Smøla Municipality

File:veiholmen1.jpg

File:Edøy kyrkje.jpg]]

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. The new Smøla Municipality was established on 1 January 1960 after the merger of Edøy Municipality (population: 1,135), Brattvær Municipality (population: 1,361), and Hopen Municipality (population: 1,550). The initial population of the new municipality was 4,046. The boundaries have not changed since that time.{{Cite web |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}

The municipality is named after the main island of Smøla ({{langx|non|Smyl}} or {{lang|non|Smjöl}}). The name is probably related to the Danish word {{wikt-lang|da|smule}} or the modern Norwegian word {{wikt-lang|no|smuldre}} which both mean "crumble", referring to the thousands of small islands and islets around the main island. Researchers at Technische Universität Berlin have claimed that Smøla is the island which Pytheas called Thule ({{langx|grc|Θούλη}}, Thoúlē).{{Cite web |title=Dag og Tid |url=http://old.dagogtid.no/nyhet.cfm?nyhetid=1456}}

The coat of arms was granted on 10 March 1989. The official blazon is "Gules, two seagulls volant argent" ({{langx|no|I rødt to oppflygende sølv måker}}). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is two flying seagulls. 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. This design was chosen to highlight the fact that this is an island community and that is a common type of bird in the area. The arms were designed by Jarle Skuseth. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.{{Cite web |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Smøla |access-date=2023-04-13 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}{{Cite web |title=Smøla, Møre og Romsdal |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-15-73.html |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Flags of the World}}{{Cite web |date=1989-05-11 |title=Godkjenning av våpen og flagg |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1989-03-10-179 |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}} {{See also|Coat of arms of Hasvik}}

The Church of Norway has three parishes ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within Smøla Municipality. It is part of the Ytre Nordmøre prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Møre.

In 2019, archaeologists from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research using large-scale high-resolution georadar technology, determined that a {{convert|17|m|adj=on}} long Viking ship was buried on the island of Edøya near the Old Edøy Church. They estimate its age as over 1,000 years, from the Merovingian or Viking period; the group hopes to conduct additional searches in the area. A similar burial was found previously by the group, in Gjellestad.{{Cite news |date=27 November 2019 |title=Ancient Viking ship discovered buried next to church using breakthrough georadar technology |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/viking-ship-burial-mound-found-norway-church-georadar-archaeology-a9218911.html |access-date=27 November 2019 |work=The Independent |quote=This will certainly be of great historical significance, archaeologists say}}

File:Todalsgeita 550.jpg

The municipality of Smøla is located north of the town of Kristiansund, off the western coast of Norway. The municipality consists of the main island of Smøla and more than 3,000 smaller ones. The {{convert|216|km2|adj=on}} main island is very flat, the highest peak reaches {{convert|64|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. The highest peak in the municipality is {{convert|69.62|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level, being Ramndalshaugen on the island of Kuli. Almost all of the land area consists of marshes and cliffs; only 5% is cultivated into agricultural land. Other minor islands in the municipality include Edøya, Kuli, Brattværet, and Veiholmen. The municipality is separated from the rest of Norway by the Edøyfjorden to the south.

Due to the vast number of small islands surrounding Smøla, there are several lighthouses. The three most notable ones are Haugjegla Lighthouse (north of Smøla), Skalmen Lighthouse, (northwest of Smøla), and Tyrhaug Lighthouse (southeast of Smøla in the Edøyfjorden).

Scientists of the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformationtechnique of Technische Universität Berlin were testing the antique maps of Ptolemy and recognized a pattern of calculation mistakes that occurred when one tried to convert the old coordinates from Ptolemy into modern cartographical maps. The scientists believe that, when one compensates for these mistakes, the mythological location Thule corresponds to the island of Smøla.{{Cite book |last=Kleineberg |first=Andreas |title=Germania und die Insel Thule. Die Entschlüsselung von Ptolemaios´ "Atlas der Oikumene" |last2=Marx |first2=Christian |last3=Knobloch |first3=Eberhard |last4=Lelgemann |first4=Dieter |publisher=Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft |year=2010 |location=Darmstadt}}

Smøla has a temperate oceanic climate, also known as a marine west coast climate (Cfb), with a cool summer and mild winter. The year amplitude is only {{convert|11.1|C-change|0}} from the coldest to the warmest month. The driest season is from April - July, and the wettest season is autumn and winter. The record high is from July 2018, and the record low is from February 2010.

{{Weather box

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|location = Veiholmen, Smøla 1991-2020 (5 m, precipitation from Moldstad, extremes 2002-2025)

|Jan record high C = 11.2 | Jan record low C = -8.9

|Feb record high C = 11.2 | Feb record low C = -11.4

|Mar record high C = 13.8 | Mar record low C = -5.8

|Apr record high C = 20.1 | Apr record low C = -1.9

|May record high C = 22.5 | May record low C = 0.5

|Jun record high C = 26 | Jun record low C = 4.1

|Jul record high C = 27.9 | Jul record low C = 7.4

|Aug record high C = 24.4 | Aug record low C = 7.3

|Sep record high C = 20.8 | Sep record low C = 3.1

|Oct record high C = 20.7 | Oct record low C = -0.2

|Nov record high C = 16.1 | Nov record low C = -7

|Dec record high C = 11.8 | Dec record low C = -7.3

|Jan mean C=3.5

|Feb mean C=2.9

|Mar mean C=3.5

|Apr mean C=5.6

|May mean C=7.9

|Jun mean C=10.6

|Jul mean C=13.2

|Aug mean C=14

|Sep mean C=12.3

|Oct mean C=8.6

|Nov mean C=6.2

|Dec mean C=4.1

|year mean C=

|precipitation colour= green

|Jan precipitation mm=123

|Feb precipitation mm=110

|Mar precipitation mm=105

|Apr precipitation mm=70

|May precipitation mm=58

|Jun precipitation mm=67

|Jul precipitation mm=64

|Aug precipitation mm=101

|Sep precipitation mm=141

|Oct precipitation mm=128

|Nov precipitation mm=120

|Dec precipitation mm=149

|year precipitation mm=

|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute{{Cite web |title=eklima - Norwegian Meteorological Institute |url=http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL}}{{Cite web |title=Weather statistics for Veiholmen |url=https://www.yr.no/en/statistics/table/5-65310/Norway/M%C3%B8re%20og%20Romsdal/Sm%C3%B8la/Veiholmen}}

}}

Smøla 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 SNL|kommunestyre| kommunestyre|2024-12-31|Hansen|Tore|2024-11-25|editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene}} The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Møre og Romsdal District Court and the Frostating Court of Appeal.

The municipal council ({{lang|no|Kommunestyre}}) of Smøla is made up of 17 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 = Smøla

|start = 2023

|end = 2027

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Møre og Romsdal |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/m%C3%B8re%20og%20romsdal/smøla#seats |access-date=2024-01-16 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed =

|Total = 17

|Arbeiderpartiet = 4

|Høyre = 2

|Senterpartiet = 9

|Venstre = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|start = 2019

|end = 2023

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2019 – Møre og Romsdal |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/m%C3%B8re%20og%20romsdal/smøla#seats |access-date=2019-10-19 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 17

|Arbeiderpartiet = 6

|Høyre = 2

|Senterpartiet = 7

|Venstre = 1

|otherparty = Smøla to Trøndelag

|otherparty_no = Smøla til Trøndelag

|otherparty_number = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 12

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 3

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Venstre = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|start = 2011

|end = 2015

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2011 – Møre og Romsdal |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/m%C3%B8re%20og%20romsdal/smøla#seats |access-date=2019-10-19 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 7

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 6

|Senterpartiet = 2

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|Venstre = 4

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|start = 2007

|end = 2011

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 1

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Venstre = 7

|Høyre = 6

|Fremskrittspartiet = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|start = 2003

|end = 2007

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 4

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 2

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|Venstre = 8

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|start = 1999

|end = 2003

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 4

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Venstre = 8

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|Venstre = 7

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Høyre = 6

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|Venstre = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Venstre = 2

|otherparty = Veidholmen local list

|otherparty_no = Veidholmen kretslist

|otherparty_number = 2

|otherparty1 = North Smøla local list

|otherparty_no1 = Nordsmøla Kretsliste

|otherparty_number1 = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 9

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 5

|Venstre = 2

|otherparty = Veidholmen local list

|otherparty_no = Veidholmen kretslist

|otherparty_number = 4

|otherparty1 = Local list for South Smøla

|otherparty_no1 = Kretsliste for Sørsmøla

|otherparty_number1 = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 8

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 7

|Venstre = 3

|otherparty = Non-party list

|otherparty_no = Upolitisk liste

|otherparty_number = 4

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 9

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 4

|Senterpartiet = 6

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|Venstre = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 9

|Høyre = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Venstre = 4

|Local_Lists = 5

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo |volume=I}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 12

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti = 2

|Venstre = 4

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|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=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 13

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 5

|Senterpartiet = 2

|Venstre = 4

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Smøla

|start = 1960

|end = 1963

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |access-date=2020-04-26 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 11

|Høyre = 5

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 5

|Venstre = 5

|Local_Lists = 1

|note = On 1 January 1960, Edøy Municipality, Brattvær Municipality, and Hopen Municipality were merged to form the new Smøla Municipality.

|}}

{{div col end}}

The mayor ({{langx|no|ordfører}}) of Smøla 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:{{Cite web |year=2024 |editor-last=Fiva |editor-first=Jon H |editor2-last=Sørensen |editor2-first=Rune J. |editor3-last=Vøllo |editor3-first=Reidar |title=Local Candidate Dataset |url=https://www.jon.fiva.no/docs/FivaSorensenVollo2024.pdf}}

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• 1960–1963: Henning Talleraas (H)
• 1964–1967: Aksel Stølen (Ap)
• 1968–1969: Petter Dalen (Ap)
• 1970–1971: Aksel Stølen (Ap)
• 1972–1974: Einar Korsand (V)
• 1974–1975: Olaf Birkeland (Sp)
• 1975–1975: Oddleiv Torske (KrF)
• 1976–1979: Karle Gjernes (V)
• 1980–1985: Gudmund Restad (Sp)
• 1985–1987: Hans Vallestad (H)
• 1988–1991: Joralf Flataukan (H)
• 1991–2011: Iver Nordseth (V)
• 2011–2019: Roger Osen (Ap)
• 2019–present: Svein Roksvåg (Sp)

{{div col end}}

The newspaper Nordvestnytt has been published in Smøla since 1988.{{Cite SNL|Nordvestnytt|Nordvestnytt|2025-02-20|Smith-Meyer|Trond|2024-11-25|editor2-last=Breivik Pettersen|editor2-first=Øyvind}}

File:Dyrnesgolf.jpg

On 5 September 2002, Statkraft announced the opening of the Smøla Wind Farm, a {{convert|40|MW|lk=on|adj=on}} wind project comprising twenty {{convert|2|MW|adj=on}} wind turbines by Norway's King Harald V. This corresponds to phase one of the wind project, which when completed will have a total installed capacity of more than {{convert|110|MW}}. Phase two was opened in September 2005 and included forty-eight {{convert|2.3|MW|adj=on}} wind turbines. All in all, the wind energy production project consists of 68 windmills, making it among the largest wind projects in Europe. With a total generating capacity of {{convert|150|MW}}, the Smøla wind farm's 68 turbines account for more than half of the installed wind power capacity in Norway. The total generating capacity is equivalent to 450 GWh of electricity per year, which corresponds to the average annual power consumption of 22,500 Norwegian households.{{Cite web |date=25 August 2010 |title=Statkraft takes over smola |url=http://www.statkraft.com/presscentre/news/statkraft-takes-over-smola-ll.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514205303/http://www.statkraft.com/presscentre/news/statkraft-takes-over-smola-ll.aspx |archive-date=14 May 2011 |access-date=2010-12-12 |publisher=Statkraft}}

File:Kulisteinen.jpg

• Veiholmen is a large fishing village, north of the main island.
• Kulisteinen (the Kuli stone), probably one of the best remains which tells about early Christianity in Norway. On one side it has a large cross, which was well known for a long time. Less well known was a runic inscription on the rim of the stone.
• Old Edøy Church, a restored church dating back to about the year 1190.
• Deep-sea fishing is a part of the natural environment of Smøla. Smøla provides facilities, guided fishing trips and possibilities for renting fisherman's boats and needed equipment. Participants can expect to catch a large selection of deep sea fish in this area: herring, cod, redfish, perch, monkfish, Atlantic halibut, plaice, carp, char, mackerel, and others.

• Oluf Skarpnes (1932 in Smøla - 2019), a Norwegian jurist and public servant
• Kåre Bryn (born 1944 in Smøla), a Norwegian diplomat
• Ingar Knudtsen (born 1944 in Smøla), a novelist and poet
• Marianne Schröder (born 1977 in Smøla), a model

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Energy}}

• [http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/smola Municipal fact sheet] from Statistics Norway {{in lang|no}}
• {{official website|http://www.smola.kommune.no}} {{in lang|no}}
• [http://www.statkraft.com Statkraft]
• [http://www.veiholmen.com Veiholmen.com] {{in lang|no}}

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{{sister bar|auto=y|d=y|commonscat=y|voy=Møre og Romsdal|wikt=Smøla}}

{{Møre og Romsdal}}

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Category:Nordmøre

Category:Municipalities of Møre og Romsdal

Category:1960 establishments in Norway

Category:Populated places established in 1960