Suldal

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Suldal kommune
—  Municipality  —
Coat of arms of Suldal kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Suldal kommune
Rogaland within
Norway
Suldal within Rogaland
Suldal within Rogaland
Coordinates: 59°28′6″N 6°29′59″E / 59.46833, 6.49972
Country Norway
County Rogaland
District Ryfylke
Municipality ID NO-1134
Administrative centre Sand
Government
 - Mayor (2003) Andreas Drarvik (Sp)
Area (Nr. 39 in Norway)
 - Total 1,736 km² (670.3 sq mi)
 - Land 1,588 km² (613.1 sq mi)
Population (2004)
 - Total 3,895
 - Density 2/km² (5.2/sq mi)
 - Change (10 years) -4.9 %
 - Rank in Norway 235
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Official language form Nynorsk
Data from Statistics Norway
Website: www.suldal.kommune.no

Suldal is a municipality in the northeast of Rogaland county, Norway located in the Ryfylke historically traditional district.

Suldal was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Sauda was separated from Suldal in 1842. The municipalities of Erfjord and Sand, most of Jelsa, and some parts of Imsland and Vikedal, were merged with Suldal January 1, 1965.

On the north the municipality is bordered by Sauda and Odda, on the east by Vinje and Bykle, on the south by Hjelmeland, and on the west by Vindafjord. Across the Jelsafjord and Vindafjord lie Finnøy and Tysvær municipalities.

The Sandsfjord and Hylsfjord lie within Suldal, as does lake Suldalsvatnet. The Saudafjord lies partially within the boundary of Suldal. The Erfjord and the lake Blåsjø also lie on the boundary of Suldal.

Sand i Ryfylke, is a village in Suldal.

[edit] The name

The Norse form of the name was Súladalr. The first element is probably the plural genitive case of súla f 'pillar, column' (and then referring to the mountain pass Suldalsporten), the last element is dalr m 'valley, dale'.

Until 1891 the name was written "Suledal".

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1976). The lines represent the river of Suldalslågen.

[edit] History

Suldal municipality has a long history of trade connections to the Setesdal valley to the east. The main mountain plateau trade route led east from Suldal municipality in Rogaland to Bykle municipality in Aust-Agder county.