Høyanger

File:Bjordal kyrkje.JPG

File:Høyanger kirke.jpg

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. The municipality of Høyanger was created on 1 January 1964 when the old municipalities of Kyrkjebø and Lavik were merged to form a single municipality.{{Cite book |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |year=1999 |isbn=9788253746845 |language=no}}

On 1 January 2020, the Nessane area of neighboring Balestrand Municipality was merged into Høyanger (and the rest of Balestrand was merged into a new, larger Sogndal Municipality).{{Cite web |last=Kommunal- og moderniseringsdepartementet |author-link=Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development |date=2018-12-10 |title=Vedtak om grensejustering mellom kommunane Balestrand og Høyanger |url=https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/vedtak-om-grensejustering-mellom-kommunane-balestrand-og-hoyanger/id2621794/ |access-date=2019-12-01}} Also on that date, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

The municipality is named Høyanger ({{langx|non|Høyjangr}}) after the old name of an arm of the Sognefjorden that is now called the Høyangsfjorden. The first element is derived from the word {{wikt-lang|non|hey}} which means "hay". The last element is {{wikt-lang|non|angr}} which means "bay" or "inlet". Thus the name is probably referring to the green hillsides along the fjord.{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lN1LAQAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Nordre Bergenhus amt |date=1919 |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |edition=12 |location=Kristiania, Norge |page=180 |language=no |authorlink=Oluf Rygh}}

The coat of arms was granted on 15 May 1987. The official blazon is "Azure, three flames in bend argent" ({{langx|no|På blå grunn tre sølv flammer i skrå rekkje}}). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a set of three flames lined up diagonally. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The flames were chosen as a symbol for the local aluminium industry. Aluminium is melted and purified in the village of Høyanger, due to the cheap hydroelectric energy that is locally available. The colors represent waterpower (blue) and aluminium (silver). The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.{{Cite web |date=7 April 2023 |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Høyanger |access-date=2023-05-15 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}{{Cite web |title=Hoyanger, Sogn og Fjordane (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-14-16.html |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Flags of the World}}{{Cite web |date=1987-05-15 |title=Godkjenning av våpen og flagg |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1987-05-15-435 |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}}

The Church of Norway has four parishes({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Høyanger. It is part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Høyanger 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.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |language=Norwegian |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene |accessdate=2022-10-14}} The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

The municipal council {{lang|no|(Kommunestyre)}} of Høyanger 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.

{{div col}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 2023

|end = 2027

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Vestland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/vestland/høyanger#seats |access-date=2024-01-21 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed =

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 8

|Høyre = 2

|INP = 2

|Rødt = 3

|Senterpartiet = 5

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 2019

|end = 2023

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2019 – Vestland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/vestland/høyanger#seats |access-date=2019-10-29 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 9

|Høyre = 2

|Rødt = 3

|Senterpartiet = 6

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 2015

|end = 2019

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/04813/ |publisher=Statistics Norway |language=no}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 11

|Høyre = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 5

|Rødt = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 2011

|end = 2015

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2011 – Sogn og Fjordane |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/sogn%20og%20fjordane/høyanger#seats |access-date=2019-10-29 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 10

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Rødt = 2

|Senterpartiet = 4

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 2007

|end = 2011

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 10

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|Rød_Valgallianse = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 2003

|end = 2007

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 11

|Høyre = 3

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|Rød_Valgallianse = 1

|Kyst = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1999

|end = 2003

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 29

|Arbeiderpartiet = 11

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 8

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|Rød_Valgallianse = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1995

|end = 1999

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1996 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1995 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |access-date=2020-02-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 29

|Arbeiderpartiet = 14

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 5

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|Rød_Valgallianse = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1991

|end = 1995

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1991 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |access-date=2020-02-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 29

|Arbeiderpartiet = 13

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Rød_Valgallianse = 1

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|otherparty = Common list

|otherparty_no = Samlingslista

|otherparty_number = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1987

|end = 1991

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1988 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1987 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |access-date=2020-02-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 29

|Arbeiderpartiet = 16

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Rød_Valgallianse = 1

|Senterpartiet = 2

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|otherparty = Common list

|otherparty_no = Samlingslista

|otherparty_number = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1983

|end = 1987

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1984 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1983 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |access-date=2020-02-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 17

|Høyre = 5

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Rød_Valgallianse = 1

|Senterpartiet = 2

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|Venstre = 2

|otherparty = Common list

|otherparty_no = Samlingslista

|otherparty_number = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1979

|end = 1983

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1979 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1979 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |access-date=2020-02-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 18

|DLF = 1

|Høyre = 5

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|Venstre = 2

|otherparty = Common list

|otherparty_no = Samlingslista

|otherparty_number = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1975

|end = 1979

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1977 |title=Kommunevalgene 1975 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a769.pdf |access-date=2020-05-01 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 14

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|DLF/H/V = 5

|otherparty = Common list in Høyanger

|otherparty_no = Samlingslista i Høyanger

|otherparty_number = 3

|otherparty1 = Non-party list in Høyanger

|otherparty_no1 = Upolitisk Liste i Høyanger

|otherparty_number1 = 5

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1971

|end = 1975

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1973 |title=Kommunevalgene 1972 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a457.pdf |access-date=2020-05-01 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 15

|Høyre = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Venstre = 3

|otherparty = Socialist common list

|otherparty_no = Venstresosialistiske felleslister

|otherparty_number = 3

|Local_Lists = 5

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1967

|end = 1971

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1967 |title=Kommunevalgene 1967 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a214.pdf |access-date=2020-05-01 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo |volume=I}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 15

|Høyre = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|NKP = 1

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti = 4

|Venstre = 5

|Local_Lists = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Høyanger

|start = 1963

|end = 1967

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1964 |title=Kommunevalgene 1963 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |access-date=2020-05-01 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 18

|NKP = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Borgerlige_Felleslister = 9

|Local_Lists = 3

|}}

{{div col end}}

The mayors ({{langx|nn|ordførar}}) of Høyanger:{{Cite web |title=Ordførarar i Høyanger kommune |url=https://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/nrk_sogn_og_fjordane/fylkesleksikon/3244531.html |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=NRK Fylkesleksikon |language=nn}}

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• 1964-1967: Albert Hellem (Ap)
• 1968-1975: Einar Lavik (Ap)
• 1976-1991: Arvid Lillehauge (Ap)
• 1991-1992: Bodil Bye Stavang (Ap)
• 1992-1995: Liv Lønne (Ap)
• 1996-2011: Kjartan Longva (Ap)
• 2011–present: Petter Sortland (Ap)

{{div col end}}

Frå Høyanger 1.jpg|View of the village of Høyanger

Ikjefjordbrua.jpg|Construction of the Ikjefjord bridge

Føsundbrua over Fuglsetfjorden.JPG|View of the Fuglsetfjorden

Ortnevik.jpg|View from Ortnevik, looking at the fjord

The Sognefjorden (the largest fjord in Norway) runs through the center of the municipality. Høyanger is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Fjaler and Sunnfjord, to the east by Sogndal and Vik, to the south by Modalen and Masfjorden, and to the west by Gulen and Hyllestad.

Høyanger municipality covers an area of about {{convert|910|km2}}. Stølsheimen Nature Reserve was created in 1990 in Høyanger. Its {{convert|367|km2}} area stretches from high mountaintops through fertile valleys and sweeps over steep meadows down to the fjord. Høyanger is perhaps best known for its mountain farms and lakes. From the village of Ortnevik there are marked footpaths up to Stølsheimen Park and from the village of Bjordal you may drive up the Stordal road to the summit at {{convert|730|m}} above sea level.

Høyanger is a modern industrial community which has grown in pace with the principal employers being Hydro Aluminium and Høyanger Metallverk. Hydroelectricity has played a major role in the development of the area. In addition to manufacturing aluminium, Høyanger supports a varied range of light industry that is backed by retail and service trades. In the rural areas bordering the fjord, farming is the main source of livelihood.{{Cite web |last=Høyanger Kommune |year=2008 |title=Høyanger is a modern industrial community |url=http://www.hoyanger.kommune.no/english/article.aspx?ObjectType=Article&Article.ID=1731&Category.ID=826 |access-date=11 June 2008}}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} There are currently 115 traditional farms gårds in the municipality. Each traditional farms originally had one owner, but most of them have been divided up and sold off over the years, and so there are more than 115 farms in use today.

There are good connections with Oslo and Bergen by bus, as well as air and fast boat services. The nearest airport is in Førde, about {{convert|50|km}} away. The village of Lavik is an important junction for traffic to and from Bergen as it is a ferry port that is part of the European route E39 highway. Høyanger is reached from the neighboring municipality of Balestrand to the east by the Høyangertunnelen which is {{convert|7.5|km}} in length. It is part of the Norwegian County Road 55. It is one of the longest tunnels in Europe. Good ferry services across the Sognefjorden link the northern and southern sides of the municipality.

In 1986, in Høyanger, Norsk Hydro Aluminium/Høyanger Metallverk opened a museum designed to show what water power has meant both locally and to Norway as a whole. Visitors will get to learn about how the aluminium industry has grown and prospered in the area thanks to the vast energy produced by water.

Near Vadheim is an 18th-century stone bridge called the Ytredal Bridge. It is a popular tourist attraction.

There is also a {{RailGauge|600mm|lk=on}} narrow-gauge funicular railway in the area, first opened in 1953.[http://www.funiculars.net/line.php?id=566 Funiculars.net - Høyanger]

File:Einar Førde.jpg

File:Marit Tusvik.jpg

• Johan Austbø (1879 in Ikjefjord – 1945), a teacher, dancer, poet, composer, singer, and proponent for the Nynorsk language
• Einar Liljedahl (1882 in Kyrkjebø – 1955), a Norwegian military officer
• Torfinn Haukås (1931–1993), a novelist
• Per Håland (1919 in Høyanger – 1999), a journalist, newspaper editor, and proponent for the Nynorsk language
• Tell Teigen (1923 in Høyanger - 1958), an acrobat who balanced on stacked chairs atop of masts over {{convert|35|m}} tall
• Einar Kringlen (born 1931 in Høyanger), a Norwegian physician, psychiatrist, and academic
• Noralv Teigen (1932 in Høyanger – 2017), an actor, theatre instructor, and theatre director{{IMDb name|0854012|Noralv Teigen}}. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
• Einar Førde (1943 in Høyanger – 2004), a journalist, politician, and director-general of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) from 1989 to 2001
• Marit Tusvik (born 1951 in Høyanger), a Norwegian author, poet, and playwright
• Even Hovland (born 1989 in Vadheim), a professional footballer with almost 300 club caps
• Vegar Gjermundstad (born 1990 in Vadheim), a Norwegian football defender with over 200 club caps

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{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Høyanger}}

• [http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/hoyanger Municipal fact sheet] from Statistics Norway {{in lang|no}}
• [http://www.hoyanger.kommune.no Official website: Høyanger Kommune] {{in lang|no}}

{{Vestland}}

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Category:Municipalities of Vestland

Category:1964 establishments in Norway

Category:600 mm gauge railways