# Hadsel Municipality

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**Hadsel** (se: *Ulbi*) is a [municipality](/source/List_of_municipalities_of_Norway) in [Nordland](/source/Nordland) [county](/source/Counties_of_Norway), [Norway](/source/Norway). It is part of the [traditional district](/source/Districts_of_Norway) of [Vesterålen](/source/Vester%C3%A5len). The [administrative centre](/source/Administrative_centre) of the municipality is the town of [Stokmarknes](/source/Stokmarknes). Some of the main villages in Hadsel include [Fiskebøl](/source/Fiskeb%C3%B8l), [Jarstad](/source/Jarstad), [Grønning](/source/Gr%C3%B8nning), [Grytting](/source/Grytting), [Hanøyvika](/source/Han%C3%B8yvika), [Hennes](/source/Hennes,_Norway), [Kaldjorda](/source/Kaldjorda), [Melbu](/source/Melbu), [Sanden](/source/Sanden,_Nordland), and [Sandnes](/source/Sandnes,_Nordland).

The municipality is the southernmost municipality in the Vesterålen region. It is spread over several main islands: [Hadseløya](/source/Hadsel%C3%B8ya), [Børøya](/source/B%C3%B8r%C3%B8ya), [Hinnøya](/source/Hinn%C3%B8ya), [Langøya](/source/Lang%C3%B8ya), and [Austvågøya](/source/Austv%C3%A5g%C3%B8ya). About 70% of the population live on Hadseløya island. Hadseløya island is connected to Langøya by the [Hadsel Bridge](/source/Hadsel_Bridge) and [Børøy Bridge](/source/B%C3%B8r%C3%B8y_Bridge). Also, the [Stokmarknes Airport, Skagen](/source/Stokmarknes_Airport,_Skagen), is located nearby. It is the busiest small aircraft airport in Norway, serving 100,000 passengers annually (1997).

The 567-square kilometre (219-square mile) municipality is the 191st largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Hadsel Municipality is the 130th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 8,236. The municipality's [population density](/source/Population_density) is 14.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (38 /sq mi) and its population has increased by 1.5% over the previous 10-year period.[1][2]

## History

Hadsel was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see [formannskapsdistrikt](/source/Formannskapsdistrikt) law). The northern district of Hadsel was separated in 1841 to form the new [Sortland Municipality](/source/Sortland_Municipality). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the [Schei Committee](/source/Schei_Committee). On 1 January 1963, the Indre Eidsfjord district of Hadsel (population: 1,360) was transferred to Sortland Municipality.[3]

### Name

The municipality (originally the [parish](/source/Prestegjeld)) is named after the old *Hadsel* farm (Old Norse: *Hǫfðasegl*) since the first [Hadsel Church](/source/Hadsel_Church) was built there. The first element is the [genitive case](/source/Genitive_case) of hǫfði which means "high and steep [cliff](/source/Cliff)" or "head". The last element is segl which means "[sail](/source/Sail)". (A cliff near the farm has been compared in form to a sail.)[4]

### Coat of arms

The [coat of arms](/source/Coat_of_arms) was granted on 11 March 1976. The official [blazon](/source/Blazon) is *"[Azure](/source/Azure_(heraldry)), four [annulets](/source/Annulet_(heraldry)) [Or](/source/Or_(heraldry)), two and two"* (Norwegian: *I blått fire gull ringer - 2,2*). This means the arms have a blue [field](/source/Field_(heraldry)) (background) and the [charge](/source/Charge_(heraldry)) is four rings (two over two). The charge has a [tincture](/source/Tincture_(heraldry)) of [Or](/source/Or_(heraldry)) which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The blue color in the field symbolizes the importance of sea for this island municipality. The four rings represent the four main islands of that make up Hadsel: [Hadseløya](/source/Hadsel%C3%B8ya), [Austvågøya](/source/Austv%C3%A5g%C3%B8ya), [Hinnøya](/source/Hinn%C3%B8ya), and [Langøya](/source/Lang%C3%B8ya). The arms were designed by Øystein Bottolfsen.[5][6][7]

## Churches

The [Church of Norway](/source/Church_of_Norway) has three parishes (*sokn*) within Hadsel Municipality. It is part of the [Vesterålen prosti](/source/Vester%C3%A5len_prosti) ([deanery](/source/Deanery)) in the [Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland](/source/Diocese_of_S%C3%B8r-H%C3%A5logaland).

Churches in Hadsel Municipality Parish (sokn) Church name Location of the church Year built Hadsel Hadsel Church Hadseløya 1824 Innlandet Church Hennes 1992 Melbu Melbu Church Melbu 1938 Sand Church Sanden 1914 Ytre Eidsfjord Grønning Church Grønning 1968

## Geography

The municipality is located upon four main islands in the Vesterålen [archipelago](/source/Archipelago): [Hinnøya](/source/Hinn%C3%B8ya), [Langøya](/source/Lang%C3%B8ya), [Hadseløya](/source/Hadsel%C3%B8ya), and [Austvågøya](/source/Austv%C3%A5g%C3%B8ya), plus the small islands of [Børøya](/source/B%C3%B8r%C3%B8ya) and [Brottøya](/source/Brott%C3%B8ya). The 1,135.8-metre (3,726-foot) tall mountain [Higravtindan](/source/Higravtindan) is the highest point in the municipality. It is located on the border with [Vågan Municipality](/source/V%C3%A5gan_Municipality) and it is one of the tallest mountains in the whole region.[8] [Sortland Municipality](/source/Sortland_Municipality) lies to the north, [Bø Municipality](/source/B%C3%B8_Municipality_(Nordland)) lies to the west, [Vågan Municipality](/source/V%C3%A5gan_Municipality) lies to the south, and [Lødingen Municipality](/source/L%C3%B8dingen_Municipality) lies to the east.

Part of the municipality is called *Innlandet* (lit. 'the inland'), and this area includes the villages of [Kaldjorda](/source/Kaldjorda), [Hennes](/source/Hennes,_Norway), [Kvitnes](/source/Kvitnes), [Kvantoelv](/source/Kvantoelv), and [Fiskfjord](/source/Fiskfjord).[9]

### Climate

Hadsel has a [subpolar oceanic climate](/source/Subpolar_oceanic_climate) (Cfc). The warmest temperature recorded is 29 °C (84 °F) in July 2014. The coldest temperature recorded is −14.4 °C (6.1 °F) in March 2019. [Stokmarknes Airport, Skagen](/source/Stokmarknes_Airport,_Skagen) in Hadsel has recorded temperature since June 1972. Data for extremes available since 2004, there might be warmer or colder temperatures recorded before 2004.

## Economy

In Spring 2022, a company started mining of [cryptocurrency](/source/Cryptocurrency) at the company's facility in [Stokmarknes](/source/Stokmarknes); however, that activity had ended by Q3 2024.[10] The facility [was using] around 40% of the power consumed in the whole municipality, heavily impacting the local [electric grid](/source/Electric_grid).[11]

## Government

Hadsel Municipality is 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 is governed by a [municipal council](/source/Municipal_council_(Norway)) of [directly elected](/source/Direct_election) representatives. The [mayor](/source/Mayor) is [indirectly elected](/source/Indirect_election) by a vote of the municipal council.[12] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the [Midtre Hålogaland District Court](/source/Midtre_H%C3%A5logaland_District_Court) and the [Hålogaland Court of Appeal](/source/H%C3%A5logaland_Court_of_Appeal).

### Municipal council

The [municipal council](/source/Municipal_council_(Norway)) (*Kommunestyre*) of Hadsel Municipality is made up of 25 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political [party](/source/Political_party).

### Mayors

The [mayor](/source/Mayor#Scandinavia) (Norwegian: *ordfører*) of Hadsel Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:[13][14]

- 1838–1840: Erich Leganger Coldevin
- 1840–1842: Villatz Bing Dreyer
- 1842–1847: Johan Bjerch
- 1847–1847: Erich Leganger Coldevin
- 1847–1848: Mons Krey
- 1848–1850: Lars Olai Næss
- 1850–1852: Nikolai Castus Berner
- 1852–1852: Lars Olai Næss
- 1852–1865: Jørgen Meldal Arentz
- 1865–1867: Wilhelm Dahl Hals
- 1867–1869: Martin Bertzius Heggelund
- 1870–1872: Wilhelm Dahl Hals[15]
- 1873–1874: Martin Bertzius Heggelund
- 1875–1880: [Sofus Anton Birger Arctander](/source/Sofus_Arctander)[16]
- 1881–1882: Jens O. Dahl[17]
- 1883–1884: Ditlef Efraim Jæger[18]
- 1885–1898: Martin Larsen Hennes[19]
- 1898–1902: Daniel Baltzazar Kildal[20]
- 1903–1905: Kristian August Fosse[21]
- 1905–1914: Johan Jakobsen Hanøy[22]
- 1914–1919: Johan Johnsen Skagen[23]
- 1919–1928: Knut Larsen Leknes ([V](/source/Liberal_Party_(Norway)))
- 1928–1934: Håvard Nikolai Hanssen ([Bp](/source/Centre_Party_(Norway)))
- 1934–1937: Olaus Fjellstad ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))
- 1941–1942: Mr. Nøstvik ([NS](/source/Nasjonal_Samling))[24]
- 1942–1945: Olav Dahl ([NS](/source/Nasjonal_Samling))[25]
- 1946–1959: Olaus Fjellstad ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))[26]
- 1959–1967: [Edmund Fjærvoll](/source/Edmund_Fj%C3%A6rvoll) ([KrF](/source/Christian_Democratic_Party_(Norway)))
- 1968–1971: Bjarne Bendiksen ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))
- 1972–1972: Egil Karlsen ([V](/source/Liberal_Party_(Norway)))
- 1972–1973: Trygve Pettersen ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))
- 1974–1975: Elnar Bårdsen ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))
- 1975–1979: John Kristiansen ([H](/source/Conservative_Party_(Norway)))
- 1979–1985: [Dag Jostein Fjærvoll](/source/Dag_Jostein_Fj%C3%A6rvoll) ([KrF](/source/Christian_Democratic_Party_(Norway)))
- 1985–1987: Ingegjerd Solum ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))
- 1987–1999: Hugo Olsen ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))
- 1999–2003: Ørjan Robertsen ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))
- 2003–2007: Reidar Johnsen ([Sp](/source/Centre_Party_(Norway)))
- 2007–2015: [Kjell-Børge Freiberg](/source/Kjell-B%C3%B8rge_Freiberg) ([FrP](/source/Progress_Party_(Norway)))
- 2015–2019: Siv Dagny Aasvik ([Ap](/source/Labour_Party_(Norway)))
- 2019–2020: Kurt Eirik Jenssen ([Sp](/source/Centre_Party_(Norway)))
- 2020–2023: Aina Johanne Nilsen ([Sp](/source/Centre_Party_(Norway)))
- 2023–present: [Kjell-Børge Freiberg](/source/Kjell-B%C3%B8rge_Freiberg) ([H](/source/Conservative_Party_(Norway)))

## Notable people

- [Øyvinn Øi](/source/%C3%98yvinn_%C3%98i) (1901 in Hadsel – 1940), a Norwegian military officer killed at the outbreak of WWII
- [Asbjørn Herteig](/source/Asbj%C3%B8rn_Herteig) (1919 in Hadsel – 2006), an archeologist who was the first curator at the [Bryggen Museum](/source/Bryggen_Museum)
- [Maren-Sofie Røstvig](/source/Maren-Sofie_R%C3%B8stvig) (1920 in Melbu – 2014), a literary historian
- [Henry Valen](/source/Henry_Valen) (1924 in Hadsel – 2007), a political scientist and academic
- [Lars Andreas Larssen](/source/Lars_Andreas_Larssen) (1935 in Melbu – 2014), a stage, film, and television actor[27]
- [Oddbjørn Knutsen](/source/Oddbj%C3%B8rn_Knutsen) (1953 in Hadsel – 2019), a political scientist and academic
- [Kjell-Børge Freiberg](/source/Kjell-B%C3%B8rge_Freiberg) (born 1971 In Hadsel), a Norwegian politician, government minister, and mayor of Hadsel from 2007 to 2015

## References

1. Statistisk sentralbyrå. ["Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)"](https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/) (in Norwegian)

1. Statistisk sentralbyrå. ["09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)"](https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/09280/) (in Norwegian)

1. Jukvam, Dag (1999). ["Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen"](http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf) (in Norwegian). [Statistisk sentralbyrå](/source/Statistics_Norway)

1. Rygh, Oluf (1905). [*Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt*](https://books.google.com/books?id=K21BAAAAIAAJ) (in Norwegian). 16 ed. Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 363.

1. ["Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen"](https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Hadsel). Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2023-02-01.

1. ["Hadsel, Nordland (Norway)"](https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-18-66.html). *Flags of the World*. Retrieved 2023-02-01.

1. ["Godkjenning av våpen og flagg"](https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1976-03-11-7) (in Norwegian). *Lovdata.no*. Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 1976-03-11. Retrieved 2023-02-01.

1. ["Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune"](https://www.kartverket.no/til-lands/fakta-om-norge/hoyeste-fjelltopp-i-kommunen) (in Norwegian). [Kartverket](/source/Kartverket). 2024-01-16.

1. ["Hadsel kommune vil legge ned ei hel bygd for å spare penger"](https://www.nrk.no/nordland/hadsel-kommune-vil-legge-ned-ei-hel-bygd-for-a-spare-penger-1.15740846). *www.nrk.no*. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.

1. [https://www.nrk.no/nordland/datasenter-la-ned-driften-_-na-far-innbyggerne-sjokkregning-1.17042643](https://www.nrk.no/nordland/datasenter-la-ned-driften-_-na-far-innbyggerne-sjokkregning-1.17042643). Retrieved 2024-09-14

1. Guttormsen, Marius (2023-01-11). ["Vedtak mot omstridt kryptosenter var ulovlig – nå rykker kommunen tilbake til start"](https://www.nrk.no/nordland/statsforvalteren-opphever-vedtak-mot-kryptosenter-i-hadsel-i-vesteralen-1.16253394) (in Norwegian). *[NRK](/source/NRK) Nordland*. Retrieved 2023-01-12.

1. Hovland, Edgar (1995). [*Vi bygger videre Hadsel bygdebok II*](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011010508117) (in Norwegian). Stokmarknes: Hadsel bygdehistorienemnd. ISBN 8299356423.

1. Fiva, Jon H (ed.) (2024). ["Local Candidate Dataset"](https://www.jon.fiva.no/docs/FivaSorensenVollo2024.pdf)

1. ["Bodø"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_nordlandsamtstidende_null_null_18700810_23_32_1) (in Norwegian). *Nordlands Amtstidende*. 1870-08-10. p. 1. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

1. ["Bodø"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_nordlandsamtstidende_null_null_18740729_13_30_1) (in Norwegian). *Nordlands Amtstidende*. 1874-07-29. p. 1. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

1. ["Bodø den 13 Juli"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_nordlandsamtstidende_null_null_18810720_3_29_1) (in Norwegian). *Nordlands Amtstidende*. 1881-07-20. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

1. ["Nordlands Amtsformandskab"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_nordlandsamtstidende_null_null_18830704_22_52_1) (in Norwegian). *Nordlands Amtstidende*. 1883-07-04. p. 1. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

1. ["Amtsformandskabet for Nordlands Amt"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_lofotenstidende_null_null_18880714_9_28_1) (in Norwegian). *Lofotens Tidende*. 1888-07-14. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

1. ["Nordlands amtsting"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_helgelandstidende_null_null_18990505_25_33_1) (in Norwegian). *Helgelands Tidende*. 1899-05-05. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

1. ["Nordlands Amtsting"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_nordland_null_null_19050504_12_35_1) (in Norwegian). *Nordland*. 1905-05-04. p. 1. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

1. ["Ordførervalg"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_lofotposten_null_null_19131112_18_136_1) (in Norwegian). *[Lofotposten](/source/Lofotposten)*. 1913-11-12. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-05-01.

1. ["Referat fra Nordlands amtstings forhandlinger 1914"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_nordlandsposten_null_null_19140620_53_75_1) (in Norwegian). *[Nordlandsposten](/source/Nordlandsposten)*. 1914-06-20. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

1. ["Nye ordførere"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_lofotposten_null_null_19410116_46_13_1) (in Norwegian). *[Lofotposten](/source/Lofotposten)*. 1941-01-16. p. 6. Retrieved 2026-05-01.

1. ["Herredsagronom Olav Dahl blir ordfører i Hadsel"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_nordlandsposten_null_null_19420910_80_136_1) (in Norwegian). *[Nordlandsposten](/source/Nordlandsposten)*. 1942-09-10. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-05-01.

1. ["Ordførervalg i Hadsel"](http://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digavis_nordlandsframtid_null_null_19460104_33_2_1) (in Norwegian). *[Nordlands Framtid](/source/Nordlands_Framtid)*. 1946-01-04. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-05-01.

1. [Lars Andreas Larssen](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0489121/) at IMDb. Retrieved 16 January 2021.

## External links

- [Municipal fact sheet](http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/hadsel) from [Statistics Norway](/source/Statistics_Norway) (in Norwegian)
- [Pictures from Hadsel](https://archive.today/20070311211508/http://www.melbu.vgs.no/hadselbilder/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hadsel Municipality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadsel_Municipality) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadsel_Municipality?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.