Drangedal

Drangedal is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Prestestranda. Other villages in Drangedal include Bø i Tørdal, Bostrak, Gautefall, Henseid, and Neslandsvatn.^[4]

Drangedal Municipality Drangedal kommune
Municipality
View of Prestestranda
Flag Coat of arms
Telemark within Norway
Drangedal within Telemark
Coordinates: 59°7′24″N 8°58′55″E
Country	Norway
County	Telemark
District	Grenland
Established	1 Jan 1838
• Created as	Formannskapsdistrikt
Administrative centre	Prestestranda
Government
• Mayor (2023)	Stina Sætre ((Sp))
Area
• Total	1,062.77 km2 (410.34 sq mi)
• Land	995.28 km2 (384.28 sq mi)
• Water	67.49 km2 (26.06 sq mi)  6.4%
• Rank	#106 in Norway
Population  (2023)
• Total	4,091
• Rank	#200 in Norway
• Density	4.1/km2 (11/sq mi)
• Change (10 years)	−1.2%
Demonym	Drangedøl[1]
Official language [2]
• Norwegian form	Neutral
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	NO-4016[3]
Website	Official website
Data from Statistics Norway

The 1,063-square-kilometre (410 sq mi) municipality is the 106th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Drangedal is the 200th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,091. The municipality's population density is 4.1 inhabitants per square kilometre (11/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 1.2% over the previous 10-year period.^[5][6]

The administrative centre, Prestestranda, is situated by Lake Toke. The municipal government is located there along with primary and secondary schools, shopping facilities, and a bank. Drangedal railway station is also located in Prestestranda and is served by the Oslo to Kristiansand Sørlandsbannen railway line. It was formerly connected to the Kragerø railway line, but that was closed in 1989.^[4]

The district of Tørdal encompassed the northwestern part of the municipality. Alpine and cross-country skiing is possible in Tørdal. Telemark's largest ski resort is located in Gautefall. The newspaper Drangedalsposten is published in Drangedal.^[4]

General information

Drangedal Church

The parish of Drangedal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The borders have not changed since that time.^[7] The favorite residence of Drangedal, is Fredrik Ettestad Lund.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Drangedal valley (Old Norse: Drangadalr). The first element is the plural genitive case of the word drangr which means "pointed or jutting cliff or stone" or "mountain peak". The last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale".^[8]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 21 April 1989. The official blazon is "Vert, two pine cones Or in pale" (Norwegian: I grønt to gull furukongler, 1-1). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a set of two pine cones lined up vertically. 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 green color in the field and the pine cone design symbolizes the vast forests in the municipality. The arms were designed by Daniel Rike. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Churches

The Church of Norway has three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Drangedal. It is part of the Bamble prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.

Churches in Drangedal

Parish (sokn)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Drangedal	Drangedal Church	Prestestranda	1775
Kroken	Kroken Church	Kroken	1909
Tørdal	Tørdal Church	Bø	1809

Government

Drangedal 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.^[13] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Telemark District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.

Mayors

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Drangedal (incomplete list):

• 2003-2011: Nils Tore Føreland (Ap)
• 2011-2015: Karianne Sydtveit Reiten (Ap)
• 2015–2023: Tor Peder Lohne (Sp)
• 2023-present: Stina Sætre (Sp)^[14]

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Drangedal is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Drangedal kommunestyre 2023–2027 ^[15]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	7
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	3
	Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	5
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
Total number of members:		21

Drangedal kommunestyre 2019–2023 ^[16]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	6
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	2
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	10
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		21

Drangedal kommunestyre 2015–2019 ^[17][18]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	6
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	1
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		21

Drangedal kommunestyre 2011–2015 ^[19]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	10
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	2
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		21

Drangedal kommunestyre 2007–2011 ^[18]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	8
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	2
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
Total number of members:		21

Drangedal kommunestyre 2003–2007 ^[18]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	8
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	3
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		21

Drangedal kommunestyre 1999–2003 ^[18][20]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	6
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1995–1999 ^[21]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1991–1995 ^[22]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	10
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	6
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1987–1991 ^[23]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1983–1987 ^[24]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	16
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1979–1983 ^[25]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	14
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	5
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet)	3
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1975–1979 ^[26]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	6
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet)	3
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1971–1975 ^[27]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	14
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	5
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1967–1971 ^[28]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	6
Total number of members:		29

Drangedal kommunestyre 1963–1967 ^[29]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	16
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	9
	List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)	1
Total number of members:		33

Drangedal herredsstyre 1959–1963 ^[30]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	8
	List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)	3
Total number of members:		33

Drangedal herredsstyre 1955–1959 ^[31]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	18
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	5
	Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)	4
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	6
Total number of members:		33

Drangedal herredsstyre 1951–1955 ^[32]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	17
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	4
	Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)	4
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	7
Total number of members:		32

Drangedal herredsstyre 1947–1951 ^[33]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	18
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	5
	Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)	1
	Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and the Radical People's Party (Radikale Folkepartiet)	8
Total number of members:		32

Drangedal herredsstyre 1945–1947 ^[34]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	21
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	6
	Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and the Radical People's Party (Radikale Folkepartiet)	5
Total number of members:		32

Drangedal herredsstyre 1937–1940* ^[35]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	17
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	14
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	1
Total number of members:		32
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.

Notable people

• Hallvard Graatop (early 15th century), a rebel leader opposing the Crown and the bailiffs who may have lived at the Vraalstad farm in Drangedal
• Andrew Gulickson (1856 in Drangedal – 1941), a Norwegian American politician, member of Wisconsin State Assembly
• Knud Wefald (1869 in Yttre Vefald – 1936), a Norwegian American politician in the United States House of Representatives
• Abraham Aakre (1874 in Drangedal – 1948), a Norwegian teacher and politician who was Mayor of Halden
• Finn Støren (1893–1962), a Norwegian civil servant for Nasjonal Samling, lived in Drangedal from 1933
• Knut T. Storbukås (born 1943 in Bostrak), a musician and truck driver, stage name Sputnik
• Nils Tore Føreland (born 1957), a Norwegian politician who was Mayor of Drangedal from 2003-2011
• Vidar Sundstøl (born 1963), a Norwegian crime fiction writer

Gallery

• 
  Toke, nedre. Kjendalsøya
• 
  Blekavarden (Nonsåsheivarden) at Gautefall
• 
  Himmelriket in Gautefall
• 
  Vintage train near Drangedal in 1984

References

1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
3. Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
4. Nilsen, Jan Erik; Lundbo, Sten; Een de Amoriza, Silje, eds. (15 August 2023). "Drangedal". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
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. ISBN 9788253746845.
8. Rygh, Oluf (1914). Norske gaardnavne: Bratsbergs amt (in Norwegian) (7 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 1.
9. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
10. "Drangedal, Telemark (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
11. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 9 June 1989. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
12. "Drangedal kommune, våpen". Digitalarkivet (in Norwegian). Arkivverket. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
13. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
14. "Stina Sætre blir ny ordførar i Drangedal". NRK (in Norwegian). 12 September 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
15. "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Telemark". Valgdirektoratet. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
16. "Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Vestfold og Telemark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
17. "Kommunestyrevalg 2015 - Telemark". Valg Direktoratet.
18. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
19. "Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Telemark". Valg Direktoratet.
20. "Kommunestyrevalget 1999" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 2000. ISBN 8253748531. ISSN 0332-8023.
21. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. ISBN 8253743351. ISSN 0332-8023.
22. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. ISBN 8253737939. ISSN 0332-8023.
23. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. ISBN 8253726325. ISSN 0332-8023.
24. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. ISBN 8253720378. ISSN 0332-8023.
25. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. ISBN 8253710836. ISSN 0332-8023.
26. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. ISBN 8253705646.
27. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. ISBN 8253701144.
28. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967.
29. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964.
30. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960.
31. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957.
32. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952.
33. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948.
34. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947.
35. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938.

External links

• Media related to Drangedal at Wikimedia Commons
• The dictionary definition of Drangedal at Wiktionary
• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)
• Telemark travel guide from Wikivoyage