Ballangen

Ballangen is a municipality in the county of Nordland, Norway. It borders Narvik to the east and Tysfjord to the south, and has a short border with Sweden to the southeast. Ballangen is situated on the southern shore of Ofotfjorden. Ballangen also includes the long and narrow Efjord, just south of the much larger Ofotfjord. Its immediate surroundings are dominated by fjords, mountains and forest. Ballangen relies on the neighbouring Narvik as its economic base.

Efjord in Ballangen July 2003. The bridge is part of the E6 road.

The Efjord area is among the most idyllic in North Norway: The area is dominated by large slopes of bare rock with just a narrow, green area of vegetation near the fjord. Furthermore, the unique obelisk-like mountain nearby is dominated by the same, dark blue-grey rock, which provides a strange contrast to the clear water in the fjord, where the green sand banks are easily spotted. The dark rock is warmed by the sun, thus spring comes early to Efjord compared to the surrounding areas. Climbers and hikers are often tempted to test their skills on the bare rock slopes.

In the east, Ballangen borders on lake Siiddasjavri (or Siiddašjávri), which it shares with Sweden. Siiddašjávri is the 14th largest lake which lies in or partially in Norway.

The first person living in Ballangen we know by name is Lodve Lange (Lodve the long), who is mentioned in Heimskringla as being one of King Olav Tryggvason's most trusted warriors, and being placed near the king in the famous ship Ormen Lange (long serpent). Lodve probably participated in the Battle of Svolder in the year 1000, and might have been killed there. He lived at Saltvik, which is near the fjord, east of the centre in Ballangen today.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA was born in Ballangen.