Kvam

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kvam kommune
Locator map showing Kvam within Hordaland
County Hordaland
District Hardanger
Municipality NO-1238
Administrative centre Norheimsund
Mayor (2003) Astrid Kristin Selsvold (Ap)
Official language form Nynorsk
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Percentage
Ranked 180
616 km²
580 km²
0.19 %
Population
 - Total (2004)
 - Percentage
 - Change (10 years)
 - Density
Ranked 122
8,389
0.18 %
-2.6 %
14/km²
Coordinates 60°25′N, 6°9′E
www.kvam.kommune.no

Data from Statistics Norway

Coordinates: 60°25′N, 6°9′E

Kvam is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. It borders Voss to the north, Vaksdal, Samnanger and Fusa to the west, Granvin to the east and Hardangerfjorden to the south.

It was created in 1837 as Vikør formannskapsdistrikt, named after the parish today known as Vikøy. According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 2,321. [1] The name was changed from Vikør to Kvam in 1912. [2]

On 1 January 1965 the district Åsgrenda with 61 inhabitants was moved to Ullensvang municipality. At the same time the size of Kvam was significantly enlarged when parts of the municipalities Strandebarm, Varaldsøy and Jondal were incorporated into Kvam. After the merger Kvam had a population of 9,119. [3]

Important settlements in the municipality include Norheimsund, Øystese, Ålvik, Tørvikbygd, Strandebarm and Mundheim. Norheimsund and Øystese are the largest settlements with 2,087 and 1,626 inhabitants respectively. [4] The largest lakes are Bjølsegrøvvatnet and Holmavatnet. In addition a portion of Hamlagrøvatnet is located in Kvam.

[edit] The name

The Norse form of the name was Hvammr, identical with the word hvammr m '(small) valley'.

[edit] Notable people from Kvam

[edit] References

  1. ^ Registreringssentral for historiske data. Hjemmehørende folkemengde Hordaland 1801-1960 (Norwegian). University of Tromsø.
  2. ^ Kvam municipality. Arkivkatalogar (Norwegian).
  3. ^ Dag Jukvam / Statistics Norway (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen". (Norwegian)
  4. ^ Statistics Norway (2006). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality. 1 January 2006".


Municipalities of Hordaland Hordaland coat of arms

Askøy | Austevoll | Austrheim | Bergen | Bømlo | Eidfjord | Etne | Fedje | Fitjar | Fjell | Fusa | Granvin | Jondal | Kvam | Kvinnherad | Lindås | Masfjorden | Meland | Modalen | Odda | Os | Osterøy | Radøy | Samnanger | Stord | Sund | Sveio | Tysnes | Ullensvang | Ulvik | Vaksdal | Voss | Øygarden