| Sunnfjord | |
| Idnumber: | 4647 |
| County: | Vestland |
| District: | Sunnfjord |
| Capital: | Førde |
| Established: | 1 Jan 2020 |
| Preceded: | Naustdal, Førde, Gaular, and Jølster |
| Demonym: | Sunnfjording |
| Language: | Nynorsk |
| Coatofarms: | Sunnfjord komm.svg |
| Webpage: | www.sunnfjord.kommune.no |
| Mayor: | Jenny Følling |
| Mayor Party: | SP |
| Mayor As Of: | 2021 |
| Area Rank: | 27 |
| Area Total Km2: | 2208.13 |
| Area Land Km2: | 2065.34 |
| Area Water Km2: | 142.79 |
| Area Water Percent: | 6.5 |
| Population As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Rank: | 56 |
| Population Total: | 22215 |
| Population Density Km2: | 10.8 |
| Population Increase: | 4.4 |
| Coordinates: | 61.4522°N 5.8572°W |
Sunnfjord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Førde. Other villages in the municipality include Naustdal, Sande, Vassenden, and Skei. The 2208km2 municipality is the 27th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Sunnfjord is the 56th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 22,215. The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 4.4% over the previous 10-year period.[1] [2]
The municipality was established on 1 January 2020 when the old municipalities of Førde, Gaular, Jølster, and Naustdal were merged.
The municipality was named after the traditional district of Sunnfjord, in which it is located. The first element is which means "southern". The last element is which means "fjord", thus it is the southern fjord region (as opposed to the nearby Nordfjord region (the northern fjord region).[3]
The coat of arms was granted in 2019 for use starting on 1 January 2020 when the municipality was established. The arms have a dark green field (background) and the charge is four small vertical stripes meeting in the centre with one large vertical stripe. The charge 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 arms symbolize four rivers joining a larger body of water. The rivers symbolize the four main rivers of Sunnfjord: Nausta, Gaula, Anga, and Jølstra all flowing in to a large fjord. It was also meant to symbolize the many waterfalls and rivers in the municipality as well as strength and unity.[4] [5]
The Church of Norway has six parishes (Norwegian: sokn) within the municipality of Sunnfjord. It is part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.
| Førde | Førde Church | Førde | 1885 |
| Gaular | Bygstad Church | Bygstad | 1845 |
| Sande Church | Sande | 1864 | |
| Hestad Chapel | Hestad | 1805 | |
| Viksdalen Church | Vik | 1848 | |
| Helgheim | Helgheim Church | Helgheim | 1877 |
| Holsen og Haukedalen | Haukedalen Church | Haukedalen | 1885 |
| Holsen Church | Holsen | 1861 | |
| Naustdal | Naustdal Church | Naustdal | 1891 |
| Vevring Church | Indrevevring | 1846 | |
| Ålhus | Vassenden Church | Vassenden | 2002 |
| Ålhus Church | Ålhus | 1795 |
Sunnfjord 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.[6] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.
The municipal council Norwegian: (Kommunestyre) of Sunnfjord is made up of 37 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 Nynorsk; Nynorsk, Norwegian: ordførar) of Sunnfjord:
Situated slightly inland and along the innermost part of a narrow fjord, Sunnfjord's climate is somewhat colder in winter than places along the outer coast, but also with slightly warmer summer days. Førde is one of Norway's wettest towns. The wettest season is autumn and winter with December as wettest month. The driest season is late spring and summer with May as the driest month. The climate data for Førde is consistent with an oceanic climate with the original Köppen climate threshold of (using the threshold for coldest month as in the United States, Førde would be classified as a humid continental climate).The all-time high is recorded 16 July 2003.[7] The all-time low is .[8]