Lindås

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Lindås kommune
—  Municipality  —
Coat of arms of Lindås kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Lindås kommune
Hordaland within
Norway
Lindås within Hordaland
Lindås within Hordaland
Coordinates: 60°37′29″N 5°19′42″E / 60.62472, 5.32833
Country Norway
County Hordaland
District Nordhordland
Municipality ID NO-1263
Administrative centre Knarvik
Government
 - Mayor (2007) Astrid Aarhus Byrknes (KrF)
Area (Nr. 213 in Norway)
 - Total 476 km² (183.8 sq mi)
 - Land 457 km² (176.4 sq mi)
Population (2004)
 - Total 12,879
 - Density 28/km² (72.5/sq mi)
 - Change (10 years) 6.1 %
 - Rank in Norway 83
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Official language form Nynorsk
Data from Statistics Norway
Website: www.lindas.kommune.no

Lindås is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway.

Lindås was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Masfjorden was separated from Lindås March 1, 1879. Austrheim was separated from Lindås January 1, 1910. Alversund, and parts of Hamre and Hosanger, were merged with Lindås January 1, 1964.

The administrative centre is Knarvik, located in the southeast part of the municipality. Other areas of population are Lindås, Seim, Ostereidet, Alversund and Fanebust.

The municipality also has one of the largest oil refineries in northern Europe at its most northern tip. The oil refinery at Mongstad is by far the largest employer.

Ancient settlements of Vikings are found in several places. At Seim there is a tomb of a Viking king of Norway, King Haakon. At Lindås there are stories of monks coming from England and living with the Viking population.

[edit] The name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the farm Lindås (Norse Lindiáss), since the first church was built there. The first element is lindi m 'linden (Tilia) wood', the last element is áss m 'mountain ridge'.

Until 1921 the name was written "Lindaas".

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from 1979. It shows a tilia tree.

[edit] External links