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Vestvågøy is a municipality in
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, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Lofoten. 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 is the town of
Leknes is a town in Nordland county, Norway. The town is also the administrative centre of the municipality of Vestvågøy (with 10,764 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality in Lofoten and Vesterålen). Leknes was designated a "town" ( no ...
. Some of the villages in the municipality include
Ballstad Ballstad is a village in Vestvågøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located on a small island off the southwestern tip of the island of Vestvågøya in the Lofoten archipelago. It is one of the largest fishing villages in Lofoten. ...
, Borg,
Bøstad Bøstad is a village in Vestvågøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located along the European route E10 highway just next to the hamlet of Borg (and the Lofotr museum) in the central part of the island of Vestvågøya in the Lofo ...
, Gravdal,
Knutstad Knutstad is a village in Vestvågøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost port ...
,
Stamsund Stamsund is a fishing village in Vestvågøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located on the southern side of the island of Vestvågøy in the Lofoten archipelago, along the Vestfjorden. The village is located about east of the t ...
, and
Tangstad Tangstad is a village in Vestvågøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The village is located on the northwestern side of the island of Vestvågøya, about west of the village of Bøstad and about north of the town of Leknes is a to ...
. With over 11,300 inhabitants, Vestvågøy is the most populous municipality in all of the Lofoten and Vesterålen regions in Nordland county. The Lofotr museum in Borg shows a reconstructed Iron Age Viking chieftain's residence, with a house measuring , built of stone and turf. The municipality is the 232nd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Vestvågøy is the 98th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 11,566. The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 6.6% over the previous 10-year period.


General information

The municipality of Vestvågøy was created on 1 January 1963 when the four municipalities on the island of Vestvågøya were merged into one municipality for the whole island. The old municipalities on the island were Borge (population: 4,056), Buksnes (population: 4,416),
Hol Hol is a municipality in Viken county, Norway. Administrative history The area of Hol was separated from the municipality Ål in 1877 to become a separate municipality. In 1937 a part of neighboring Uvdal with 220 inhabitants moved to Hol municip ...
(population: 3,154), and Valberg (population: 662). Initially, Vestvågøy had 12,288 residents. The borders have not changed since.


Name

The municipality is named after the island of Vestvågøya. The Old Norse name of the island was ''Lófót'' (see Lofoten) - but when ''Lofoten'' became the name of the whole archipelago, the old name was replaced with ''Vestvågøy''. Vestvågøy can be broken down into three parts: ''vest-våg-øy'' which can be roughly translated as ''west-bay-island''.


Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 7 September 1984. The arms show two dried
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 ...
fish in white on a blue background. This was chosen since the municipality is one of the main Norwegian exporters of (dried) cod or
stockfish Stockfish is unsalted fish, especially cod, dried by cold air and wind on wooden racks (which are called "hjell" in Norway) on the foreshore. The drying of food is the world's oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage lif ...
and has been since the Middle Ages.


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 ...
has five parishes () within the municipality of Vestvågøy. It is part of the Lofoten prosti (
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 Sør-Hålogaland.


Geography

Vestvågøy municipality is among the most scenic in Norway. It encompassed the whole island of Vestvågøya with the Norwegian Sea to the north 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 Lofote ...
to the south. The island has rugged cliffs and peaks facing the southeastern coast. Towards the northwest, however, the land is flat, with extensive farmlands. Most people are found in the town of Leknes and in its "twin town" Gravdal, where
Nordland Hospital Nordland Hospital Trust (Norwegian: ''Nordlandssykehuset'', NLSH) is a part of the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority and covers the specialist health services for areas north of Saltfjellet in Nordland county. The trust consists of a numb ...
is located. Along the southeastern coast, one finds picturesque fishing villages like Ballstad and Stamsund, where the Hurtigruten (coastal ferry) stops. The coastline is dominated by high mountains, such as the tall
Skottinden Skottinden is a mountain in the Lofoten archipelago, in Nordland county, Norway. It is located on the southwestern part of the island of Vestvågøya in Vestvågøy Municipality. The tall mountain is situated about northwest of the village of ...
, and on the west coast also sandy white beaches. Uttakleiv the most romantic beach in Europe, according to the British newspaper The Times, and the neighbouring Hauklandsstranden is ranked by the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet as the best beach in Norway. In
Leknes is a town in Nordland county, Norway. The town is also the administrative centre of the municipality of Vestvågøy (with 10,764 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality in Lofoten and Vesterålen). Leknes was designated a "town" ( no ...
, the sun ( midnight sun) is above the horizon from May 26 until July 17, and in winter the sun does not rise from December 9 until January 4. The midnight sun is best viewed from the western beaches, such as Uttakleiv and
Eggum Eggum is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Arne Eggum (born 1936), Norwegian historian *Jan Eggum Jan Eggum (born 8 December 1951) is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. He has been characterized as a "face for the melancholy", ...
.


Climate

There is an official weather station at Leknes Airport. Autumn and winter is much wetter than spring and summer. The driest month (July) get less than one fift of the precipitation in the wettest month (December).


Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Vestvågøy, 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 Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wiktionary:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physical and menta ...
, senior citizen services, unemployment 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, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor. The municipality falls under the Lofoten District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.


Municipal council

The municipal council () of Vestvågøy is made up of 33 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:


Transportation

Leknes is the municipal and
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 ...
and is situated in the geographical middle of Lofoten, approximately west of Svolvær and east of Å. Leknes is the trading and shopping centre of Lofoten, only rivaled by Svolvær.
Leknes Airport Leknes Airport ( no, Leknes lufthavn; ) is a regional airport serving the town of Leknes and the surrounding areas in the Lofoten archipelago in Nordland county, Norway. The airport is located just outside Leknes in Vestvågøy municipality. ...
is for smaller aircraft, with 7 daily scheduled flights to
Bodø 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 count ...
and some daily flights to Svolvær and Røst with Widerøe airlines. There is a small
bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...
terminal Terminal may refer to: Computing Hardware * Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together * Terminal (telecommunication), a device communicating over a line * Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output devic ...
which serves as a hub with bus links to the rest of Lofoten. The ''Leknes Havn'' ( harbor) is one of Norway's most important and visited harbors for cruise ships. Hurtigruten has been an important means of communication for a century. It docks in
Stamsund Stamsund is a fishing village in Vestvågøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located on the southern side of the island of Vestvågøy in the Lofoten archipelago, along the Vestfjorden. The village is located about east of the t ...
twice every night, one heading south towards
Bodø 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 count ...
the other heading north towards Svolvær. The European route E10 highway crosses the municipality (and island) with the
Sundklakkstraumen Bridge The Sundklakkstraumen Bridge ( no, Sundklakkstraumen bru) is a cantilever road bridge that crosses the Sundklakkstraumen strait between the islands of Gimsøya (in the municipality of Vågan) and Vestvågøya (in the municipality of Vestvågøy) i ...
connecting to Vågan in the north and the
Nappstraumen Tunnel The Nappstraum Tunnel ( no, Nappstraumtunnelen) is an undersea road tunnel in Nordland county, Norway. The long tunnel is located on the European route E10 highway, connecting the islands of Flakstadøya (in Flakstad Municipality) and Vestvå ...
connecting to Flakstad in the south.


International relations


Twin towns – Sister cities

Vestvågøy is twinned with: *
Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur () is a small municipality in south-central Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country i ...
, Iceland


Notable residents

*
Hartvig Jentoft Hartvig Hansen Jentoft (1693 – 1 December 1739) was a Norwegian tradesman and sailor. Jentoft was born in the village of Borg on the island of Vestvågøya in the present-day county of Nordland. He was the son of Hans Hansen Jentoft (d. ...
(1693 in Borge – 1739) a Norwegian tradesman and sailor *
Karl Uchermann Karl Uchermann (31 January 1855 – 15 October 1940) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator. He is best known for his portraits of animals, in particular dogs. He also painted altarpieces, and is credited for designing the world's first franking ...
(1855 in Borge – 1940) a Norwegian painter of dogs and altarpieces * Mikael Heggelund Foslie (1855 in Borge – 1909) a botanist and
algae Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...
ologist *
Jens R. Nilssen Jens Richard Nilssen (11 August 1880 – 28 February 1964) was a Norwegian illustrator, comics creator and cartoonist. Nilssen was born in Valberg, Nordland, Valberg, Nordland, and was educated at Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Ind ...
(1880 in Valberg – 1964) a Norwegian illustrator, comics creator and cartoonist *
Edvarda Lie Edvarda Klaudine Lie (April 3, 1910 – June 8, 1983) was a Norwegian painter, drawer, and illustrator. Edvarda Lie was born in Meldal and grew up in Vestvågøy. She created illustrations for many newspapers and magazines, including A-magasinet ...
(1910–1963) a painter, drawer and illustrator; brought up in Vestvågøy * Boy Rist (1912 in Gravdal – 1972) a naval officer, member of the
Norwegian resistance The Norwegian resistance (Norwegian: ''Motstandsbevegelsen'') to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms: *Asserting the legitimacy of the exiled government, ...
in WWII * Harald Sverdrup (1923 in Gravdal – 1992) a Norwegian poet and children's writer *
Kari Wærness Kari Wærness (born 13 January 1939) is a Norwegian sociologist. Her research has focused on women and gender studies, family and caring. Early and personal life Wærness was born on 13 January 1939 in Leknes to Einar Loe and Aslaug Marie Ei ...
(born 1939 in Leknes) a Norwegian sociologist *
Søren Fredrik Voie Søren Fredrik Voie (born 20 March 1949, in Vestvågøy) is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party of Norway. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Nordland in 2001, but was not re-elected in 2005. He served in the position ...
(born 1949 in Vestvågøy) a politician, Mayor of Vestvågøy 1983-1987 * Guri Ingebrigtsen (1952–2020) a Norwegian politician; Mayor of Vestvågøy 1999 to 2007 *
Rahim Aga Khan Prince Rahim Aga Khan (; born 12 October 1971) is the second of the Aga Khan IV’s four children. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, he has been actively involved for many years in the governance of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Early ...
(born 1971) son of
Prince Karim Aga Khan Shāh Karim al-Husayni (born 13 December 1936), known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Ismaili followers and elsewhere as Aga Khan IV, is the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailis, a denomination within Shia Islam. He h ...
, bought a house in Unstad in 2019


Media gallery

Unnstad.JPG, Unstad; Vestvågøy has the largest areas of lowland in Lofoten Bulitinden-vestvagoya-lofoten-norway.jpg, View south-west from the summit of Bulitinden Sundklakkstraumen bru.JPG, Sundklakkstraumen Bridge File:Lake_near_Borg.jpg, Near Borg in Vestvågøy Vestvagoya-skottinden-winter.jpg, The mountain Skottinden in winter sunshine


References


External links

*
Municipal fact sheet
from
Statistics Norway Statistics Norway ( no, Statistisk sentralbyrå, abbreviated to ''SSB'') is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876. Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every yea ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vestvaagoy Municipalities of Nordland Populated places of Arctic Norway 1963 establishments in Norway