Frøya, Sogn og Fjordane

Frøya
Norway - Frøya.png
Geography
Location Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Area 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi)
Length 7 km (4.3 mi)
Width 5 km (3.1 mi)
Highest elevation 378 m (1,240 ft)
Highest point Fanneskarvarden
Norway
County Sogn og Fjordane
Municipality Bremanger

Frøya is an island in the western part of the municipality of Bremanger in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The 15-square-kilometre (5.8 sq mi) island is located just to the southwest of the big island of Bremangerlandet and its highest point is Fanneskarvarden at an elevation of 378 metres (1,240 ft).[1]

The island contains the main village of Kalvåg as well as the minor settlements of Liset, Steinset, Nesje, Stranda, and Frøyalandet. Frøya is located on the north shore of the Frøysjøen strait, which is part of the seaway between Florø and Måløy. The population (2001) of the island of Frøya (including the small nearby islets) is about 560.[2] The main industries on the island are tourism and fish processing. Frøya Church is located on the southeastern side of the island.

Name

Although Frøya is the name of the Norse goddess Frøya or Freya (Freyja), the Old Norse form of the name was Frøy or Frey. Therefore the name of the island has probably the same root as the name of the Norse god Freyr, brother of Freyja. The names originally were titles: "lord"/"master" or "lady"/"mistress". The oldest meaning of the common word was "(the one) in front; the foremost, the leading" and here in the sense "the island in front of Bremanger".[3]

References