialects even at work.
SamiSami or Saami is a general name for a group of Uralic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and extreme northwestern Russia, in Northern Europe. Sami is frequently believed to be a single language. Several names are used for the Sami languages: Saami,...
is spoken in three main dialects: Southern Sami south of the Arctic Circle, Lule Sami mainly between Bodø and Narvik, and Northern Sami in the rest. Originally, Pite Sami and Ume Sami was spoken around Bodø, but these dialects are now extinct on the Norwegian side of the border. Eastern Sami was originally spoken in Neiden, close to Kirkenes, but it is more or less extinct. Sami is an official language (in addition to Norwegian) in the municipalities of Gáivuotna (Kåfjord),
Kautokeinoor Guovdageaidnu , is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino...
, Karasjok,
PorsangerPorsanger or Porsáŋgu or Porsanki is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lakselv...
, Tana and
NessebyUnjárga or Nesseby is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Varangerbotn....
.
The Finnish spoken in eastern regions, from
StorfjordStorfjord is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Oteren. Storfjord was separated from the municipality of Lyngen on 1 July 1930.-Name:...
to Porsanger, is quite distinct, although comprehensible for people from Finland. Further east, around Vadsø and Kirkenes, the spoken Finnish resembles standard Finnish. Finnish is official in addition to Sami and Norwegian in Porsanger municipality.
Northern Norway has much in common with Western Norway, although not the two regions connected with each other is what is liked. Dialects, culture and much more is very similar.
Cuisine
Northern Norway is surrounded by some of the richest seas in the world, and sea products constitute the main food source for traditional cuisine.
In the winter, the codfish comes to the coastal waters to spawn. Mølja, boiled codfish with liver and roe, is a rich delicacy that today is served in the best restaurants. In the summer, the coalfish, or saithe, bites, and fresh saithe is often served on the beach, boiled in seawater over an open fire.
HalibutA halibut is a type of flatfish from the family of the right-eye flounders . This name is derived from haly and butt , alleged to be called so from being commonly eaten on holy-days...
is traditional Christmas food. Most fish is served plainly poached, so that the delicate fish taste is not ruined; only accompanied by boiled potatoes, carrots and possibly fried bacon. A more particular kind of fish is "gammelsei", saithe that has been conserved for a year or more.
Tender
whaleWhale is the common name for marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale is sometimes used to refer to all cetaceans, but in more common English usage it generally excludes the members of the Delphinoidea superfamily, such as dolphins and porpoises...
meat is usually served as steaks, whereas seals are an acquired taste, due to the smell. However, when processed into "Barents ham", it gets more palatable. Fresh seal meat is served at the end of the hunting season in spring, and Tromsø is the place to look for it. Reindeer are often served as finnebiff, thin slices in a cream sauce.
Traditionally, northerners regarded
shellfishShellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
and prawns as bait, but lately they have developed a taste for it, and the freshest and most succulent prawns and shellfish are easily obtainable all along the coast.
Climate
There are large climatic differences from southwest to northeast in this region.
FinnmarksviddaFinnmarksvidda is Norway's largest mountain plateau, with an area greater than 22,000 km². It lies at 300-500 meters above sea level. Approximately 36% of Finnmark county lies in the Finnmarksvidda...
in the interior of Finnmark and some valleys in the interior of Troms, experience a more continental climate with much less
precipitationIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that is deposited on the Earth's surface. The main forms of precipitation include rain, snow, ice pellets, and graupel...
and much colder winters compared to the long coastal region.
Light
There are extreme variations in daylight between winter and summer. At
NordkappNordkapp is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Honningsvåg.Nordkapp was separated from Porsanger on 1 July 1861...
the midnight sun can be seen from 11 May - 31 July, and the sun does not rise above the
horizonThe horizon is the apparent line that separates earth from sky.It is the line that divides all visible directions into two categories: those that intersect the Earth's surface, and those that do not...
from 19 November - 22 January. For Tromsø, the dates are 17 May - 25 July, and 26 November - 15 January; and for
Bodøis a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
from 30 May - 12 July (no polar night in Bodø). The mid-winter darkness is not totally dark on the mainland; there is twilight for about three hours around noon in Tromsø. Helgeland has not true midnight sun, but the upper part of the sun disc never descends below the horizon as far south as Mosjøen in June. February is a transitional period when the sun rapidly returns, and March and April often feels like an explosion of light with long daylight hours (particularly in April) and snow cover in most areas except the coastal strip of Nordland. Mid-September has daylight lasting until about 19:30 in the evening. The Aurora Borealis can be seen in the whole area from autumn to early April, after which it gets too bright to observe the Aurora.
Maritime to cold continental climate
Brønnøysundis a town and former municipality, and centre of Brønnøy municipality, Nordland county, Norway.Brønnøysund was separated from Brønnøy as a town , and municipality of its own, in 1923...
in the southern part of Nordland has January and February averages of -1°C and -0.6°C (31°F), July & August 24-hr averages are both 13°C (56°F), year average is 5.6°C (42°F; about the same as in Oslo), and precipitation is 1,510 mm/year, with autumn as the wettest season (
). Brønnøysund experiences on average 63 days/year with strong breeze (22 knots) or more, and 18 of these days reach gale force winds or more (34 knots, data from Leka just south of Brønnøysund, source met.no). In all areas, late autumn and winter is the most windy time of year, as the Atlantic low pressure systems are strongest then.
KarasjokKárášjohka or is a village and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Karasjok.-Name:Karasjok is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi name Kárášjohka...
in the eastern part of Finnmarksvidda has January and February averages of -17°C (1°F) and -15°C (4°F), July & August averages are 13°C (56°F) and 11°C (52°F), year average is -2.4°C (28°F) and precipitation is only 366 mm/year (
). Situated in a river valley, Karasjok only experiences on average 1 day/year with strong breeze (22 knots) or more, and virtually never sees gale force winds.
The mean annual temperature difference between Brønnøysund and Karasjok is 8°C (15°F), about the same as the difference between Brønnøysund and Madrid, Spain (
).
The comparatively mild maritime climate dominates along the coast and in the large fjords, even at the most northern coastal locations; in
NordkappNordkapp is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Honningsvåg.Nordkapp was separated from Porsanger on 1 July 1861...
municipality the average January temperature is a modest -4°C (26°F) and the year average is 2°C (35°F) (
). Some islands, like
TrænaTræna 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 Husøy. Træna was separated from the municipality of Lurøy in 1872....
and
RøstRøst is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Lofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Røst. Røst was separated from the municipality of Værøy on 1 July 1928....
, have average temperatures of approximately 1°C (33°F) in their coldest months.
Wind
The most windy location in continental Norway (apart from mountain summits) is Fruholmen lighthouse (
) in
MåsøyMåsøy is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Havøysund.Måsøy was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
not far from the
North CapeNorth 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 1,457...
. The most windy city in North Norway is Bodø with on average 153 days/year with strong breeze or more and 24 days with gale force winds, while
Vardøis a town and a municipality in Finnmark county in the extreme northeast part of Norway.Vardø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The law required that all cities should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was...
, also lacking shelter, sees 136 days of strong breeze or more and 18 days with gale. Inland valleys and sheltered fjord areas — particularly if sheltered by mountains — are much less windy. Tromsø, partly sheltered by large islands, experiences on average 27 days/year with strong breeze, and 1 day with gale, and
BardufossBardufoss is a small town in Målselv municipality in Troms county, North Norway.-Location:Bardufoss is located in Målselvdalen valley, to the north of Narvik and south of Tromsø.-Military:...
sees on average only 11 days with strong breeze or more and scarcely ever experiences gale. In winter, there might sometimes blow cold winds from the freezing highlands out through the large fjords, -10°C and strong breeze will feel very cold on the skin. Mild westerlies are still much more common in most winters. Weather patterns are inherently unpredictable in this northern region — both low pressure and high pressure weather can occur at any time of year, although the strongest winds occur in winter.
Winter
Along the coast of Nordland average temperatures hover barely below freezing for 2 – 3 months, statistically from 15 December to 27 February in Brønnøysund; somewhat longer into the fjords. Inland Finnmark, as in Karasjok, average temperatures remain below freezing for 7 months (October — April). In Tromsø, average temperatures stays below freezing for 5 months - statistically from 10 November to 10 April. Daytime temperatures are often warmer in March and April. In more recent years, winters have become milder, and the outer seaboard of most of Nordland has on average remained above freezing all year (
met.no map 1990 -2006).
Summer
Even if winter temperatures depends largely on the distance to the sea, the length of the season varies mostly with latitude (and
altitudeAltitude is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object...
): The summer (days/year with 24-hr average 10°C or more; 50°F) lasts on average 108 days in Brønnøysund, 100 days in Mosjøen, 95 in
Fauskeis a town and municipality located in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Fauske with approximately 6,000 inhabitants....
, 90 in Bodø and
TysfjordTysfjord or Divtasvuodna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Ofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kjøpsvik...
, 85 days in eastern Lofoten and Narvik, 75 days at the inland valleys of
BardufossBardufoss is a small town in Målselv municipality in Troms county, North Norway.-Location:Bardufoss is located in Målselvdalen valley, to the north of Narvik and south of Tromsø.-Military:...
and
Altais a town and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Alta....
, about 65 days in Tromsø and Kirkenes, 57 in Hammerfest and 0 in Vardø. This is based on a 30 year average (1961 - 1990) for each day of the year; even Vardø will on occasions experience summer days. Statistically, summer temperatures starts 29 May in Brønnøysund and 22 June in Tromsø. The growing season varies from 180 days at
VegaVega 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. Vega was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 The municipality comprises 6,500 islands of the Vega Archipelago...
, Brønnøysund and
RøstRøst is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Lofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Røst. Røst was separated from the municipality of Værøy on 1 July 1928....
to less than 120 days in Finnmarksvidda and the
Varanger PeninsulaVaranger Peninsula is a peninsula in Finnmark, north-eastern Norway, by the Barents Sea. The peninsula has the Tanafjord to the west, the Varangerfjord to the south and the Barents Sea to the north and east. Vadsø, Båtsfjord, Berlevåg, Vardø and Unjárga - Nesseby are the municipalities sharing the...
.
Precipitation
Precipitation occur in all seasons, usually as snow in winter, although often as rain on the Nordland coast. Snow accumulation in the mountains can exceed 3 m, and this abundance of snow is the reason for the numerous glaciers - more than 500, mostly in Nordland and Troms.
Autumn tend to be the wettest season in most areas, often receiving more than twice as much precipitation as does spring and early summer. Only the interior areas of Finnmark - like Karasjok - tend to be wettest in summer. The areas with the least precipitation are some inland valleys, like Dividalen in
MålselvMålselv is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moen. Besides bordering Sweden to the east and the ocean to the west, it borders on the municipalities of Balsfjord, Storfjord, Bardu, Sørreisa, and Lenvik.Målselv was separated...
with only 282 mm precip/year, and upper
SaltdalSaltdal is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rognan. Saltdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 .-Name:The Old Norse form of the name must have been Salptardalr...
and
SkibotnSkibotn is a village with approximately 700 inhabitants in Storfjord municipality, located on the southeastern shore of the Lyngen Fjord in the Northern Norwegian county of Troms...
with about the same. Inland Finnmark is the only large area with less than 450 mm precipitation/year. The wettest areas are generally the
HelgelandHelgeland is the most southerly district in North Norway. Generally speaking, Helgeland refers to the part of Nordland county that is located south of the Arctic circle. The district covers an area of almost 18,000 km², with nearly 79,000 inhabitants...
region;
LurøyLurøy 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...
on the west coast of Saltfjell averages 2900 mm/year.
The Arctic northeastern coast
The extreme northeastern coast, from Nordkapp to
Vardøis a town and a municipality in Finnmark county in the extreme northeast part of Norway.Vardø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The law required that all cities should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was...
, is situated in the arctic climate zone due to lack of summer warmth — July average in Vardø is only 9°C (48°F). However, 150 km to the south, in the Pasvik valley south of
Kirkenesis the centre of the municipality of Sør-Varanger in Finnmark county, Norway.-Geography and climate:...
, July 24-hr average is up to 14°C (57°F). No other parts of Norway experience so large differences in lowland summer temperatures in such a relatively short distance.
Record temperatures
The coldest temperature recorded is -51.4°C (-61°F) in Karasjok, and the warmest recorded is 34.3°C (94°F) in Sihcajavri in
Kautokeinoor Guovdageaidnu , is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino...
.
Sources
Famous people from the north
- Knut Hamsun
Knut Hamsun was a Norwegian author. He was considered by Isaac Bashevis Singer to be the "father of modern literature", and by King Haakon to be Norway's soul. In 1920, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his monumental work, Growth of the Soil"...
(1859–1952), author and Nobel laureate, from Hamarøy
- Iselin Steiro
Iselin Vollen Steiro is a Norwegian model. She grew up in Harstad in the northern part of Norway. Steiro was discovered in 1999 while Christmas shopping with her parents in London...
(1985–), supermodel, from Harstad
- The Röyksopp
Röyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, composed of Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge. The group formed officially in 1998 and released their debut album Melody A.M. on Wall of Sound in 2001.- History :...
band duo Torbjørn BrundtlandTorbjørn Brundtland makes up half of the duo Röyksopp. He was born in Tromsø, Norway.-Musical career:* Between 1994-1995 Brundtland was a member of Aedena Cycle with Gaute Barlindhaug and Kolbjørn Lyslo ....
(1975–) and Svein BergeSvein Berge makes up half of the duo Röyksopp. Berge was born in Tromsø, Norway.-Musical career:* In 1999 debut as Röyksopp on Tellé 7" and Beatservice compilation.* In 2000 signs with Wall of Sound.* In 2001 debut album, Melody A.M., released....
, from Tromsø
- Lene Marlin
Lene Marlin is a Norwegian musician. She was born Lene Marlin Pedersen in Tromsø, Norway.-1998-2002: Playing My Game:...
(1980–), singer and songwriter, from Tromsø
- Mari Boine
Mari Boine, previously known as Mari Boine Persen, is a Norwegian Sami musician known for having added jazz and rock to the yoiks of her native people. Boine grew up amid the Laestadian Christian movement as well as amidst discrimination against her people...
(1956–), jazz artist, from Karasjok
- Geir Lundestad
Geir Lundestad is a Norwegian author and educator best known for his association with the Norwegian Nobel Institute, for which he serves as Director, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee, for which he serves as a permanent Secretary...
(1945–), director of the Nobel Institute and professor of history, from Bodø
- Trond Sollied
Trond Johan Sollied is a Norwegian football manager and former player. He is currently without a club. In March 2008 he became manager of the Dutch club SC Heerenveen, but was sacked in August 2009. He has also managed Bodø/Glimt, Rosenborg, K.A.A...
(1959-), Football manager. Ranked as the ninth best manager in 2006.
- Hans Erik Dyvik Husby ("Hank Von Helvete
Hans Erik Husby , also known as Hank von Helvete Hertugen and Hærtis, is the lead vocalist of Norwegian death-punk band Turbonegro...
") (1972-), Vocalist in the death-punk band TurbonegroTurbonegro is a Norwegian punk rock band that was initially active from 1989 to 1998, and later reformed in 2002. Their style combines glam rock, punk rock and hard rock into a style the band describes as "deathpunk"....
.
- Harald "Dutte" Berg
Harald Berg is a former Norwegian playmaker and midfielder, nickname "Dutte". He is the brother of Knut Berg and father of Runar Berg, Ørjan Berg and Arild Berg all top players in the Norwegian Premier League.-Club career:...
(1941-), Norwegian football legend.
Cities in North Norway
Ranked by population in the city itself (not the municipality) as of 1. January 2008:
- Tromsø
is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø....
- Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
Cities with less than 30,000 inhabitants, ranked by population:
- Harstad
is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...
- 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...
- Narvik
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
- Alta
is a town and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Alta....
- Mosjøen
is a town in the municipality of Vefsn in Nordland county, Norway. The town has approximately 10,000 inhabitants.Mosjøen was separated from Vefsn as a town, and municipality of its own, in 1876. It was again merged with Vefsn January 1, 1962...
- 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...
- Fauske
is a town and municipality located in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Fauske with approximately 6,000 inhabitants....
- Sandnessjøen
Sandnessjøen is the centre of the municipality of Alstahaug in the county of Nordland, Norway, with a population of 5,716. It was made a township in 1999....
- Vadsø
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The city is the administrative centre of the municipality and the county of Finnmark....
Cities (towns) with less than 5,000 inhabitants, ranked by population:
- Sortland
is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...
- Brønnøysund
is a town and former municipality, and centre of Brønnøy municipality, Nordland county, Norway.Brønnøysund was separated from Brønnøy as a town , and municipality of its own, in 1923...
- Svolvær
is the administrative centre of Vågan Municipality in Nordland County, Norway. The town itself has a population of 4,378 as of 1 January 2006....
- Finnsnes
is a town in the county of Troms in Norway. Finnsnes is in the municipality of Lenvik. Located on the mainland near the island of Senja, it has grown from a small farm to a major regional population center in the last few hundred years. It is served by Bardufoss Airport. Including Silsand, located...
- Kirkenes
is the centre of the municipality of Sør-Varanger in Finnmark county, Norway.-Geography and climate:...
- Stokmarknes
is a small town on the island of Hadsel in Nordland, Norway. It is the municipality centre of the Hadsel municipality. Township was declared in 2000. It is home to Hurtigruten...
- Honningsvåg
at 70° 58' N, in Nordkapp municipality, claims to be the northernmost city in Norway and even in the world. Legislation effective from 1997 states that a Norwegian city must have 5,000 inhabitants, but Honningsvåg with its population of 2,575 was declared a city in 1996...
- Leknes
is a town and administrative centre of municipality Vestvågøy in the county of Nordland in North Norway. The town is situated in the geographical middle of Lofoten, approximately 68 km west of Svolvær and 65 km east of Å...
- Vardø
is a town and a municipality in Finnmark county in the extreme northeast part of Norway.Vardø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The law required that all cities should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was...
There are settlements larger than Vardø which are not included in the list as they have not been granted or applied for
townshipA township is a settlement which has the status and powers of a unit of local government. Specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country.-Uses of the term:...
(such as
RognanRognan is the centre of the municipality of Saltdal in Norway, with 2,492 inhabitants . The town is located innermost in the Salten fjord. Local industry like the optical cable factory of Nexans Norway and Hepro gives people a good place to work...
,
LødingLøding is a town in the municipality of Bodø, Norway. Its population is 2,835....
,
Andenesis a town and former municipality in Vesterålen district in Nordland county, Norway.Andenes was separated from Dverberg January 1, 1924. It was merged with Dverberg and Bjørnskinn to create the new municipality of Andøy January 1, 1964....
,
SetermoenSetermoen is the administrative centre of Bardu municipality, Norway. Its population is 2,284. The local administration declared city status for Setermoen in 1999, but this was rejected as the municipality has less than 5,000 inhabitants....
and
SkjervøySkjervøy is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Skjervøy, where most of the inhabitants live....
).
External links