Frøya is the westernmost

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 ...

Trøndelag Trøndelag (; sma, Trööndelage) is a county in the central part of Norway. It was created in 1687, then named Trondhjem County ( no, Trondhjems Amt); in 1804 the county was split into Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag by the King of Denmar ...

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

Fosen Fosen is a traditional district in Trøndelag, consisting of the municipalities Osen, Roan Åfjord, Ørland, Indre Fosen, Orkland, Heim, Hitra and Frøya. The district is dominated by forested valleys, lakes, coastal cliffs but also shallow ar ...

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 ...

and consists of the island of Frøya, which lies north of the island of

Hitra Hitra is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality covers the island of Hitra and hundreds smaller islands, islets, and skerries. It is part of the Fosen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village ...

, as well several thousand other small islands surrounding the island of Frøya. The village of

Sistranda Sistranda is the administrative centre of the municipality of Frøya in Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the island of Frøya, about north of the village of Hammarvika and the entrance to the Frøya Tunnel ...

is the

administrative center 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 A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or ...

of Frøya. Other villages include

Hammarvika Hammarvika is a village in the municipality of Frøya in Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located about south of the municipal center of Sistranda on the southeastern side of the island of Frøya. The village has a population (2018 ...

Titran Titran is a village in the municipality of Frøya in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at the western end of the island of Frøya, about west of the villages of Hammarvika and Sistranda. The Sletringen Lighthouse is located on a sm ...

, Sula, and Mausund. The main island of Frøya is connected to the neighboring island of

(and ultimately the mainland of Norway) by the

Frøya Tunnel The Frøya Tunnel ( no, Frøyatunnelen) is an undersea tunnel connecting the municipalities of Frøya and Hitra in Trøndelag county, Norway. The tunnel is located about south of the village of Sistranda on Frøya. The long road tunnel reach ...

which goes under the

Frøyfjorden The Frøyfjorden is a strait between the islands of Frøya and Hitra in Trøndelag county, Norway. The long strait is rather shallow, only about at its deepest. The Frøya Tunnel goes beneath the fjord from Hammarvika in Frøya Municipali ...

. The municipality is the 291st largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Frøya is the 176th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,265. 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 increased by 20.5% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

The parish of Frøya was established as a municipality on 1 January 1877 when it was separated from the municipality of

. Its initial population was 3,949. On 1 January 1906, it was split into two municipalities: Nord-Frøya in the north and Sør-Frøya in the south. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway 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 ...

. On 1 January 1964, Nord-Frøya and Sør-Frøya were merged back together again, forming a new municipality of Frøya. On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the old

Sør-Trøndelag Sør-Trøndelag () was a county comprising the southern portion of the present-day Trøndelag county in Norway. It bordered the old Nord-Trøndelag county as well as the counties of Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, and Hedmark. To the west is the No ...

county to the new

county.

Name

The name of the island and municipality come from

Norse mythology Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...

. Although ''Frøya'' is a variant of the name of the Norse goddess

Freyja In Norse paganism, Freyja (Old Norse "(the) Lady") is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr (magic for seeing and influencing the future). Freyja is the owner of the necklace Brísingamen, rides a chario ...

, the

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...

form of the name of the island was ''Frøy'' or ''Frey'' (the ending ''-a'' in the modern form is actually the feminine definite article - so the meaning of ''Frøya'' is 'the Frøy'). Therefore, the name of the island probably has the same root as the name of the

Norse god In Germanic paganism, the indigenous religion of the ancient Germanic peoples who inhabited Germanic Europe, there were a number of different gods and goddesses. Germanic deities are attested from numerous sources, including works of literature, ...

Freyr Freyr (Old Norse: 'Lord'), sometimes anglicized as Frey, is a widely attested god in Norse mythology, associated with kingship, fertility, peace, and weather. Freyr, sometimes referred to as Yngvi-Freyr, was especially associated with Sweden an ...

, brother to Freyja. The names originally were titles: "

lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...

" or "

lady The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Inform ...

". The oldest meaning of the common word was "(the one) in front; the foremost, the leading" and here in the sense "the island in front of

". Until 1906 the island and municipality name was spelled ''Frøien'' (''-en'' is the masculine definite article in

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 ...

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 13 March 1987. The arms show three silver

fish hook A fish hook or fishhook, formerly also called angle (from Old English ''angol'' and Proto-Germanic ''*angulaz''), is a hook used to catch fish either by piercing and embedding onto the inside of the fish mouth (angling) or, more rarely, by impa ...

s made of bone from the

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...

on a blue background. The hooks symbolize the importance of fishing and trapping to the people of Frøya.

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 Frøya. It is part of the

Orkdal prosti This list of churches in Nidaros is a list of the Church of Norway churches in the Diocese of Nidaros which covers all of Trøndelag county in Norway. The list is divided into several sections, one for each deanery in the diocese. Administrati ...

(

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 Nidaros Nidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Trøndelag county in Central Norway and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. Since 10 September 2017, the Bishop of Nidaros is Herborg ...

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Frøya, 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

Trøndelag District Court Trøndelag District Court ( no, Trøndelag tingrett) is a district court located in Trøndelag county, Norway. This court is based at four different courthouses which are located in Brekstad, Namsos, Steinkjer, and Trondheim. The court serves the ...

and the

Frostating Court of Appeal The Frostating Court of Appeal ( no, Frostating lagmannsrett) is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Trondheim. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal ...

Municipal council

The

() of Frøya is made up of 23 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 Frøya (incomplete list): *2019–present: Kristin Furunes Strømskag ( H) *2011-2019: Berit Flåmo ( Ap) *2007-2011: Hans Stølan (Ap) *2003-2007: Arvid Hammernes ( V) *1987-2003: Jan Otto Fredagsvik (Ap) *1979-1987: Sigbjørn Larsen (

KrF The Christian Democratic Party ( nb, Kristelig Folkeparti, nn, Kristeleg Folkeparti, se, Risttalaš Álbmotbellodat, , KrF) is a Christian-democratic political party in Norway founded in 1933. The party is an observer member of the European Pe ...

)

Geography

The municipality of Frøya has many small fishing communities on the large island of Frøya and many small islands in the ocean such as Mausundvær, Bogøyvær, and Sula, with Mausund being the largest of these with a population of approximately 270. Other small islands such as

Froan Froan or Froøyene is a populated archipelago of small, rocky islands in the municipality of Frøya in Trøndelag county, Norway. Froan consists of several hundred islands and islets that lie in the sea about west of the Fosen peninsula. The i ...

and

Halten, Trøndelag Halten is an unpopulated fishing village in the municipality of Frøya in Trøndelag county, Norway. The village was located on several adjacent islands at the far northern end of the Froan island chain. They constituted the northernmost part o ...

lay to the northeast of the island of Frøya. Many of these islands are home to

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

s such as

Halten Lighthouse Halten Lighthouse ( no, Halten fyr) is a coastal lighthouse in the municipality of Frøya in Trøndelag county, Norway. The lighthouse is situated in the now uninhabited fishing village of Halten. It was first lit in 1875, and it is the northern ...

, Finnvær Lighthouse, Vingleia Lighthouse, Sula Lighthouse, and Sletringen Lighthouse. The main island of Frøya is fairly open and has no natural forests–mostly covered with

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found at ...

es and heather. The largest villages on the island are

in the east and

in the west. Frøya is a member of the

International Island Games Association The International Island Games Association (IIGA) is the organising body for the Island Games, a friendly biennial multi-sport competition between teams from several European islands and other small territories (24 Members from 7 Nations). The ...

. The highest point above sea level is the tall Besselvassheia, and the second highest point is the tall Bremnestua.

Climate

Frøya has a temperate

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

(Cfb) with a year amplitude of only from the coldest to the warmest month. November and December are the wettest months, while April - July are the driest part of the year. The record high is from July 2014, and the record low is from February 2010. The average date for the last overnight freeze (below ) in spring is April 4 and average date for first freeze in autumn is November 20 (1981-2010 average) giving an average frost-free season of 229 days.

Notable residents

* John A. Widtsoe (1872 in Frøya – 1952) a

Norwegian American Norwegian Americans ( nb, Norskamerikanere, nn, Norskamerikanarar) are Americans with ancestral roots in Norway. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the ...

LDS LDS may refer to: Organizations * LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, US Religion * Latter Day Saint movement (LDS movement), a collection of independent church groups **The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest group within t ...

churchman, author, scientist and academic * Paul Martin Dahlø (1885 in Frøya – 1967) a Norwegian fisherman and politician, Mayor of Frøya on both sides of WWII *

Alf Tande-Petersen Alf Tande-Petersen, nicknamed Tande-P (born 9 October 1950), is a Norwegian television personality, journalist, writer and businessperson. In his early career he wrote for newspapers and was a radio presenter, and he has released books in several ge ...

(born 1950) a Norwegian TV personality, journalist, writer and businessperson; brought up in Frøya * Gustav Magnar Witzøe (born 1993 in Frøya) a billionaire and shareholder of salmon fish farming company

SalMar SalMar ASA is a Norwegian fish farm company and one of the world's largest producers of farmed salmon. The company's main activities include marine-phase farming, broodfish and smolt production, processing and sale of farmed salmon. It holds 100 ...

ASA

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 ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Froya, Trondelag Municipalities of Trøndelag 1877 establishments in Norway 1906 disestablishments in Norway 1964 establishments in Norway