Skånland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Skånland kommune | |||
| — Municipality — | |||
|
|||
 |
|||
| Coordinates: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Troms | ||
| District | Hålogaland | ||
| Municipality ID | NO-1913 | ||
| Administrative centre | Evenskjer | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor (2003) | Svein Berg (Ap) | ||
| Area (Nr. 209 in Norway) | |||
| - Total | 495 km² (191.1 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 465 km² (179.5 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| - Total | 3,005 | ||
| - Density | 6/km² (15.5/sq mi) | ||
| - Change (10 years) | -11.5 % | ||
| - Rank in Norway | 271 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Official language form | Bokmål | ||
|
|
|||
| Website: www.skanland.kommune.no | |||
Skånland (saami Skánit) is a municipality in the county of Troms, Norway.
Skånland was separated from Trondenes July 1, 1926. Astafjord was merged with Skånland January 1, 1964.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
The municipality includes the western and northern part of the Ofoten peninsula, which is bordered by Ofotfjord in the south, Tjeldsundet in the west and Astafjord (Vågsfjord) in the north.
Neighbouring municipalities are Evenes in Nordland to the southeast, Tjeldsund in Nordland to the southwest. Harstad in the northwest, across Tjeldsundet, and Gratangen in the northeast, are located in Troms.
Evenskjer, located in the lowland bordering Tjeldsundet, is the largest village. In the northern part is the smaller village of Grov. Other villages are Tovik and Sandstrand.
[edit] The name
The municipality, and the parish, is named after the old farm Skånland (Norse Skánøyjarland), since the first church was built there (in 1870). The first element is the genitive case of an old name *Skánøy (but the meaning of this is uncertain), the last element is land n 'land, farm' it may be of saami origin.
[edit] Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1988). It shows an auger. (The production of augers, and their use in construction of boats, has long roots in the municipality.)
(See also the coat-of-arms of Meland.)
[edit] Economy
Agriculture is important in Skånland, and there are also many people working in Harstad or at the Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes.
[edit] Nature
The largest lake is Skoddebergvatnet, and the highest mountain is Skittendalstinden (1306 m) in the mountainous center of the peninsula. There are calcarous pine forests near Skoddebergvatnet.
|
|||||
 |
This Troms location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
