Flå

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Flå kommune
—  Municipality  —
Coat of arms of Flå kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Flå kommune
Buskerud within
Norway
Flå within Buskerud
Flå within Buskerud
Coordinates: 60°24′31″N 9°29′3″E / 60.40861, 9.48417
Country Norway
County Buskerud
District Hallingdal
Municipality ID NO-0615
Administrative centre Flå
Government
 - Mayor (2003) Tor Egil Buøen (Flå Bygdeliste)
Area (Nr. 159 in Norway)
 - Total 704 km² (271.8 sq mi)
 - Land 670 km² (258.7 sq mi)
Population (2008)
 - Total 974
 - Density 2/km² (5.2/sq mi)
 - Change (10 years) -12.9 %
 - Rank in Norway 405
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Official language form Bokmål
Demonym Fløværing[1]
Data from Statistics Norway
Website: www.flaa.kommune.no

Flå is a municipality in the county of Buskerud, Norway.

Flå was separated from Nes January 1, 1905.

The municipality lies at the most southeasterly point in the valley and traditional district of Hallingdal.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Flå is bordered in the north by Sør-Aurdal, in the east by Ringerike, in the south by Krødsherad and Sigdal, in the west by Nore og Uvdal, and in the northwest by Nes.

[edit] The name

The Norse form of the name was Flóða sokn (sokn = parish). This is the plural genitive case of flœð, meaning 'flood'. (Flooding has been a problem for many farms in the river valley.)

Until 1921 the name was written "Flaa".

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1985). It shows the head of a bear - referring to the many bears that used to live in Vassfaret.

[edit] History

Ancient routes went to Vestlandet through Valdres and Hallingdal and down Røldal to Odda. Reflecting this route, Hallingdal and its neighboring valley of Valdres in Oppland to the north were originally populated by migrants from Vestlandet and spoke a western dialect. In recognition of this, Cardinal Nicholas Breakespear, who was in Scandinavia as papal legate in 1153, included Hallingdal in the Diocese of Stavanger.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Personnemningar til stadnamn i Noreg (Norwegian)
  2. ^ Stagg, Frank Noel (1956). East Norway and its Frontier. George Allen & Unwin, Ltd.. ISBN none. 

[edit] External links