Moskenes
| Moskenes kommune | |||
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| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: 67°55′31″N 12°57′32″E / 67.92528°N 12.95889°ECoordinates: 67°55′31″N 12°57′32″E / 67.92528°N 12.95889°E | |||
| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Nordland | ||
| District | Lofoten | ||
| Administrative centre | Reine | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor (2003) | Lillian Hansen (Ap) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 119 km2 (46 sq mi) | ||
| • Land | 110 km2 (40 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 374 in Norway | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| • Total | 1,212 | ||
| • Rank | 391 in Norway | ||
| • Density | 11/km2 (30/sq mi) | ||
| • Change (10 years) | -15.5 % | ||
| Demonym | Moskenesfjerding[1] | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1874 | ||
| Official language form | Neutral | ||
| Website | www.moskenes.kommune.no | ||
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Moskenes is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The area of the municipality comprises the southern part of Moskenesøya. It is part of the Lofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Reine.
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[edit] General information
[edit] Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Moskenes farm ("Muskenes" - 1567), since the first church was built there. The first element is probably derived from the word mosk/musk n 'sea spray', the last element is nes which means 'headland'. (See also Moskstraumen.)
[edit] Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 12 September 1986. The arms show a vortex spiral. Vortexes or whirlpools, such as the Moskstraumen, appear in the channel just south of the island of Moskenes when the tide comes in, making it a hazardous channel.[2]
[edit] History
The municipality was created by the division of the municipality of Flakstad on 1 July 1916, at which time Moskenes had a population of 1,306. On 1 January 1964, the two municipalities were reunited, this time under the name Moskenes. However, Flakstad broke away again on 1 January 1976 to once again form a separate municipality.
[edit] Attractions
Moskenes is among the most scenic municipalities in all Norway, and the picturesque fishing villages of Hamnøy, Reine, Sørvågen, Moskenes, Å, and Tind have a dramatic backdrop of jagged peaks rising above the Vestfjord.
Between Lofotodden, the southwestern tip of the Lofoten chain, and the offshore island of Mosken, there is the tidal current of Moskstraumen. This is better known internationally as the Maelstrom, feared by all sailors. On the isolated north western coast of the island, there are also interesting stone age cave paintings. The highest mountain is Hermannsdalstinden at 1,029 metres (3,376 ft).
[edit] Notable residents
- Hans Erik Dyvik Husby, musician
- Birger Eriksen, commander at Oscarsborg, and responsible for the sinking of Blücher, the German ship headed for Oslo on the night between 8–9 April 1940.
[edit] References
- ^ "Personnemningar til stadnamn i Noreg" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet. http://www.sprakrad.no/nb-no/Sprakhjelp/Rettskrivning_Ordboeker/Innbyggjarnamn/.
- ^ Norske Kommunevåpen (1990). "Nye kommunevåbener i Norden". http://www.ngw.nl/int/nor/m/moskenes.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
[edit] External links
Media related to Moskenes at Wikimedia Commons- Video:Driving the E10 road in Moskenes
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