# Erfjord Municipality

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Former municipality in Rogaland, Norway

Former municipality in Rogaland, Norway

Erfjord Municipality Erfjord herred Former municipality View of the fjord area Rogaland within Norway Erfjord within Rogaland Coordinates: 59°21′N 06°13′E / 59.350°N 6.217°E / 59.350; 6.217 Country Norway County Rogaland District Ryfylke Established 1 Jan 1914 • Preceded by Jelsa Municipality Disestablished 1 Jan 1965 • Succeeded by Suldal Municipality Administrative centre Hålandsosen Government • Mayor (1963–1964) Ola Natland Area (upon dissolution) • Total 131.8 km2 (50.9 sq mi) • Rank #391 in Norway Highest elevation [1] 964 m (3,163 ft) Population (1964) • Total 597 • Rank #517 in Norway • Density 4.5/km2 (12/sq mi) • Change (10 years) −3.4% Official language [3] • Norwegian form Neutral[2] Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST) ISO 3166 code NO-1137[4] Data from Statistics Norway

**Erfjord** is a [former municipality](/source/List_of_former_municipalities_of_Norway) in [Rogaland](/source/Rogaland) county, [Norway](/source/Norway). The 131.8-square-kilometre (50.9 sq mi) municipality existed from 1914 until its dissolution in 1965. The area is now part of [Suldal Municipality](/source/Suldal_Municipality) in the [traditional district](/source/Traditional_districts_of_Norway) of [Ryfylke](/source/Ryfylke). The [administrative centre](/source/Administrative_centre) was the village of [Hålandsosen](/source/H%C3%A5landsosen), where the [Erfjord Church](/source/Erfjord_Church) is located.[5]

Prior to its dissolution in 1965, the 131.8-square-kilometre (50.9 sq mi) 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 597. The municipality's [population density](/source/Population_density) was 4.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (12/sq mi) and its population had decreased by 3.4% over the previous 10-year period.[6][7]

## General information

The municipality of Erfjord was established on 1 January 1914, when [Jelsa Municipality](/source/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](/source/Jelsa_Municipality).[8]

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the [Schei Committee](/source/Schei_Committee). On 1 January 1965, Erfjord Municipality was dissolved. The following areas were merged to form a new, larger [Suldal Municipality](/source/Suldal_Municipality):[8]

- all of [Suldal Municipality](/source/Suldal_Municipality) (population: 1,412)

- all of [Sand Municipality](/source/Sand_Municipality) (population: 1,135)

- all of Erfjord Municipality (population: 610)

- most of [Jelsa Municipality](/source/Jelsa_Municipality) (population: 928), except for the areas of Jelsa located on the island of [Ombo](/source/Ombo) which became part of [Finnøy Municipality](/source/Finn%C3%B8y_Municipality) and [Hjelmeland Municipality](/source/Hjelmeland_Municipality)

- the part of [Imsland Municipality](/source/Imsland_Municipality) that was located south of the [Vindafjorden](/source/Vindafjorden) (population: 61)

### Name

The municipality (originally the [parish](/source/Prestegjeld)) is named after the old *Erfjord* farm ([Old Norse](/source/Old_Norse_language): *Elrifjǫrðr* or *Æðrafjǫrðr*) since the first [Erfjord Church](/source/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 *[elri](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/elri#Old_Norse)* which means "[alder](/source/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 *[æðr](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%A6%C3%B0r#Old_Norse)* which means "[eider](/source/Eider)", a local type of waterfowl. The last element is *[fjǫrðr](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fj%C7%ABr%C3%B0r#Old_Norse)* which means "[fjord](/source/Fjord)".[9]

### Churches

The [Church of Norway](/source/Church_of_Norway) had one parish (*sokn*) within Erfjord Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Jelsa [prestegjeld](/source/Prestegjeld) and the [Ryfylke prosti](/source/Ryfylke_prosti) ([deanery](/source/Deanery)) in the [Diocese of Stavanger](/source/Diocese_of_Stavanger).[7]

Churches in Erfjord Municipality Parish (sokn) Church name Location of the church Year built Erfjord Erfjord Church Hålandsosen 1877

## Geography

The municipality was centered around the [Erfjorden](/source/Erfjorden). The highest point in the municipality was the 962-metre (3,156 ft) tall mountain Nattlandsnuten.[1] [Sand Municipality](/source/Sand_Municipality) was located to the north, [Suldal Municipality](/source/Suldal_Municipality) was located to the east, [Hjelmeland Municipality](/source/Hjelmeland_Municipality) was located to the south, and [Jelsa Municipality](/source/Jelsa_Municipality) was located to the west.

## Government

While it existed, Erfjord Municipality was responsible for [primary education](/source/Primary_education) (through 10th grade), outpatient [health services](/source/Health_care), [senior citizen](/source/Old_age) services, [welfare](/source/Welfare_spending) and other [social services](/source/Social_work), [zoning](/source/Zoning), [economic development](/source/Economic_development), and municipal [roads](/source/Road) and utilities. The municipality was governed by a [municipal council](/source/Municipal_council_(Norway)) of [directly elected](/source/Direct_election) representatives. The [mayor](/source/Mayor) was [indirectly elected](/source/Indirect_election) by a vote of the municipal council.[10] The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the [Ryfylke District Court](/source/Ryfylke_District_Court) and the [Gulating Court of Appeal](/source/Gulating_Court_of_Appeal).

### Municipal council

The [municipal council](/source/Municipal_council_(Norway)) *(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 [party](/source/Political_party).

Erfjord herredsstyre 1963–1964 [11] Party name (in Norwegian) Number of representatives Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 13 Total number of members: 13 Note: On 1 January 1965, Erfjord Municipality became part of Suldal Municipality.

Erfjord herredsstyre 1959–1963 [12] Party name (in Norwegian) Number of representatives Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 13 Total number of members: 13

Erfjord herredsstyre 1955–1959 [13] Party name (in Norwegian) Number of representatives Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 13 Total number of members: 13

Erfjord herredsstyre 1951–1955 [14] Party name (in Norwegian) Number of representatives Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 12 Total number of members: 12

Erfjord herredsstyre 1947–1951 [15] Party name (in Norwegian) Number of representatives Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 12 Total number of members: 12

Erfjord herredsstyre 1945–1947 [16] Party name (in Norwegian) Number of representatives List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) 7 Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 5 Total number of members: 12

Erfjord herredsstyre 1937–1941* [17] Party name (in Norwegian) Number of representatives Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 12 Total number of members: 12 Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

### Mayors

The [mayor](/source/Mayor#Scandinavia) ([Norwegian](/source/Norwegian_language): *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:[18][19]

- 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[20]

## See also

- [List of former municipalities of Norway](/source/List_of_former_municipalities_of_Norway)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-elev_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-elev_1-1) ["Kart over Norge"](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) (in Norwegian). [Kartverket](/source/Kartverket).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-lang_2-0)** ["Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m"](https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2015110481043_001). *[Norsk Lovtidend](/source/Norsk_Lovtidend)* (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 453–471. 1932.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar"](https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2019-12-20-2114) (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (9 January 2024). ["Kommunenummer"](https://snl.no/kommunenummer). *[Store norske leksikon](/source/Store_norske_leksikon)* (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-snl_5-0)** Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (25 November 2024). ["Erfjord (tidligere kommune)"](https://snl.no/Erfjord_-_tidligere_kommune). *[Store norske leksikon](/source/Store_norske_leksikon)* (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 15 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ssb_pop_6-0)** [Statistisk sentralbyrå](/source/Statistics_Norway). ["Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)"](https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/) (in Norwegian).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SS1951_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SS1951_7-1) [Statistisk sentralbyrå](/source/Statistics_Norway) (1 January 1951). [*Norges Sivile, Geistlige, Rettslige og Militære Inndeling 1. Januar 1951*](https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_049.pdf) (PDF). Norges Offisielle Statistikk (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: H. Aschehoug & Co.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dag_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dag_8-1) Jukvam, Dag (1999). ["Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen"](http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf) (PDF) (in Norwegian). [Statistisk sentralbyrå](/source/Statistics_Norway). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9788253746845](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9788253746845).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Rygh, Oluf](/source/Oluf_Rygh) (1915). [*Norske gaardnavne: Stavanger amt*](https://books.google.com/books?id=u4pBAAAAIAAJ) (in Norwegian) (10 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 342.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ks_10-0)** Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). ["kommunestyre"](https://snl.no/kommunestyre). *[Store norske leksikon](/source/Store_norske_leksikon)* (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Kommunevalgene 1963"](https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf) (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 14 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959"](https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf) (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 14 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955"](https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf) (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 14 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951"](https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf) (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 14 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947"](https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf) (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 14 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945"](https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf) (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 14 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937"](https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf) (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 14 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Grude, Joakim (1919). [*Amtsformandskabet i Stavanger Amt 1838-1918*](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2021052848654) (in Norwegian). Stavanger: Dreyers Grafiske Ansalt.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Våge, Magnus (1959). [*Erfjord bygdebok*](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011102608053) (in Norwegian). Stavanger, Norway: Dreyer. pp. 276–282.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Ny ordførar i Erfjord"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_haugesundsdagblad_null_null_19631230_52_302_1). *Haugesunds Dagblad* (in Norwegian). 30 December 1963. p. 7. Retrieved 19 April 2026.

**Erfjord Municipality** at Wikipedia's [sister projects](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikimedia_sister_projects):

- [**Definitions**](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Erfjord) from Wiktionary
- [**Travel guides**](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Rogaland) from Wikivoyage
- [**Data**](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3420294) from Wikidata

Places adjacent to Erfjord Municipality Jelsa Municipality Sand Municipality Suldal Municipality Jelsa Municipality Erfjord Municipality Suldal Municipality Hjelmeland Municipality Hjelmeland Municipality Hjelmeland Municipality

v t e Rogaland county, Norway Main article: Rogaland Capital: Stavanger County government: Rogaland County Municipality County lists: County Governors Villages Churches Towns and cities Stavanger (1125) Egersund (1798) Haugesund (1854) Skudeneshavn (1857–1964, 1996) Sandnes (1860) Kopervik (1866–1964, 1996) Jørpeland (1998) Sauda (1999) Bryne (2001) Åkrehamn (2002) Sogndal (former; 1798–1944) Municipalities Dalane Bjerkreim Eigersund Lund Sokndal Haugaland Bokn Haugesund Karmøy Tysvær Utsira Vindafjord Jæren Gjesdal Hå Klepp Randaberg Sandnes Sola Stavanger Time Ryfylke Hjelmeland Kvitsøy Sauda Strand Suldal Former Municipalities in Rogaland Avaldsnes (1838–1965) Egersund (1838–1964) Erfjord (1914–1965) Finnøy (1838–2020) Fister (1884–1965) Forsand (1871–2020) Helleland (1838–1965) Heskestad (1838–1965) Hetland (1838–1965) Høle (1865–1965) Høyland (1838–1965) Håland (1838–1930) Imsland (1923–1965) Jelsa (1838–1965) Kopervik (1866–1964) Madla (1930–1965) Mosterøy (1884–1965) Nedstrand (1838–1965) Nærbø (1894–1964) Ogna (1839–1964) Rennesøy (1838–2020) Sand (1859–1965) Sandeid (1923–1965) Sjernarøy (1868–1965) Skjold (1838–1965) Skudenes (1838–1965) Skudeneshavn (1858–1965) Skåre (1881–1958) Sogndal (1845–1944) Stangaland (1909–1965) Torvastad (1838–1965) Vats (1891–1965) Varhaug (1894–1964) Vikedal (1838–1965) Ølen (1916–2006) Åkra (1892–1965) Årdal (1859–1965)

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