| Giske kommune | |||
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| — Municipality — | |||
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| Giske within Møre og Romsdal | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Møre og Romsdal | ||
| District | Sunnmøre | ||
| Administrative centre | Nordstrand | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor (2003) | Knut Støbakk (KrF) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 40.19 km2 (15.5 sq mi) | ||
| • Land | 39.53 km2 (15.3 sq mi) | ||
| • Water | 0.66 km2 (0.3 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 422 in Norway | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 7,029 | ||
| • Rank | 150 in Norway | ||
| • Density | 177.8/km2 (460.5/sq mi) | ||
| • Change (10 years) | 10.8 % | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1532 | ||
| Official language form | Nynorsk | ||
| Website | www.giske.kommune.no | ||
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Giske is an island and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It lies north-northwest of the town of Ålesund in the Sunnmøre traditional district. The municipal center is the village of Nordstrand on the island of Valderøy. Other population centers include the villages of Roald (on Vigra island) and Alnes and Leitebakk (both on Godøy island). The municipality is part of the Ålesund Region.
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The municipality of Giske was established on 1 January 1908 when it was separated from the large municipality of Borgund. The initial population of the new municipality was 1,708. Then on 1 January 1964, the neighboring municipality of Vigra was merged into Giske. The newly enlarged municipality had a population of 4,644.[1]
The municipality is named after the farm and island Giske (Old Norse: Gizki), since the first church was built there. The name is (probably) identical with the word gizki which means "tablecloth" or "rag" (maybe because the island is small and flat).[2]
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. It was granted on 14 June 1985, but it has old roots. It is a gold lion rampant (i.e., in walking position) guardant (i.e., facing the viewer) on a blue shield. The arms are based on the old seal of Erling Vidkunsson, who already used the lion on his seal in 1355. His family was one of the most wealthy and influential families in the county, and had their origins and estate in Giske.[3]
The Church of Norway has three parishes with four churches, within the municipality of Giske. It is part of the Diocese of Møre and the Rural Deanery (Prosti) of Nordre Sunnmøre.
| Parish (Sokn) |
Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giske | Giske kyrkje | 1170 | Giske |
| Godøy kapell | 1953 | Leitebakk | |
| Valderøy | Valderøy kyrkje | 1961 | Nordstrand |
| Vigra | Vigra kyrkje | 1894 | Vigra |
In the 2007 municipal elections, Giske recorded the highest vote for the Christian Democratic Party in Norway at 43.2 percent.
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Giske is made up of 23 representatives that are elected to every four years. For 2011–2015, the party breakdown is as follows:[4]
| Party Name | Name in Norwegian | Number of representatives |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party | Det Norske Arbeiderpartiet | 3 |
| Progress Party | Fremskrittspartiet | 2 |
| Conservative Party | Høyre | 5 |
| Christian Democratic Party | Kristelig Folkeparti | 8 |
| Centre Party | Senterpartiet | 1 |
| Liberal Party | Venstre | 4 |
| Total: | 23 |
The municipality is composed of four islands: Giske, which gives its name to the municipality because of its historical importance, Vigra, which is where Ålesund's airport is located, Valderøy, where the municipal administration is located, and Godøy. There are also many smaller islands within its boundaries. The islands are connected by a network of tunnels and the Giske Bridge. The Alnes lighthouse and the Storholmen lighthouse are both located on islands in the municipality.
Giske is the site of Mjelthaugen, an ancient burial place dating from the Bronze Age. The site was the location of excavations in 1847, 1867 and 1878. Giske is also the place where, according to Snorre Sturlason, Harald Fairhair had his hair cut after uniting Norway. The historic Giske church is also located on the island of Giske.[5]
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