Sveio
| Historical populations |
| Year |
Pop. |
±% |
| 1951 |
1,954 |
— |
| 1960 |
1,782 |
−8.8% |
| 1970 |
3,477 |
+95.1% |
| 1980 |
4,216 |
+21.3% |
| 1990 |
4,582 |
+8.7% |
| 2000 |
4,623 |
+0.9% |
| 2007 |
4,764 |
+3.0% |
| 2008 |
4,825 |
+1.3% |
| 2009 |
4,906 |
+1.7% |
| Source: Statistics Norway. |
Sveio is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Sveio is located in the traditional district of Haugaland
Location
Geographically, Sveio is situated on the Haugaland peninsula. The administrative centre is the village of Sveio. Sveio was separated from Finnås in 1861. Vikebygd was separated from Sveio on January 1, 1902. Valestrand (and the western part of Vikebygd) was merged back into Sveio on January 1, 1964.
General information
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Sveio farm (Old Norse Sviða), since the first church was built there. The name is identical with the word sviða which means a "clearing made by burning". Before 1912, the name was written Sveen.[2]
Points of interest
Sveio was the site of the Ryvarden Lighthouse on Ryvardsneset, which is now converted into art galleries, the Flókemuseum and a cafe. The composer Fartein Valen lived much of his life in Valevåg in northern Sveio. Valenheimen, the house he lived in is open to the public. Fartein Valen Festival is held annually in Sveio.[3]
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 19 February 1982. The arms show a cut fleur-de-lis, an unusual symbol, derived from the arms of Jon Gauteson from Sveio, who lived around 1500. He was the first of his family, who were incorporated in the Norwegian nobility in 1591, to use this symbol.[4]
Notable residents
References
External links