| Harstad | |
| Native Name: | Northern Sami: Hársttáid suohkan |
| Idnumber: | 5503 |
| County: | Troms |
| District: | Central Hålogaland |
| Capital: | Harstad |
| Established: | 1 January 1904 |
| Preceded: | Trondenes Municipality |
| Demonym: | Harstadværing |
| Language: | Neutral |
| Coatofarms: | Harstad kommunevapen.svg |
| Webpage: | www.harstad.kommune.no |
| Mayor: | Kari-Anne Opsal |
| Mayor Party: | Ap |
| Mayor As Of: | 2022 |
| Elevation Max M: | 1094.8 |
| Highest Point Ref: | [1] |
| Area Rank: | 225 |
| Area Total Km2: | 445.27 |
| Area Land Km2: | 428.48 |
| Area Water Km2: | 16.79 |
| Area Water Percent: | 3.8 |
| Population As Of: | 2024 |
| Population Rank: | 49 |
| Population Total: | 25056 |
| Population Density Km2: | 56.3 |
| Population Increase: | 2.5 |
| Coordinates: | 68.8°N 16.5458°W |
(Norwegian, in Norwegian pronounced as /hɐ̞̂ɻ.ʃt̠ɐ̞/) or [2] is the second-most populated municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is mostly located on the large island of Hinnøya. The municipal center is the town of Harstad, which is the most populous town in Central Hålogaland and the third-largest in all of Northern Norway.[3] [4] The town was incorporated in 1904. Villages in the municipality include Elgsnes, Fauskevåg, Gausvika, Grøtavær, Kasfjord, Lundenes, Nergården and Sørvika.
The 445km2 municipality is the 225th largest by area out of Norway's 357 municipalities and the 49th most populous, with a population of 25,056. The municipality's population density is and the population has increased by 2.5% over the previous 10-year period.[5] [6]
The municipality is located on many islands in southern Troms county. Most of the municipality is located on the large island of Hinnøya, which is Norway's largest coastal island (three islands in the Svalbard archipelago are larger). The northern part of the municipality is located on the smaller islands of Grytøya, Bjarkøya, Sandsøya, Helløya, Flatøya and Krøttøya and many even smaller islands between the Andfjorden (to the west) and the Vågsfjorden (to the east). The municipality contains several small islands, including Arnøya, Gressholman, Helløya, Kjeøya, Kjøtta, Kjøttakalven, Flatøya, Meløyvær, Måga, Rogla, Lille Rogla and Åkerøya.
Harstad is bordered by Kvæfjord Municipality to the west. To the south and east, the Tjeldsund Bridge connects Hinnøya with Tjeldsund Municipality and the mainland across Tjeldsundet, and to the northeast is the Vågsfjorden, where Harstad shares a water border with Ibestad Municipality. The city of Harstad itself is located on the northeastern part of Hinnøya; it is the only city on the island, and is popularly known as Vågsfjordens perle (The pearl of Vågsfjorden).
The highest point in Harstad Municipality is Sætertinden, which is 1095m (3,593feet) above sea level.[7] It is located near the village of Sandtorg in southern Harstad. The 412m (1,352feet) tall mountain, Nupen, is located in the northwestern part of the municipality on the border with Kvæfjord.
Despite being located north of the Arctic Circle, Harstad features either a dry-summer subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification: Dsc), or (barely, by only half a degree C)[8] the rare cold-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csc), depending on if the or the isotherm is used. Harstad features relatively mild, wet winters and cool, dry summers. Harstad does not have the brutal winters most locations north of the Arctic Circle experience, and is sheltered from Atlantic gales by mountains in the west, and has the main part of the Scandinavian Mountains to the east. The city experiences warmer winters than major cities located 25 degrees farther south in latitude such as Beijing, Chicago and Toronto. Summers in Harstad are cool, with average high temperatures seldom breaking the 22C mark. Since the weather station opened August 2002, July 2014 was the warmest month with mean 16.9C, average daily high 21.8C and all-time high 31.7C on 10 July. The record low of -16.1C was recorded in February 2010. The coldest month recorded was January 2003 with mean -6.5C and average daily low -9.5C.
The municipality enjoys the midnight sun during the summer months, from 22 May to 18 July. There is also a period from early May to early August with twilight for a few hours each night as the sun just dips below the horizon, so there is no darkness. The polar night, when the sun is always below the horizon, lasts from 30 November to 12 January. At this time, there are 3–4 hours of dawn and dusk around noon, sometimes with colourful skies towards the south. From late January, the period of daylight rapidly increases, reaching 12 hours by March and 18 hours in April. Harstad is located in the midst of the aurora borealis (the northern lights) zone, and the aurora can often be seen on clear nights, but not in summer due to the continuous daylight.
The town of Harstad was established as a municipality on 1 January 1904 when it was separated from the large Trondenes Municipality because it had just been declared a ladested (small seaport). The initial population of the town of Harstad was 1,246. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the town of Harstad (population: 3,808) was merged with neighboring Sandtorg Municipality (population: 7,512) and Trondenes Municipality (population: 6,567) to form a new, larger Harstad Municipality with a population of 17,882. Prior to the merger, the town of Harstad had 3,808 residents.[9] On 1 January 2013, the neighboring Bjarkøy Municipality (to the north) was merged with Harstad, forming a new, larger Harstad Municipality.
On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the new Troms og Finnmark county which replaced the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.[10]
In recent years, a 3000-year-old bronze axe[11] and a 2600-year-old bronze collar[12] have been found at the Trondenes peninsula, just north of the city center. These, together with the burial cairns built close to the sea, are indications of a well-developed Bronze Age culture in the Harstad area.
There is also substantial archeological evidence of a well-developed Iron Age culture in the area, around 200 AD.
Trondenes is mentioned in the Heimskringla as a power centre in the Viking Age and a place to meet and discuss important issues (Trondarting). In 2020 archeologist concluded that Sandtorg, located along the Tjeldsundet strait, south of the town of Harstad, was the location of the only known Viking Age trading place in Northern Norway.[13] The Tjeldsundet strait was very likely an important ship lane back then as it still is today.
Trondenes Church, the world's northernmost medieval church, which dates back to the 13th–15th century, is situated just outside the town.
Adjacent to the church is the Trondenes Historical Center and nearby is the Adolf Gun, an enormous land-based cannon from World War II, and the last of four cannons originally constructed by the Nazis. Harstad is one of the few towns in this part of Norway which were left largely undamaged by World War II.
The municipality (and town) is named after the old Harstad farm (Norse, Old: Harðarstaðir), since the town is built where the farm once was located. The first element is (probably) the genitive case of the male name Norse, Old: Hǫrðr. The last element is which means "homestead" or "farm".[14] On 6 February 2017, the municipality of Harstad adopted a co-equal Sami language name for the municipality: Hárstták. The Sami language name spelling changes depending on how it is used. It is called Northern Sami: Hárstták when it is spelled alone, but it is Northern Sami: Hársttáid suohkan when using the Sami language equivalent to "Harstad municipality".[15] [16]
The coat of arms was granted on 24 April 1953. The official blazon is "Azure, two bars wavy argent" (Norwegian: To bølgende sølv bjelker på blå bunn). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is two wavy bars. The bars have a tincture of argent which means they are commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The blue color in the field symbolizes the importance of sea and the wavy bars were chosen to represent the waves in the sea. Since the town of Harstad is located in the municipality, a mural crown is typically shown above the shield. The arms were designed by Jardar Lunde in cooperation with Hallvard Træteberg.[17] [18] [19]
Harstad 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.[20] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
The municipal council Norwegian: (Kommunestyre) of Harstad is made up of 35 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.
The mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Harstad 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:[21] [22]
The oil industry of North Norway is centered in Harstad; including Statoil's main office for a new operational area for Northern Norway,[23] the DNV office for Northern Norway,[24] as well as other regional offices including TotalEnergies,[25] Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA[26] and Aibel.[27] [28] Harstad also has shipyards and other industries that are important for the economy. Harstad and the surrounding area have traditionally been among the most productive agricultural regions in Northern Norway,.[29] The old seabed, now dry land due to isostatic rebound (up to 60mto80mm (200feetto260feetm) above sea level), creating fertile soil that is well-suited for farming.[30]
The city hosts the annual week-long Festival of North Norway in June.[31] It is also the home of the Arctic Moving Image and Film Festival, held in October each year.[32]
Harstad University College, with approximately 1,100 students,[33] has a thriving foreign exchange program with students from all over the world. The hospital in Harstad is part of the University Hospital of North Norway.
The most successful local football team is Harstad Idrettslag (a.k.a. HIL),[34] and the most successful basketball team is the Harstad Vikings.[35]
Harstad is home port for the Anna Rogde, the world's oldest sailing schooner, also known as the sailing queen of Norway.[36]
Harstad Camping is a campsite located in the municipality.
The Church of Norway has five parishes (Norwegian: sokn) within Harstad Municipality. It is part of the Trondenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.
| Bjarkøy og Sandsøy | Bjarkøy Church | Nergården | 1766 |
| Sandsøy Church | Sandsøya | 1888 | |
| Grytøy | Grøtavær Church | Grøtavær | 1915 |
| Lundenes Church | Lundenes | 1974 | |
| Harstad | Harstad Church | Harstad | 1958 |
| Kanebogen | Kanebogen Church | Kanebogen | 1999 |
| Sandtorg | Gausvik Church | Gausvika | 1979 |
| Sandtorg Church | Sørvika | 1932 | |
| Trondenes | Trondenes Church | Trondenes | 15th century |
| Elgsnes Chapel | Elgsnes | 1985 |
Harstad traditionally has strong ties with the Norwegian Armed Forces. Kystjegerkommandoen (Coastal Ranger Command) has its home base at Trondenes, just north of the town of Harstad. Marinejegerkommandoen is based in Ramsund, a village in neighboring Tjeldsund Municipality on the mainland south of Harstad. General Carl Gustav Fleischer led the field operations of the Norwegian Armed Forces in World War II, among them the 7,500 soldiers which from the north pushed the Nazi Germans back to Narvik and participated in retaking Narvik on 28 May 1940. A street in Harstad is named Gen. Fleischers Gate in his honour.
Operation Judgement, Kilbotn took place on 4 May 1945, when the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy attacked a U-boat base at Kilbotn, a village in the Harstad district, sinking two ships and a U-boat.
Harstad is also the hometown of the Norwegian army band "Forsvarets Musikkorps Nord Norge" with professional musicians.
The local airport is Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes, located on the mainland in neighboring Evenes Municipality. It is 44km (27miles) by road from the town center. The airport offers daily flights to Oslo, Trondheim, Bodø, Tromsø and Andenes.[37]
Every morning a northbound and a southbound Hurtigruten ship stop in Harstad.[38]
High-speed craft regularly go between Harstad and Tromsø, Finnsnes, Senja and other places.[39]
There are several ferries and buses in the district, and in Harstad there are local buses.
The leading helicopter company in Northern Norway, Heli-Team, is located in Harstad.[40]
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Norway.
The twin towns of Harstad are:[44]
Harstad used to be a sister city to Kirovsk, but this agreement was ended in November 2022, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
