Vadsø
Vadsø kommune
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|---|---|
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 Flag  Troms og Finnmark within Norway | |
 Vadsø within Troms og Finnmark | |
| Coordinates: 70°04′24″N 29°44′59″E / 70.07333°N 29.74972°ECoordinates: 70°04′24″N 29°44′59″E / 70.07333°N 29.74972°E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Troms og Finnmark |
| District | Øst-Finnmark |
| Established | 1 Jan 1838 |
| Administrative centre | Vadsø |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2019) | Wenche Pederson (Ap) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,257.85 km2 (485.66 sq mi) |
| • Land | 1,233.75 km2 (476.35 sq mi) |
| • Water | 24.10 km2 (9.31 sq mi) 1.9% |
| Area rank | 84 in Norway |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 5,788 |
| • Rank | 163 in Norway |
| • Density | 4.7/km2 (12/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) | −5.1% |
| Demonym(s) | Vadsøværing[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-5405 |
| Official language form | Bokmål[2] |
| Website | vadso |
Vadsø (Norwegian: [ˈvɑ̂dsøː] (
listen); Northern Sami: Čáhcesuolu; Kven: Vesisaari) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark County, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vadsø, which was the administrative centre of the former Finnmark county. Other settlements in Vadsø include Ekkerøy, Kiby, Krampenes, Skallelv, Valen, and Vestre Jakobselv.
The 1,258-square-kilometre (486 sq mi) municipality is the 84th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Vadsø is the 163rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,788. The municipality's population density is 4.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (12/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 5.1% over the previous 10-year period.[3][4]
General information[]
The village of Vadsø was granted town status in 1833. In 1838, the town of Vadsø and the entire rural district surrounding the Varangerfjorden were established as the new municipality of Vadsø (see formannskapsdistrikt). The law required that all towns should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was impossible to carry out for the municipality of Vadsø in 1838. (This was also true in the towns of Hammerfest and Vardø.)
In 1839, the western district (population: 598) was separated to become the new municipality of Nesseby. This left Vadsø with 388 residents. In 1858, Vadsø municipality changed again: Nesseby Municipality (population: 706) was merged back into Vadsø and the district of Vadsø located south of the Varangerfjorden (population: 1,171) was separated to form the new municipality of Sør-Varanger. This change resulted in a population of 2,050 in Vadsø municipality. In 1864, the western district of Nesseby (population: 866) was separated into a separate municipality once again, leaving Vadsø with 1,367 residents.
On 1 January 1894, the rest of the rural district (population: 1,296) surrounding the town of Vadsø was separated to form the new municipality of Nord-Varanger. This left just the town of Vadsø remaining in the municipality of Vadsø which now had 1,114 residents. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Nord-Varanger (population: 1,587) was merged with the town of Vadsø (population: 3,353) to form the present-day Vadsø Municipality.[5]
On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Finnmark county.[6]
Name[]
The municipality is named after the town of Vadsø. The name of the town comes from the island Vadsøya, since that was the original townsite. The Old Norse form of the name would be *Vazøy, *Vatsøy, *Vassøy; the eldest references to the town show the forms Vasthøen (1520) and Vaadsøenn (1567).[7] The first element is the genitive case of vatn which means "water" and the last element is øy which means "island". Therefore, the meaning of the name is "the island with drinking water".[8]
Coat of arms[]
The coat of arms is from modern times; they were granted on 20 February 1976. The arms show the head of a reindeer stag in silver on a red background. The reindeer is the main domestic animal in the municipality and thus of great economic importance.[9] [10]
Churches[]
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Vadsø. It is part of the Varanger prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.
| Parish (sokn) | Name | Location | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vadsø | Vadsø Church | Vadsø | 1958 |
| Vestre Jakobselv Church | Vestre Jakobselv | 1940 | |
| Skallelv Chapel | Skallelv | 1961 |
History[]
In the 16th century, the settlement of Vadsø consisted of a fishing village and the old Vadsø Church, located on the island of Vadsøya. The settlement later moved to the mainland. Pomor trade led Vadsø to be a major trading centre in this part of Norway. Township privilege was granted in 1833, and soon settlers came from Finland and the northern part of Sweden, which suffered from famine.
Finnish was rapidly becoming the language of the majority, and this continued for decades. As of 2016, Finnish is still spoken in some households. During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, Vadsø suffered several air raids from the Soviet Union, which bombed German troops. However, there are, unlike most places in Finnmark, a number of 19th century wooden houses preserved close to the city centre, notably the house of Esbensen, built by a Norwegian, and the house of Tuomainen, built by a Finn. On the island of Vadsøya is the airship mast used by Umberto Nobile and Roald Amundsen for their expedition over the North Pole with the airship Norge in 1926, and used again on Nobile's flight with the airship Italia in 1928.[8]
Government[]
All municipalities in Norway, including Vadsø, 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.[11] The municipality falls under the Øst-Finnmark District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
Municipal council[]
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Vadsø is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:
| Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 5 | |
| Red Party (Rødt) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
Mayors[]
The mayors of Vadsø (incomplete list):
- 2019–present: Wenche Pederson (Ap)
- 2015-2019: Hans-Jacob Bønå (H)
- 2014-2015: Rolf Arne Hanssen (SV)
- 2007-2013: Svein Dragnes (Ap)
- 2003-2007: Hauk Henrik Johnsen (Ap)
- 1995-2003: Anne Strifeldt (Ap)
Geography[]
The municipality of Vadsø forms the southern coast of the Varanger Peninsula, which is largely covered by birch forests on this more sheltered side (as opposed to the northern side). The Varangerfjorden flows along the southern coast of the municipality and the river Jakobselva runs along the western border of Vadsø. The small islands of Lille Ekkerøy and Vadsøya lie in the Varangerfjorden. The Varangerhalvøya National Park lies in a large part of the interior parts of the municipality.[8] The "midnight sun" is above the horizon from 17 May to 28 July (73 days), and the period with continuous daylight lasts a bit longer, polar night from 25 November to 17 January (54 days).
Climate[]
Situated on the southern shore of the Varanger Peninsula, Vadsø has a subarctic climate, with long winters and a cool short summer, but warm enough for hardy forest to grow naturally.
| hideClimate data for Vadsø Airport 1991-2020 (precipitation from Ekkerøy) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −5.8 (21.6) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
3.6 (38.5) |
7.5 (45.5) |
10.9 (51.6) |
10.2 (50.4) |
7.3 (45.1) |
1.9 (35.4) |
−2 (28) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
1.6 (34.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48 (1.9) |
39 (1.5) |
39 (1.5) |
41 (1.6) |
31 (1.2) |
41 (1.6) |
53 (2.1) |
55 (2.2) |
52 (2.0) |
53 (2.1) |
53 (2.1) |
45 (1.8) |
550 (21.7) |
| Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[31] | |||||||||||||
Wildlife[]
Birdlife[]
Situated on the shores of the Varangerfjorden the municipality of Vadsø is known for its interesting birdlife. Many of its coastal localities like Store Ekkerøy are internationally known for its rich and interesting birdlife. The harbor at Vadsø can produce all three species of eider, including the small and stunning Steller's eider.
River fishing[]
Fishing permits (for salmon fishing) are sold for use on specific rivers, including Komag-elva.[32]
Transportation[]
Vadsø Airport is located in Kiby, just to the east of the town. The town is also a port of call for the Hurtigruten coastal express boats. Vadsø is located along the European route E75 highway.[8]
Notable residents[]
- Mathias Bonsach Krogh (1754 in Vadsø – 1828) a clergyman, first Bishop of Hålogaland
- Sigurd Kloumann (1879 in Vadsø – 1953) a Norwegian engineer and hydropower developer
- Terje Wold (1899 – 1972) Mayor of Vadsø in the 1930s & the 15th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court 1958 to 1969
- Anders John Aune (1923 – 2011) a Norwegian politician, Mayor of Vadsø in the 1950s
- Einar Niemi (born 1943 in Nord-Varanger) historian of the cultural heritage of Northern Norway
- Harald Norvik (born 1946 in Vadsø) former CEO of Statoil, Telenor & ConocoPhillips
- Bodil Niska (born 1954 in Vadsø) a Norwegian jazz musician, plays the saxophone
- Harald Devold (1964–2016) a Norwegian jazz musician, lived in Vadsø from 1995
- Stig Henrik Hoff (born 1965 in Vadsø) a Norwegian actor [33]
- Ingvild Aleksandersen (born 1968 in Vadsø) a Norwegian lawyer; County Governor of Finnmark county 2016 to 2018
Sport[]
- Aage Steen (1900 in Vadsø – 1982) a boxer who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics
- Lars Bohinen (born 1969 in Vadsø) a former professional footballer with 355 club caps and 49 for Norway
- Sigurd Rushfeldt (born 1972 in Vadsø) a football coach and former player with 485 club caps and 38 for Norway
- Morten Gamst Pedersen (born 1981 in Vadsø) a professional footballer with over 500 club caps and 83 for Norway
International relations[]
Twin towns — Sister cities[]
Vadsø is twinned with the following cities:
– Holstebro, Denmark
– Karkkila, Finland- – Kemijärvi, Finland
– Murmansk, Russia
– Oxelösund, Sweden
References[]
- ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
- ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
- ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå (2020). "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
- ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå (2020). "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
- ^ Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ Mæhlum, Lars, ed. (2019-12-24). "Troms og Finnmark". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
- ^ Indrebø, Gustav (1927). Norsk namneverk. p. 161.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Thorsnæs, Geir; Askheim, Svein, eds. (2018-01-10). "Vadsø". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
- ^ "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ^ "Kommunevåpen". Flags of the World. 28 June 2002. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
- ^ Hansen, Tore, ed. (2016-05-12). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ^ "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Troms og Finnmark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
- ^ "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Finnmark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
- ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
- ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
- ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
- ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
- ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1934" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1935. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
- ^ "eKlima Web Portal". Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 2004-06-14.
- ^ "Laksefiske for alle". Aftenposten. 19 July 2014. p. 11.
- ^ IMDb Database retrieved 30 September 2020
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vadsø. |
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)
- Varanger.com: tourist information about Varanger area
- List of town twinnings in Scandinavia (in Norwegian)
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- Vadsø
- Municipalities of Troms og Finnmark
- Populated places established in 1838
- Populated places of Arctic Norway
- 1838 establishments in Norway