{{short description|Former municipality in Rogaland, Norway}} {{Infobox kommune |name = Erfjord |herred = yes |former = yes |native_name = |native_name_lang = |other_name = |official_name = |image_skyline = Erfjord.jpg |image_caption = View of the fjord area |idnumber = 1137 |county = Rogaland |district = [[Ryfylke]] |capital = [[Hålandsosen]] |established = 1 Jan 1914 |preceded = [[Jelsa Municipality]] |disestablished = 1 Jan 1965 |succeeded = [[Suldal Municipality]] |demonym = |language = [[Norwegian language|Neutral]]<ref name="lang">{{Cite journal |year=1932 |title=Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m |url=https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2015110481043_001 |journal=[[Norsk Lovtidend]] |language=no |location=Oslo, Norway |publisher=Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri |pages=453-471}}</ref> |coatofarms = |flag = |mayor = Ola Natland |mayor_party = |mayor_as_of = 1963–1964 |elevation_max_m = 964 |highest_point_ref = <ref name="elev">{{Cite web |title=Kart over Norge |url=https://norgeskart.no/#!?project=norgeskart&layers=1004&zoom=12&markerLat=6614975.885607254&markerLon=10556.772747062932&lat=6614975.89&lon=10556.77&p=searchOptionsPanel&sok=Nattlandsnuten |publisher=[[Kartverket]] |language=no}}</ref> |area_rank = 391 |area_total_km2 = 131.8 |area_land_km2 = |area_water_km2 = |area_water_percent = |population_as_of = 1964 |population_rank = 517 |population_total = 597 |population_density_km2 = 4.5 |population_increase = -3.4 |coordinates = {{coord|59|21|N|06|13|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}} }}
'''Erfjord''' is a [[List of former municipalities of Norway|former municipality]] in [[Rogaland]] county, [[Norway]]. The {{convert|131.8|km2|adj=on}} municipality existed from 1914 until its dissolution in 1965. The area is now part of [[Suldal Municipality]] in the [[Traditional districts of Norway|traditional district]] of [[Ryfylke]]. The [[administrative centre]] was the village of [[Hålandsosen]], where the [[Erfjord Church]] is located.<ref name="snl">{{Cite SNL|Erfjord_-_tidligere_kommune|Erfjord (tidligere kommune)|2026-03-15|Thorsnæs|Geir|2024-11-25}}</ref>
Prior to its dissolution in 1965, the {{convert|131.8|km2|adj=on}} municipality was the 391st largest by area out of the 525 municipalities in Norway. Erfjord Municipality was the 517th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about {{formatnum:597}}. The municipality's [[population density]] was {{convert|4.5|PD/km2}} and its population had decreased by 3.4% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb pop">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/ |language=no}}</ref><ref name="SS1951">{{Cite book |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_049.pdf |title=Norges Sivile, Geistlige, Rettslige og Militære Inndeling 1. Januar 1951 |date=1951-01-01 |publisher=H. Aschehoug & Co. |series=Norges Offisielle Statistikk |location=Oslo, Norge |language=no |format=PDF |authorlink=Statistics Norway}}</ref>
==General information== The municipality of Erfjord was established on 1 January 1914, when [[Jelsa Municipality]] was divided in two: the eastern district (population: 617) became the new Erfjord Municipality and the western district (population: 1,539) remained as a smaller [[Jelsa Municipality]].<ref name="Dag">{{Cite web |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}</ref>
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the [[Schei Committee]]. On 1 January 1965, Erfjord Municipality was dissolved. The following areas were merged to form a new, larger [[Suldal Municipality]]:<ref name="Dag" /> *all of [[Suldal Municipality]] (population: 1,412) *all of [[Sand Municipality]] (population: 1,135) *all of Erfjord Municipality (population: 610) *most of [[Jelsa Municipality]] (population: 928), except for the areas of Jelsa located on the island of [[Ombo]] which became part of [[Finnøy Municipality]] and [[Hjelmeland Municipality]] *the part of [[Imsland Municipality]] that was located south of the [[Vindafjorden]] (population: 61)
===Name=== The municipality (originally the [[prestegjeld|parish]]) is named after the old ''Erfjord'' farm ({{langx|non|Elrifjǫrðr}} or {{lang|non|Æðrafjǫrðr}}) since the first [[Erfjord Church]] was built there. The meaning of the first element of the name is uncertain, but there are two strong possibilities. The first possibility is that it comes from the word {{wikt-lang|non|elri}} which means "[[alder]]", a type of common tree in the area (the more modern local name is ''ør'' which sounds a lot like ''Er-''). The other main possibility is that it comes from the word {{wikt-lang|non|æðr}} which means "[[eider]]", a local type of waterfowl. The last element is {{wikt-lang|non|fjǫrðr}} which means "[[fjord]]".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u4pBAAAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Stavanger amt |date=1915 |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |edition=10 |location=Kristiania, Norge |page=342 |language=no |authorlink=Oluf Rygh}}</ref>
===Churches=== The [[Church of Norway]] had one parish ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within Erfjord Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Jelsa [[prestegjeld]] and the [[Ryfylke prosti]] ([[deanery]]) in the [[Diocese of Stavanger]].<ref name="SS1951" />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Erfjord Municipality''''' !Parish ({{lang|no|sokn}})!!Church name!!Location of the church!!Year built |- |rowspan="1"|Erfjord||[[Erfjord Church]]||[[Hålandsosen]]||1877 |}
==Geography== The municipality was centered around the [[Erfjorden]]. The highest point in the municipality was the {{convert|962|m|adj=on}} tall mountain Nattlandsnuten.<ref name="elev" /> [[Sand Municipality]] was located to the north, [[Suldal Municipality]] was located to the east, [[Hjelmeland Municipality]] was located to the south, and [[Jelsa Municipality]] was located to the west.
==Government== While it existed, Erfjord Municipality was responsible for [[primary education]] (through 10th grade), outpatient [[Health care|health services]], [[old age|senior citizen]] services, [[welfare spending|welfare]] and other [[Social work|social services]], [[zoning]], [[economic development]], and municipal [[road]]s and utilities. The municipality was governed by a [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] of [[Direct election|directly elected]] representatives. The [[mayor]] was [[Indirect election|indirectly elected]] by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">{{Cite SNL|kommunestyre|kommunestyre|2024-12-31|Hansen|Tore|2024-11-25|editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene}}</ref> The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the [[Ryfylke District Court]] and the [[Gulating Court of Appeal]].
===Municipal council=== The [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] {{lang|no|(Herredsstyre)}} of Erfjord Municipality was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political [[Political party|party]]. {{div col}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Erfjord |herad = yes |start = 1963 |end = 1964 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1964 |title=Kommunevalgene 1963 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |access-date=2020-07-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref> |Total = 13 |Local_Lists = 13 |note = On 1 January 1965, Erfjord Municipality became part of [[Suldal Municipality]]. |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Erfjord |herad = yes |start = 1959 |end = 1963 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |access-date=2020-07-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |Total = 13 |Local_Lists = 13 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Erfjord |herad = yes |start = 1955 |end = 1959 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |access-date=2020-07-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |Total = 13 |Local_Lists = 13 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Erfjord |herad = yes |start = 1951 |end = 1955 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |access-date=2020-07-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |Total = 12 |Local_Lists = 12 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Erfjord |herad = yes |start = 1947 |end = 1951 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |access-date=2020-07-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |Total = 12 |Local_Lists = 12 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Erfjord |herad = yes |start = 1945 |end = 1947 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |access-date=2020-07-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |Total = 12 |AFS = 7 |Local_Lists = 5 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Erfjord |herad = yes |start = 1937 |end = 1941* |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |access-date=2020-07-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |Total = 12 |Local_Lists = 12 |}} {{div col end}}
===Mayors=== The [[Mayor#Scandinavia|mayor]] ({{langx|no|ordfører}}) of Erfjord Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:<ref>{{cite book |last=Grude |first=Joakim |url=http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2021052848654 |title=Amtsformandskabet i Stavanger Amt 1838-1918 |publisher=Dreyers Grafiske Ansalt |year=1919 |location=Stavanger |language=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Våge |first1=Magnus |url=http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011102608053 |title=Erfjord bygdebok |date=1959 |publisher=Dreyer |location=Stavanger, Norway |pages=276-282 |language=no}}</ref> {{div col|colwidth=20em}} *1914–1916: Malenius Lovre *1917–1919: Gudmund D. Sørhus *1920–1925: Gudmund Håland *1926–1928: Malenius Lovre *1929–1931: Gudmund Håland *1932–1941: Paul P. Bog *1942–1943: Magnus Lovre *1943–1945: Gudmund Håland *1946–1947: Lars Vaage *1947–1951: Paul P. Bog *1951–1955: Lars Vaage *1955–1963: Karl Helgeland *1963–1964: Ola Natland<ref>{{cite news |date=1963-12-30 |title=Ny ordførar i Erfjord |url=http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_haugesundsdagblad_null_null_19631230_52_302_1 |accessdate=2026-04-19 |newspaper=Haugesunds Dagblad |page=7 |language=no}}</ref> {{div col end}}
==See also== *[[List of former municipalities of Norway]]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{sister bar|auto=y|d=y|commonscat=y|voy=Rogaland|wikt=Erfjord}} {{Adjacent communities |state = collapsed |Centre = Erfjord Municipality |North = [[Sand Municipality]] |Northeast = [[Suldal Municipality]] |East = [[Suldal Municipality]] |Southeast = [[Hjelmeland Municipality]] |South = [[Hjelmeland Municipality]] |Southwest = [[Hjelmeland Municipality]] |West = [[Jelsa Municipality]] |Northwest = [[Jelsa Municipality]] }} {{Rogaland}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Suldal Municipality]] [[Category:Former municipalities of Norway]] [[Category:1914 establishments in Norway]] [[Category:1965 disestablishments in Norway]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1914]] [[Category:Populated places disestablished in 1965]]