| Kåfjord | |
| Native Name: | Northern Sami: Gáivuona suohkan Kaivuonon komuuni |
| Idnumber: | 5540 |
| County: | Troms |
| District: | Nord-Troms |
| Capital: | Olderdalen |
| Established: | 21 June 1929 |
| Preceded: | Lyngen Municipality |
| Demonym: | Kåfjording |
| Language: | Bokmål |
| Sami Language: | Northern Sami |
| Webpage: | www.kafjord.kommune.no |
| Mayor: | Bernt Eirik Isaksen Lyngstad |
| Mayor Party: | Ap |
| Mayor As Of: | 2019 |
| Elevation Max M: | 1375.4 |
| Highest Point Ref: | [1] |
| Area Rank: | 116 |
| Area Total Km2: | 991.15 |
| Area Land Km2: | 949.56 |
| Area Water Km2: | 41.59 |
| Area Water Percent: | 4.2 |
| Population As Of: | 2024 |
| Population Rank: | 283 |
| Population Total: | 1974 |
| Population Density Km2: | 2 |
| Population Increase: | -11.1 |
| Coordinates: | 69.6039°N 20.5325°W |
| Utm Zone: | 34W |
| Utm Northing: | 7721793 |
| Utm Easting: | 0481827 |
| Geo Cat: | adm2nd |
,, or is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Olderdalen. Other notable villages include Løkvollen, Manndalen, Birtavarre, Trollvik, Samuelsberg, Nordmannvik, and Djupvik.[2]
The 991km2 municipality is the 116th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Kåfjord is the 283rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,974. The municipality's population density is and its population has decreased by 11.1% over the previous 10-year period.[3] [4]
The municipality of Kåfjord was established by a royal resolution that was approved on 21 June 1929 when the large Lyngen Municipality was divided into three: Lyngen in the northwest, Kåfjord in the northeast, and Storfjord Municipality in the south.[5] The initial population of Kåfjord was 2,482. Then on 1 January 1992, the Nordnes area along the Lyngen fjord in Lyngen Municipality (population: 38) was transferred to Kåfjord Municipality.[6]
On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county.[7] On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county.[8]
The municipality is named after the local Kåfjorden (Norse, Old: Kofafjǫrðr). The meaning of the name is uncertain. One explanation is that the first element is derived from the word which means "side-chamber", here in the sense that this fjord is a smaller branch off of a main fjord. The last element is which means "fjord". Another interpretation is that the name is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi language name Northern Sami: Gáivuotna. The first element of the Sami name has an unknown meaning. The last element is which means "fjord". Thus its semi-translated name is something like "Gai-fjord" which could sound like the Norwegian name "Kåfjord".[9]
The name of the municipality was simply Kåfjord from its establishment in 1926 until 2 May 1994 when the name was changed to Gáivuotna–Kåfjord. This new name combined the Sami and Norwegian names into one.[10] It was the fifth municipality in Norway to get a Sami name. In 2005, the name was again changed such that either the Sami name (Northern Sami: Gáivuotna) or the Norwegian name (Norwegian: Kåfjord) could be used interchangeably.[11] In 2016, the name was changed again. This time, the Kven language name was added to the list of official names. All three names are equal and parallel names for the municipality. The spelling of the Sami and Kven language names change depending on how they are used. In Sami, it is called Northern Sami: Gáivuotna when it is spelled alone, but it is Northern Sami: Gáivuona suohkan when using the Sami language equivalent to "Kåfjord municipality". In Kven, it is called Kaivuono when it is spelled alone, but it is Northern Sami: Kaivuonon komuuni when using the Kven language equivalent to "Kåfjord municipality".[12]
The coat of arms was granted on 20 January 1989. The official blazon is "Gules, a spinning wheel argent" (Norwegian: I rødt en sølv rokk). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a spinning wheel. The spinning wheel has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The spinning wheel was chosen because it is a timeless symbol. Handicrafts have long and particular traditions in Kåfjord. It is also a unifying symbol for Kåfjord's population since many residents (at the time of the adoption of the arms) had had a spinning wheel in their homes while they were growing up. It also is meant as a symbol of frugality, self-sufficiency, and an industrious people.[13] [14] [15] The arms were designed by Harald O. Lindbach.[16]
The Church of Norway has one parish (Norwegian: sokn) within the municipality. It is part of the Nord-Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.
| Kåfjord | Kåfjord Church | Olderdalen | 1949 |
| Birtavarre Chapel | Birtavarre | 1937 |
In 1945, the villages of Kåfjord were burned to the ground during the retreat of German forces from Finland and Finnmark. This was as far west as the Wehrmacht used their scorched earth tactics.
Kåfjord 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.[17] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Nord-Troms og Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
The municipal council Norwegian: (Kommunestyre) of Kåfjord is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.
The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Kåfjord:[18]
The municipality is situated on the eastern side of the Lyngen fjord, and around its eastern arm, the Kåfjord. The municipal centre is Olderdalen. Other villages include Birtavarre, Kåfjorddalen, Djupvik, Nordmannvik, and Manndalen, where the international indigenous peoples' festival Riddu Riđđu is hosted each year.
On the border with Finland, is the mountain Ráisduattarháldi which has a height of 1365m (4,478feet). The highest point in the municipality is the 1375.4m (4,512.5feet) tall mountain Isfjellet.
Fishing and small-scale farming have been the most important sources of income. Now many people work in education and other public services. The population has declined for many years, but the decline is now less rapid than earlier.
The majority of the population is of Sami origin. Due to assimilation pressure from the Norwegian State, the language was largely lost in the 20th century. Efforts are being made to reintroduce the Northern Sami language which is largely concentrated in the municipality's largest village, Manndalen/Olmmáivággi.
. Norske gaardnavne: Tromsø amt . 1911 . W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri . 17 . Kristiania, Norge . 152 . no . Oluf Rygh.