Salangen Municipality

Salangen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sjøvegan, where most of the people in the municipality live. Other villages include Elvenes, Laberget, Salangsverket, and Seljeskogen.

Salangen Municipality Salangen kommune Siellága suohkan (Northern Sami)
Municipality
Village of Sjøvegan
Flag Coat of arms
Troms within Norway
Salangen within Troms
Coordinates: 68°54′02″N 17°53′35″E
Country	Norway
County	Troms
District	Midt-Troms
Established	1 Jan 1871
• Preceded by	Ibestad Municipality
Administrative centre	Sjøvegan
Government
• Mayor (2023)	Simon Løvhaug (Sp)
Area
• Total	458.07 km2 (176.86 sq mi)
• Land	438.09 km2 (169.15 sq mi)
• Water	19.98 km2 (7.71 sq mi)  4.4%
• Rank	#217 in Norway
Highest elevation [1]	1,378.52 m (4,522.70 ft)
Population  (2024)
• Total	2,069
• Rank	#278 in Norway
• Density	4.5/km2 (12/sq mi)
• Change (10 years)	−6.9%
Demonym	Salangsværing[2]
Official language [3]
• Norwegian form	Neutral
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	NO-5522[4]
Website	Official website
Data from Statistics Norway

The municipality is situated along the Sagfjorden in south central Troms county. The municipality is mostly coastal areas around the fjord as well as some inland valleys. Salangen is home to the world's northernmost bat population.

The 458-square-kilometre (177 sq mi) municipality is the 217th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Salangen is the 278th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,069. The municipality's population density is 4.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (12/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 6.9% over the previous 10-year period.^[5][6]

General information

Mountains of Salangen in February

The municipality of Salangen was established on 1 January 1871 when it was separated from the large Ibestad Municipality. The initial population of Salangen Municipality was 1,384.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Lavangen Municipality (population: 1,677) and Salangen Municipality (population: 2,611) were merged to form a new, larger Salangen Municipality with a new population of 4,288.

This merger was not popular and on 1 January 1977, it was mostly undone. Most of the old Lavangen Municipality (except for the Lavangsnes area) was separated from Salangen Municipality to form a separate municipality once again. After the split, the new, smaller Salangen Municipality had 2,611 residents.^[7]

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.^[8] On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.^[9]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the local Salangen fjord (Old Norse: Selangr). The first element is selr which means "seal". The last element is angr which means "fjord".^[10]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 2 December 1985. The official blazon is "Azure, a seal hauriant argent" (Norwegian: I blått en skråstilt sølv sel). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a seal. The seal has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. They are canting arms since the name of the municipality is derived from the old word "Sellanger", meaning "fjord of seals". The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen.^[11][12][13]

Churches

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

Churches in Salangen

Parish (sokn)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Salangen	Salangen Church	Sjøvegan	1981
	Elvenes Chapel	Elvenes	1959

Geography

The municipality is located in the southern part of Troms county, at the northeastern end of the Astafjorden. Ibestad Municipality is located west of Salangen, connected by the Mjøsund Bridge; Lavangen Municipality to the south; Bardu Municipality to the east; and Dyrøy Municipality and Sørreisa Municipality are to the north. The highest point in the municipality is the 1,378.52-metre (4,522.7 ft) tall mountain Hjerttinden.^[1]

Geology

The area itself is part of the Caledonian Orogeny formed of part of a series of Nappes that run down the coast of Norway. These nappes were metamorphosed as a result of partial subduction beneath Laurentia during the early to middle Paleozoic.^[14] On a smaller scale, the municipality is located mainly on quartzite (known as Sjøvegan quartzite locally and regionally as Bø quartzite). In the hills to the south, there is garnet-rich schist (known as Trollvannet schist).

Across the nearby lake Nervatnet and towards the village of Strokkenes, granite within marble is present (Høglund marble and Strokkenes granite). This granite is Leucratic, an indicative sign of granite intruded within an orogenic mountain building event.

Climate

Climate data for Sjøvegan
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Daily mean °C (°F)	−6.1 (21.0)	−5.3 (22.5)	−2.5 (27.5)	1.4 (34.5)	6.7 (44.1)	10.7 (51.3)	12.9 (55.2)	11.8 (53.2)	7.2 (45.0)	2.6 (36.7)	−2.0 (28.4)	−4.5 (23.9)	2.7 (36.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	88 (3.5)	86 (3.4)	65 (2.6)	57 (2.2)	48 (1.9)	58 (2.3)	69 (2.7)	77 (3.0)	96 (3.8)	121 (4.8)	97 (3.8)	98 (3.9)	960 (37.8)
Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[15]

Government

Salangen 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.^[16] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Salangen is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Salangen kommunestyre 2023–2027 ^[17]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	7
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
Total number of members:		19

Salangen kommunestyre 2019–2023 ^[18]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	9
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
Total number of members:		19

Salangen kommunestyre 2015–2019 ^[19]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	8
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		19

Salangen kommunestyre 2011–2015 ^[20]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	7
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	9
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		19

Salangen kommunestyre 2007–2011 ^[19]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	6
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	11
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		19

Salangen kommunestyre 2003–2007 ^[19]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	6
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		15

Salangen kommunestyre 1999–2003 ^[19]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	9
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	5
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		21

Salangen kommunestyre 1995–1999 ^[21]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	9
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
Total number of members:		21

Salangen kommunestyre 1991–1995 ^[22]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	9
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	3
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	4
Total number of members:		21

Salangen kommunestyre 1987–1991 ^[23]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
Total number of members:		21

Salangen kommunestyre 1983–1987 ^[24]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		21

Salangen kommunestyre 1979–1983 ^[25]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		21

Salangen kommunestyre 1975–1979 ^[26]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	17
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7
	Political independents list for Lavangen (Politisk Uavhengig Liste for Lavangen)	1
Total number of members:		29
Note: From 1964 until 1977, Lavangen Municipality was part of Salangen Municipality.

Salangen kommunestyre 1971–1975 ^[27]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	17
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	2
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	5
Total number of members:		29
Note: From 1964 until 1977, Lavangen Municipality was part of Salangen Municipality.

Salangen kommunestyre 1967–1971 ^[28]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	2
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	3
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	10
Total number of members:		29
Note: From 1964 until 1977, Lavangen Municipality was part of Salangen Municipality.

Salangen kommunestyre 1963–1967 ^[29]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	14
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	1
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	4
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	8
Total number of members:		29
Note: From 1964 until 1977, Lavangen Municipality was part of Salangen Municipality.

Salangen herredsstyre 1959–1963 ^[30]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
Total number of members:		21

Salangen herredsstyre 1955–1959 ^[31]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		21

Salangen herredsstyre 1951–1955 ^[32]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	1
Total number of members:		20

Salangen herredsstyre 1947–1951 ^[33]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	6
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	1
Total number of members:		20

Salangen herredsstyre 1945–1947 ^[34]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	5
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	2
Total number of members:		20

Salangen herredsstyre 1937–1941* ^[35]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	9
Total number of members:		20
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 Salangen 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:^[36]

• 1871–1872: Johan Enoksen
• 1873-1876: Christian Strøm
• 1877-1880: Samuel Tollefsen
• 1881-1889: J. B. Markussen
• 1899-1906: Hans Lund
• 1907-1934: Kristian Pedersen Tønder (Ap)
• 1934-1940: Magnus Elvevoll (Ap)
• 1940-1941: Per Olai Prestbakmo (V)
• 1946-1963: Johan A Johansen (Ap)
• 1964-1984: Per Tønder (Ap)
• 1984-1994: Håkon Bendiktsen (Ap)
• 1994-1999: Astrid Tunheim (Ap)
• 1999-2014: Ivar B. Prestbakmo (Sp)
• 2014–2023: Sigrun W. Prestbakmo (Sp)
• 2023-present: Simon Løvhaug (Sp)^[37]

Notable people

• Nels Nelsen (1894 in Salangen – 1943), a Canadian ski jumper active from 1916 to 1932
• Dag Tønder (1907 in Salangen – 1989), an editor, lawyer, judge, and acting county governor
• Birger Vestermo (born 1930 in Salangen), a cross-country skier who competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics
• Bård Tønder (born 1948 in Salangen), a Norwegian judge and Supreme Court Justice from 2006 to 2018

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. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
6. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
7. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
8. Mæhlum, Lars, ed. (24 December 2019). "Troms og Finnmark". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
9. "Fylkesinndelingen fra 2024" (in Norwegian). Regjeringen.no. 5 July 2022.
10. Rygh, Oluf (1911). Norske gaardnavne: Tromsø amt (in Norwegian) (17 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 52.
11. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
12. "Salangen, Troms (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
13. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 13 December 1985. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
14. Steltenpohl, M.G.; Andresen, A.; Lindstrom, M.; Gromet., P.; Steltenpohl, L.W. (2003). "The Role of Felsic And Mafic Igneous Rocks in Deciphering The Evolution of Thrust-Stacked Terranes: An Example from the North Norwegian Caledonides". American Journal of Science. 303 (2): 149–185. doi:10.2475/ajs.303.2.149.
15. "eKlima Web Portal". Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 14 June 2004.
16. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
17. "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Troms Romsa". Valgdirektoratet. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
18. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Troms og Finnmark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
19. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
20. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Troms Romsa". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
21. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
22. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
23. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
24. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
25. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
26. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
27. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
28. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
29. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
30. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
31. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
32. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
33. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
34. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
35. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
36. Rønhaug, Eliseus Johan (1996). Salangen kommune 125 år 1871–1996 : Jubileumsskrift (in Norwegian). Sjøvegan: Salangen kommune. ISBN 8299396506.
37. Straumsnes, Malin; Skoglund, Kari Anne (19 September 2023). "Ordførerduo på til sammen 49 år gir håp til fraflytningskommunen". NRK Troms og Finnmark (in Norwegian). Retrieved 6 January 2024.

External links

• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)