Vågan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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County | Nordland | |
District | Lofoten | |
Municipality | NO-1865 | |
Administrative centre | Svolvær | |
Mayor (2003) | Hugo Bjørnstad (Ap) | |
Official language form | Neutral | |
Area - Total - Land - Percentage |
Ranked 212 477 km² 459 km² 0.15 % |
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Population - Total (2006) - Percentage - Change (10 years) - Density |
Ranked 115 9,021 0.20 % -3.1 % 20/km² |
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Coordinates | ||
www.vagan.kommune.no |
Vågan is a municipality in the county of Nordland, Norway.
The main population centres are the town of Svolvær and the villages of Kabelvåg and Henningsvær. All three have a picturesque situation under the rugged Lofoten mountains, facing the rough body of water called Vestfjorden. Kabelvåg is the oldest fishing village in Lofoten, where King Øystein built the first fishing shacks in the early 12th c. 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 is economically important in Vågan.
[edit] The name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Vågan (Norse Vágar), since the first church was built there. The name is the plural form of vág f 'bay'. The island of Austvågøya (Norse Vág(a)øy) is named after this important site.
[edit] Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1973). It shows a cod.
[edit] External links
- Lofoten Golf Links Golf court at Gimsøy in Vågan
Municipalities of Nordland | |
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Alstahaug | Andøy | Ballangen | Beiarn | Bindal | Bodø | Brønnøy | Bø | Dønna | Evenes | Fauske | Flakstad | Gildeskål | Grane | Hadsel | Hamarøy | Hattfjelldal | Hemnes | Herøy | Leirfjord | Lurøy | Lødingen | Meløy | Moskenes | Narvik | Nesna | Rana | Rødøy | Røst | Saltdal | Sortland | Steigen | Sømna | Sørfold | Tjeldsund | Træna | Tysfjord | Vefsn | Vega | Vestvågøy | Vevelstad | Vågan | Værøy | Øksnes |