Svelvik

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Svelvik kommune
—  Municipality  —
Coat of arms of Svelvik kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Svelvik kommune
Vestfold within
Norway
Svelvik within Vestfold
Svelvik within Vestfold
Coordinates: 59°37′25″N 10°22′18″E / 59.62361, 10.37167
Country Norway
County Vestfold
Municipality ID NO-0711
Administrative centre Svelvik
Government
 - Mayor (2003) Knut Erik Lippert (H)
Area (Nr. 419 in Norway)
 - Total 58 km² (22.4 sq mi)
 - Land 56 km² (21.6 sq mi)
Population (2004)
 - Total 6,445
 - Density 115/km² (297.8/sq mi)
 - Change (10 years) 8.1 %
 - Rank in Norway 153
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Official language form Bokmål
Data from Statistics Norway
Website: www.svelvik.kommune.no

Svelvik  is a municipality in the county of Vestfold, Norway.

The town of Svelvik was separated from Strømm as a municipality of its own in 1845. The two municipalities were again merged to one January 1, 1964.

The village is quite characteristic, with small winding streets and traditional, white-painted houses. Svelvik is a summer paradise with many possibilities for swimming and sunbathing.

The narrow Svelvikstrømmen sound separates Svelvik from the municipality of Hurum, and the county of Buskerud. This sound is served by a ferry, which has the shortest line in Norway.

In 2004, Svelvik was ranked as the worst place in Norway to live for young people, by national radio channel P3

[edit] The name

The Norse form of the name was Sverðvík. The meaning of the first element is sword, the last element is vík f 'inlet'.

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from 1957. It shows a trident, to represent the maritime traditions of the town.