Vevelstad Municipality
Municipality in Nordland, Norway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vevelstad 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 Forvik. The municipality is relatively small and isolated, with no road connections to the rest of Norway. It is only accessible by ferry, despite much of the municipality being located on the mainland.
Vevelstad Municipality
Vevelstad kommune | |
|---|---|
|
Flag | |
 Nordland within Norway | |
 Vevelstad within Nordland | |
| Coordinates: 65°40′06″N 12°31′07″E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Nordland |
| District | Helgeland |
| Established | 1 July 1916 |
| • Preceded by | Tjøtta Municipality |
| Administrative centre | Forvik |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2023) | Sivert Vevelstad (Ap) |
| Area | |
• Total | 539.04 km2 (208.12 sq mi) |
| • Land | 516.24 km2 (199.32 sq mi) |
| • Water | 22.80 km2 (8.80 sq mi) 4.2% |
| • Rank | #198 in Norway |
| Highest elevation | 1,239.2 m (4,066 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 480 |
| • Rank | #352 in Norway |
| • Density | 0.9/km2 (2.3/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) |  −3% |
| Demonym | Vevelstadværing |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Bokmål |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1816 |
| Website | Official website |
The 539-square-kilometre (208 sq mi) municipality is the 198th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Vevelstad Municipality is the 352nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 480. The municipality's population density is 0.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (2.3/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 3% over the previous 10-year period.[2][3]
General information
The municipality of Vevelstad was established on 1 July 1916 when it was separated from Tjøtta Municipality. Initially, the municipality had 1,097 residents. On 1 July 1920, the Giskå farm area (population: 10) was transferred from Tjøtta Municipality to Vevelstad Municipality. The borders have not changed since that time.[4]
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Vevelstad farm (Old Norse: Vifilsstaðir), since the first Vevelstad Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the Old Norse male name Vifill and the last element is the plural form of staðr which means "homestead" or "farm", therefore it means "Vifill's homestead".[5]
Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 13 November 1991. The official blazon is "Azure, three inverted couped chevrons argent, two and one" (Norwegian: I blått tre omvendte svevende sølv sparrer, 2-1). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is three V-shaped figures (two over one). The V-shapes have a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms are canting, showing the first letter of the name of the municipality, V. The municipality applied for arms in the 1970s, but all the proposals were rejected by either the municipal council or the National Archives. Finally, the present arms were adopted and granted in 1991. The arms were designed by Odd P. Olsen.[6][7][8]
Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within Vevelstad Municipality. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vevelstad | Vevelstad Church | Forvik | 1796 |
Geography
The municipality lies in the middle of Norway, surrounded by mountains and fjords. A lot of the municipality is a part of Lomsdal–Visten National Park. The lake Søre Vistvatnet lies in the southeastern part of the municipality inside the national park. Most of the residents live along the coastline or on the island Hamnøya. The mouth of the Velfjorden lies in the southern part of the municipality. The highest point in the municipality is the 1,239.2-metre (4,066 ft) tall mountain Vistkjerringa on the border with Vefsn Municipality.[1]
Government
Vevelstad 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.[9] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Helgeland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Vevelstad Municipality is made up of 13 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) | 4 | |
| Cooperative List (Samarbeidslisten) | 5 | |
| Municipal List (Kommunelista) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooperative List (Samarbeidslisten) | 8 | |
| Municipal List (Kommunelista) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 | |
| Cooperative List (Samarbeidslisten) | 6 | |
| Municipal List (Kommunelista) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 | |
| Cooperative List (Samarbeidslisten) | 8 | |
| Municipal List (Kommunelista) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
| Municipal list (Kommunelista) | 4 | |
| Cooperative list (Samarbeidsliste) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
| Municipal list (Kommunelista) | 4 | |
| Cooperative list (Samarbeidsliste) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Party (Kystpartiet) | 2 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Joint list of the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) and the Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 4 | |
| Cooperative list (Samarbeidsliste) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Joint list of the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) and the Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 7 | |
| Total number of members: | 15 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 | |
| Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Vevelstad local list (Vevelstad Bygdeliste) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), Centre Party (Senterpartiet), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), Centre Party (Senterpartiet), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), Centre Party (Senterpartiet), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
| Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 13 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 12 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 12 | |
| 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 mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Vevelstad Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:[29][30]
- 1916–1919: Johan Grønbæk[31]
- 1920–1928: Isak Smith-Nilsen[32]
- 1929–1932: Nergaard Vaag (FV)[33]
- 1932–1944: Isak Smith-Nilsen[34][35][36]
- 1945–1945: Arne Eliassen[37]
- 1945–1967: Ragnvald Vevelstad (Ap)
- 1967–1970: Eilif Slotvik
- 1970–1975: Ragnvald Vevelstad (Ap)
- 1976–1979: Alf Arnes (V)
- 1980–1987: Per Vevelstad (Ap)
- 1988–1999: Harald Axelsen (Ap)
- 1999–2003: Arnt O. Åsvang (LL)
- 2003–2015: Ken-Richard Hansen (LL)
- 2015–2019: Kari Anne Bøkestad Andreassen (LL)
- 2019–2023: Torhild Haugann (Sp)
- 2023–present: Sivert Vevelstad (Ap)[38]
Notable people
- Kari Anne Bøkestad Andreassen (born 1973 in Vevelstad), a Norwegian politician who was the first female Mayor of the municipality
