Vågan Municipality#Coat of arms

Vågan was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In 1856, the northwestern part of Vågan Municipality (population: 987) was separated to form the new Gimsøy Municipality. On 1 July 1918, the town of Svolvær (population: 2,429) was separated to form its own municipality. This left Vågan with 3,399 residents. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Gimsøy Municipality (population: 1,551), the town of Svolvær (population: 3,952), and Vågan Municipality (population: 4,820) were merged to form the new, larger Vågan Municipality.{{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}}

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Vågan farm ({{langx|non|Vágar}}) since the first Vågan Church was built there. The name is the plural form of {{wikt-lang|non|vágr}} which means "bay" or "inlet". The island of Austvågøya ({{langx|non|Vágøy}}) was named after this important site too (which later led the neighboring island to be named Vestvågøya).{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |author-link=Oluf Rygh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K21BAAAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |year=1905 |edition=16 |location=Kristiania, Norge |page=308 |language=no}} On 21 December 1917, a royal resolution enacted the 1917 Norwegian language reforms. Prior to this change, the name was spelled Vaagan with the digraph "aa", and after this reform, the name was spelled Vågan, using the letter å instead.{{Cite journal |year=1917 |title=Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1917. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m |url=https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2015102381014_001 |journal=Norsk Lovtidend |language=no |location=Oslo, Norway |publisher=Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri |page=1000}}{{Cite book |url=https://www.nb.no/items/7c810cb2510e5454433266c698b8808e |title=Den Nye rettskrivning : regler og ordlister |publisher=Den Mallingske Boktrykkeri |year=1918 |location=Kristiania, Norge |language=no}}

The coat of arms was granted on 30 March 1973. The official blazon is "Azure, a cod embowed argent" ({{langx|no|På blå bunn en vertikalstillet fremadbøyd sølv torsk}}). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a cod. The cod 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 blue color in the field and the code were chosen because fishing is the main source of income for the municipality. The arms were designed by Hallvard Traetteberg, basing them off the old arms for the town of Svolvær which was merged into Vågan in 1964.{{Cite web |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Vågan |access-date=2023-02-05 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}{{Cite web |title=Vågan, Nordland (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-18-65.html |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=Flags of the World}}{{Cite web |date=1973-03-30 |title=Godkjenning av våpen og flagg |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1973-03-30-1 |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}}

The Church of Norway has five parishes ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within Vågan Municipality. It is part of the Lofoten prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

The main population centres are the town of Svolvær and the villages of Kabelvåg and Henningsvær, located on the largest island, Austvågøya (although Svolvær and Henningsvær are partly located on smaller islands adjacent to the main island). All three have a picturesque situation under the rugged Lofoten mountains, facing the rough body of water called Vestfjorden. Vågan municipality includes over half of Austvågøya island, all of the islands of Gimsøya, Skrova, Stormolla, Litlmolla, numerous other tiny islets, plus the southwestern tip of the island of Hinnøya. The Moholmen Lighthouse and Skrova Lighthouse are both located in the Vestfjorden. The highest point in the municipality is the {{convert|1138.32|m|adj=on}} tall mountain Higravtindan. Other mountains include Svolværgeita, Fløya, Trakta, and Vågakallen.

Skrova near Svolvær has a temperate climate (marine west coast) in the 1991-2020 period.

{{Weather box

|metric first= yes

|single line = yes

|location = Skrova 1991-2020 (14 m, precipitation days 1961-90, extremes 1934-2025)

|Jan record high C = 10.6 | Jan record low C = -12.7

|Feb record high C = 9.8 | Feb record low C = -15.1

|Mar record high C = 10 | Mar record low C = -12.3

|Apr record high C = 17.4 | Apr record low C = -8.5

|May record high C = 24.3 | May record low C = -3.4

|Jun record high C = 30.4 | Jun record low C = -1.2

|Jul record high C = 29.8 | Jul record low C = 3.7

|Aug record high C = 26.9 | Aug record low C = 3.9

|Sep record high C = 22.1 | Sep record low C = -1.4

|Oct record high C = 17.1 | Oct record low C = -4.5

|Nov record high C = 13 | Nov record low C = -10.7

|Dec record high C = 11.2 | Dec record low C = -11.9

|Jan high C = 2.4

|Feb high C = 1.6

|Mar high C = 2.2

|Apr high C = 4.8

|May high C = 9

|Jun high C = 13

|Jul high C = 16.1

|Aug high C = 15.4

|Sep high C = 12

|Oct high C = 7.8

|Nov high C = 5.4

|Dec high C = 3.6

|Jan mean C=0.9

|Feb mean C=0.2

|Mar mean C=0.7

|Apr mean C=3.1

|May mean C=6.8

|Jun mean C=10.6

|Jul mean C=13.6

|Aug mean C=13.3

|Sep mean C=10.4

|Oct mean C=6.5

|Nov mean C=4

|Dec mean C=2.2

|year mean C=

|Jan low C = -1

|Feb low C = -1.6

|Mar low C = -0.9

|Apr low C = 1.4

|May low C = 4.9

|Jun low C = 8.6

|Jul low C = 11.5

|Aug low C = 11.5

|Sep low C = 8.8

|Oct low C = 4.9

|Nov low C = 2.2

|Dec low C = 0.3

|precipitation colour= green

|Jan precipitation mm=89

|Feb precipitation mm=81

|Mar precipitation mm=65

|Apr precipitation mm=49

|May precipitation mm=46

|Jun precipitation mm=37

|Jul precipitation mm=50

|Aug precipitation mm=48

|Sep precipitation mm=79

|Oct precipitation mm=88

|Nov precipitation mm=97

|Dec precipitation mm=90

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days= 14

|Feb precipitation days= 11

|Mar precipitation days= 11

|Apr precipitation days= 10

|May precipitation days= 9

|Jun precipitation days= 9

|Jul precipitation days= 11

|Aug precipitation days= 10

|Sep precipitation days= 15

|Oct precipitation days= 17

|Nov precipitation days= 15

|Dec precipitation days= 15

|year precipitation mm=

|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128080558/http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-date=28 January 2021 |access-date=9 November 2021}}

|source 2= Noaa WMO averages 91-2020 Norway {{Cite web |title=NOAA WMO normals Norway 1991-2020 |url=https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Norway/CSV/?C=D;O=A}}

}}

{{Weather box

|metric first= yes

|single line = yes

|location = Svolvær, Vågan 1961–1990

|Jan mean C=-1.5

|Feb mean C=-1.8

|Mar mean C=-0.3

|Apr mean C=2.2

|May mean C=6.5

|Jun mean C=10.1

|Jul mean C=13.0

|Aug mean C=13.0

|Sep mean C=9.0

|Oct mean C=5.2

|Nov mean C=1.8

|Dec mean C=-0.5

|year mean C=4.7

|precipitation colour= green

|Jan precipitation mm=159

|Feb precipitation mm=134

|Mar precipitation mm=112

|Apr precipitation mm=88

|May precipitation mm=63

|Jun precipitation mm=67

|Jul precipitation mm=87

|Aug precipitation mm=94

|Sep precipitation mm=146

|Oct precipitation mm=210

|Nov precipitation mm=160

|Dec precipitation mm=180

|year precipitation mm=1500

|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute{{Cite web |title=eKlima Web Portal |url=http://eklima.met.no |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040614073527/http://eklima.met.no/ |archive-date=2004-06-14 |publisher=Norwegian Meteorological Institute}}

}}

Vågan 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 Salten og Lofoten District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

The municipal council ({{lang|no|Kommunestyre}}) of Vågan is made up of 29 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 = Vågan

|start = 2023

|end = 2027

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Nordland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/nordland/vågan#seats |access-date=2023-12-27 |publisher=Valg Direktoratet}}

|Total = 29

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Fremskrittspartiet = 3

|Grønne = 1

|Høyre = 9

|Rødt = 2

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|Venstre = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|start = 2019

|end = 2023

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/nordland/vågan#seats |access-date=2019-10-28 |publisher=Valg Direktoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 29

|Arbeiderpartiet = 7

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Grønne = 1

|Høyre = 9

|Rødt = 2

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|Venstre = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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 = 29

|Arbeiderpartiet = 8

|Fremskrittspartiet = 2

|Høyre = 9

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|Venstre = 3

|Rødt = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|start = 2011

|end = 2015

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/nordland/vågan#seats |access-date=2019-10-28 |publisher=Valg Direktoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 12

|Fremskrittspartiet = 3

|Høyre = 11

|Rødt = 2

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|Venstre = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|start = 2007

|end = 2011

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 12

|Fremskrittspartiet = 5

|Høyre = 7

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|Venstre = 1

|Rød_Valgallianse = 3

|Kyst = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|start = 2003

|end = 2007

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 10

|Fremskrittspartiet = 5

|Høyre = 4

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 5

|Rød_Valgallianse = 3

|Kyst = 4

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|start = 1999

|end = 2003

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 9

|Fremskrittspartiet = 3

|Høyre = 7

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 6

|Rød_Valgallianse = 5

|Kyst = 3

|otherparty = Vågan women's list

|otherparty_no = Vågan kvinneliste

|otherparty_number = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 35

|Arbeiderpartiet = 14

|Høyre = 7

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 6

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|Venstre = 2

|Rød_Valgallianse = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 45

|Arbeiderpartiet = 20

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 8

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Rød_Valgallianse = 2

|Senterpartiet = 5

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 7

|Venstre = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 45

|Arbeiderpartiet = 20

|Fremskrittspartiet = 3

|Høyre = 12

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Rød_Valgallianse = 1

|Senterpartiet = 2

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 4

|Venstre = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 45

|Arbeiderpartiet = 20

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 14

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|Venstre = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 45

|Arbeiderpartiet = 16

|Høyre = 15

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3

|Rød_Valgallianse = 1

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|Venstre = 2

|otherparty = Vågan non-party list

|otherparty_no = Vågan upolitiske liste

|otherparty_number = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 45

|Arbeiderpartiet = 18

|Høyre = 9

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3

|Senterpartiet = 8

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3

|Venstre = 3

|otherparty = Svolvær Free Voters

|otherparty_no = Svolvær Frie Velgere

|otherparty_number = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 45

|Arbeiderpartiet = 22

|Høyre = 6

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 6

|Venstre = 3

|Local_Lists = 6

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo |volume=I}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 53

|Arbeiderpartiet = 24

|Høyre = 9

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti = 2

|Venstre = 5

|Local_Lists = 7

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 53

|Arbeiderpartiet = 25

|Høyre = 10

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Venstre = 8

|Local_Lists = 8

|note = On 1 January 1964, Gimsøy Municipality and the town of Svolvær became part of Vågan Municipality.

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|herad = yes

|start = 1959

|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=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 11

|Høyre = 6

|Venstre = 5

|Local_Lists = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|herad = yes

|start = 1955

|end = 1959

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 25

|Arbeiderpartiet = 11

|NKP = 1

|Venstre = 7

|Borgerlige_Felleslister = 5

|Local_Lists = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|herad = yes

|start = 1951

|end = 1955

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 20

|Arbeiderpartiet = 7

|Høyre = 2

|Venstre = 5

|Local_Lists = 6

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|herad = yes

|start = 1947

|end = 1951

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 20

|Arbeiderpartiet = 8

|NKP = 1

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|V/DRF = 2

|Borgerlige_Felleslister = 5

|Local_Lists = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|herad = yes

|start = 1945

|end = 1947

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 20

|Arbeiderpartiet = 9

|NKP = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|V/DRF = 1

|Borgerlige_Felleslister = 4

|Local_Lists = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Vågan

|herad = yes

|start = 1937

|end = 1941*

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|Total = 20

|Arbeiderpartiet = 8

|AFS = 1

|Local_Lists = 11

|}}

{{div col end}}

The mayor ({{langx|no|ordfører}}) of Vågan 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 book |last=Rist-Andersen |first=Cecilie |title=Trekk av Vågans historie |publisher=Alf Torp |year=1966 |location=Bergen |pages=20–23 |language=no}}{{Cite news |date=1995-09-27 |title=Ordførere i Vågan |url=https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_lofotposten_null_null_19950927_100_223_1 |work=Lofotposten |location=Svolvær |page=5 |language=no}}

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• 1838-1839: Bjørn Ursin Rist
• 1840-1843: S.L. Hansen
• 1844-1846: Jens Hasselberg
• 1846-1850: Georg Ludvig Størmer
• 1850-1852: W.C. Schmidt
• 1852-1856: Marcus Normann
• 1857-1860: Johan Peter Bordewich
• 1861-1864: Peder Rohde Simonsen
• 1864-1868: Christoffer Ellingsen
• 1868-1872: John Steen
• 1873-1876: Christoffer Ellingsen
• 1877-1880: Christian Eger
• 1881-1888: Andreas M. Hansen (V)
• 1889-1894: Ole Johan Kaarbø (H)
• 1895-1898: Martin Kvam
• 1899-1904: Peder Schønning
• 1905-1910: Erik Lund (H)
• 1911-1913: Jonas Pedersen (V)
• 1914-1914: Anton K. Meyer (V)
• 1915-1919: Eyvind Borgen (H)
• 1920-1922: Hilmar Christensen
• 1923-1925: Emil Henriksen (V)
• 1926-1931: B. Knaplund
• 1932-1942: Julius Høy (V)
• 1942-1944: David Eilertsen (NS)
• 1944-1945: Henrik Grønhaug (NS)
• 1945-1945: Halvdan Fjelldal (V)
• 1945-1955: Birger Benjaminsen (Ap)
• 1956-1965: Egil Wiik (V)
• 1966-1967: Torleif Reinholdtsen (Ap)
• 1968-1975: Egil Schumacher (Ap)
• 1976-1977: Thor Wikan (H)
• 1978-1979: Egil Reiertsen (Ap)
• 1980-1983: Thor Wikan (H)
• 1983–1995: Steinar Molvik (Ap)
• 1995-1999: Harald E. Hansen (Sp)
• 1999–2011: Hugo Bjørnstad (Ap)
• 2011–2019: Eivind Holst (H)
• 2019–2023: Frank Johnsen (Sp)
• 2023–present: Vidar Thom Benjaminsen (H)

{{div col end}}

File:Lofoten 1.jpg

Kabelvåg is the oldest fishing village in Lofoten, where King Øystein built the first fishing shacks in the early 12th century. The Lofoten Cathedral, built in 1898, seats 1,200 people, and used to be filled to the last seat during the Lofoten fishing in the winter.

Henningsvær has a picturesque situation on several islands, and is today more important for fishing. Svolvær is the municipal centre, and has an impressive number of artists' studios and galleries. In addition to the cod fisheries, salmon fish farming and tourism are economically important in Vågan.

The islands that make up Vågan are connected by several different bridges. The European route E10 highway connects the neighboring Vestvågøy Municipality to Vågan Municipality (Gimsøya island) by the Sundklakkstraumen Bridge. Gimsøya island then connects to Austvågøya island by the Gimsøystraumen Bridge. The islands of Henningsvær are connected to Austvågøya by the Henningsvær Bridges. The rest of the small islands are only accessible by boats and ferries. In the town of Svolvær, the Svinøy Bridge connects the main part of town to the island of Svinøya. Svolvær Airport, Helle is located just east of the town of Svolvær.

• {{flagicon|Italy}} Ancona, Italy

File:68766 Gisken Wildenwey.jpg

File:Maria Strømme (50266843491).jpg

File:Cato André Hansen.JPG

• Eystein I of Norway (ca.1088–1123), the King of Norway from 1103 to 1123, who founded the settlement of Vågan
• Paul Egede (1708 in Kabelvåg – 1789), a Dano-Norwegian theologian, scholar, and Lutheran missionionary to the Kalaallit people in Greenland
• Niels Rasch Egede (1710 in Vågan – 1782), a Danish-Norwegian merchant and Lutheran missionary in Greenland
• Gunnar Berg (1863 on Svinøya – 1893), a painter who painted the everyday life of local fishermen in Lofoten
• Martin Hoff Ekroll (1865 in Skroven – 1916), a merchant, mountaineer, and Arctic explorer
• Erna Schøyen (born 1887 in Kabelvåg – 1968), a Norwegian actress{{IMDb name|nm0778277|Erna Schøyen}}. Retrieved 17 January 2021
• Gisken Wildenvey (1892 at Austvågøy – 1985), a novelist and author of short stories
• Soffi Schønning (1895 in Kabelvåg – 1994), a Norwegian operatic soprano
• Ellen Einan (1931 in Svolvær – 2013), a Norwegian poet and illustrator
• Dagfinn Bakke (1933–2019 in Svolvær), a Norwegian painter, illustrator, and printmaker
• Hans Christian Alsvik (1936 in Svolvær – 2011), a Norwegian television presenter
• Jack Berntsen (1940–2010), a philologist, songwriter, and folk singer; lived in Svolvær from 1968
• Inger Johanne Grytting (born 1949 in Svolvær), an artist, lives and works in New York City
• Maryon Eilertsen (1950 in Svolvær – 2015), a Norwegian actress and theatre director{{IMDb name|nm0251765|Maryon Eilertsen}}. Retrieved 17 January 2021
• Kari Bremnes (born 1956 in Svolvær), a Norwegian singer and songwriter
• Marit Andreassen (born 1966 in Svolvær), a Norwegian actress{{IMDb name|nm0028265|Marit Andreassen}}. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
• Maria Strømme (born 1970 in Svolvær) a physicist and academic who lives and works in Sweden

• Terje Hanssen (born 1948 in Kabelvåg), a former biathlete who competed at the 1976 Winter Olympics
• Ørjan Løvdal (born 1962 in Svolvær), a Norwegian ice hockey player and coach
• Cato André Hansen (born 1972 in Strauman), a football coach and former player with 234 caps for FK Bodø/Glimt
• Stig Johansen (born 1972 in Kabelvåg), a former footballer with 305 club caps and 3 for Norway

File:Austnesfjorden_20170720_174113.jpg|Austnesfjorden

File:Lofoten-4.jpg|Henningsvær.

File:Vagakallen wiki.jpg|Vågakallen towers over Henningsvær, seen from Kabelvåg.

File:Vågan kirke-Kabelvåg.jpg|Kabelvåg landscape with the Vågan Church; early June 2009.

{{reflist}}

• [http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/vagan Municipal fact sheet] from Statistics Norway {{in lang|no}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070503001744/http://www.lofoten-golf.no/english.php Lofoten Golf Links] Golf court at Gimsøy in Vågan
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120207092306/http://nordland.miljostatus.no/msf_themepage.aspx?m=1611#4478 Laukvikøyene nature reserve, a wetland area with rich bird life] {{in lang|no}}
• [http://www.polarlightcenter.com/ Polarlightcenter]

{{use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{sister bar|auto=y|d=y|commonscat=y|voy=Nordland|wikt=Vågan}}

{{Nordland}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaagan}}

Category:Municipalities of Nordland

Category:Populated places of Arctic Norway

Category:1838 establishments in Norway

Category:Populated places established in 1838