Værøy is an island

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 Nordland

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 traditional district 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, Svolv� ...

. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of

Sørland Sørland is a Seaside resort, fishing village and the administrative centre of Værøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located on the southern side of the island of Værøya. The village is the main population center of the isl ...

on the main island of

Værøya Værøya or Værøy is an island in Værøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The island makes up about 89% of the land area of the whole municipality and it is home to 100% of the municipal residents. Name The Old Norse form of the na ...

. The other village in Værøy is Nordland. Most of the residents live in the Sørland area surrounding the main harbor. The old

Værøy Lighthouse Værøy Lighthouse ( no, Værøy fyr) is a coastal lighthouse in Værøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The lighthouse is built on a small peninsula southeast of the village of Sørland on the island of Værøya. It was constructed i ...

sits at the end of that harbor. The municipality is the 351st largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Værøy is the 347th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of only 678. 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 9.7% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

The municipality of Værøy was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 July 1928, the southern district of Værøy (population: 731) was separated to become the new

Røst Municipality Røst is a small island municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Lofoten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Røstlandet on the island of Røstlandet. The island municipal ...

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 ''Veðrøy''. The first element is ''veðr'' which means "

weather Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloud cover, cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmos ...

" (here referring to harsh weather and the exposed and unsheltered position of the island). The last element is ''øy'' which means "island". Historically, the name has been spelled ''Værø''.

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 on 10 July 1988. The arms show a puffin on a blue background. Puffins nest in large numbers in the area and used to be of great importance for the village, both for meat and down.

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish () within the municipality of Værøy. It is part of the

Bodø domprosti Bodø (; smj, Bådåddjo, sv, Bodö) is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Salten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Bodø (which is also the capital of Nordland co ...

(''arch- deanery'') in the

Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland Sør-Hålogaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. The Diocese covers the Lutheran Church of Norway churches located within Nordland county in Norway. The diocese is headquartered in the town of Bodø at Bodø Cathedral, the seat of the ...

Geography

The island municipality is made up of many islands, the two largest islands being

and

Mosken Mosken is a small uninhabited rocky island in Værøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The island is located in the Lofoten archipelago about halfway between the islands of Værøya to the south and Moskenesøya to the north. The Mos ...

. It is located at the end of the

archipelago. 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 ...

lies to the northwest and the

Vestfjorden Vestfjorden is a long fjord or oceanic sea in Nordland county, Norway. The name literally means "the west fjord", although it is called a fjord, it could best be described as a firth or an open bight of sea. The "fjord" lies between the Lofo ...

lies to the southeast. The

Moskenstraumen The Moskstraumen or Moskenstraumen is a system of tidal eddies and whirlpools, one of the strongest in the world, that forms at the Lofoten archipelago in Nordland county, Norway between the Norwegian Sea and the Vestfjorden. It is located bet ...

maelstrom Maelstrom may refer to: * Maelstrom (whirlpool), a powerful whirlpool ** originally the Moskstraumen in English Amusement rides * Maelstrom (ride), a former log flume dark ride attraction in the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World Resort ...

lies to the north between Værøya and

Moskenesøya Moskenesøya (lit. ''Moskenes Island'') is an island at the southern end of the Lofoten archipelago in Nordland county, Norway. The island is shared between Moskenes Municipality and Flakstad Municipality. The tidal whirlpool system known as M ...

Climate

The weather in Værøy can be very changeable. Sunshine, rain, wind, and mist may interchange rapidly. The winter climate is mild and the temperature seldom drops below . This makes conditions for stockfish exceptionally good. Røst and Værøy are among the most northern locations in the world where there is no

meteorological winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures d ...

because the average temperature generally stays above freezing all year. The winter temperatures in southern Lofoten represent the highest temperature anomaly in the world relative to

latitude In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...

. However, the winter weather is rather windy. The

polar night The polar night is a phenomenon where the nighttime lasts for more than 24 hours that occurs in the northernmost and southernmost regions of Earth. This occurs only inside the polar circles. The opposite phenomenon, the polar day, or midni ...

occurs from December 13–29 and the

midnight sun The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the summer months in places north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic Circle, when the Sun remains visible at the local midnight. When the midnight sun is seen in the Arctic, ...

occurs from May 28- July 15. Værøy has a

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

( Cfc) with short, cool summers and long winters.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Værøy, 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

Salten District Court Salten District Court ( no, Salten tingrett) was a district court in Nordland county, Norway. The court was based in the town of Bodø. The court existed until 2021. It served the Salten area which included the municipalities of Beiarn, Bodø, ...

and the

Hålogaland Court of Appeal The Hålogaland Court of Appeal ( no, Hålogaland lagmannsrett) is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Tromsø. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark as ...

Municipal council

The

of Værøy is made up of 13 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 Værøy (incomplete list): *2019–present: Susann Berg Kristiansen ( LL) *2015-2019: Dagfinn Arntsen (

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

) *2003-2015: Harald Adolfsen ( H) *19??-2003: Asmund Berg ( Ap) *1975-1979: Willy Arne Wold (Sp) *1967-1971: Willy Arne Wold (Sp)

Transportation

Helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...

transport is available from Bodø at the

Værøy Heliport Værøy Heliport ( no, Værøy helikopterhavn; ) is a heliport located at Tobbisodden on the island of Værøya in Værøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The heliport lies close to the village of Sørland, the municipal centre of the ...

in Sørland. There was airplane service at

Værøy Airport Værøy Airport ( no, Værøy lufthavn; ) was a regional airport located just southwest of the village of Nordland on the island of Værøya in Værøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. Operated between 1986 and 1990, it had an asphal ...

, but it was discontinued after the Værøy accident in 1990 in which five people died. The airport was determined to be in a bad position, due to the location next to a mountain and the frequent presence of strong and unpredictable winds, which made takeoffs and landings dangerous. Ferry service is also available from Bodø, Moskenes, and Røst.

Tourist attractions

*Sportfishing 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 ...

coalfish The saithe ( or ) (''Pollachius virens'') is a species of marine fish in the Pollock genus '' Pollachius''. Together with '' P. pollachius'', it is generally referred to in the United States as pollock. Other names include the Boston blue (separ ...

, and

halibut Halibut is the common name for three flatfish in the genera '' Hippoglossus'' and '' Reinhardtius'' from the family of right-eye flounders and, in some regions, and less commonly, other species of large flatfish. The word is derived from ''h ...

is practiced here. *Turstien is a floodlit track which was opened in 1999. The surface is suitable for bikers, prams, and

wheelchair A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, used when walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, problems related to old age, or disability. These can include spinal cord injuries ( paraplegia, hemiplegia, and quadriplegia), cerebr ...

s. *Breivika is situated on the road between Sørland and Nordland, and is the location of the Skarsursanden beach. From the main road there is a signposted path going up Breivikdalen. *Heia has views of the island. It can be reached via a step path called Bjørka, or by following the tarred road up Rømdalen. About halfway there is an old

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

trapping site. *Eagle trapping is a tradition peculiar to the Værøy islanders. They caught eagles with their bare hands. Ancient sites can still be seen, at Rømdalen, for instance. *Gjerdeheia forms a vast and completely flat

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...

on top. It can be reached from Breiviksdalen by turning left at the end of the

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 following the path going up Rømdalen and turning right before passing Hornet. *Nordlandsnupen is Værøy's highest

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 ...

. One must reach it by walking up Breiviksdalen and turning right at the end of the valley. *Mollbakken in Nordland consists of smoothly ground round stones. Here, many burial sites from 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 Germ ...

have been found. *Old Værøy Church in Nordland is the oldest church in Lofoten, built around 1740. The altarpiece dates back to about 1714 and features

alabaster Alabaster is a mineral or rock that is soft, often used for carving, and is processed for plaster powder. Archaeologists and the stone processing industry use the word differently from geologists. The former use it in a wider sense that include ...

figures made in England in 1430. *Nordlandshagen - the Garden of Nordland - is a popular area for the outdoor life. The

can be seen here from May 30 to July 13. *Mostad is located in the south. The mountainside more or less hangs right over the old, abandoned village of

Mostad Mostad or Måstad is an abandoned village on the southern part of the island of Værøya at the southern end of the Lofoten archipelago and is located on a strandflat. It is located in Værøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. Mostad was ...

. This is where the puffin dog originated. Often people will walk from Nordlandshagen. *

Norwegian Lundehund The Norwegian Lundehund (Norwegian: ''Norsk lundehund'') is a small dog breed of the Spitz type that originates from Norway. Its name is a compound noun composed of the elements ''lunde'', meaning puffin (Norwegian ''lunde'', "puffin", or ''lunde ...

or ''Puffin dog'' is one of Norway's seven breeds of

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

s, and the rarest one. It has an extra toe, is small, and very agile. Puffin dogs were used solely for the puffin hunt and because the hunt was of such great importance to the islanders, this race of dogs managed to survive in Værøy. *Sanden is a

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc sh ...

with a tall wall of rock towers over the spot, making it incredibly warm on fine summer days. Access is only by boat.

In literature

*The island of "Vurrgh" in

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...

's story '' A Descent into the Maelström'' (1841) is Værøy.

Notable people

* Willy Arne Wold (1929 in Værøy – 1996) a Norwegian politician, twice Mayor of Værøy in 1960's & 1970's * Bernhard-Jens Eggesbø (born 1931 in Værøy) a Norwegian military officer and civil servant; worked for NATO *

Guri Ingebrigtsen Guri Helene Ingebrigtsen (19 May 1952 – 5 January 2020) was a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. Ingebrigtsen was born in Værøy. In the 1970s she was a member of the leftist Workers' Communist Party (AKP). In 1986, she worked in t ...

(1952 in Værøy – 2020) a Norwegian politician, Mayor of

Vestvågøy Vestvågøy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Lofoten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Leknes. Some of the villages in the municipality include Ballstad, Borg, ...

1999 to 2007

References

External links

VisitVaroy.no
- Travel guide for Værøy *
Municipal fact sheet
from Statistics Norway {{DEFAULTSORT:Vaeroy Municipalities of Nordland Populated places of Arctic Norway 1838 establishments in Norway