Surnadal () is a

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

in Møre og Romsdal

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers 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 the ...

. It is part of the

Nordmøre Nordmøre (English: North- Møre) is a traditional district in the Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. The area comprises the northern third of the county including the municipalities of Kristiansund, Averøy, Tingvoll, Surnadal, Aure, Halsa ...

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 an ...

. The administrative centre is the village of Skei. Other villages in Surnadal include

Glærem Glærem is a village in Surnadal Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the north shore of the Surnadalsfjorden, about northwest of Sylte and about northwest of Skei and Surnadalsøra. The village has ...

, Mo,

Stangvik Stangvik is a village in Surnadal Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Stangvikfjorden, about southwest of the villages of Surnadalsøra and Skei. The village is home to Stangvik Church. County R ...

, Surnadalsøra, Sylte,

Todalsøra Todalsøra or Todalen is a village in Surnadal Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The rather isolated village is located at the end of the Todalsfjorden, about south of the villages of Surnadalsøra and Skei (the municipal centre ...

, and

Åsskard Åsskard is a village in Surnadal Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located in the western part of the municipality, at the innermost part of the Åsskardfjorden which is a branch off the main Trongfjorden. The vi ...

. A mild climate and rich soil make Surnadal well suited for

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 t ...

. The local economy is based on agriculture,

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

, and industrial production, in addition to services. The municipality is the 68th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Surnadal is the 163rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,849. The municipality's

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

is and its population has decreased by 1.7% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

The

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...

of Surnadal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In 1858, the eastern district (population: 2,684) was separated from Surnadal to form the new Rindal Municipality. This left Surnadal with 3,105 residents. On 1 January 1877, part of Stangvik Municipality (population: 50) was transferred to Surnadal. In 1879, part of Surnadal (population: 83) was transferred to the neighboring Stangvik Municipality. On 1 January 1886, the Møklegjerdet farm (population: 29), just west of the village of

, was transferred from Stangvik to Surnadal. On 1 January 1897, the Sjøflot farm (population: 27) was also transferred from Stangvik to Surnadal. 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 1965, all of Åsskard Municipality (population: 1,014) and most of Stangvik Municipality (population: 1,386) were merged with Surnadal Municipality (population: 3,534) to create a new, larger municipality of Surnadal with a total population of 5,934.

Name

The

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

form of the name was ''Súrnardalr''. The first element is the genitive case of the river name Surna and the last element is ''dalr'' which means "

valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...

" or "dale". The meaning of the river name is unknown. Before 1918, the name was written ''Surendalen''.

Coat of arms

The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

was granted in 1989. It shows two silver or white wavy lines on a green background. The wavy lines represent the many rivers in the municipality, the most notable one being the Surna.

Churches

The Church of Norway has five parishes () within the municipality of Surnadal. It is part of the Indre Nordmøre prosti ( deanery) in the

Diocese of Møre The Diocese of Møre ( no, Møre bispedømme) is a diocese in the Church of Norway which geographically consists of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Its bishop is seated at the Molde Cathedral which is located in the county administrative center ...

Geography

The municipality is made up by the main valley, Surnadalen through which the river Surna runs. There are also many smaller side valleys including Stor-Bæverdalen, Settemsdalen, Øvstbødalen,

Todalen Todalen is a village on the north shore of the Vinjefjorden in Aure Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located about south of the municipal center of Aure. Until the beginning of the 19th century, it was a municipal center ...

, and Vinddøldalen. The municipality is bordered by the

Trollheimen Trollheimen is a mountain range in Møre og Romsdal and Trøndelag counties in central Norway. The mountain range is part of the Scandinavian Mountains. Etymology The name ('the home of the trolls') was proposed by Håkon Løken and used by ...

mountain range and

Sunndal Municipality is a municipality in the Nordmøre region located in the northeast part of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Sunndalsøra. Other villages include Gjøra, Grøa, Hoelsand, Jorda ...

to the south, the neighboring Rindal Municipality to the east,

Halsa Municipality Halsa is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until 2020 when it became part of Heim Municipality in Trondelag county. It was part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre of Hal ...

to the north, and several fjords to the west: Trongfjorden, Stangvikfjorden, and Todalsfjorden. There are three main fjords that cut into the municipality: Åsskardfjorden,

Hamnesfjorden Hamnesfjord or Hamnesfjorden is a fjord in Surnadal Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord begins at the mouth of the Bøvra River at the village of Bøverfjorden, just east of the village of Åsskard Åsskard is a ...

, and Surnadalsfjorden. The landscape is a combination of

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

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, ...

s, and

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually highe ...

s. The highest mountain peak is

Snota Snota is a prominent mountain in the Trollheimen mountain range in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is also the highest mountain in the municipality of Surnadal. It lies west of the mountain Trollhetta and nort ...

at above sea level. Other mountains include Vassnebba, Indre Sula and Ytre Sula, Neådalssnota, and

Trollhetta Trollhøtta or Trollhetta is a mountain on the border of Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal counties in Norway. The tall mountain is located on the border of the municipalities of Surnadal (in Møre og Romsdal) and Rindal (in Trøndelag). It is pa ...

. The river Surna runs through the valley from the east to the west, and forms a large

delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also ...

where it enters the fjord near Surnadalsøra and Skei. This river is rich in

salmon Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus ''Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Oncorhy ...

, which attract tourists from the rest of the country and abroad. The lakes

Foldsjøen Foldsjøen is a reservoir located on the border of Møre og Romsdal and Trøndelag counties in Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Surnadal and Rindal. The lake is dammed from the Folda River and the water is used in the Trollheim po ...

and

Gråsjøen Gråsjøen is a lake/reservoir in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway (and a very small part in the northeastern corner of the lake is in Rindal Municipality in Trøndelag county). The lake is located in the northern p ...

lie along the border with the municipality of

Rindal Rindal is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Orkdalen region. The administrative centre is the village of Rindal. Other villages in the municipality include Tiset and Romundstad. The municipality centres on agricult ...

in the east. The Grønkjølen Nature Reserve lies in the extreme northeast of the municipality.

Climate

Surnadal is situated at the head of a long fjord some distance from the coast and has an oceanic climate or

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

, depending on winter threshold used () gives oceanic, gives humid continental). The wettest season is August–December, while Feb - May is the driest. The record high recorded 27 July 2018. The warmest night was 29 July 2018 with low . On 14 October 2018 a high of was recorded in Surnadal, the second warmest October temperature in Norway. Winter temperatures can get below , although that is rare. February 2010 a low of was recorded.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Surnadal, are responsible for primary education (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 during the refere ...

and other social services,

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 ...

, 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 counc ...

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 ...

. The municipality falls under the

Møre og Romsdal District Court Møre og Romsdal District Court ( no, Møre og Romsdal tingrett) is a district court (Norway), district court located in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. This court is based at four different courthouses which are located in Volda (village), Volda ...

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 Surnadal is made up of 27 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 featur ...

breakdown of the council is as follows:

Mayor

The mayors of Surnadal (incomplete list): *2019–present: Margrethe Svinvik ( Sp) *2014-2019: Lilly Gunn Nyheim ( Ap) *2007-2014: Mons Otnes (Ap) *1997-2007: Bergsvein Brøske (Sp) *1995-1996: Asbjørn Ørsal (Ap) *1992-1995: Ola O. Fiske (Sp) *1987-1991: Helge Vold (Ap) *1984-1986: Helge Røv (Ap) *1976-1983: Nils Magnar Torvik (Sp)

Transportation

Transportation services include ferries to the southwest and the northwest, which lead to the coastal areas of Møre og Romsdal, and a highway to the city of

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...

to the east.

Notable residents

* Ole Andreas Lindeman (1769–1857) a musician, organist, composer and music educator *

Hans Hyldbakk Hans Hyldbakk (8 May 1898 – 18 August 2001) was a Norway, Norwegian poet and historian. He was born and died in Surnadal. As a writer he is best known for the song ''Vårsøg''. His poetry debut came in 1929 with ''Harpespel'', and his las ...

(1898–2001) a Norwegian

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

poet * Anders Sæterøy (1901–1991) a politician and Mayor of Surnadal three times after WWII * Kaare Espolin Johnson (1907–1994) a Norwegian artist and illustrator *

Helge Seip Helge Lunde Seip (5 March 1919 – 29 January 2004) was a Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party and later the Liberal People's Party. He was born in Surnadal. At a young age he became involved in the Young Liberals, the youth wing of the L ...

(1919–2004) politician, leader of the Liberal party *

Alf Ramsøy Alf Ramsøy (13 September 1925 – 27 May 2014) was a Norwegian long-distance runner, cross-country skier, actor and farmer. He was born in Todalen, Surnadal as a son of farmers Jon Ramsøy and Ingrid Ramsøy, née Halle. As an active runner, his p ...

(1925–2014) a long-distance runner, cross-country skier, actor and farmer *

Sverre Årnes Sverre Årnes (born 14 May 1949) is a Norwegian writer who, since 1978, has published 220 book titles, mostly serial novels, Oct. 2019, about a thousand short stories as well as numerous articles. He is best known for his serial trilogy ''Storset ...

(born 1949) a writer serial novels, short stories and articles *

Henning Sommerro Henning Sommerro (born 3 May 1952 in Surnadal) is a Norwegian musician, composer and professor at NTNU. Biography Sommerro grew up on the Sommerro farm at Skei in Surnadal. His name became widely known in 1977 when the folk music group Vårs� ...

(born 1952) a Norwegian musician, composer and academic *

Lars Steinar Ansnes Lars Steinar Ansnes (born March 1, 1956) is a Norwegian editor. Ansnes was born in Surnadal. He received his ''examen artium Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for ad ...

(born 1956) a Norwegian editor *

Euronymous Øystein Aarseth (; 22 March 1968 – 10 August 1993), better known by his stage name Euronymous, was a Norwegian musician and a founder of and central figure in the early Norwegian black metal scene. He was a co-founder and guitarist of the N ...

(1968–1993) real name ''Øystein Aarseth'', early Norwegian black metal scene *

Rune Gjeldnes Rune Gjeldnes (born 20 May 1971 in Surnadal) is a Norwegian adventurer. He completed his military education in 1992, when he met fellow adventurer-to-be Torry Larsen, also of Møre og Romsdal. Gjeldnes served in the Marinejegerkommandoen, Norwegi ...

(born 1971) a Norwegian adventurer and explorer *

Ivar Loe Bjørnstad Ivar Loe Bjørnstad (born 1981 in Surnadal, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz and rock musician (drums), brother of the dancer Marit Loe Bjørnstad (1983) and the singer Ingebjørg Loe Bjørnstad (1978). Career Bjørnstad studied jazz at the Norweg ...

(born 1981) a Norwegian jazz and rock musician

Gallery

File:Mo kirke Surnadal.jpg, Mo kirke, Surnadal File:Giklingdalshytta 1991.jpg, Giklingdalshytta File:Vaulen.JPG, Markagården Vaulen File:Todalshytta - panoramio.jpg, Todalshytta

References

External links

* *
Municipal fact sheet
from Statistics Norway {{use dmy dates, date=October 2022 Nordmøre Municipalities of Møre og Romsdal 1838 establishments in Norway