Northern Norway
Northern Norway
Nord-Norge ( Northern Sami) | |
---|---|
Country | Norway |
Capitals | Tromsø, Bodø, Vadsø |
Counties (fylker, fylke) | |
Area | |
• Total | 112,951 km2 (43,611 sq mi) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 482,000 |
• Density | 4.3/km2 (11/sq mi) |
Demonym | Nordlending |
Nominal GDP (2013) | $27 billion |
Nominal GDP per capita (2013) | $58,000 |
Northern Norway (
The region is multi-cultural, housing not just
Geography
Northern Norway covers about a third of Norway. The southernmost part, roughly the part south of the
The Saltfjellet range, with its Svartisen glacier and intersecting Arctic Circle, divides Helgeland from the next region, called Salten. Notable peaks in Salten are the Børvasstindan south of Bodø, Suliskongen near Fauske (1,907 metres or 6,257 feet, highest mountain north of the Arctic Circle), the Steigartindan and the phallic Hamarøytinden. Between Saltfjellet and eastern Finnmark, Norway spruce trees have originally been planted and are mostly privately owned. The older plantations are now producing lumber, 80 years after planted.[1]
Troms county has surprising greenery for the latitude, and the inner waterways and fjords are lined with birch forests, and further inland there are extensive pine forests and highlands around the rivers Målselva and Reisaelva. Big islands like Senja, Kvaløya and Ringvassøya have green, forested interiors and a barren, mountainous coastline, with smaller islands offshore. The Lyngen Alps are the highest mountains of the area, rising to 1,833 metres (6,014 ft), an area of glaciers and waterfalls. The 269 metres (883 ft) Mollisfossen waterfall in Nordreisa is the highest waterfall in the north, while Målselvfossen is Norway's national waterfall.
History
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1951 | 403,884 | — |
1960 | 437,182 | +8.2% |
1970 | 456,121 | +4.3% |
1980 | 468,496 | +2.7% |
1990 | 460,274 | −1.8% |
2000 | 464,328 | +0.9% |
2010 | 464,665 | +0.1% |
Source: Statistics Norway [1] [2] [3]. |
The oldest known historical culture in the region is called the
The
In the
In the Middle Ages, churches and fortifications were built along the coast in an effort to stake a more firm claim for the kingdom of Norway along what was then the frontier of Norwegian settlement. By 1150, Lenvik Church was the northernmost church in Norway. In 1252 the first church, the Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae de Trums juxta paganos ("The Church of Saint Mary in Troms near the Heathens"), was built in Tromsø, along with a small rampart intended to serve as protection against Karelian raids. This was followed in 1307 by the consecration of Vardø Church in what is now eastern Finnmark. Finally, Vardøhus Fortress was constructed to mark and defend the border with the Karelian tributary lands of the Novgorod Republic. The traditional view has been that the fortress and church were constructed at roughly the same time, although recent research indicates that the fortress may have been constructed as late as the 1330s, after the border between Norway and Novgorod had become more fixed. At roughly the same time, the cod fishing gained momentum. Dried cod was exported through Bergen to the whole Hanseatic world, bringing prosperity to the north. This is reflected in the numerous pieces of imported church art from the Late Middle Ages. There were numerous wars with the Novgorod Republic in Russia at the time, that stopped by the late 15th century.
Reduced fish prices in the 17th century and the exploitative trade practices of merchants from Bergen, who had been granted a royal monopoly on fish trading, led to a significant decline in the population and grinding poverty for those who remained. Large coastal areas were depopulated, and Sami culture made a comeback, as it was less dependent on fish exports. After 1700, Russian Pomors started to come every summer on trading expeditions, bringing rye in exchange for fish. Although this was in violation of Bergen's trade monopoly and the Danish–Norwegian monarchy made some attempts to curtail the Pomor trade, the trade was vital to the survival of many Northern Norwegian fishing communities. In the 1740s the first settlers started arriving in Northern Norway from Finland. The traditional view is that these were refugees escaping famine and warfare at home, although modern scholars have pointed out that many were simply looking for their own piece of land, which was getting scarce in Finland as a result of rapid population growth. In 1789, the trade monopoly of the city of Bergen was lifted, Hammerfest and Vardø were issued their city charters, and Tromsø followed suit in 1794. Interrupted by the British blockade of the Napoleonic wars, this introduced a period of unprecedented growth in the north as the trade monopoly had previously made cities nonviable in Northern Norway. Bodø was founded in 1816, and Vadsø in 1833. The Hurtigruten shipping line, introduced in 1893, gave quicker communications with the south. In 1906, the iron mines in Kirkenes opened.
At the same time, the ethnic diversity of the area came under threat. Particularly after
This region of Norway was the area most affected by
In 1944, the German Wehrmacht started to retreat from the Murmansk front. They burned everything after them in the area between the Russian border and the Lyngen fjord, as part of their tactics. The population was forcibly evacuated, although a third of them chose to hide in the wilderness instead. All who were found were shot.
After World War II, Norway made a huge effort to rebuild the destroyed towns and villages. Modernizing fishing and agriculture was important, as Northern Norway was considerably poorer and less developed than the south. In 1946, the huge steel works of Mo i Rana were founded, heralding industrialization of the north.
Transportation was also improved, as airports were built throughout the area, notably in Bodø in 1952 and Tromsø in 1964. The rail network was extended to reach Bodø in 1961. In 1972, the University of Tromsø opened, accompanied by a number of university colleges, notably in Bodø, Alta, Harstad and Narvik. In 1972 and 1994, the strong anti-EU movements of the north, largely based on concerns over EU mismanagement of its own fish stocks, were instrumental when Norway voted against EU membership in referendums.
Working against all this, emigration to the south has been strong after World War II. While there is a slight overall population growth in Northern Norway (as a result of surplus childbirths and immigration from abroad), this is significantly lower than in southern counties, although the regional centres of Bodø, Tromsø and Alta continue to grow at a relatively brisk pace. Lately, the off-shore gas field of Snøhvit, off Hammerfest, has brought hopes of new development in the north.
Languages
The
Earlier, northern dialects had a low status in Norway, but recently they have been used extensively in song lyrics, poetry, in TV and radio. Today, anyone can use their dialects. This is not to suggest that no prejudices remain, however.
The
Coastal and fjord areas of Northern Norway have much in common with Western Norway, sometimes imagined in cultural terms as a shared "coastal identity". The topography and fjord landscape, the rich fisheries, the culture and even some aspects of the dialects (Vestnorsk) have clear similarities.
During the 18th and 19th centuries a Russian-Norwegian
Cuisine
Northern Norway is surrounded by some of the richest seas in the world, and seafood is the main source for traditional cuisine. However, agricultural produce has existed for at least 3,000 years in parts of the area (Helgeland, Salten, Lofoten, Harstad-Kvæfjord).[6] In addition to fishing, each family traditionally had a small farm with a few cows (see Pietro Querinis shipwrecked at Røst in 1432[7]), sheep or goats (goats being preferred in many places due to their superior adaptation to the rough and mountainous terrain found in much of Northern Norway) and had small grain fields (mostly barley).[8] After the introduction (and somewhat later acceptance) of potatoes from the Americas, these became a main staple in much of Northern Norway, as well as many other parts of Norway. Agriculture gradually becomes less important as a food source as one moves further north, and in the northern half (north of Balsfjord/Tromsø area) was usually of minor importance and certainly less important than fishing or Sami reindeer nomadic pastoralism. Hunting has been important ever since the Stone Age, and the comparatively large areas of sparsely settled valleys, fells and mountains still hold wildlife.
In the winter, the codfish comes to the coastal waters to spawn, especially to the cod fisheries of Lofoten.
Traditionally, northerners regarded
Tender
Foods with dairy as an important ingredient include
Wild berries have long traditions in the local cuisine, and the most sought after is the
The use of kitchen gardens is limited by climatic factors, but still has a long history in the southern half of the region.
Climate
There are large climatic differences from southwest to northeast in this region.
Light
There are extreme variations in daylight between winter and summer. At
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bodø sunrise & sunset 15th of each month |
10:18 – 14:05 | 08:16 – 16:18 | 06:24 – 18:02 | 05:16 – 20:51 | 03:06 – 22:56 | Midnight sun | 01:40 – 00:30 | 04:27 – 21:43 | 06:20 – 19:34 | 08:02 – 17:33 | 09:04 – 14:29 | 11:18 – 12:37 | |
Tromsø sunrise & sunset 15th of each month |
11:31 – 12:17 | 08:16 – 15:43 | 06:07 – 17:41 | 04:43 – 20:48 | 01:43 – 23:48 | Midnight sun | Midnight sun | 03:44 – 21:50 | 05:56 – 19:20 | 07:54 – 17:04 | 09:25 – 13:32 | Polar night | |
Hammerfest sunrise & sunset 15th of each month |
Polar night | 08:16 – 15:15 | 05:50 – 17:22 | 04:17 – 20:37 | Midnight sun | Midnight sun | Midnight sun | 03:11 – 21:42 | 05:35 – 19:04 | 07:41 – 16:39 | 09:28 – 12:50 | Polar night | |
Source: Almanakk for Norge; University of Oslo, 2010. Note: In December and the first week of January, the very low sun in Bodø is blocked by mountains. In mid-July, the sun sets after midnight in Bodø due to daylight saving . In Tromsø, the sun is below the horizon until 15.January, but is blocked by mountains until 21. January.
|
Temperate oceanic climate to continental boreal climate
The coast of Helgeland in southern Nordland and some islands further north to Skrova in Lofoten have a temperate oceanic climate (Cfb) with monthly mean temperatures above 0 °C (32 °F) in winter, and four months with mean at or above 10 °C (50 °F). This includes the towns Brønnøysund and Sandnessjøen. In the same coastal area, but slightly into the fjords north to include Bodø, is a narrow area where winters are a little colder but summers still lasts four month, making this a humid continental climate (Dfb).
A long area along the coast from
The largest part of North Norway are within the
A substantial area of the region, especially towards the border with Sweden and north to the Lyngen alps east of Tromsø, are mountains and highlands with alpine tundra climate above the treeline.
The mean annual temperature difference between Brønnøysund (6.6 °C (43.9 °F)) and Kautokeino (−1.4 °C (29.5 °F)) is 8 °C (13 °F), about the same as the difference between Brønnøysund and Madrid, Spain (MADRID/RETIRO, SPAIN Weather History and Climate Data).
The warm climate in coastal areas, relative to other locations at the same latitude, is by many attributed to the relatively warm North Atlantic Current, an extension of the Gulf Stream.
Wind
Wind strength is strongest in winter and late autumn, when the Lows are strongest. Summers and early autumn are much less windy and will rarely see the wind strength that can be experienced in winter. Every winter sees windstorms disrupting communications (ferries, air traffic), especially along the outer seaboard. However, many winter days are completely calm. The most windy location in continental Norway (apart from mountain summits) is
Winter
Along the coast of Nordland north to southern Vesterålen, average winter temperatures hover just above freezing, getting gradually colder winters into the fjords, and the coldest are inland. Inland Finnmark, as in Karasjok, average temperatures remain below freezing for 7 months (October–April). In Tromsø, average temperatures stays below freezing for 4–5 months.
Summer
Even if winter temperatures depends largely on the distance to the sea, the length of the season varies mostly with latitude (and altitude). While the southern coast of Nordland have four months of summer, the northeasternmost areas just averages two months, such as Kirkenes and Vadsø. The warmest summer daily highs are in the inland valleys and sheltered fjords, in towns like Mosjøen, Rognan, Narvik, Bardufoss, Alta and Karasjok. A small strip of land along the extreme northeastern coast from Nordkapp to Vardø was earlier partly tundra (Arctic climate) due to lack of summer warmth, however with the updated climate normals 1991–2020, summers have warmed and the tundra climate has changed to a boreal climate along this northernmost coast, but still with very modest summer warmth.
Precipitation
Precipitation occur in all seasons, usually as snow in winter, although often as rain on the Nordland coast. Snow accumulation in the mountains can exceed 3 metres (9.8 ft), and this abundance of snow is the reason for the numerous glaciers – more than 500, mostly in Nordland and Troms.
Autumn, and some places along the coast winter, tend to be the wettest season, often receiving more than twice as much precipitation as does spring and early summer. Only the interior areas of Finnmark tend to be wettest in summer. The areas with the least precipitation are some inland valleys, like Dividalen in Målselv with only 282 millimetres (11.1 in) precip/year, and upper Saltdal and Skibotn with about the same. Inland Finnmark is the only large area with less than 450 millimetres (18 in) precipitation/year. The wettest areas are generally the Helgeland region; Lurøy on the west coast of Saltfjell averages 2,900 millimetres (110 in)/year.
Record temperatures
The coldest temperature recorded is −51.4 °C (−60.5 °F) in Karasjok on 1.January 1886, and the warmest recorded is 35 °C (95 °F) at Mosjøen Airport on 27 July 2019.[27] Many locations in North Norway have recorded what Norwegians know as "tropical nights" when the overnight low does not fall below 20 °C (68 °F). The warmest night ever recorded in Norway was 29 July 2019 at Sømna-Kvaløyfjellet (302 m) in Sømna near Brønnøysund with overnight low 26.1 °C (79.0 °F).[28] The third warmest night recorded in Norway was at Makkaur in Båtsfjord with overnight low 25.2 °C (77.4 °F) on 19 July 2018.
Brønnøysund at 65 degrees north latitude has a temperate oceanic climate and few extremes even with 150 years of recording.
Climate data for Brønnøysund Airport 1991-2020 (9 m, precipitation 1961-90, extremes 1873-2020 includes earlier stations) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 10.2 (50.4) |
10.9 (51.6) |
14.7 (58.5) |
21.1 (70.0) |
27.2 (81.0) |
30.3 (86.5) |
32.1 (89.8) |
30.1 (86.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
20.3 (68.5) |
17.6 (63.7) |
12.2 (54.0) |
32.1 (89.8) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 2 (36) |
2 (36) |
4 (39) |
8 (46) |
12 (54) |
15 (59) |
18 (64) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
9 (48) |
6 (43) |
4 (39) |
9 (49) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.1 (34.0) |
0.4 (32.7) |
1.4 (34.5) |
4.7 (40.5) |
8.1 (46.6) |
11.2 (52.2) |
14.3 (57.7) |
14 (57) |
11.1 (52.0) |
6.8 (44.2) |
4 (39) |
1.9 (35.4) |
6.6 (43.8) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0 (32) |
−1 (30) |
−1 (30) |
2 (36) |
5 (41) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
12 (54) |
9 (48) |
5 (41) |
2 (36) |
1 (34) |
5 (40) |
Record low °C (°F) | −17.1 (1.2) |
−18.4 (−1.1) |
−15.5 (4.1) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
−5 (23) |
0 (32) |
1 (34) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−11.3 (11.7) |
−18.2 (−0.8) |
−18.4 (−1.1) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 138 (5.4) |
102 (4.0) |
114 (4.5) |
97 (3.8) |
66 (2.6) |
83 (3.3) |
123 (4.8) |
113 (4.4) |
180 (7.1) |
192 (7.6) |
145 (5.7) |
157 (6.2) |
1,510 (59.4) |
Source 1: yr.no – Meteorologisk Institutt[29] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Weatheronline.co.uk[30] |
Lakselv in Porsanger at 70 degrees north latitude has a continental boreal climate with cold winters and sparse precipitation.
Climate data for Lakselv Airport, Banak in Porsanger 1991-2020 (5 m, extremes 1979-2022) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 9.4 (48.9) |
9.4 (48.9) |
13 (55) |
15.9 (60.6) |
25.7 (78.3) |
32.5 (90.5) |
34.3 (93.7) |
32.8 (91.0) |
25 (77) |
15.1 (59.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
34.3 (93.7) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −4.2 (24.4) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
3.6 (38.5) |
9 (48) |
13.7 (56.7) |
17.4 (63.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
11.4 (52.5) |
4.5 (40.1) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
5.3 (41.5) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −7.9 (17.8) |
−7.9 (17.8) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
0.1 (32.2) |
5.3 (41.5) |
9.6 (49.3) |
12.9 (55.2) |
11.6 (52.9) |
7.8 (46.0) |
1.9 (35.4) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
1.7 (35.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −11.8 (10.8) |
−11.8 (10.8) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
1.6 (34.9) |
6.1 (43.0) |
9.2 (48.6) |
7.8 (46.0) |
4.5 (40.1) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
−1.9 (28.5) |
Record low °C (°F) | −33.6 (−28.5) |
−33 (−27) |
−29.9 (−21.8) |
−24.7 (−12.5) |
−11.4 (11.5) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
−21.2 (−6.2) |
−26.4 (−15.5) |
−30 (−22) |
−33.6 (−28.5) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 24.7 (0.97) |
18.5 (0.73) |
19.9 (0.78) |
17.1 (0.67) |
25.5 (1.00) |
42.5 (1.67) |
57.2 (2.25) |
54.3 (2.14) |
37.7 (1.48) |
33.4 (1.31) |
23.6 (0.93) |
27.5 (1.08) |
381.9 (15.01) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 166 |
Source 1: yr.no/Norwegian Meteorological Institute[31] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: NOAA WMO averages 91-2020 Norway [32] |
Towns
Ranked by population in the town itself (not the municipality) as of 1. January 2008:[33]
Towns with fewer than 30,000 inhabitants, ranked by population:
Towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, ranked by population:
There are settlements larger than Vardø which are not included in the list as they have not been granted or applied for township (such as Rognan, Løding, Andenes, Setermoen and Skjervøy).
Transportation
Northern Norway, located at the very northern periphery of Europe, has seen great improvements in transportation infrastructure in recent decades. The road network connects virtually all villages and towns, the most important roads are the
Sport
The
In ice hockey, the
The
The Tromsø Midnight Sun Marathon is a marathon race held under midnight sun.
Notable people
- Harald "Dutte" Berg (1941–), football player.
- Mari Boine (1956–), jazz artist, from Karasjok
- Petter Dass (1647–1707), the foremost Norwegian baroque poet, from Alstahaug
- World Champion, from Tromsø
- Mads Gilbert, professor of emergency medicine, from Tromsø.
- Nobel laureate, from Hamarøy
- Helmer Hanssen (1870–1956), with Amundsen's team to the South Pole in 1911, from Bjørnskinn
- Nobel Instituteand professor of history, from Bodø
- Lene Marlin (1980–), singer and songwriter, from Tromsø
- Morten Gamst Pedersen (1981–), football player, from Vadsø.
- The Svein Berge, from Tromsø
- Trond Sollied (1959–), Football manager. Ranked as the ninth best manager in 2006.[34]
- Iselin Steiro (1985–), supermodel, from Harstad
- Otto Sverdrup, Arctic explorer, from Bindal
- Hank Von Helvete") (1972–2021), Vocalist in the death-punk band Turbonegro.
See also
References
- ^ "Spruce timber from Bjerkvik, Narvik municipality". Nrk.no. 19 January 2011.
- ^ "Statistics Norway – Church of Norway". Statbank.ssb.no. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.
- ^ "Statistics Norway – Members of religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway, by religion/life stance. County. 2006–2010". Archived from the original on 2 November 2011.
- ^ "History could be rewritten". 15 July 2009.
- ISBN 978-0-141-02926-9– via Archive Foundation.
- ^ "Grain cultivated in Lofoten 4,000 years ago". Lofoten.info.
- ^ Pietro Querinis story from Røst in 1432 Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Grain cultivation in Northern Norway". Issuu.com.
- ^ "Boknafisk is made from stockfish". Boknafisk.com.
- ^ "Stockfish trade with Europe, Britain 1,100 years ago". Newscientist.
- ^ "Plankekjøring med hai" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Nordlys.no. 14 July 2011.
- ^ "Sea gull eggs as food in Norway". Naturtips.no. 19 April 2016.
- .
- ^ "Arktisk Meny - Hva vi kan tilby!". Arktisk Meny. Archived from the original on 23 March 2005.
- ^ Klaus Solbakken (9 December 2007). "Lefse from Helgeland" (in Norwegian Bokmål). Ranablad.no.
- ^ "Berries and other food traditionally collected in nature in Norway". Archived from the original on 6 June 2008.
- ^ "Forskning.no Rips (redcurrant in Norway". Skogoglandskap.no. 15 October 2009.
- ^ "Kvæfjord: Strawberries".
- ^ "Aperitif: A taste of Northern Norway" (in Norwegian). Aperitif.no. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
- ^ "Arctic Agriculture and Land Use". bioforsk.no/. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
- ^ "Svanhovd". Archived from the original on 7 December 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
- ^ Bjørbæk, G (2003). Norsk vær i 110 år (in Norwegian). N.W. DAMM & Sønn.
- ^ Moen, A (1998). Nasjonalatlas for Norge: Vegetasjon (in Norwegian). Hønefoss: Statens Kartverk.
- ^ Norwegian Meteorological Institute. "Met.no" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 8 February 2006.
- ISBN 978-82-05-39473-5.
- ^ "met.no: Normaler for
Meløy". met.no. 12 July 2012.[dead link] - ^ "The Tromsø-winter now 17 days shorter than 30 years ago". The Independent Barents Observer.
- ^ "Sømna målte varmeste tropenatt noen gang i Norge". 28 July 2019.
- ^ "Brønnøysund Airport statistics". yr.no. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ^ "Max. Temperature - Brønnøysund - Climate Robot Norway". www.weatheronline.co.uk.
- ^ "Last 13 months". www.yr.no. Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
- ^ "NOAA WMO normals Norway 1991-2020".
- ^ "Population of urban settlements". Ssb.no. 1 January 2008. Archived from the original on 31 December 2008.
- ^ "Sollied in European elite". Archived from the original on 4 October 2008.
External links
- Northern Norway travel guide from Wikivoyage
- NACC MA: North Norway
- NorwayOnline: North Norway
- Europe’s most spectacular cruising coast
- Iron Age boat construction in Northern Norway (in Norwegian)
- Spildra – a small isolated Island in the middle of Northern Norway, known for its 8,000 years of continuous settlement
- Image:Ice fishing on a fjord (Ramfjord)
- Northern Norway's official tourism board