Skjåk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Skjåk kommune | |||
| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Oppland | ||
| District | Gudbrandsdal | ||
| Municipality ID | NO-0513 | ||
| Administrative centre | Bismo | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor (2007) | Rolv Kristen Øygard (Sp) | ||
| Area (Nr. 27 in Norway) | |||
| - Total | 2,076 km² (801.5 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 1,969 km² (760.2 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| - Total | 2,393 | ||
| - Density | 1/km² (2.6/sq mi) | ||
| - Change (10 years) | -5.3 % | ||
| - Rank in Norway | 311 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Official language form | Nynorsk | ||
| Demonym | Skjåkvær[1] | ||
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| Website: www.skjaak.kommune.no | |||
Skjåk is a municipality in the county of Oppland, Norway.
Skjåk was separated from Lom as a municipality of its own in 1866.
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[edit] Geography
Skjåk is the westernmost municipality in the valley of Ottadalen. It is bordered to the north by Norddal, Rauma and Lesja, in the east and southeast by Lom, in the south by Luster and in the west by Stryn and Stranda. The municipality lies along the Otta river between the mountainous areas of Breheim and Reinheim. Bismo is the modern population center and the location of the majority of industry and shopping as well as the municipal administration.
The community is at the meeting point between Gudbrandsdal and the mountains between the eastern parts of Norway and the west coast. The municipality lies on a historically significant traffic artery between Stryn and Nordfjord, Geiranger and Sunnmøre and the more easterly Ottadal municipalities of Lom and Vågå.
Nestled in a deep valley, the populated regions of Skjåk are rain shadowed and as a result are actually one of the most arid places in Europe with less annual precipitation than parts of the Sahara desert (although far cooler temperatures allow far lesser potential evapotranspiration than is characteristic of warmer climates. In addition, one side of the valley solsida, or "the sunny side", has southern exposure, whereas baksida, the "back side", gets very little sun. Agriculture has been enabled by elaborate irrigation systems for hundreds of years.
Of the total area, 19 km² is used for agriculture; 129 km² for forestry; 75 km² is covered by water; and the rest is mountains and other non-arable land. Virtually the entire 23-kilometer long valley floor is continuously but sparsely built up. Skjåk serves as a point of entry to the mountain areas just west; hunting and fishing are also popular tourist activities. Breiddalsvatnet is an area lake.
The local newspaper is named Fjuken, and is renown as one of Norway's best local newspapers[citation needed].
[edit] The name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Skjåk (Norse Skeiðakr), since the first church was built here. The first element is skeið n 'running track for horseracing', the last element is akr m 'field, acre'.
Until 1889 the name was written "Skiaker", in the period 1889-1910 "Skiaaker", in the period 1911-1920 "Skjaak", and from 1921 on "Skjåk".
[edit] Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1989). It shows a wooden cut of acanthus (ornament).
[edit] History
Skjåk has historical roots back to the Viking era and has a rich cultural heritage. An ancient route of travel between east and west went from Skjåk up through the Raudal valley and down through the Sunndal valley to Stryn on an arm of the Nordfjord. For example, in 1197, according to King Sverre's saga, Bishop Nikolaus is reported to have sent a group of baglers from Oppdal over the mountains to Stryn on Nordfjord, via Raudal.
[edit] Famous people from Skjåk
- Jan Magnus Bruheim, author
- Magnhild Bruheim, author
- Jakop Olsen Felodden or Fel-Jakup, composer and violinist
- Aslaug Høydal, author
- Ola Rasmussen Skjåk or Skjåk-Ola (1744-1804), wood carver
- Tore Ørjasæter, author
- Hans Christian Bergheim, snowboarder
[edit] See also
- Skjåk-Ola
- ^ Personnemningar til stadnamn i Noreg (Norwegian)
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