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Troms (; se, Romsa; fkv, Tromssa; fi, Tromssa) is a
former county in northern
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 ...
. On 1 January 2020 it was merged with the neighboring
Finnmark
Finnmark (; se, Finnmárku ; fkv, Finmarku; fi, Ruija ; russian: Финнмарк) was a county in the northern part of Norway, and it is scheduled to become a county again in 2024.
On 1 January 2020, Finnmark was merged with the neighbouri ...
county to create the new
Troms og Finnmark
Troms og Finnmark (; sme, Romsa ja Finnmárku ; fkv, Tromssa ja Finmarkku; fi, Tromssa ja Finnmark, lit. Troms and Finnmark in English language, English), is a Counties of Norway, county in Northern Norway, northern Norway that was established ...
county. This merger is expected to be reversed by the government resulting from the
2021 Norwegian parliamentary election.
It bordered
Finnmark
Finnmark (; se, Finnmárku ; fkv, Finmarku; fi, Ruija ; russian: Финнмарк) was a county in the northern part of Norway, and it is scheduled to become a county again in 2024.
On 1 January 2020, Finnmark was merged with the neighbouri ...
county to the northeast and
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 in the southwest.
Norrbotten Län in
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
is located to the south and further southeast is a shorter border with
Lapland Province
The Province of Lapland ( fi, Lapin lääni, sv, Lapplands län) was a Provinces of Finland, province of Finland from 1938 to 2009.
It was established in 1938, when it was separated from the Province of Oulu. After the Second World War, the Pe ...
in
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
. To the west is the
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea ( no, Norskehavet; is, Noregshaf; fo, Norskahavið) is a marginal sea, grouped with either the Atlantic Ocean or the Arctic Ocean, northwest of Norway between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea, adjoining the Barents Sea to ...
(
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
).
The entire county, which was established in 1866, was located north of the
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the two polar circles, and the most northerly of the five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth. Its southern equivalent is the Antarctic Circle.
The Arctic Circle marks the southernmost latitude at w ...
. The
Troms County Municipality
Troms County Municipality ( no, Troms fylkeskommune, Kven: ''Tromssan fylkinkomuuni,'' se, Romssa fylkkasuohkan) was the regional governing administration of the old Troms county in northern Norway. It had its administration in the city of Tro ...
was the governing body for the county, elected by the people of Troms, while the Troms
county governor was a representative of the
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
and
Government of Norway. The county had a population of 161,771 in 2014.
General information
Name
Until 1919, the county was formerly known as ''
Tromsø amt
Tromsø (, , ; se, Romsa ; fkv, Tromssa; sv, Tromsö) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.
Tromsø lies in Northern Norway. The municipality is the 21s ...
''. On 1 July 2006, the
Northern Sami
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North, a point in direction
* Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe
* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States
* Northern Province, Sri Lanka
* Northern Range, a ...
name for the county, ''Romsa'', was granted official status along with Troms.
The county (and the city of
Tromsø
Tromsø (, , ; se, Romsa ; fkv, Tromssa; sv, Tromsö) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Tromsø (city), city of Tromsø.
Tromsø lies ...
) was named after the island
Tromsøya
or is an island in Tromsø Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It lies in the Tromsøysundet strait between the mainland and the larger island of Kvaløya. The city of Tromsø is located on the island, which has 39,882 resident ...
on which it was located (
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 ...
''Trums''). Several theories exist as to the
etymology
Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...
of Troms. One theory holds "Troms-" to derive from the old (uncompounded) name of the island (
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 ...
: ''Trums''). Several islands and rivers in Norway have the name ''Tromsa'', and the names of these are probably derived from the word ''straumr'' which means "(strong) stream". (The original form must then have been ''Strums'', for the missing ''s'' see
Indo-European s-mobile In Indo-European studies, the term s-''mobile'' ( ; the word is a Latin neuter adjective) designates the phenomenon where a PIE root appears to begin with an ' which is sometimes but not always present. It is therefore represented in the reflex o ...
.) Another theory holds that Tromsøya was originally called ''Lille Tromsøya'' (Little Tromsøya), because of its proximity to the much bigger island today called
Kvaløya, that according to this theory was earlier called "Store Tromsøya" due to a characteristic mountain known as ''Tromma'' (the Drum). The mountain's name in
Sámi
The Sámi ( ; also spelled Sami or Saami) are a Finno-Ugric-speaking people inhabiting the region of Sápmi (formerly known as Lapland), which today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and of the Murmansk Oblast, Ru ...
, ''Rumbbučohkka'', is identical in meaning, and it is said to have been a sacred mountain for the Sámi in pre-Christian times.
The Sámi name of the island, ''Romsa'', is assumed to be a loan from Norse – but according to the phonetical rules of the Sami language the frontal ''t'' has disappeared from the name. However, an alternative form – ''Tromsa'' – is in informal use. There is a theory that holds the Norwegian name of Tromsø derives from the Sámi name, though this theory lacks an explanation for the meaning of ''Romsa''. A common misunderstanding is that Tromsø's Sámi name is ''Romssa'' with a double "s". This, however, is the accusative and
genitive form
In grammar, the genitive case (abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive can al ...
of the noun used when, for example, writing "Tromsø Municipality" (Roms''s''a Suohkan).
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 ...
of Troms was made by Hallvard Trætteberg (1898–1987) and adopted by royal resolution on 15 January 1960. The official
blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vis ...
in Norwegian ("På rød bunn en gull griff") translates to "On a field
Gules
In heraldry, gules () is the tincture with the colour red. It is one of the class of five dark tinctures called "colours", the others being azure (blue), sable (black), vert (green) and purpure (purple).
In engraving, it is sometimes depict ...
a
griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...
Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant">segreant.html" ;"title="Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant.html" ;"title="/nowiki> segreant">Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant.html"_;"title="/nowiki>Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant">segreant/nowiki>_segreant">Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant.html"_;"title="/nowiki>Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant">segreant/nowiki>_Or_(heraldry)">Or."_Trætteberg_chose_to_have_the_griffin_as_segreant">Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant.html"_;"title="/nowiki>Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant">segreant/nowiki>_Or_(heraldry)">Or."_Trætteberg_chose_to_have_the_griffin_as_Charge_(heraldry)">charge_
Charge_or_charged_may_refer_to:
_Arts,_entertainment,_and_media_Films
*_''_Charge,_Zero_Emissions/Maximum_Speed'',_a_2011_documentary
_Music
*__''Charge''_(David_Ford_album)
*__''Charge''_(Machel_Montano_album)
*_''Charge!!'',_an_album_by_The_Aqu_...
_because_that_animal_was_the_symbol_of_the_mighty_Norse_clans.html" "title="Charge_(heraldry).html" "title="Or_(heraldry).html" ;"title="Attitude (heraldry)#Rampant">segreant">Attitude_(heraldry)#Rampant.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Attitude (heraldry)#Rampant">segreant/nowiki> Or (heraldry)">Or." Trætteberg chose to have the griffin as Charge (heraldry)">charge
Charge or charged may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* '' Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary
Music
* ''Charge'' (David Ford album)
* ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album)
* ''Charge!!'', an album by The Aqu ...
because that animal was the symbol of the mighty Norse clans">clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship
and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...
of Bjarne Erlingsson on
Bjarkøy
Bjarkøy is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until it was merged with Harstad Municipality on 1 January 2013. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Nergården on the ...
in the 13th century.
Geography
![Fylkesvei 292, Piggtinden](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Fylkesvei_292%2C_Piggtinden.JPG)
Troms, when it existed, was located in the northern part of the
Scandinavian peninsula
The Scandinavian Peninsula ( sv, Skandinaviska halvön; no, Den skandinaviske halvøy (Bokmål) or nn, Den skandinaviske halvøya; fi, Skandinavian niemimaa) is a peninsula located in Northern Europe, which roughly comprises the mainlands ...
. Due to the long distance to the more densely populated areas of the continent, this is one of the least
polluted
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...
areas of Europe. Troms has a very rugged and indented coastline facing the
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea ( no, Norskehavet; is, Noregshaf; fo, Norskahavið) is a marginal sea, grouped with either the Atlantic Ocean or the Arctic Ocean, northwest of Norway between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea, adjoining the Barents Sea to ...
. However, the large and mountainous
island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
s along the coast provide an excellent sheltered
waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Broad distinctions are useful to avoid ambiguity, and disambiguation will be of varying importance depending on the nuance of the equivalent word in other languages. A first distinction is necessary b ...
on the inside. Starting in the south, the largest islands are: northeastern part of
Hinnøya
Hinnøya is the fourth-largest island in Norway, and the largest outside the Svalbard archipelago. The lies just off the western coast of Northern Norway. The island sits on the border of Nordland and Troms og Finnmark counties. The western ...
(the southern part is in Nordland),
Grytøya
or is an island in Harstad Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The island lies just north of the large island of Hinnøya and south of the island of Bjarkøya. It is surrounded by the Vågsfjorden in the east and the Andfjorden ...
,
Senja
or is an island in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway, Europe. With an area of , it is the second largest island in Norway (outside of the Svalbard archipelago). It has a wild, mountainous outer (western) side facing the Atlantic, and a mild ...
,
Kvaløya,
Ringvassøya,
Reinøy,
Vanna
Vanna () is a given name that first appeared in recorded European history circa 1294. The Italian medieval feminine name originated in Tuscany, and is particular to Florence, Italy.
Though similar in pronunciation to the Italian name Giovanna, an ...
, and
Arnøy. Some of these islands, most noteworthy Senja, have a rugged outer coast with steep mountains, and a more calm eastern shore. There are several large
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, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Ice ...
s that stretch quite far inland. Starting in the south, the largest fjords are
Vågsfjorden,
Andfjorden
Andfjorden is a fjord on the border of Nordland and Troms og Finnmark counties in Norway. It primarily flows between the large islands of Andøya and Senja. Grytøya and the smaller islands Bjarkøya and Krøttøya are located in the fjord. Th ...
(shared with Nordland),
Malangen
Malangen ( sme, Málatvuotna or fkv, Malankivuono) is a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1871 until its dissolution in 1964. The old municipality surrounded the Malangen fjord and today that area ...
,
Balsfjord
Balsfjord ( sme, Báhccavuotna ; fkv, Paatsivuono) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storsteinnes. Other villages include Mestervik, Mortenhals, and Nordkj ...
,
Ullsfjord
Ullsfjord is a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1902 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in what is now the eastern part of Tromsø Municipality and the southwestern part of Lyngen Municip ...
,
Lyngen
Lyngen ( se, Ivggu suohkan; fkv, Yykeän komuuni) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lyngseidet. Other villages include Furuflaten, Lattervika, Nord-Lenang ...
, and
Kvænangen
Kvænangen ( sme, Návuotna; fkv, Naavuono) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Burfjord. The European route E6 highway goes through the municipality and ove ...
(fjord). The largest lake is
Altevatnet
or is Norway’s 11th largest lake. The lake lies in the Bardu Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The lake is the largest lake in the county. It is approximately long and about wide. The lake is regulated by a dam on the nort ...
in the interior of the county.
![Balsfjorden & Jiehkkevárri](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Balsfjorden_%26_Jiehkkev%C3%A1rri.jpg)
There are mountains in all parts of Troms; the most alpine and striking are probably the
Lyngen Alps
The Lyngen Alps ( no, Lyngsalpene) are a mountain range in northeastern Troms og Finnmark county in Norway, east of the Tromsø (city), city of Tromsø. The mountain range runs through the municipalities of Lyngen, Balsfjord, and Storfjord. The mo ...
(''Lyngsalpene''), with several small
glacier
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
s and the highest mountain in the county,
Jiekkevarre with a height of . Several glaciers are located in
Kvænangen
Kvænangen ( sme, Návuotna; fkv, Naavuono) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Burfjord. The European route E6 highway goes through the municipality and ove ...
, including parts of the
Øksfjordjøkelen
or is the ninth largest glacier in mainland Norway. The glacier is located in Troms og Finnmark county. The glacier lies in both Loppa and Kvænangen municipalities.
The highest point was earlier known to have an elevation of . It is now due ...
, the last glacier in mainland Norway to drop icebergs directly into the sea (in the
Jøkelfjord). The largest river in Troms (waterflow) is
Målselva
The Målselva is a river in Målselv Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The long river flows through the Målselvdalen valley and then empties into the Målselvfjorden, an arm of the Malangen (fjord), Malangen fjord. The municipali ...
(in
Målselv
Målselv ( sme, Málatvuomi suohkan) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moen. The main commercial centre of the municipality is the Bardufoss area (including And ...
), and the largest (not the highest) waterfall is
Målselvfossen at long and high. Marble is present in parts of Troms, and thus numerous
cave
A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
s, as in
Salangen
Salangen is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sjøvegan, where most of the people in the municipality live. Other villages include Elvenes, Laberg, and Seljesko ...
and
Skånland
Skånland ( sme, Skánit) is a former municipality that was located in the old Troms county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1926 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Tjeldsund Municipality. It was part of the Central Hål ...
.
Climate
![Musvaer troms norway](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Musvaer_troms_norway.jpg)
Located at a latitude of nearly 70°N, Troms has short, cool summers, but fairly mild winters along the coast due to the temperate sea;
Torsvåg Lighthouse in
Karlsøy
Karlsøy ( sme, Gálssa suohkan) is an island municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hansnes. Other villages include Dåfjord, Hessfjord, Karlsøya, Torsvåg, Vannvå ...
has January 24-hr average of . Tromsø averages in January with a daily high of , while July averages with high of . Temperatures are typically below freezing for about 5 months (8 months in the mountains), from early November to the beginning of April, but coastal areas are moderated by the sea: with more than 130 years of official weather recordings, the coldest winter temperature ever recorded in Tromsø is in February 1985. The all-time high for Troms is recorded in
Bardufoss
Bardufoss is a town and commercial centre in Målselv Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The three villages of Andselv, Andslimoen, and Heggelia together form the Bardufoss area. Bardufoss is located in the Målselvdalen valley n ...
July 18, 2018. Thaws can occur even in mid-winter. There was often snow in abundance, and
avalanche
An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain.
Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and earth ...
s were not uncommon in winter. With the prevailing westerlies, lowland areas east of mountain ranges have less precipitation than areas west of the mountains.
Skibotn
Skibotn ( se, Ivgubahta, Kven: ''Yykeänperä'') is a village in Storfjord Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is located on the southeastern shore of the Lyngen fjord in Northern Norway. The village area is located at the cro ...
(elevation: ) in
Storfjord is the location in Norway which has recorded the most days per year with clear skies (no clouds). Winter temperatures in Målselv and
Bardu
Bardu ( sme, Bearddu suohkan, fkv, Perttulan komuuni) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Setermoen, the largest urban area in the municipality.
The munici ...
can get down to , while summer days can reach in inland valleys and the innermost fjord areas, but is much more common. Along the outer seaboard, a summer day at is considered fairly warm.
Sunlight
The
aurora borealis
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of br ...
is a common sight in the whole of the former Troms, but not in summer as there is no darkness. As with all areas in the polar latitudes, there are extreme variations in daylight between the seasons. As a consequence of this, the length of daylight increases (late winter and spring) or decreases (autumn) by 10 minutes from one day to the next.
Nature
Moose
The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult mal ...
,
red fox
The red fox (''Vulpes vulpes'') is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the Order (biology), order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe ...
,
hare
Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The ge ...
,
stoat
The stoat (''Mustela erminea''), also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine and ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern portions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Conc ...
, and small
rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...
s are common in all of Troms county.
Brown bear
The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is kno ...
s are sighted in the interior parts of the county in the summer. Other animals that can be seen are
reindeer
Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...
(interior mountain areas, with
Sami
Acronyms
* SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft
* Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company
* South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise net ...
owners),
wolverine
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for "gluttony, glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is ...
(interior mountain areas),
Eurasian otter
The Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra''), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia. The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of th ...
s (along the coast and rivers),
Eurasian lynx
The Eurasian lynx (''Lynx lynx'') is a medium-sized wild cat widely distributed from Northern, Central and Eastern Europe to Central Asia and Siberia, the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. It inhabits temperate and boreal forests up to an eleva ...
(in the forests), and
harbour porpoise
The harbour porpoise (''Phocoena phocoena'') is one of eight extant species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest species of cetacean. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar ...
s in the fjords.
Sperm whales
The sperm whale or cachalot (''Physeter macrocephalus'') is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the Genus (biology), genus ''Physeter'' and one of three extant species in the s ...
,
killer whales
The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white pat ...
and
humpback whales are often seen in
Andfjorden
Andfjorden is a fjord on the border of Nordland and Troms og Finnmark counties in Norway. It primarily flows between the large islands of Andøya and Senja. Grytøya and the smaller islands Bjarkøya and Krøttøya are located in the fjord. Th ...
. Some of the common birds are
ptarmigan
''Lagopus'' is a small genus of birds in the grouse subfamily commonly known as ptarmigans (). The genus contains three living species with numerous described subspecies, all living in tundra or cold upland areas.
Taxonomy and etymology
The ge ...
,
sea eagles,
European herring gull
The European herring gull (''Larus argentatus'') is a large gull, up to long. One of the best-known of all gulls along the shores of Western Europe, it was once abundant. It breeds across Northern Europe, Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern ...
s, and
great cormorant
The great cormorant (''Phalacrocorax carbo''), known as the black shag in New Zealand and formerly also known as the great black cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the black cormorant in Australia, and the large cormorant in India, is a w ...
s.
The sheltered valleys in the interior of Troms have the highest
tree line
The tree line is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually cold temperatures, extreme snowp ...
(summer warmth and length is the limiting factor), with
downy birch
''Betula pubescens'' (syn. ''Betula alba''), commonly known as downy birch and also as moor birch, white birch, European white birch or hairy birch, is a species of deciduous tree, native and abundant throughout northern Europe and northern Asia ...
reaching an elevation of on the southern slope of
Njunis
Njunis is a mountain in the interior of southern Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The mountain lies in Målselv Municipality. With a peak at , it is the highest mountain in this part of the county, and has Norway's thirteenth largest prominence. ...
; all over Troms county birch trees forms the tree lines, often above other trees.
Rowan
The rowans ( or ) or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus ''Sorbus
''Sorbus'' is a genus of over 100 species of trees and shrubs in the rose family, Rosaceae. Species of ''Sorbus'' (''s.l.'') are commonly known as whitebeam, r ...
,
aspen
Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the ''Populus'' genus.
Species
These species are called aspens:
*'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China ...
,
willow
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...
,
grey alder
''Alnus incana'', the grey alder or speckled alder, is a species of multi-stemmed, shrubby tree in the birch family, with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Tolerant of wetter soils, it can slowly spread with runners ...
, and
bird cherry are common in the lower elevations.
Scots pine
''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and orang ...
reaches an elevation of almost in
Dividalen, where some of the largest trees are 500 years old. The upper part of the valley is protected by
Øvre Dividal National Park
Øvre Dividal National Park ( no, Øvre Dividal nasjonalpark; sme, Dieváidvuovddi álbmotmeahcci) is a national park in Målselv Municipality in Troms county, Norway. The park was opened in 1971 and has an area of . The original intention was t ...
, which was enlarged in 2006. In 2011, the
Rohkunborri National Park
Rohkunborri National Park ( no, Rohkunborri nasjonalpark, sme, Rohkunborri álbmotmeahcci) is a national park in Troms county, Norway, that was established in 2011. The park consists of a protected area, and is located in Bardu Municipality alo ...
() was established in
Bardu
Bardu ( sme, Bearddu suohkan, fkv, Perttulan komuuni) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Setermoen, the largest urban area in the municipality.
The munici ...
municipality, bordering Sweden and only a few kilometers south of Øvre Dividal National Park.
The inland valleys, like Østerdalen (with Altevatnet), Kirkesdalen, Dividalen, Rostadalen, Signaldalen, and Skibotndalen, are perfect for summer
hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
, with their varied nature, mostly dry climate and not too difficult terrain, although there are many accessible mountains for energetic hikers.
Reisadalen is one of the most idyllic river valleys in Norway; from
Storslett
Storslett is the administrative centre of Nordreisa Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The village is located at the southern end of the Reisafjorden along the mouth of the river Reisaelva. The village has a population (2017) ...
in
Nordreisa
Nordreisa ( se, Ráisa ; fkv, Raisi) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Troms og Finnmark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storslett. Other villages include O ...
the valley stretches south-southeast, covered with birch, pine,
grey alder
''Alnus incana'', the grey alder or speckled alder, is a species of multi-stemmed, shrubby tree in the birch family, with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Tolerant of wetter soils, it can slowly spread with runners ...
, and willow. The northern part of the valley is wide, with high mountains on both sides; the southern part of the valley narrows to a few hundred metres (canyon), with increasingly dry climate. The valley floor is fairly flat with little height difference for (to Bilto); the
Reisa river can be navigated by canoe or river boat for much of this distance. The salmon swim up the river, and some 137 different species of birds have been observed. Several rivers cascade down into the valley; the ''Mollisfossen'' waterfall is . The valley ends southeast of Storslett, as the vast and more barren Finnmarksvidda plateau takes over.
Reisa National Park
, iucn_category = II
, photo = Reisa National Park logo.svg
, photo_width = 180
, map_image = Mollisfossen.jpg
, map_caption = Mollisfossen waterfall
, location = Nordreisa, Troms, Norway
, nearest_city = ...
protects the upper part of the valley.
Economy
![Nordkjosbotn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Nordkjosbotn.jpg)
![Skjærstad Harstad Wilse 35840](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Skj%C3%A6rstad_Harstad_Wilse_35840.jpeg)
The city of
Tromsø
Tromsø (, , ; se, Romsa ; fkv, Tromssa; sv, Tromsö) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Tromsø (city), city of Tromsø.
Tromsø lies ...
, in the north central part, was the county seat and an
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
seaport, and seat of the world's northernmost university, renowned for research about the
aurora borealis
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of br ...
. The
University of Tromsø
The University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway (Norwegian: ''Universitetet i Tromsø – Norges arktiske universitet''; Northern Sami: ''Romssa universitehta – Norgga árktalaš universitehta'') is a state university in Norway an ...
has an astrophysical observatory located in
Skibotn
Skibotn ( se, Ivgubahta, Kven: ''Yykeänperä'') is a village in Storfjord Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is located on the southeastern shore of the Lyngen fjord in Northern Norway. The village area is located at the cro ...
. Tromsø was the only municipality in the former county with a strong population growth; most of the smaller municipalities experience decreasing populations as the young and educated moved to the cities, often in the southern part of Norway.
Harstad
( se, Hárstták) is the second-most populated municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is mostly located on the large island of Hinnøya. The municipal center is the Harstad (town), town of Harstad, the most populous town in Centra ...
is a commercial centre for the southern part of the former county, and has been chosen by
Statoil
Equinor ASA (formerly Statoil and StatoilHydro) is a Norwegian state owned enterprise, state-owned multinational energy company headquartered in Stavanger. It is primarily a petroleum company, petroleum company, operating in 36 countries with ad ...
as its main office in Northern Norway.
Along the coast and on the islands, fishing is dominant. Important ports for the fishing fleet are
Skjervøy
Skjervøy kommune ( sme, Skiervvá suohkan; fkv, Kieruan komuuni) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Skjervøy on the island of Skjervøya, where most of the in ...
, Tromsø and Harstad. There is also some agriculture, especially in the southern part of the former county, which has a longer
growing season
A season is a division of the year marked by changes in weather, ecology, and the amount of daylight. The growing season is that portion of the year in which local conditions (i.e. rainfall, temperature, daylight) permit normal plant growth. Whil ...
(150 days in Harstad).
Balsfjord
Balsfjord ( sme, Báhccavuotna ; fkv, Paatsivuono) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storsteinnes. Other villages include Mestervik, Mortenhals, and Nordkj ...
is often regarded to be the most northern municipality with substantial agricultural activity in Norway, although there is also agriculture further north.
The Norwegian armed forces were vital employers in the former Troms, having the seat of the
6th army division,
Bardufoss Air Station, helicopter wings and radar stations in the county. There are hospitals in Tromsø (university hospital and main hospital for North Norway) and Harstad.
While the busiest airport in the former Troms is
Tromsø Airport
Tromsø Airport ( no, Tromsø lufthavn; ) is an international airport located at Langnes in the Tromsø (city), city of Tromsø in Tromsø Municipality, Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Situated on the western shore of the island of Tromsøya, i ...
, the southern part included
Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes
Harstad/Narvik Airport ( no, Harstad/Narvik lufthavn; ) is an international airport located in Evenes Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The airport serves the towns of Harstad and Narvik. It is co-located with Evenes Air Station of the ...
and
Bardufoss Airport
Bardufoss Airport ( no, Bardufoss lufthavn; ) is a primary airport situated at Bardufoss in Målselv Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The airport, which is the civilian sector of the Royal Norwegian Air Force's (RNoAF) Bardufoss A ...
, with
Sørkjosen Airport
Sørkjosen Airport ( no, Sørkjosen lufthavn; ) is a regional airport located at the village of Sørkjosen in Nordreisa Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway, about from the municipal center of Storslett. Owned and operated by th ...
in the northeast. The
E6 cuts through the county from Nordland into
Gratangen
Gratangen ( sme, Rivttága suohkan) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Central Hålogaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Årstein.
The municipal ...
in the south to
Kvænangen
Kvænangen ( sme, Návuotna; fkv, Naavuono) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Burfjord. The European route E6 highway goes through the municipality and ove ...
in the north and then into Finnmark. The
E8 road runs from Tromsø to Finland via
Nordkjosbotn
or is a small village in Balsfjord Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The village lies about southeast of the city of Tromsø. Two major highways, European route E6 and European route E8, meet in this village, making it a m ...
and the Skibotn valley. There are several large bridges; some of the largest are
Tjeldsund Bridge
The Tjeldsund Bridge ( no, Tjeldsundbrua) is a suspension road bridge that crosses the Tjeldsundet strait between the mainland and the island of Hinnøya in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The bridge is long, the main span is , and the maximu ...
,
Mjøsund Bridge
Mjøsund Bridge ( no, Mjøsundbrua) is a cantilever bridge in Ibestad and Salangen municipalities in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is part of the Norwegian County Road 848 that crosses the Mjøsundet strait between the mainland of Norwa ...
,
Gisund Bridge
Gisund Bridge ( no, Gisundbrua) is a cantilever road bridge on Norwegian County Road 86 in Senja Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The bridge crosses the Gisundet strait from the town of Finnsnes on the mainland to the village o ...
,
Tromsø Bridge
The Tromsø Bridge ( no, Tromsøbrua) is a cantilever road bridge in the city of Tromsø which is located in Tromsø Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It crosses the Tromsøysundet strait between Tromsdalen on the mainland and th ...
and
Sandnessund Bridge
Sandnessund Bridge ( no, Sandnessundbrua) is a cantilever road bridge that crosses the Sandnes Strait between the islands of Tromsøya and Kvaløya in Tromsø Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The Tromsø Bridge, the Tromsøysun ...
. There are several undersea road tunnels; Rolla to Andørja (in
Ibestad
Ibestad ( sme, Ivvárstádik) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Central Hålogaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hamnvik. Some of the other larger ...
), Tromsøya to the mainland (Tromsø), Kvaløya to Ringvassøya and Skjervøy to the mainland. The roads are well maintained, but have to go long detours around fjords. For this reason passenger boats are fairly popular, for example between Tromsø and Harstad, and there are also commercial flights inside the former county of Troms.
There was no railway in Troms, but in 2013, the government of Finland expressed interest in building a railway from the Finnish rail network to port facilities at
Skibotn
Skibotn ( se, Ivgubahta, Kven: ''Yykeänperä'') is a village in Storfjord Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is located on the southeastern shore of the Lyngen fjord in Northern Norway. The village area is located at the cro ...
, though they also stated that they could not finance much of the cost.
History
![Tromsø 1900](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Troms%C3%B8_1900.jpg)
Troms has been settled since the early
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 ...
, and there are prehistoric
rock carvings at several locations (for instance
Ibestad
Ibestad ( sme, Ivvárstádik) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Central Hålogaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hamnvik. Some of the other larger ...
and
Balsfjord
Balsfjord ( sme, Báhccavuotna ; fkv, Paatsivuono) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storsteinnes. Other villages include Mestervik, Mortenhals, and Nordkj ...
). These people made their living from hunting, fishing and gathering.
The first of the current ethnic groups to settle in the county were the
Sami people
Acronyms
* SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft
* Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company
* South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise net ...
, who inhabited
Sápmi
(, smj, Sábme / Sámeednam, sma, Saepmie, sju, Sábmie, , , sjd, Са̄мь е̄ммьне, Saam' jiemm'n'e) is the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people. Sápmi is in Northern and Eastern Europe and includes the ...
, an area much larger than today's
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 ...
, Troms and
Finnmark
Finnmark (; se, Finnmárku ; fkv, Finmarku; fi, Ruija ; russian: Финнмарк) was a county in the northern part of Norway, and it is scheduled to become a county again in 2024.
On 1 January 2020, Finnmark was merged with the neighbouri ...
counties.
Archeological evidence has shown that a
Norse iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
-based culture in the late Roman
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
(200–400 AD), reaches as far north as
Karlsøy
Karlsøy ( sme, Gálssa suohkan) is an island municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hansnes. Other villages include Dåfjord, Hessfjord, Karlsøya, Torsvåg, Vannvå ...
(near today's Tromsø), but not further northeast.
The Norse with their iron and agriculture settled along the coast and in some of the larger fjords, while the
Sami
Acronyms
* SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft
* Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company
* South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise net ...
lived in the same fjord areas, usually just into the fjord and in the interior. From the 10th century, Norse settlements start to appear along the coast further north, reaching into what is today the county of Finnmark.
Southern and mid-Troms was a
petty kingdom
A petty kingdom is a monarchy, kingdom described as minor or "petty" (from the French 'petit' meaning small) by contrast to an empire or unified kingdom that either preceded or succeeded it (e.g. the Heptarchy#List of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, numerou ...
in the
Viking Age
The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Ger ...
, and considered part of
Hålogaland
Hålogaland was the northernmost of the Norwegian provinces in the medieval Norse sagas. In the early Viking Age, before Harald Fairhair, Hålogaland was a kingdom extending between the Namdalen valley in Trøndelag county and the Lyngen fjord ...
.
Ottar from Hålogaland met King
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...
around 890. The Viking leader
Tore Hund
Modern and imaginary presentation of Tore Hund
Thorir Hund (Old Norse: Þórir hundr, Modern Norwegian: ''Tore Hund'', literally "''Thorir the Hound''") (born ca. 990) was one of the greatest chiefs in Hålogaland. Tore Hund was one of the le ...
had his seat at
Bjarkøy
Bjarkøy is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until it was merged with Harstad Municipality on 1 January 2013. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Nergården on the ...
. According to the
sagas
is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, from the Super NES to the Play ...
, Tore Hund
speared
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastene ...
King
Olav Haraldsson at the
Battle of Stiklestad
The Battle of Stiklestad ( no, Slaget på Stiklestad, non, Stiklarstaðir) in 1030 is one of the most famous battles in the history of Norway. In this battle, King Olaf II of Norway () was killed. During the pontificate of Pope Alexander III, ...
. He also traded and fought in
Bjarmaland
Bjarmaland (also spelt ''Bjarmland'' and ''Bjarmia''; Latin: ''Biarmia''; Old English: ''Beormaland,'' Komi: Биармия ''Biarmia,'' Old Permic: 𐍑𐍙𐍐𐍒𐍜𐍙𐍐) was a territory mentioned in Norse sagas since the Viking ...
, today the area of
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies o ...
in northern
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
.
''Bjarmeland'' (Store norske leksikon)
/ref> Trondenes
Trondenes is an old parish and former municipality in Troms county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located along the western shore of the Vågsfjorden in what is now Harstad Municipality. ...
(today's Harstad) was also a central Viking power centre, and seems to have been a gathering place.
Demographics
The ''Kven
KVEN (1520 AM, "La Voz 1520 AM & 96.3 FM") is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Port Hueneme, California and serves the Ventura County area. The station is owned by Gold Coast Broadcasting and broadcasts a Spanish-language news/tal ...
'' residents of ''Troms'' are largely descendants of Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
immigrants who arrived in the area before the 19th century from Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
because of war and famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including war, natural disasters, crop failure, Demographic trap, population imbalance, widespread poverty, an Financial crisis, economic catastrophe or government policies. Th ...
. They settled mainly in the northeastern part of Troms, in the municipalities of Kvænangen
Kvænangen ( sme, Návuotna; fkv, Naavuono) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Burfjord. The European route E6 highway goes through the municipality and ove ...
, Nordreisa
Nordreisa ( se, Ráisa ; fkv, Raisi) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Troms og Finnmark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storslett. Other villages include O ...
, Skjervøy
Skjervøy kommune ( sme, Skiervvá suohkan; fkv, Kieruan komuuni) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Skjervøy on the island of Skjervøya, where most of the in ...
, Gáivuotna - Kåfjord and Storfjord, and some also reached Balsfjord
Balsfjord ( sme, Báhccavuotna ; fkv, Paatsivuono) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storsteinnes. Other villages include Mestervik, Mortenhals, and Nordkj ...
and Lyngen
Lyngen ( se, Ivggu suohkan; fkv, Yykeän komuuni) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lyngseidet. Other villages include Furuflaten, Lattervika, Nord-Lenang ...
.
Municipalities
Troms county had a total of 24 municipalities at dissolution.
Photo gallery
File:Kirche Trondenes Altar.jpg, Inside Trondenes Church
Trondenes Church ( no, Trondenes kirke) is the northernmost medieval stone church of Norway and the world's northernmost surviving medieval building. It is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Harstad Municipality in Troms og Finnmark count ...
, the only medieval church in Troms
File:Ersfjorden on Senja.jpg, Ersfjorden, Senja
or is an island in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway, Europe. With an area of , it is the second largest island in Norway (outside of the Svalbard archipelago). It has a wild, mountainous outer (western) side facing the Atlantic, and a mild ...
island
File:Skjervoey Norwegen Kirche.jpg, Skjervøy
Skjervøy kommune ( sme, Skiervvá suohkan; fkv, Kieruan komuuni) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Skjervøy on the island of Skjervøya, where most of the in ...
Church in northern Troms at night, February 2004
File:Sorvik2.jpg, Sørvik
Sørvik or Sørvika is a village in Harstad Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is located along the Vågsfjorden on the island of Hinnøya about south of the town of Harstad
Its population (2001) is about 451. The village ...
in Harstad is at the southern tip of Troms
File:Reindeer in Norway -Rekvika -Troms - Norway.jpg, Reindeer in Norway (Rekvika, Troms, Norway)
File:Jøkelfjord - summer-evening.JPG, Summer evening in Jøkelfjord, Kvænangen.
Notable people
*Samuel Georg Simeon Wennberg
Samuel Georg Simeon Wennberg (3 October 1836, Trondheim – 19 October 1908, Balsfjord) was a Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party.
He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament in 1877, representing the constituency of Tromsø Amt
Tromsø ...
, member of parliament
See also
* Hålogalandsallmenningen
References
Other sources
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Visitnorway.com Troms
Troms touring association
{{authority control
Former counties of Norway
History of Troms og Finnmark
Populated places disestablished in 2020
2020 disestablishments in Norway
States and territories disestablished in 2020