Tokke

{{short description|Municipality in Telemark, Norway}} {{Infobox kommune |name = Tokke |native_name = |native_name_lang = |other_name = |former_name = |image_skyline = Dalen i Telemark.jpg |image_caption = View of Dalen and Bandak |idnumber = 4034 |county = Telemark |district = Vest-Telemark |capital = Dalen |established = 1 Jan 1964 |preceded = Lårdal and Mo |demonyms = Daling, Eidsboring, Lårdøl, Skafsåing, Tokkebu |language = Nynorsk |coatofarms = Tokke komm.svg |flag = |webpage = www.tokke.kommune.no |mayor = Jarand Felland |mayor_party = Sp |mayor_as_of = 2015 |area_rank = 117 |area_total_km2 = 984.58 |area_land_km2 = 904.65 |area_water_km2 = 79.93 |area_water_percent = 8.1 |population_as_of = 2023 |population_rank = 268 |population_total = 2198 |population_density_km2 = 2.4 |population_increase = -3.8 |coordinates = {{coord|59|25|2|N|7|58|43|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}} |utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6586978 | utm_easting = 0442033 | geo_cat = adm2nd }}

'''Tokke''' is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dalen. Other villages in Tokke include Åmdals Verk, Eidsborg, Høydalsmo, Lårdal, and Øvre Byrte. The Eidsborg Stave Church is one of Norway's old stave churches and it is located in Eidsborg, just north of Dalen.<ref name="snl">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Tokke |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |url=https://snl.no/Tokke |date=2022-06-30 |editor-last=Nilsen |editor-first=Jan Erik |language=no |editor2-last=Mæhlum |editor2-first=Lars |editor3-last=Lundbo |editor3-first=Sten |editor4-last=Helleve |editor4-first=Eirik |accessdate=2023-01-14}}</ref>

The {{convert|985|km2|adj=on}} municipality is the 117th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Tokke is the 268th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,198. The municipality's population density is {{convert|2.4|PD/km2}} and its population has decreased by 3.8% 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=Norwegian}}</ref><ref name="ssb area">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/09280/ |language=Norwegian}}</ref>

==General information== thumb|left|Dalen Hotel thumb|left|Eidsborg stave church During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the neighboring municipalities of Lårdal (population: 1,929) and Mo (population: 1,658) were merged to form the new municipality of Tokke.<ref name="Dag">{{Cite book |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=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}</ref>

===Name=== The municipality is named after the local river Tokke ({{langx|non|Þotka}}). The name is related to the name of the lake Totak (from which the river originates). The river name is probably derived from the Old Norse word {{lang|non|þot}} meaning "roaring", "rushing", or "howling".<ref name="snl" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2006120600018 |title=Norske gaardnavne: Bratsbergs amt |date=1914 |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |edition=7 |location=Kristiania, Norge |page=39 |language=no |authorlink=Oluf Rygh}}</ref>

===Coat of arms=== The coat of arms was granted on 6 February 1987. The official blazon is "Or a bear passant sable" ({{langx|no|På gulll grunn ein gåande svart bjørn}}). This means the arms have a field (background) with a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The charge is a bear which is displayed with a tincture of sable which means it is black. The bear symbolizes the rich nature in the forests in the municipality. The bear also plays a major role in many local legends and stories. The arms were designed by Stein Davidsen. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 July 2022 |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Tokke |access-date=2023-01-14 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1987-02-06 |title=Godkjenning av våpen og flagg |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1987-02-06-90 |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tokke, Telemark (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-08-33.html |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Flags of the World}}</ref>

===Churches=== The Church of Norway has two parishes ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Tokke. It is part of the Øvre Telemark prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Tokke''''' !Parish ({{lang|no|sokn}})!!Church name!!Location of the church!!Year built |- |rowspan="3"|Eidsborg, Mo, og Skafså||Eidsborg Stave Church||Eidsborg||1200s |- |Mo Church||Mo||1839 |- |Skafså Church||Skafså||1839 |- |rowspan="2"|Høydalsmo og Lårdal||Høydalsmo Church||Høydalsmo||1747 |- |Lårdal Church||Lårdal||1831 |}

==Geography== Tokke Municipality is located in the Vest-Telemark region. It borders Vinje Municipality, Kviteseid Municipality, Seljord Municipality, Fyresdal Municipality (in Telemark) and Valle Municipality and Bykle Municipality (in Agder). The highest peak is ''Urdenosi'' which is {{convert|1520|m}} above sea level. Other mountains in Tokke including Brandsnutene, Gråsteinsnosi, Sæbyggjenuten, Stølsdalsnutane, and Svolhusgreini. The river Tokke and the lakes Bandak, Botnedalsvatn, and Byrtevatn are all located in the municipality as well.

===Climate=== {{Weather box |metric first= yes |single line = yes |location = Høydalsmo II 1991–2020 (560 m, avg high/low 2007-2025) |Jan high C = -2 |Feb high C = 0.2 |Mar high C = 4.1 |Apr high C = 8.3 |May high C = 13.6 |Jun high C = 17.9 |Jul high C = 19.4 |Aug high C = 17.5 |Sep high C = 13.8 |Oct high C = 8.1 |Nov high C = 2.6 |Dec high C = -1.6  |Jan mean C=-5.8 |Feb mean C=-5.4 |Mar mean C=-2.5 |Apr mean C=2 |May mean C=7 |Jun mean C=11.2 |Jul mean C=13.5 |Aug mean C=12.2 |Sep mean C=8.4 |Oct mean C=3.1 |Nov mean C=-1.4 |Dec mean C=-5.5 |year mean C= |Jan low C = -11 |Feb low C = -10.5 |Mar low C = -7.4 |Apr low C = -3 |May low C = 1.6 |Jun low C = 6 |Jul low C = 8.3 |Aug low C = 7.1 |Sep low C = 4.4 |Oct low C = -0.2 |Nov low C = -4.6 |Dec low C = -9.9  |precipitation colour=green  |Jan precipitation mm=85 |Feb precipitation mm=54 |Mar precipitation mm=53 |Apr precipitation mm=51 |May precipitation mm=69 |Jun precipitation mm=85 |Jul precipitation mm=104 |Aug precipitation mm=107 |Sep precipitation mm=97 |Oct precipitation mm=107 |Nov precipitation mm=92 |Dec precipitation mm=79 |year precipitation mm=  |source 1= yr.no<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.yr.no/nb/v%C3%A6rvarsel/daglig-tabell/5-32890/Norge/Telemark/Tokke/H%C3%B8ydalsmo%20II}}</ref> |source 2 = Seklima (avg highs/lows)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate Gulsvik Norway |url=https://seklima.met.no/observations/}}</ref>}}

==Government== Tokke Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |language=Norwegian |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene |accessdate=2022-10-14}}</ref> The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Telemark District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.

===Municipal council=== The municipal council {{lang|no|(Kommunestyre)}} of Tokke is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party. {{div col}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 2023 |end = 2027 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Telemark |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/telemark/tokke#seats |access-date=2024-01-30 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}</ref> |collapsed = |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 6 |Grønne = 1 |Høyre = 2 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 10 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 2019 |end = 2023 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Vestfold og Telemark |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/vestfold%20og%20telemark/tokke#seats |access-date=2022-10-09 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 8 |Grønne = 2 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 9 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 2015 |end = 2019 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2015 - Telemark |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2015/ko/telemark/tokke#seats |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}</ref><ref name="ssb valg">{{Cite web |title=Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/04813/ |publisher=Statistics Norway |language=Norwegian}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 9 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 11 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 2011 |end = 2015 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Telemark |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/telemark/tokke#seats |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 10 |Fremskrittspartiet = 1 |Høyre = 3 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 6 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 2007 |end = 2011 |reference = <ref name="ssb valg" /> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 8 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 9 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Høyre = 1 |Fremskrittspartiet = 1 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 2003 |end = 2007 |reference = <ref name="ssb valg" /> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Fremskrittspartiet = 1 |Høyre = 1 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 9 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1999 |end = 2003 |reference = <ref name="ssb valg" /><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/publikasjoner/pdf/nos_c621/nos_c621.pdf |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1999 |date=2000 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |isbn=8253748531 |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge |language=Norwegian |issn=0332-8023}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 8 |Høyre = 1 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 9 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |otherparty = Cross-party local list |otherparty_no = Tverrpolitisk bygdeliste |otherparty_number = 1 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1995 |end = 1999 |reference = <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1995 |date=1996 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |isbn=8253743351 |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge |language=Norwegian |issn=0332-8023}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 6 |Senterpartiet = 10 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |H/KrF = 2 |otherparty = Cross-party local list |otherparty_no = Tverrpolitisk Bygdeliste |otherparty_number = 2 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1991 |end = 1995 |reference = <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1991 |date=1993 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |isbn=8253737939 |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge |language=Norwegian |issn=0332-8023}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Høyre = 2 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3 |KrF/Sp = 7 |otherparty = Cross-party local list |otherparty_no = Tverrpolitisk Bygdeliste |otherparty_number = 2 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1987 |end = 1991 |reference = <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1987 |date=1988 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |isbn=8253726325 |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge |language=Norwegian |issn=0332-8023}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 29 |Arbeiderpartiet = 11 |Høyre = 3 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2 |Senterpartiet = 3 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2 |otherparty = Cross-party local list |otherparty_no = Tverrpolitisk Bygdeliste |otherparty_number = 8 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1983 |end = 1987 |reference = <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1983 |date=1984 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |isbn=8253720378 |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge |language=Norwegian |issn=0332-8023}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 29 |Arbeiderpartiet = 14 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2 |H/KrF/Sp = 13 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1979 |end = 1983 |reference = <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1979 |date=1979 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |isbn=8253710836 |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian |issn=0332-8023}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 29 |Arbeiderpartiet = 15 |Høyre = 4 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3 |Senterpartiet = 4 |otherparty = Cross-party list |otherparty_no = Tverrpolitisk liste |otherparty_number = 3 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1975 |end = 1979 |reference = <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a769.pdf |title=Kommunevalgene 1975 |date=1977 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |isbn=8253705646 |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 29 |Arbeiderpartiet = 16 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 4 |Senterpartiet = 6 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |otherparty = Non-party list |otherparty_no = Upolitisk Liste |otherparty_number = 2 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1971 |end = 1975 |reference = <ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a457.pdf |title=Kommunevalgene 1972 |date=1973 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |isbn=8253701144 |volume=I |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 29 |Arbeiderpartiet = 17 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3 |Senterpartiet = 7 |Venstre = 2 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1967 |end = 1971 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1967 |title=Kommunevalgene 1967 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a214.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo, Norge |volume=I}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 29 |Arbeiderpartiet = 16 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3 |Senterpartiet = 7 |Sosialistisk_Folkeparti = 1 |Venstre = 2 |}} {{Kommunestyre table |name = Tokke |start = 1963 |end = 1967 |reference = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1964 |title=Kommunevalgene 1963 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=Norwegian |location=Oslo, Norge}}</ref> |collapsed = yes |nynorsk = yes |Total = 29 |Arbeiderpartiet = 18 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2 |Senterpartiet = 6 |Sosialistisk_Folkeparti = 1 |Venstre = 2 |}} {{div col end}}

===Mayor=== The mayors ({{langx|nn|ordførar}}) of Tokke:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ordførar |url=https://www.tokke.kommune.no/ordfoerar.480046.nn.html |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=Tokke kommune |language=nn}}</ref> {{div col|colwidth=20em}} *1964-1971: Gunvald Jupskås *1972-1979: Olav K. Tho *1980-1984: Gunvald Jupskås *1984-1987: Marie Sund *1988-1989: Geirmund Skaalen (H) *1990-2005: Birger Nygård (Sp) *2005-2011: Olav Seltveit Urbø (Sp) *2011-2015: Hilde Alice Vågslid (Ap) *2015–present: Jarand Felland (Sp) {{div col end}}

==Notable people== 150px|thumb|Talleiv Huvestad, 1814 * Talleiv Huvestad (1761 in Skafså – 1847), a teacher, farmer, and politician * Søren Georg Abel (1772 in Mo – 1820), a priest and politician * Jens Matthias Pram Kaurin (1804 in Lårdal – 1863), a theology professor and Lutheran priest * Marcus Jacob Monrad (1816–1897), a philosopher and academic who grew up in Mo * Vetle Vislie (1858 in Skafså – 1933), a educationalist, writer, and politician * Alf Blütecher (1880 in Lårdal – 1959), an actor<ref>{{IMDb name|0089939|Alf Blütecher}}. Retrieved 12 November 2020.</ref> * Thomas Offenberg Backer (1892 in Mo – 1987), an engineer * Andreas Backer (1895 in Mo – 1975), a journalist and newspaper editor * Anne Grimdalen (1899 in Skafså – 1961), a sculptor * Eivind Groven (1901 in Eidsborg – 1977), a microtonal composer and music-theorist * Arvid Torgeir Lie (1938 in Skafså – 2020), a poet, short story writer, and translator * Lene Vågslid (born 1986 in Tokke), a teacher and politician

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Tokke}} *{{wiktionary-inline|Tokke}} *{{Wikivoyage inline|Telemark}} *[http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/tokke Municipal fact sheet] from Statistics Norway {{in lang|no}} *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050913161250/http://www.telelaget.com/Telemark%20HTML/tokke2.html Description of Tokke]}}

Category:Tokke Category:Municipalities of Telemark Category:1964 establishments in Norway