Hjelmeland

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Hjelmeland kommune
Municipality

Coat of arms
Rogaland within
Norway
Hjelmeland within Rogaland
Coordinates: 59°13′2″N 6°20′27″E / 59.21722°N 6.34083°E / 59.21722; 6.34083Coordinates: 59°13′2″N 6°20′27″E / 59.21722°N 6.34083°E / 59.21722; 6.34083
Country Norway
County Rogaland
District Ryfylke
Administrative centre Hjelmeland
Government
 • Mayor (2007) Bjørn Laugaland (Sp)
Area
 • Total 1,089 km2 (420 sq mi)
 • Land 975 km2 (376 sq mi)
Area rank 94 in Norway
Population (2004)
 • Total 2,747
 • Rank 287 in Norway
 • Density 3/km2 (8/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years) 0.6 %
Demonym Hjelmelandsbu[1]
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
ISO 3166 code NO-1133
Official language form Nynorsk
Website www.hjelmeland.kommune.no
Data from Statistics Norway

 Hjelmeland (help·info) is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. Hjelmeland was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Two other municipalities were later separated from it: Årdal (in 1849) and Fister (in 1884), but these were both again merged with Hjelmeland on 1 January 1965.

Hjelmeland is known for their fruit (apples, pears, plums, cherries and strawberries) and fish production. Salmon has been important for the fish industry in Hjelmeland for a couple of decades, but white fish such as cod and halibut has increased its value in the latter years.

Hjelmeland has deep fjords, mountains and an archipelago.

General information

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hjelmeland farm (Old Norse: Hjalmaland), since the first church was built there. The first element is the plural genitive case of hjalmr which means "helmet" and this is referring to two heights behind the farm which have the form of two helmets. The last element is land which means "land" or "farm".

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 30 November 1984. The arms show a plait of straw and are based on the local tradition of making chairs and other furniture with seats of woven twigs (jærstoler). The process of weaving is symbolised in the arms. At the same time the arms show the strength and solidarity of the municipality.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Personnemningar til stadnamn i Noreg" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet. 
  2. ↑ Norske Kommunevåpen (1990). "Nye kommunevåbener i Norden". Retrieved 8 October 2008. 

External links

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