Førde Fjord ( no, Førdefjorden) is a
fjord
In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Förden and East Jutland Fjorde, Germany, ...
in
Vestland
Vestland is a county in Norway established on 1 January 2020. The county is located in Western Norway and it is centred around the city of Bergen, Norway's second largest city. The administrative centre of the county is the city of Bergen, where t ...
county,
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 the ...
. It is the longest of all the fjords in the
traditional district of
Sunnfjord. Førdefjorden passes through the municipalities of
Sunnfjord,
Askvoll
is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Askvoll. Other villages in the municipality include Holmedal, Kvammen, and Stongfjorden. The ...
, and
Kinn
Kinn is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It was established on 1 January 2020. It is in the traditional districts of Nordfjord and Sunnfjord. The municipality is the only non-contiguous municipality in Norway since the municipality of ...
. The fjord begins at the town of
Førde
Førde is a former municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center was the town of Førde which in 2016 had 10,255 inhabitants. Other villages in Førd ...
, at the estuary of the river
Jølstra
The Jølstra is a river in Sunnfjord Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The long river flows from the lake of Jølstravatnet (at an elevation of above sea level) down to the Førdefjorden (which is at sea level). The river begins at the ...
, which comes from the lake
Jølstravatn. The island of
Svanøya
Svanøy (also called Svanøyna and Brulandet) is an island in the municipality of Kinn in Vestland county, Norway. The island is located in the Sunnfjord district of the county. The island lies just to the west of the mainland, in the mouth of the ...
lies just outside the mouth of Førdefjorden. There are roads along the shoreline on both the north and south sides of the fjord, and the
European route E39 highway runs past the town of Førde, near Førdefjorden.
Development of mining industry
Nordic Mining have applied to deposit 6m tonnes of tailings a year for 50 years into the Fjord, prompting much opposition. In May 2022, a permission was granted; however, an operations plan
as not yet been approvedby
Directorate of Mining (as of Q2 2022).
s of 2021Nordic Mining is permitted to dump 9
etrictons of chemicals into the fjord per year, including 2 tons of SIBX (sodium isobutyl xanthate).
Settlements
The following settlements are located along the Førdefjorden:
*
Stavang (in Flora municipality), on the north side, at the mouth of the fjord
*
Kvammen (in Askvoll municipality), on the south side, near the mouth of the fjord
*
Indrevevring (in Naustdal municipality), on the north side, a little ways into the fjord
*
Helle (in Naustdal municipality), on the north side, about the middle of the fjord
*
Naustdal
Naustdal is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre was the village of Naustdal, which has 1,188 inhabitants (2017). Other village ...
(the administrative centre of Naustdal municipality), on the north side, near the inner part of the fjord
*
Førde
Førde is a former municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center was the town of Førde which in 2016 had 10,255 inhabitants. Other villages in Førd ...
(the adm. centre of Førde municipality), at the innermost part of the fjord
Media gallery
File:Askvoll gjelsvik.jpg, Gjelsvik by Førdefjorden
File:Førdefjorden - August 2.JPG, View of Førdefjorden towards southwest
File:Førdefjorden - August.JPG, View of Førdefjorden towards southeast
See also
*
List of Norwegian fjords
References
Fjords of Vestland
Sunnfjord
Askvoll
Kinn
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