Smøla
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Smøla 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 of the municipality is the village of Hopen, other villages include
Dyrnes Dyrnes is a village in Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located on the northwestern part of the island of Smøla, just east of the village of Råket, and southwest of the village of Veiholmen. The Smøla Wind Fa ...
,
Råket Råket is a village in Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal 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 por ...
, and
Veiholmen Veiholmen is a fishing village located on a group of tiny islands in the northern part of Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island is located at the end of a long road leading north from the village of Hopen. The roa ...
. The municipality is the 272nd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Smøla is the 273rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,120. 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 2.8% over the previous 10-year period.


General information

The municipality of Smøla was established on 1 January 1960 after the merger of the municipalities of
Edøy Edøy is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1960. It was located in the southern and central parts of the present-day Smøla Municipality. The old municipality ...
(population: 1,135), Brattvær (population: 1,361), and Hopen (population: 1,550). The initial population of Smøla was 4,046. The boundaries have not changed since that time.


Name

The municipality is named after the main island of Smøla ( non, Smyl or ). The name is probably related to the modern Norwegian words ''smule'' and ''smuldre'' which means "crumble", referring to the thousands of small islands and islets around the main island. Researchers at the Technical University of Berlin have claimed that Smøla is the island which Pytheas called
Thule Thule ( grc-gre, Θούλη, Thoúlē; la, Thūlē) is the most northerly location mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature and cartography. Modern interpretations have included Orkney, Shetland, northern Scotland, the island of Saar ...
( grc-gre, Θούλη, ''Thoúlē'').


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. The arms show two white seagulls on a red background. This design was chosen to highlight the fact that this is an island community and that is a common type of bird in the area.


Churches

The Church of Norway has three parishes within the municipality of Smøla. It is part of the
Ytre Nordmøre prosti Ytre may refer to: People: * Knut Ytre-Arne (1896–1968), Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party Places: *Ytre Østfold, the outer area of Østfold county (Norway) that has a fjord or coastal line * Ytre Øydnavatnet, lake in the municipality ...
( 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 ...
. In 2019, archaeologists from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research using large-scale high-resolution georadar technology, determined that a 17 meter long Viking ship was buried on the island of
Edøya Edøya is an island in Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island lies in the Edøyfjorden between the larger islands of Smøla (to the north) and Ertvågsøya and Tustna (to the south). The island played an important ...
near one of the churches. They estimate its age as over 1,000 years, from the Merovingian or Viking period; the group hopes to conduct additional searches in the area. A similar burial was found previously by the group, in Gjellestad.


Geography

The municipality of Smøla is located north of the town of
Kristiansund Kristiansund (, ; historically spelled Christianssund and earlier named Fosna) is a municipality on the western coast of Norway in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of ...
, off the western coast of Norway. The municipality consists of the main island of Smøla and more than 3,000 smaller ones. The main island is very flat, the highest peak reaches above sea level. Almost all of the land area consists of
marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...
es and
cliff In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on co ...
s; only 5% is cultivated into agricultural land. Other minor islands in the municipality include
Edøya Edøya is an island in Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island lies in the Edøyfjorden between the larger islands of Smøla (to the north) and Ertvågsøya and Tustna (to the south). The island played an important ...
, Kuli, and
Veiholmen Veiholmen is a fishing village located on a group of tiny islands in the northern part of Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island is located at the end of a long road leading north from the village of Hopen. The roa ...
. The municipality is separated from the rest of Norway by the
Edøyfjorden Edøyfjorden is a fjord (more technically, a strait) in the Nordmøre region of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord runs between Smøla Municipality and Aure Municipality with many large and small islands on both sides. Some of th ...
to the south. Due to the vast number of small islands surrounding Smøla, there are several lighthouses. The three most notable ones are
Haugjegla Lighthouse Haugjegla Lighthouse ( no, Haugjegla fyr; also spelled: ''Hauggjegla'') is a coastal lighthouse located in Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located on a waveswept skerry about north of Veiholmen on the north side of ...
(north of Smøla),
Skalmen Lighthouse Skalmen Lighthouse ( no, Skalmen fyr) is a coastal lighthouse located in Smøla Municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The lighthouse is located on a small islet about northwest of the villages of Råket and Dyrnes on the main island ...
, (northwest of Smøla), and
Tyrhaug Lighthouse Tyrhaug Lighthouse ( no, Tyrhaug fyr; historical: ''Kyrhaug'') is a coastal lighthouse located in Smøla Municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It sits in the Edøyfjorden on the islet of Ringholmen, east of the island of Edøya, off the ...
(southeast of Smøla in the
Edøyfjorden Edøyfjorden is a fjord (more technically, a strait) in the Nordmøre region of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord runs between Smøla Municipality and Aure Municipality with many large and small islands on both sides. Some of th ...
). Scientists of the ''Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformationtechnique'' of the Technical University of Berlin were testing the antique maps of
Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...
and recognized a pattern of calculation mistakes that occurred when one tried to convert the old coordinates from Ptolemy into modern cartographical maps. The scientists believe that, when one compensates for these mistakes, the mythological location
Thule Thule ( grc-gre, Θούλη, Thoúlē; la, Thūlē) is the most northerly location mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature and cartography. Modern interpretations have included Orkney, Shetland, northern Scotland, the island of Saar ...
corresponds to the island of Smøla.


Climate

Smøla has a temperate oceanic climate, also known as a marine west coast climate (Cfb), with a cool summer and mild winter. The year amplitude is only from the coldest to the warmest month. The driest season is from April - July, and the wettest season is autumn and winter. The record high is from July 2018, and the record low is from February 2010.


Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Smøla, 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
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 Smøla is made up of 17 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 Smøla (incomplete list): *2019–present: Svein Roksvåg ( Sp) *2011-2019: Roger Osen ( Ap) *1991-2011: Iver G. Nordseth ( V) *1988-1991: Joralf Flataukan ( H) *1985-1987: Hans Vallestad (H) *1980-1985: Gudmund Restad (Sp)


Media

The newspaper '' Nordvestnytt'' has been published in Smøla since 1988.


Energy

On 5 September 2002, Statkraft announced the opening of the Smøla Wind Farm, a wind project comprising twenty 2-MW
wind turbine A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. Hundreds of thousands of large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, now generate over 650 gigawatts of power, with 60 GW added each yea ...
s by
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 ...
's King
Harald V Harald V ( no, Harald den femte, ; born 21 February 1937) is King of Norway. He acceded to the throne on 17 January 1991. Harald was the third child and only son of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden. He was second in the li ...
. This corresponds to phase one of the
wind Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few ho ...
project, which when completed will have a total installed capacity of more than . Phase two was opened in September 2005 and included forty-eight 2.3-MW wind turbines. All in all, the
wind energy Wind power or wind energy is mostly the use of wind turbines to generate electricity. Wind power is a popular, sustainable, renewable energy source that has a much smaller impact on the environment than burning fossil fuels. Historically, w ...
production project consists of 68 windmills, making it among the largest wind projects in
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
. With a total generating capacity of , the Smøla wind farm's 68 turbines account for more than half of the installed wind power capacity in Norway. The total generating capacity is equivalent to 450 GWh of
electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as describ ...
per year, which corresponds to the average annual
power consumption Electric energy consumption is the form of energy consumption that uses electrical energy. Electric energy consumption is the actual energy demand made on existing electricity supply for transportation, residential, industrial, commercial, and ot ...
of 22,500 Norwegian households.


Attractions

*
Veiholmen Veiholmen is a fishing village located on a group of tiny islands in the northern part of Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island is located at the end of a long road leading north from the village of Hopen. The roa ...
is a large
fishing village A fishing village is a village, usually located near a fishing ground, with an economy based on catching fish and harvesting seafood. The continents and islands around the world have coastlines totalling around 356,000 kilometres (221,000  ...
, north of the main island. *
Kulisteinen The Kulisteinen, also known as the Kuli stone and listed as N 449 in the Rundata catalog, is a stone with a runic inscription that was originally located at Kuløy in Smøla municipality, Norway. Description For over 900 years the Kuli stone had ...
(the Kuli stone), probably one of the best remains which tells about early
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
in Norway. On one side it has a large
cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...
, which was well known for a long time. Less well known was a
runic inscription A runic inscription is an inscription made in one of the various runic alphabets. They generally contained practical information or memorials instead of magic or mythic stories. The body of runic inscriptions falls into the three categories of E ...
on the rim of the stone. *
Old Edøy Church Old Edøy Church ( no, Edøy gamle kirke) is a historic parish church of the Church of Norway in Smøla Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located on the southwestern end of the small island of Edøya, just south of the larger ...
, a restored church dating back to about the year 1190. *Deep-sea fishing is a part of the natural environment of Smøla. Smøla provides facilities, guided fishing trips and possibilities for renting fisherman's boats and needed equipment. Participants can expect to catch a large selection of deep sea fish in this area: herring,
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 ...
,
redfish Redfish is a common name for several species of fish. It is most commonly applied to certain deep-sea rockfish in the genus ''Sebastes'', red drum from the genus '' Sciaenops'' or the reef dwelling snappers in the genus '' Lutjanus''. It is also a ...
,
perch Perch is a common name for fish of the genus ''Perca'', freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which three species occur in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Per ...
,
monkfish Members of the genus ''Lophius'', also sometimes called monkfish, fishing-frogs, frog-fish, and sea-devils, are various species of lophiid anglerfishes found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. ''Lophius'' is known as the "monk" or "monkfish" ...
, Atlantic halibut,
plaice Plaice is a common name for a group of flatfish that comprises four species: the European, American, Alaskan and scale-eye plaice. Commercially, the most important plaice is the European. The principal commercial flatfish in Europe, it is al ...
, carp, char, mackerel, and others.


Notable people

* Oluf Skarpnes (1932 in Smøla - 2019) a Norwegian jurist and public servant * Kåre Bryn (born 1944 in Smøla) a Norwegian diplomat * Ingar Knudtsen (born 1944 in Smøla) a Norwegian novelist and poet *
Marianne Schröder Marianne Schröder is a Norwegian model. She was born in Smøla, Norway on 11 March 1977. Career Schröder has modeled for Ambiente, Boss by Hugo Boss, Celine, Jil Sander, Lacoste, Marc O'Polo, and Missoni, and has been on the cover of ''Vogue ...
(born 1977 in Smøla) a Norwegian model


References


External links


Municipal fact sheet
from Statistics Norway
Official website

StatkraftVeiholmen.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smola Nordmøre Municipalities of Møre og Romsdal 1960 establishments in Norway