Hattfjelldal
Hattfjelldal
Municipality in Nordland, Norway
Hattfjelldal (Norwegian) or Aarborte (Southern Sami) is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hattfjelldal. Other villages include Grubben, Svenskvollen, and Varntresk. Hattfjelldal Airfield is located in the village of Hattfjelldal.
Hattfjelldal Municipality
Hattfjelldal kommune Aarborten tjїelte | |
|---|---|
| Hatfjelddalen herred (historic name) | |
View of Hattfjell ("hat mountain") | |
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Nordland within Norway | |
Hattfjelldal within Nordland | |
| Coordinates: 65°32′51″N 14°08′04″E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Nordland |
| District | Helgeland |
| Established | 1862 |
| • Preceded by | Vefsn Municipality |
| Administrative centre | Hattfjelldal |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2023) | Sølvi Andersen (Ap) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2,684.32 km2 (1,036.42 sq mi) |
| • Land | 2,411.16 km2 (930.95 sq mi) |
| • Water | 273.19 km2 (105.48 sq mi) 10.2% |
| • Rank | #20 in Norway |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Total | 1,278 |
| • Rank | #313 in Norway |
| • Density | 0.5/km2 (1/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) |  −13.1% |
| Demonym | Hattfjelldaling[1] |
| Official languages | |
| • Norwegian form | Neutral |
| • Sámi form | Southern Sami |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1826[3] |
| Website | Official website |
The 2,684-square-kilometre (1,036 sq mi) municipality is the 20th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Hattfjelldal is the 313th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,278. The municipality's population density is 0.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (1.3/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 13.1% over the previous 10-year period.[4][5]
Hattfjelldal is one of the last strongholds for the severely endangered Southern Sami language. It was also one of the municipalities in Norway involved in the Terra Securities scandal.
The municipality of Hattfjelldal was established in 1862 when it was separated from the large municipality of Vefsn. The initial population of Hattfjelldal was 961. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the part of Hattfjelldal on the north side of the lake Røssvatnet (population: 168) was transferred to the neighboring Hemnes Municipality.[6]
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hattfjelldalen farm (referred to as "Hatfieldalen" in 1723) where the first Hattfjelldal Church was built. The first element of the name comes from the local mountain Hattfjellet which has a hat-like shape. The mountain name is derived from the genitive case of the word hǫttr which means "hat" and the word fjall which means "mountain". The last element of the name is the definite form of the word dalr which means "valley" or "dale". Thus it is the "hat-shaped mountain valley".[7] Historically, the name of the municiaplity was spelled Hatfjelddalen. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Hatfjelldalen (removing one "d").[8] On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Hatfjelldal (removing the definite form ending).[9] On 29 January 1926, the spelling was changed again, this time by adding a "t" to make it Hattfjelldal.[10]
On 14 June 2019, the national government approved a resolution to add a co-equal, official Sami language name for the municipality: Aarborte.[11] The spelling of the Sami language name changes depending on how it is used. It is called Aarborte when it is spelled alone, but it is Aarborten tjїelte when using the Sami language equivalent to "Hattfjelldal municipality".[12]
Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 24 October 1986. The official blazon is "Per fess argent and vert embattled with one battlement" (Norwegian: Delt av sølv og grønt ved tindesnitt med en enkelt tinde). This means the arms have a field (background) that is divided by a horizontal line that has a rectangular raised area. The field above the line has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. Below the line, the field is colored green. The arms were designed to mimic the local Hattfjellet mountain which rises above the terrain and can be seen for great distances. The mountain has steep sides with a rather flat plateau at the top, giving it a distinctive look. The design is a canting element since the name of the municipality means "hat mountain valley". The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.[13][14][15]
Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Hattfjelldal. It is part of the Indre Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hattfjelldal | Hattfjelldal Church | Hattfjelldal | 1868 |
| Susendal Church | Svenskvollen | 2001 | |
| Varntresk Church | Varntresk | 1986 |
Hattfjelldal lies along the Swedish border in the southeastern part of Nordland county. The lake Røssvatnet (Southern Sami: Reevhtse) lies on the border between Hattfjelldal and Hemnes, and it serves as a reservoir. It has been the site of human occupation since the Stone Age. Its area of 219 square kilometres (85 sq mi) makes it the second largest lake in Norway by surface area.
Other lakes in the region include Daningen, Elsvatnet, Famnvatnet, Jengelvatnet, Kjerringvatnet, Krutvatnet, Ranseren, Simskardvatnet, and Unkervatnet. The large river Vefsna runs through the municipality.
Børgefjell National Park is partly located in the southern part of Hattfjelldal, as is Jetnamsklumpen, a prominent mountain. There is several nature reserves, such as Varnvassdalen with a varied topography and old growth forest of pine, birch and some spruce.[16]
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.[17] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Helgeland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Hattfjelldal is made up of 15 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) | 8 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Total number of members: | 15 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Hattfjelldal Local List (Hattfjelldal Bygdeliste) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 11 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Hattfjelldal Local List (Hattfjelldal Bygdeliste) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 12 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), Centre Party (Senterpartiet), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 7 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 8 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 2 | |
| Socialist common list (Venstresosialistiske felleslister) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 4 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 17 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 4 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) | 1 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party (Venstre) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 16 | |
| 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 (Norwegian: ordfører) of Hattfjelldal (incomplete list):
- Anders K. Orvin (1889–1980) a Norwegian geologist and explorer
- Anna Jacobsen (1924–2004), champion of Southern Sami language and culture
- Karl Ingebrigtsen (born 1935) a Norwegian 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.
- Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrykkeri. p. 86.
- "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1908. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norge: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 24. 1908.
- "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1917. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norge: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 1057–1065. 1917.
- "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1926. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 51. 1926.
- "Fastsettelse av samisk navn på Hattfjelldal kommune, Nordland" (in Norwegian). LovData.no. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- "Stadnamn og rettskriving" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- "Hattfjelldal, Nordland (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 14 November 1986. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- "Varnvassdalen naturreservat" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 23 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.
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)
Nordland travel guide from Wikivoyage
