Astafjord

This article is about the former municipality in Norway. For the strait in Troms, Norway, see Astafjorden.
Astafjord Municipality
Astafjord herred
Former municipality
Troms within Norway
Troms within Norway
Astafjord within Troms
Astafjord within Troms
Coordinates: 68°40′29″N 17°07′28″E / 68.67472°N 17.12444°E / 68.67472; 17.12444
CountryNorway
CountyTroms
DistrictCentral Hålogaland
Established1 July 1926
 • Preceded byIbestad Municipality
Disestablished1 Jan 1964
 • Succeeded bySkånland Municipality
Administrative centreGrov
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total310 km2 (120 sq mi)
Population
 (1964)
 • Total1,120
 • Density3.6/km2 (9.4/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1918[1]
Data from Statistics Norway

Astafjord is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The 310-square-kilometre (120 sq mi) municipality existed from 1926 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in the eastern part of the present-day municipality of Tjeldsund. The municipality surrounded the Grovfjorden. The administrative center of the former municipality was the village of Grov where Astafjord Church is located. The Astafjorden (strait) flowed along the northern part of the municipality and it was the namesake for the municipality.[2]

History

Historically, Astafjord was a prestegjeld that encompassed a large part of southern Troms county, including the present-day municipalities of Bardu, Gratangen, Ibestad, Lavangen, Salangen, and most of Skånland. When municipalities were created in Norway in 1838, the old parish was created as Ibestad Municipality (see formannskapsdistrikt).[2]

The municipality of Astafjord was established on 1 July 1926 when the large Ibestad Municipality was separated into four municipalities: Ibestad (population: 1,768), Andørja (population: 1,420), Astafjord (population: 1,018), and Gratangen (population: 1,967). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Astafjord (population: 1,120) was merged with the part of Skånland municipality on the mainland (population: 2,246) to create a new larger Skånland Municipality (the rest of the old Skånland on the island of Rolla joined Ibestad Municipality).[3]

Name

The municipality was named after the Astafjorden strait which was named after the old Ånstad farm (Old Norse: Arnastaðafjǫrðr). The first element of the old name comes from the male name Arna or "Arne", the second element staða means "home" or "farm", and the last element fjǫrðr is identical with the word for "fjord". Thus, the name literally means the "fjord by Arne's farm".[4]

Government

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elected a mayor.[5]

Municipal council

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Astafjord was made up of 15 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council was as follows:

Astafjord herredsstyre 1960–1963 [6]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 7
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 8
Total number of members:15
Astafjord herredsstyre 1956–1959 [7]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 14
Total number of members:15
Astafjord herredsstyre 1952–1955 [8]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 3
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 2
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 7
Total number of members:12
Astafjord herredsstyre 1948–1951 [9]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 3
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 9
Total number of members:12
Astafjord herredsstyre 1945–1947 [10]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 4
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 5
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 3
Total number of members:12
Astafjord herredsstyre 1938–1941* [11]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 3
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 9
Total number of members:12
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayors of Astafjord:[12]

  • 1926-1929: Martin Rasmussen
  • 1929-1932: Viggo Tande
  • 1933-1942: Hartvik Nilsen
  • 1945-1945: Viggo Tande
  • 1945-1945: Peder Dyrstad
  • 1946-1963: Peder Ellefsen

See also

References

  1. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  2. ^ a b Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (4 April 2018). "Astafjord". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  3. ^ Jukvam, Dag (1999). Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  4. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1911). Norske gaardnavne: Tromsø amt (in Norwegian) (17 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 51.
  5. ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  10. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  11. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Ordførere i Gamle Astafjord". Skånland kommune (in Norwegian). 20 April 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.

External links

  • Troms travel guide from Wikivoyage