Bindal
Bindal
Municipality in Nordland, Norway
Bindal is a municipality in the Helgeland region in the extreme southwest part of Nordland county, Norway. The administrative centre is the village of Terråk. Other villages include Bindalseidet, Holm, Vassås, Horsfjord and Åbygda.
Bindal Municipality
Bindal kommune | |
|---|---|
| Bindalen herred (historic name) | |
Photo showing some of the landmarks in Bindal, including the second highest mountain Heilhornet (center-right part of the image) | |
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| |
Nordland within Norway | |
Bindal within Nordland | |
| Coordinates: 65°05′48″N 12°35′19″E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Nordland |
| District | Helgeland |
| Established | 1852 |
| • Preceded by | Nord-Bindalen and Sør-Bindalen |
| Administrative centre | Terråk |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2024) | Frode Næsvold (Ap) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,266.05 km2 (488.82 sq mi) |
| • Land | 1,192.23 km2 (460.32 sq mi) |
| • Water | 73.84 km2 (28.51 sq mi) 5.8% |
| • Rank | #81 in Norway |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Total | 1,391 |
| • Rank | #304 in Norway |
| • Density | 1.2/km2 (3/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) |  −10% |
| Demonym | Bindaling[1] |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Bokmål |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1811[3] |
| Website | Official website |
The 1,266-square-kilometre (489 sq mi) municipality is the 81st largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Bindal is the 304th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,391. The municipality's population density is 1.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (3.1/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 10% over the previous 10-year period.[4][5]
In 1838, the parish of Bindal was split into two municipalities (see formannskapsdistrikt law) because the parish included land in both the counties of Nord-Trøndelag and Nordland. The new law required that municipalities be located only in one county, so the parish was divided into two municipalities: Nordbindalen and Sørbindalen. In 1852, the county border was moved south to its current position and the municipalities of Nordbindalen and Sørbindalen were merged back together to form the municipality of Bindal. On 1 January 1964, the area around the inner Bindalsfjorden and the village of Lande (population: 296) was transferred to Brønnøy Municipality.[6]
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Bindalen valley (Old Norse: Birnudalr). The first element is the genitive case of the river name Birna (now called the river Åbjøra). The river name is derived from the word birna which means "(female) bear". The last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale".[7][8] Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Bindalen. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Bindal, removing the definite form ending -en.[9]
Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 9 February 1990. The official blazon is "Azure, six nails Or in annulo" (Norwegian: I blått seks gull nagler i rosett). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a circular arrangement of six nails or rivets. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The blue color in the field symbolizes the importance of the sea and boating and the circular arrangement of rivets was chosen to symbolize the importance of the boat building industry in Bindal. There are six rivets to represent 6 school districts, 6 originally inhabited islands, and 6 fjords areas in the municipality. The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.[10][11][12][13]
Churches
The Church of Norway has two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Bindal. It is part of the Sør-Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solstad | Solstad Church | Holm | 1888 |
| Vassås | Vassås Church | Vassås | 1733 |
Bindal borders four municipalities in Trøndelag county: Høylandet and Nærøy in the south, Namsskogan in the southeast, and Leka in the west. Bindal also has borders with the Nordland municipalities of Sømna, Brønnøy, and Grane. The Bindalsfjorden runs through the central part of the municipality.
From the coast, the municipality reaches into the mountains towards the lake Majavatnet in Grane. The tallest mountain is the 1,058-metre (3,471 ft) tall Heilhornet.[14] It also includes part of the lakes Eidevatnet and Fjellvatnet, which also partially lie in Brønnøy municipality. Other lakes include Åbjørvatnet, Kalvvatnet, and Saglivatnet. The river Åbjøra runs through the eastern part of Bindal. Part of the island of Austra is in Bindal.
All municipalities in Norway are 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.[15] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Helgeland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Bindal 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.
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 13 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
| Bindal List (Bindalslista) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Liberal Party (Venstre) | 8 | |
| Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet) and the Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Bindal Alternative List (Bindal Alternative Liste) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 | |
| Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet) and the Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Bindal alternative list (Bindal alternative liste) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Centre Party (Senterpartiet), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 | |
| Bindal Alternative List (Bindal Alternative Liste) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 7 | |
| Common list for Bindal (Samlingsliste for Bindal) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Common list for Bindal (Samlingslistefor Bindal) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Common list for Bindal (Samlingsliste for Bindal) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Cooperative list for Inner Bindal (Samarbeidsliste for Indre Bindal) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 9 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 2 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 8 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 17 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 17 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 17 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 1 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 11 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 1 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 9 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) | 1 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 1 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 8 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 2 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 10 | |
| 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 Bindal (incomplete list):[35]
- 1877-1878 Karl Julius Arnesen
- 1911-1919: Johan Lilleheil[36]
- 1920-1922: Johan Reppen[37]
- 1923-1925: O. Skaalvik[38]
- 1926-1928: Hans Sylten
- 1929-1931: Johan Lilleheil[39]
- 1932-1934: Tomas Breivik[40]
- 1935-1945: Fredrik Sverdrup[41][42]
- 1946-1951: Ole Røtting (Ap)[43][44]
- 1952-1955: Oddwin Skaiaa (H)[45]
- 1956-1957: Ole Røtting (Ap)
- 1958-1959: Oddwin Skaiaa (H)[46]
- 1960-1963: Ole Røtting (Ap)[47]
- 1964-1967: Kristen I. Sylten (Ap)
- 1968-1971: Bertram Bull-Njaa (LL)
- 1972-1975: Håkon Hald (Sp)[48]
- 1976-1979: Amund Skotnes (LL)
- 1980-1983: Kristen I. Sylten (Ap)
- 1983-2007: Magne H. Paulsen (Ap)
- 2007-2010: Per-André Johansen (Ap)
- 2010-2015: Petter Bjørnli (H)
- 2015-2023: Britt Helstad (Ap)
- 2023–present: Frode Næsvold (Ap)
The most important industries in Bindal are aquaculture, farming and forestry.
Boat races for Nordland boats have been held annually since 1978 in the main village of Terråk during the last weekend of June. Bindal has a traditional boat-building industry and Nordland boats are still manufactured here.
Bindal has two schools; one of them is classified as independent and therefore not administered by the municipality.
- Terråk skole in Terråk is a 1st-10th grade school and the largest in Bindal with approximately 100 students attending it.
- Bindalseidet friskole is an independent school located in Bindalseidet. It is a 1st-10th grade school.
- Otto Sverdrup (1854 in Bindal – 1930), a Norwegian sailor and Arctic explorer
- Fredrik Paasche (1886 in Bindal – 1943), a Norwegian educator, author and literary historian
- Carl Ludvig Godske (1906 in Bindal – 1970), a Norwegian mathematician and meteorologist
- Lisbeth Berg-Hansen (born 1963 in Bindal), a Norwegian salmon farmer and politician
- "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
- "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
- Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
- Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
- Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
- Den Norske historiske forening (1871). "Bemerkninger om stedsnavnene i den søndre del af Helgeland". Historisk tidsskrift (in Norwegian). Kristiania. p. 108. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
- Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 1.
- "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1917. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norge: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 1057–1065. 1917.
- "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- "Bindal, Nordland (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 9 February 1990. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- Store norske leksikon. "Bindal" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- "Heilhornet". Retrieved 19 November 2008.
- Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
- "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
- "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Tidligere kommunestyrer". Bindal kommune (in Norwegian). Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- "Bindal herredsstyre". Brønnøysunds Avis (in Norwegian). 21 January 1921. p. 1.
- "Bindal herredsstyre". Brønnøysunds Avis (in Norwegian). 6 February 1922. p. 1.
- "Bindal herredsstyre". Brønnøysunds Avis (in Norwegian). 9 April 1923. p. 1.
- "Bindalens herredsstyre". Nordlandskysten (in Norwegian). 20 December 1916. p. 4.
- "Ordførervalg". Nordlands Avis (in Norwegian). 19 January 1932. p. 1.
- "Ordførervalgene". Nordlandsposten (in Norwegian). 7 December 1934. p. 4.
- "Formannskapsvalg". Helgelands Blad (in Norwegian). 18 December 1937. p. 2.
- "Nådeløs utrenskrig av quislingreirene i Nord-Norge". Lofotposten (in Norwegian). 11 May 1945. p. 2.
- "Fortsatt sterkt Arbeiderpartiflertall i Nordland fylkesting". Fremover (in Norwegian). 18 February 1948. p. 2.
- "Bindal nye herredstyre". Lofotposten (in Norwegian). 2 January 1952. p. 2.
- "Liten forandring ved ordførervalgene i Nordland". Lofotposten (in Norwegian). 10 January 1958. p. 4.
- "Ole Røtting ordfører i Bindal". Helgeland Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 11 December 1959. p. 5.
- "Orfører". Nordlandsposten (in Norwegian). 20 December 1971. p. 4.
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)
Nordland travel guide from Wikivoyage
