Vikna is a large island
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 ...
and a
former municipality in
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 ...
. The municipality existed from 1869 until its dissolution in 2020 when it joined
Nærøysund Municipality
Nærøysund is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Namdalen. The municipality was established on 1 January 2020 after the merger of the old municipalities of Vikna and Nærøy. The municipali ...
. It was part of the
Namdalen
Namdalen ( sma, Nååmesjevuemie) is a Districts of Norway, traditional district in the central part of Norway, consisting of the municipalities Namsos, Grong, Overhalla, Røyrvik, Nærøysund, Høylandet, Flatanger, Lierne, Leka, Norway, Leka, ...
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 municipality was the town of
Rørvik
Rørvik is a port town and administrative centre in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is on the eastern side of the Vikna archipelago on the island of Inner-Vikna. The town has a population (2022) of 3,385 and a po ...
. Other villages in Vikna included
Austafjord
Austafjord is a small village in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the island of Ytter-Vikna, approximately west of the municipal center, Rørvik. Austafjord sits about half-way between the nearby vil ...
,
Garstad
Garstad is a village in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the island of Mellom-Vikna, about west of the municipal centre, Rørvik
Rørvik is a port town and administrative centre in the municipality ...
, and
Valøya
Valøya is a village in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the western edge of the island of Ytter-Vikna, about west of the municipal centre, Rørvik
Rørvik is a port town and administrative centre ...
.
![Vikna1 072006](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Vikna1_072006.jpg)
At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the municipality was the 269th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Vikna was the 221st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,492. 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 ...
was and its population had increased by 11.4% over the last decade.
General information
The municipality of Vikten was established on 1 July 1869 when it was separated from the large municipality of
Nærøy
Nærøy () is a former municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it joined Nærøysund Municipality. It was part of the Namdalen region. Norway's smallest town, Kolvereid, wa ...
. Initially, the population of Vikten was 1,749. On 1 January 1881, a small area of
Fosnes
Fosnes is a former municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Namsos Municipality. It was part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the muni ...
(population: 61) was transferred to Vikten. The name of the municipality was later changed to Vikna.
On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the old
Nord-Trøndelag
Nord-Trøndelag (; "North Trøndelag") was a county constituting the northern part of the present-day Trøndelag county in Norway. The county was established in 1804 when the old Trondhjems amt was divided into two: Nordre Trondhjems amt and S ...
county to the new
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.
On 1 January 2020, the municipality of Vikna was merged with most of the neighboring municipality of
Nærøy
Nærøy () is a former municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it joined Nærøysund Municipality. It was part of the Namdalen region. Norway's smallest town, Kolvereid, wa ...
to form the new
Nærøysund Municipality
Nærøysund is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Namdalen. The municipality was established on 1 January 2020 after the merger of the old municipalities of Vikna and Nærøy. The municipali ...
. The
Lund
Lund (, , ) is a city in the southern Swedish provinces of Sweden, province of Scania, across the Øresund, Öresund strait from Copenhagen. The town had 91,940 inhabitants out of a municipal total of 121,510 . It is the seat of Lund Municipali ...
area in Nærøy was not part of the merger. It became part of the newly enlarged
Namsos Municipality
( sma, Nåavmesjenjaelmie) is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Namsos. Some of the villages in the municipality include Bangsund, Kl ...
on the same date.
Name
The municipality was named after the three large islands in the municipality: ''
Inner-Vikna
Inner-Vikna (sometimes ''Indre Vikna'') is the largest of the three major islands in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. The island is located in the eastern part of the municipality and it includes the village of Rørvi ...
'', ''
Mellom-Vikna
Mellom-Vikna is the smallest of the three major islands in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland te ...
'', and ''
Ytter-Vikna'' ( non, Víkn). The name is derived from the word ''vík'' which means "
cove
A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. Coves usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are o ...
" or "wick". (The islands are scored by numerous coves and inlets.)
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 May 1988. The arms show three white
salmon
Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...
on a blue background. This was chosen because salmon
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 ...
and
farming
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 ...
was (and still is) an important source of income in the municipality.
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 ...
had one parish () within the municipality of Vikna. It was part of the
Namdal 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.
Administrat ...
(
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 ...
.
Geography
![Vikna-Norway-coast-landscape](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Vikna-Norway-coast-landscape.JPG)
The municipality consisted of a large island
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 ...
with some 6,000 large and small islands going far into 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 ...
off the northwestern coast of Trøndelag county. Vikna is the largest
spawning
Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, ''to spawn'' refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquati ...
area for
cod
Cod is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly not call ...
south of
Lofoten
Lofoten () is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Lofoten has distinctive scenery with dramatic mountains and peaks, open sea and sheltered bays, beaches and untouched lands. There are two towns, Svolvær ...
. The three largest islands are:
Inner-Vikna
Inner-Vikna (sometimes ''Indre Vikna'') is the largest of the three major islands in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. The island is located in the eastern part of the municipality and it includes the village of Rørvi ...
, closest to the mainland,
Mellom-Vikna
Mellom-Vikna is the smallest of the three major islands in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland te ...
, and then
Ytter-Vikna as the westernmost island. Other islands include
Borgan and
Lauvøya.
The main village for the municipality was
Rørvik
Rørvik is a port town and administrative centre in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is on the eastern side of the Vikna archipelago on the island of Inner-Vikna. The town has a population (2022) of 3,385 and a po ...
, located on the eastern shore of Inner-Vikna, facing the mainland across the
Nærøysundet
Nærøysundet is a strait in the municipalities of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. The village of Rørvik, is located along the Nærøysundet, on the northwestern side. The strait is crossed by the Nærøysund Bridge which connects t ...
strait. The many islands in the area means that there are many lighthouses including
Gjeslingene Lighthouse,
Grinna Lighthouse
Grinna Lighthouse ( no, Grinna fyr) is a coastal lighthouse in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag, Norway. It was established in 1904 and automated in 1987. Grinna lighthouse stands on the islet of Grinna in the South Gjæslingan is ...
,
Nærøysund Lighthouse, and
Nordøyan Lighthouse.
On 21 October 1962, the coastal steamer (
Hurtigruten
''Hurtigruten'' (), formally Kystruten Bergen-Kirkenes ("coastal route Bergen- Kirkenes"), is a Norwegian public coastal route transporting passengers that travel locally, regionally and between the ports of call, and also cargo between ports no ...
) ''Sanct Svithun'' run aground on ''Nordøyan'' as a result of navigational error. The ship sunk, and there was a tragic loss of 41 lives. A memorial
bauta was raised on Nordøyan in 2002.
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Vikna, 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
Namdal District Court 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
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 Vikna 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 final municipal council was as follows:
Economy
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 ...
,
fish farming
upright=1.3, Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye">mariculture.html" ;"title="Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture">Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Fish farming or ...
,
public services
A public service is any Service (economics), service intended to address specific needs pertaining to the aggregate members of a community. Public services are available to people within a government jurisdiction as provided directly through pub ...
, and
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 ...
are the main sources of income. The ''Norveg museum'', devoted to the coastal way of life through the centuries, is located in
Rørvik
Rørvik is a port town and administrative centre in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is on the eastern side of the Vikna archipelago on the island of Inner-Vikna. The town has a population (2022) of 3,385 and a po ...
. The
Vikna Wind Farm
Vikna Wind Farm ( no, Vikna vindmøllepark) was a former wind farm located on Husfjellet, just west of the village of Garstad on the island Mellom-Vikna in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. The wind farm consisted of fi ...
is located on
Mellom-Vikna
Mellom-Vikna is the smallest of the three major islands in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland te ...
, just west of
Garstad
Garstad is a village in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the island of Mellom-Vikna, about west of the municipal centre, Rørvik
Rørvik is a port town and administrative centre in the municipality ...
, and it produces power for much of the municipality.
Transportation
Hurtigruten
''Hurtigruten'' (), formally Kystruten Bergen-Kirkenes ("coastal route Bergen- Kirkenes"), is a Norwegian public coastal route transporting passengers that travel locally, regionally and between the ports of call, and also cargo between ports no ...
boats stop frequently at Rørvik and
Norwegian County Road 770
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 the ...
via the
Nærøysund Bridge
The Nærøysund Bridge ( no, Nærøysund bru) is a suspension bridge that crosses the Nærøysundet strait between the islands of Marøya and Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located about south of the village of Rørvik. Togeth ...
connects Vikna to the mainland and
European route E6
European route E6 ( no, Europavei 6, sv, Europaväg 6, or simply E6) is the main north-south thoroughfare through Norway as well as the west coast of Sweden. It is long and runs from the southern tip of Sweden at Trelleborg, into Norway and t ...
. There is also the small
Rørvik Airport, Ryum
Rørvik is a port town and administrative centre in the municipality of Nærøysund in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is on the eastern side of the Vikna archipelago on the island of Inner-Vikna. The town has a population (2022) of 3,385 and a ...
, just south of Rørvik. Vikna and neighbouring
Nærøy
Nærøy () is a former municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it joined Nærøysund Municipality. It was part of the Namdalen region. Norway's smallest town, Kolvereid, wa ...
form a common work area with nearly 10,000 inhabitants.
Notable people
*
See also
*
List of former municipalities of Norway
This is a list of former municipalities of Norway, i.e. municipalities that no longer exist.
When the local council system was introduced in Norway in 1837-38, the country had 392 municipalities. In 1958 the number had grown to a total of 744 rur ...
References
External links
*
Norveg MuseumCultural map of Vikna
{{authority control
Nærøysund
Former municipalities of Norway
Archipelagoes of the Atlantic Ocean
Archipelagoes of Norway
1869 establishments in Norway
2020 disestablishments in Norway
Populated places disestablished in 2020