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Kåfjord Municipality Kåfjord kommune Gáivuona suohkan Kaivuonon komuuni
Municipality
View of Olderdalen
FlagCoat of arms
Troms within Norway
Kåfjord within Troms
Coordinates: 69°36′14″N 20°31′57″E / 69.60389°N 20.53250°E / 69.60389; 20.53250
Country	Norway
County	Troms
District	Nord-Troms
Established	21 June 1929
• Preceded by	Lyngen Municipality
Administrative centre	Olderdalen
Government
• Mayor (2019)	Bernt Eirik Isaksen Lyngstad (Ap)
Area
• Total	991.15 km (382.69 sq mi)
• Land	949.56 km (366.63 sq mi)
• Water	41.59 km (16.06 sq mi)  4.2%
• Rank	#116 in Norway
Highest elevation	1,375.4 m (4,512.5 ft)
Population
• Total	1,974
• Rank	#283 in Norway
• Density	2/km (5/sq mi)
• Change (10 years)	−11.1%
Demonym	Kåfjording
Official languages
• Norwegian form	Bokmål
• Sámi form	Northern Sami
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	NO-5540
Website	Official website
Data from Statistics Norway

Kåfjord (Norwegian), Gáivuotna [ˈkaːjːvuo̯tna] (Northern Sami), or Kaivuono (Kven) is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Olderdalen. Other notable villages include Løkvollen, Manndalen, Birtavarre, Trollvik, Samuelsberg, Nordmannvik, and Djupvik.

The 991-square-kilometre (383 sq mi) municipality is the 116th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Kåfjord is the 283rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,974. The municipality's population density is 2 inhabitants per square kilometre (5.2/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 11.1% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

The municipality of Kåfjord was established by a royal resolution that was approved on 21 June 1929 when the large Lyngen Municipality was divided into three: Lyngen in the northwest, Kåfjord in the northeast, and Storfjord Municipality in the south. The initial population of Kåfjord was 2,482. Then on 1 January 1992, the Nordnes area along the Lyngen fjord in Lyngen Municipality (population: 38) was transferred to Kåfjord Municipality.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.

Name

The municipality is named after the local Kåfjorden (Old Norse: Kofafjǫrðr). The meaning of the name is uncertain. One explanation is that the first element is derived from the word kofi which means "side-chamber", here in the sense that this fjord is a smaller branch off of a main fjord. The last element is fjǫrðr which means "fjord". Another interpretation is that the name is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi language name Gáivuotna. The first element of the Sami name has an unknown meaning. The last element is vuotna which means "fjord". Thus its semi-translated name is something like "Gai-fjord" which could sound like the Norwegian name "Kåfjord".

The name of the municipality was simply Kåfjord from its establishment in 1926 until 2 May 1994 when the name was changed to Gáivuotna–Kåfjord. This new name combined the Sami and Norwegian names into one. It was the fifth municipality in Norway to get a Sami name. In 2005, the name was again changed such that either the Sami name (Gáivuotna) or the Norwegian name (Kåfjord) could be used interchangeably. In 2016, the name was changed again. This time, the Kven language name was added to the list of official names. All three names are equal and parallel names for the municipality. The spelling of the Sami and Kven language names change depending on how they are used. In Sami, it is called Gáivuotna when it is spelled alone, but it is Gáivuona suohkan when using the Sami language equivalent to "Kåfjord municipality". In Kven, it is called Kaivuono when it is spelled alone, but it is Kaivuonon komuuni when using the Kven language equivalent to "Kåfjord municipality".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 20 January 1989. The official blazon is "Gules, a spinning wheel argent" (Norwegian: I rødt en sølv rokk). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a spinning wheel. The spinning wheel has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The spinning wheel was chosen because it is a timeless symbol. Handicrafts have long and particular traditions in Kåfjord. It is also a unifying symbol for Kåfjord's population since many residents (at the time of the adoption of the arms) had had a spinning wheel in their homes while they were growing up. It also is meant as a symbol of frugality, self-sufficiency, and an industrious people. The arms were designed by Harald O. Lindbach.

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality. It is part of the Nord-Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

History

In 1945, the villages of Kåfjord were burned to the ground during the retreat of German forces from Finland and Finnmark. This was as far west as the Wehrmacht used their scorched earth tactics.

Government

Kåfjord Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Nord-Troms og Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Kåfjord is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Kåfjord:

• 1929-1942: Anton D. Meedby (LL)
• 1942-1943: Leif Caroliussen (NS)
• 1943-1945: Edvard A. Manndal (NS)
• 1945-1946: Anton D. Meedby (LL)
• 1946-1959: Anton Antonsen (Ap)
• 1960-1963: Peder Sandbukt (Ap)
• 1964-1967: Andor Sandvoll (LL)
• 1968-1971: Hans Berg (Ap)
• 1972-1975: Halfdan Hansen (LL)
• 1976-1977: Peder Sandbukt (LL)
• 1978-1987: Einar Storslett (LL)
• 1988-1989: Ansgar Hansen (LL)
• 1990-1991: Einar Storslett (LL)
• 1991-1993: Terje Solberg (LL)
• 1993-1999: Åge B. Pedersen (Ap)
• 1999-2003: Kristin Vatnelid Johansen (LL)
• 2003–2015: Bjørn Inge Mo (Ap)
• 2015-2019: Svein O. Leiros (Sp)
• 2019–present: Bernt Eirik Isaksen Lyngstad (Ap)

Geography

The municipality is situated on the eastern side of the Lyngen fjord, and around its eastern arm, the Kåfjord. The municipal centre is Olderdalen. Other villages include Birtavarre, Kåfjorddalen, Djupvik, Nordmannvik, and Manndalen, where the international indigenous peoples' festival Riddu Riđđu is hosted each year.

On the border with Finland, is the mountain Ráisduattarháldi which has a height of 1,365 m (4,478 ft). The highest point in the municipality is the 1,375.4-metre (4,512 ft) tall mountain Isfjellet.

Economy

Fishing and small-scale farming have been the most important sources of income. Now many people work in education and other public services. The population has declined for many years, but the decline is now less rapid than earlier.

Population

The majority of the population is of Sami origin. Due to assimilation pressure from the Norwegian State, the language was largely lost in the 20th century. Efforts are being made to reintroduce the Northern Sami language which is largely concentrated in the municipality's largest village, Manndalen/Olmmáivággi.

Notable people

• Erik Johnsen, (Norwegian Wiki) (1844 in Kåfjord i Lyngen – 1941), a Laestadian preacher who received the King's Medal of Merit (Kongens Fortjenstmedalje) in 1938 for his work for the salvation of the soul.
• Rolf Ketil Bjørn (1938 in Kåfjord – 2008), a businessperson and politician
• Jan Lindvall (born 1950 in Kåfjord), a retired cross-country skier who competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics

Gallery

• Shed with green roof at Lyngen fjord
• A view from the northeast coast of Kåfjorden
• Fossheim

References

1. ^ "Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 16 January 2024.
2. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
3. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
4. Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
5. ^ "Stadnamn og rettskriving" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
6. ^ Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (18 January 2024). "Kåfjord". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
7. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
8. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
9. "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1929. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 284. 1929.
10. ^ Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
11. Mæhlum, Lars, ed. (24 December 2019). "Troms og Finnmark". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
12. "Fylkesinndelingen fra 2024" (in Norwegian). Regjeringen.no. 5 July 2022.
13. Rygh, Oluf (1911). Norske gaardnavne: Tromsø amt (in Norwegian) (17 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 152.
14. "Ot.prp. nr. 111 (2001-2002)" (in Norwegian). regjeringen.no. 5 July 2002. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
15. "Endring av skrivemåten for tospråklige kommunenavn" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
16. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
17. "Kåfjord, Troms (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
18. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 17 March 1989. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
19. W. Tengelsen, Torstein (31 October 1989). "Symbolet til India også Kåfjords" [Indian Symbol also Kåfjord's]. Framtid i Nord (in Norwegian Bokmål). Vol. 2, no. 80. p. 2.
20. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
21. "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Troms Romsa". Valgdirektoratet. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
22. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Troms og Finnmark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
23. ^ "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
24. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Troms Romsa". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
25. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
26. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
27. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
28. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
29. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
30. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
31. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
32. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
33. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
34. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
35. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
36. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
37. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
38. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
39. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
40. Lyngstad, Torleif (1991). Kåfjord - mennesker, administrasjon og politikk (in Norwegian). Kåfjord kommune. pp. 119–121, 184–185. ISBN 8299241707.
41. "Biografi: Predikant Erik Johnsen, Manndalen". predikanterikjohnsenblog. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2018.

External links

• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)

• Definitions from Wiktionary
• Media from Commons
• Travel guides from Wikivoyage
• Data from Wikidata

v t e Troms county, Norway
Main article: Troms Capital: Tromsø County government: Troms County Municipality County lists: County Governors Villages Churches
	Towns and cities	Tromsø (1794) Harstad (1904) Finnsnes (2000) Bardufoss (2021)
	Municipalities	Nord-Troms Balsfjord Gáivuotna-Kåfjord-Kaivuono Karlsøy Kvænangen Lyngen Nordreisa-Ráisa-Raisi Skjervøy Storfjord-Omasvuotna-Omasvuono Tromsø Midt-Troms Bardu Dyrøy Loabák-Lavangen Målselv Salangen Senja Sørreisa Sør-Troms Dielddanuorri-Tjeldsund Gratangen Harstad-Hárstták Ibestad Kvæfjord
	Former Municipalities in Troms Andørja (1926-1964) Astafjord (1926-1964) Berg (1838-2020) Bjarkøy (1838-2013) Helgøy (1886-1964) Hillesøy (1855-1964) Lenvik (1838-2020) Malangen (1871-1964) Sandtorg (1926-1964) Skånland (1926-2020) Torsken (1902-2020) Tranøy (1838-2020) Tromsøysund (1838-1964) Trondenes (1838-1964) Ullsfjord (1902-1964) Øverbygd (1925-1964)

• Municipalities of Troms
• Sámi-language municipalities
• Populated places of Arctic Norway
• Gáivuotna–Kåfjord
• 1929 establishments in Norway
• Populated places established in 1929