Dønna is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

Nordland Nordland (; smj, Nordlánnda, sma, Nordlaante, sme, Nordlánda, en, Northland) is a county in Norway in the Northern Norway region, the least populous of all 11 counties, bordering Troms og Finnmark in the north, Trøndelag in the south, N ...

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

. It is part of the Helgeland

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

. The

administrative centre An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located. In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, Lu ...

of the island municipality is the village of

Solfjellsjøen Solfjellsjøen or Solfjellsjyen is the administrative centre of the municipality of Dønna in Nordland county, Norway. The village is located on the west-central part of the Dønna (island), island of Dønna. Nordvik Church is located about nort ...

. Other villages include Bjørn,

Dønnes Dønnes is a former municipality in the Helgeland traditional region in Nordland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1888 until its dissolution in 1962. The former municipality encompassed the northern part of the island of Dønna ...

, Hestad,

Sandåker Sandåker is a village in the municipality of Dønna in Nordland county, Norway. It is located on the south-central part of the island of Løkta. It has the postal code ''8813 Kopardal'', named after the neighboring village of Kopardal, where the ...

, and

Vandve Vandve or Vandved is an island in the municipality of Dønna in Nordland county, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the w ...

. The main island of Dønna is connected to the neighboring municipality of Herøy to the south by the

Åkviksundet Bridge The Åkviksundet Bridge ( no, Åkviksundet bru) is a box girder bridge that crosses the Åkviksundet strait between the islands of Dønna and Staulen in Nordland county, Norway. Together with the Hoholmen Bridge, it forms the road connection ...

. The municipality is the 304th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Dønna is the 306th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,369. The municipality's

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

is and its population has decreased by 4.5% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

Municipal history

The municipality of Dønna was established on 1 January 1962 due to the work of the

Schei Committee The Schei Committee ( no, Schei-komitéen) was a committee named by the Government of Norway to look into the organization of municipalities in Norway post-World War II. It convened in 1946, and its formal name was (The 1946 Committee on Municip ...

. The new municipality was created by merging these areas: *the municipality of

Nordvik Nordvik is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1917 until its dissolution in 1962. The island municipality encompassed the central part of the island of Dønna as well as the smaller surrounding is ...

(population: 1,293) *the part of the municipality of Herøy on the southern tip of the island of Dønna (population: 19) *the part of the municipality of

Nesna Nesna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Nesna. Other villages in Nesna include Handnesneset, Husby, Saura, and Vi ...

on the island

Løkta Løkta is an island in the municipality of Dønna in Nordland county, Norway. The island is located between the islands of Dønna and Hugla, at the entrance to the Ranfjorden. The village of Sandåker is located on the southern part of the is ...

(population: 80) *the majority of the municipality of

(population: 1,348), except for the part located on the island of

Tomma Tomma is an island in the municipality of Nesna in Nordland county, Norway. The island sits to the west of the islands of Handnesøya and Hugla. The island is at the southern entrance to the Sjona fjord. The main settlement on this island ...

. The borders of Dønna municipality have not changed since that time.

Name

The municipality is named after the island of Dønna ( non, Dyn). The name is probably derived from the Norse verb ''dynja'' which means to "rumble" or "roar" (referring to the swell of the

waves Waves most often refers to: *Waves, oscillations accompanied by a transfer of energy that travel through space or mass. * Wind waves, surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water. Waves may also refer to: Music * Waves (ban ...

on the island).

Coat of arms

The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

was granted on 29 May 1981. The arms show a

wave In physics, mathematics, and related fields, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance (change from equilibrium) of one or more quantities. Waves can be periodic, in which case those quantities oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium (res ...

as a

canting ' (IPA: , VOS Spelling: ''tjanting'', jv, ꦕꦤ꧀ꦛꦶꦁ, Tjanting) is a pen-like tool used to apply liquid hot wax ( jv, ) in the batik-making process in Indonesia, more precisely '' batik tulis'' (lit. "written batik"). Traditional ''T ...

symbol for the municipality since the

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

word ''dønning'' means wave.

Churches

The

Church of Norway The Church of Norway ( nb, Den norske kirke, nn, Den norske kyrkja, se, Norgga girku, sma, Nöörjen gærhkoe) is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. The church b ...

has one parish () within the municipality of Dønna. It is part of the Nord-Helgeland prosti (

deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, the Evangelical Church in Germany, and the Church of Norway. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residenc ...

) in the

Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland Sør-Hålogaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. The Diocese covers the Lutheran Church of Norway churches located within Nordland county in Norway. The diocese is headquartered in the town of Bodø at Bodø Cathedral, the seat of the ...

Economy

Much of the industry focuses on

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

aquaculture Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants (e.g. lot ...

, and

fish processing The term fish processing refers to the processes associated with fish and fish products between the time fish are caught or harvested, and the time the final product is delivered to the customer. Although the term refers specifically to fish, in ...

. There is also some

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

, and some public services.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Dønna, are responsible for

primary education Primary education or elementary education is typically the first stage of formal education, coming after preschool/kindergarten and before secondary school. Primary education takes place in ''primary schools'', ''elementary schools'', or first ...

(through 10th grade), outpatient health services,

senior citizen Old age refers to ages nearing or surpassing the life expectancy of human beings, and is thus the end of the human life cycle. Terms and euphemisms for people at this age include old people, the elderly (worldwide usage), OAPs (British usage ...

services,

unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for Work (human activity), w ...

and other

social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...

zoning Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...

economic development In the economics study of the public sector, economic and social development is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and o ...

, and municipal

road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...

s. The municipality is governed by a

municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counci ...

of elected representatives, which in turn elect a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

. The municipality falls under the

Alstahaug District Court Alstahaug District Court ( no, Alstahaug tingrett) was a district court in Nordland county, Norway. The court was based in the town of Sandnessjøen. The court existed from 1859 until 2021. It served the municipalities of Alstahaug, Dønna, G ...

and the

Hålogaland Court of Appeal The Hålogaland Court of Appeal ( no, Hålogaland lagmannsrett) is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Tromsø. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark as ...

Municipal council

The

() of Dønna is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The

party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...

breakdown of the council is as follows:

Mayor

The mayors of Dønna (incomplete list): *2019–present: Nils Jenssen ( Sp) *2015-2019: John Erik Skjellnes Johansen ( Ap) *2011-2015: Anne Sofie Sand Mathisen (Ap) *2007-2011: Ingunn Laumann (Ap) *2003-2007: Steinar Horsgård (Sp) *1995-2003: Anne Sofie Sand Mathisen (Ap)

Geography

Dønna is located in Outer Helgeland which also consists of the municipalities of

Leirfjord Leirfjord is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Leland. Other villages in Leirfjord include Bardalssjøen and Sundøy. The l ...

, Alstahaug, and Herøy. The municipality is made up of a large

archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands. Examples of archipelagos include: the Indonesian Archi ...

consisting of islands, islets, and reefs. The three largest islands in the municipality are

Dønna Dønna is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland Districts of Norway, region. The administrative centre of the island municipality is the village of Solfjellsj ...

, and

. The

Åsvær Åsvær is a small group of islands lying on the Arctic Circle in the municipality of Dønna in Nordland county, Norway. The islands lie on the south side of the Nordåsværfjord, about south of the island of Lovund Lovund is an island and v ...

et islands (and the

Åsvær Lighthouse Åsvær Lighthouse ( no, Åsvær fyr) is a coastal lighthouse in Dønna Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located on the island of Åsvær, about north of the village of Vandve, about northwest of the island of Dønna (island), D ...

) lie in the western part of the municipality. The island municipality is situated at the mouth of the

Ranfjorden The Ranfjorden (or just ''Ranfjord'') is a fjord in the Helgeland district of Nordland county, Norway. The largest part of the fjord is in the municipality of Rana, but the fjord also passes through the municipalities of Hemnes, Vefsn, Leirfjor ...

Notable residents

Gjeble Pederssøn Gjeble Pederssøn (c.1490 – 9 March 1557) was a Norwegian priest who was the first Lutheranism, Lutheran bishop in Norway. Pederssøn was born at Teigstad, Dønna in Nordland, Norway. His father was a councilman in Bergen. He went to schoo ...

(ca.1490 at Teigstad – 1557) a priest, the first Lutheran bishop in Norway *

Petter Dass Petter Pettersen Dass (c. 1647 – 17 August 1707) was a Lutheran priest and the foremost Norwegian poet of his generation, writing both baroque hymns and topographical poetry. Biography He was born at Northern Herøy (Dønna), Nordland, No ...

(ca.1647 – 1707) a Lutheran priest and poet; (birthplace disputed) *

Erasmus Zahl Erasmus Benedicter (Benedigt) Kjerschow (Kjerskov) Zahl (19 January 1826 – 29 April 1900) was a privileged trader and an island owner at Kjerringøy in Nordland, Norway. Zahl is known as Nobel Literature Prize laureate Knut Hamsun's monetary sup ...

(1826 in Nordvika – 1900) a

privileged trader A privileged trader ( no, nessekonge, literally 'peninsular king', also known as a ''væreiere'' 'community owner') is a term that was used for fish merchants or landowners that enjoyed special privileges along the coast of Northern Norway from ...

and figure of the social hierarchy *

Anton Christian Bang Anton Christian Bang (18 September 1840 in Dønna, Helgeland – 29 December 1913) was a Norwegian theologian, historian and politician for the Conservative Party of Norway. Bang was one of the more prominent figures within the Church of ...

(1840 on Dønna – 1913) a theologian, historian and politician; Bishop of

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

1896 to 1912 * Fredrikke Tønder-Olsen, (Norwegian Wiki) (1856 on Dønna - 1931) feminist pioneer * Julius J. Olson (1875 on Dønna – 1955)

Minnesota Supreme Court The Minnesota Supreme Court is the Supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court chamber in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center. History The court wa ...

justice *

Ole Edvart Rølvaag Ole Edvart Rølvaag (; Rølvåg in modern Norwegian, Rolvaag in English orthography) (April 22, 1876 – November 5, 1931) was a Norwegian-American novelist and professor who became well known for his writings regarding the Norwegian American imm ...

(1876 on Dønna – 1931) a Norwegian-American author * Axel Coldevin (1900 on Dønna – 1992) a Norwegian historian, wrote about trade and industry * Steinar Bastesen (born 1945 on Dønna) a Norwegian politician, fisherman and whaler * Roy Jacobsen (born 1954) a novelist and short-story writer, lives periodically on Dønna *

Odd Eriksen Odd means unpaired, occasional, strange or unusual, or a person who is viewed as eccentric. Odd may also refer to: Acronym * ODD (Text Encoding Initiative) ("One Document Does it all"), an abstracted literate-programming format for describing X ...

(born 1955) a politician, stopped an Algerian hijacker; brought up on Dønna *

Jostein Pedersen Jostein Pedersen (born 11 August 1959 in Dønna) is a Norway, Norwegian musical journalist and reporter, television commentator and "music intelligencia". He was the Norwegian commentator to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, and from 1996 to 20 ...

(born 1959 in Dønna) a Norwegian musical journalist, reporter and TV commentator

References

External links

*
Municipal fact sheet
from

Statistics Norway Statistics Norway ( no, Statistisk sentralbyrå, abbreviated to ''SSB'') is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876. Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every yea ...

Photos from Dønna
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donna Municipalities of Nordland 1962 establishments in Norway