Bø, Nordland

Bø is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Straume. Other villages in the municipality include Auvåg, the village of Bø, Eidet, Guvåg, Hovden, Klakksjorda, Malnes, Nykvåg, Utskor, and Vågen. The Litløy Lighthouse is located on the tiny island of Litløya off the coast of Bø.

This article is about the municipality in Nordland, Norway. For the village in Vesterålen, Norway, see Bø, Nordland (village).
Bø kommune
Municipality
Coat of arms
Nordland within
Norway
Bø within Nordland
Coordinates: 68°41′43″N 14°34′46″E
CountryNorway
CountyNordland
DistrictVesterålen
Established1 Jan 1838
Administrative centreStraume
Government
 • Mayor (2007)Sture Pedersen (H)
Area
 • Total246.70 km2 (95.25 sq mi)
 • Land234.87 km2 (90.68 sq mi)
 • Water11.83 km2 (4.57 sq mi)  4.8%
Area rank288 in Norway
Population
 (2020)
 • Total2,569
 • Rank249 in Norway
 • Density10.9/km2 (28/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
-7.9%
Demonym(s)Bøfjerding[1]
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1867
Official language formNeutral[2]
Websiteboe.kommune.no
Data from Statistics Norway

The 247-square-kilometre (95 sq mi) municipality is the 288th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Bø is the 249th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,569. The municipality's population density is 10.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (28/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 7.9% over the previous 10-year period.[3][4]

General information
Hovden in Bø municipality
Guvåg in Bø

The municipality of Bø was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). On 1 January 1866, a small area of the neighboring Øksnes Municipality (population: 40) was transferred to Bø. On 1 January 1964, the Kråkberget village and the peninsula north of Kråkberget (population: 271) was transferred from the neighboring municipality of Øksnes to Bø.[5]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Bø farm (Old Norse: Bœr), since the first Bø Church was built there. The name is identical with the word bœr which means "farm" and it is a cognate with the Dutch language word "boer" which means "farmer".[6]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is from modern times. They were granted on 7 August 1987. The arms show a silver "half boat" on a black background. This was chosen to represent the importance of fishing in Bø, but also reminiscent of some old legends/fairy tales in the region that include a "half boat". (The sea ghost draugr travelled in a half boat.)[7]

Touristic attraction - Man from the Sea

Looking out to sea from a rise above Vinje in the village of Bø stands the 'Man from the Sea', a 4.3-metre (14 ft) high figure of a man made from cast iron. The man is holding a crystal in his hands like a sacrifice to the sea. In the winter light, the crystal turns blue. The man stands with his back to the village of Bø, and looks out over the craggy archipelago towards the distinctive silhouette of Gaukværøya island.[8]

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Bø. It is part of the Vesterålen prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

Churches in Bø
Parish (sokn)Church NameLocation of the ChurchYear Built
Bø og MalnesBø ChurchBø1824
Malnes ChurchEidet1895

Population

The municipality has sustained a steady decline in population since the 1950s when 6,122 people lived in Bø. The 2001 census showed that the population had declined to 3,156,[9] while the fourth quarter population estimate for 2007 showed the population at 2866.[10] The bureau of statistics projects a continued population decline.[11]

The municipality has 73 gårdsnummer in the cadastre.[12] The largest and densest population center is the Vinje, Skagen, and Steine area in the southwestern part of the municipality,[13] which is designated as the village of "Bø" by Statistics Norway.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Bø, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor.[14] The municipality falls under the Vesterålen District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Bø is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:

Bø Kommunestyre 2020–2023 [15]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)2
 Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)1
 Conservative Party (Høyre)11
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)4
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
Total number of members:19
Bø Kommunestyre 2016–2019 [16]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)3
 Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre)
and the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)		12
Total number of members:19
Bø Kommunestyre 2012–2015 [17]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)2
 Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre)
and the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)		12
Total number of members:19
Bø Kommunestyre 2008–2011 [16]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)6
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)2
 Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre)
and the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)		8
Total number of members:19
Bø Kommunestyre 2004–2007 [16]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)3
 Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)2
 Conservative Party (Høyre)3
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)7
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
Total number of members:19
Bø Kommunestyre 2000–2003 [16]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)4
 Conservative Party (Høyre)5
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Coastal Party (Kystpartiet)3
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)9
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
 Midtbygda's common list (Midtbygdas fellesliste)1
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1996–1999 [18]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)4
 Conservative Party (Høyre)4
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)6
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)2
 Nordbygden's Common List (Nordbygdens Fellesliste)3
 Midtbygden's Common List (Midtbygdens Fellesliste)2
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1992–1995 [19]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)6
 Conservative Party (Høyre)4
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)3
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
 Nordbygden's Common List (Nordbygdens Fellesliste)4
 Midtbygden's Common List (Midtbygdens Fellesliste)3
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1988–1991 [20]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)6
 Conservative Party (Høyre)4
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)2
 Nordbygden's Common List (Nordbygdens Fellesliste)5
 Midtbygden's Common List (Midtbygdens Fellesliste)4
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1984–1987 [21]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Conservative Party (Høyre)5
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
 Nordbygden's Common List (Nordbygdens Fellesliste)4
 Midtbygden's Common List (Midtbygdens Fellesliste)2
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1980–1983 [22]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)6
 Conservative Party (Høyre)5
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)2
 Nordbygden's Common List (Nordbygdens Fellesliste)6
 Midtbygden's Common List (Midtbygdens Fellesliste)2
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1976–1979 [23]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)6
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
 Nordbygden's Common List (Nordbygdens Fellesliste)9
 Midtbygden's Common List (Midtbygdens Fellesliste)4
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1972–1975 [24]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)6
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)2
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)11
 Socialist common list
 (Venstresosialistiske felleslister)		1
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1968–1971 [25]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)12
 Conservative Party (Høyre)3
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)3
 Liberal Party (Venstre)4
Total number of members:25
Bø Kommunestyre 1964–1967 [26]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)11
 Conservative Party (Høyre)4
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)3
 Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)5
Total number of members:25
Bø Herredsstyre 1960–1963 [27]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)11
 Conservative Party (Høyre)4
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)3
 Liberal Party (Venstre)5
Total number of members:25
Bø Herredsstyre 1956–1959 [28]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)11
 Conservative Party (Høyre)3
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)3
 Liberal Party (Venstre)6
Total number of members:25
Bø Herredsstyre 1952–1955 [29]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)11
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)7
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)2
Total number of members:24
Bø Herredsstyre 1948–1951 [30]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)11
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)3
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)3
 Liberal Party (Venstre)7
Total number of members:24
Bø Herredsstyre 1945–1947 [31]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)11
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)5
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)6
Total number of members:24
Bø Herredsstyre 1938–1941* [32]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)13
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)5
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders
(Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)		1
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)3
Total number of members:24

Geography

The municipality of Bø lies on the island of Langøya and many small surrounding islets including Litløya and Gaukværøy. The Norwegian County Road 820 is the only road that connects Bø to the rest of Norway via the 1,612-metre (5,289 ft) long Ryggedal Tunnel, connecting Bø to the neighboring municipalities of Øksnes and Sortland.

Climate
Climate data for Bø i Vesterålen
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 0.8
(33.4)		 0.6
(33.1)		 1.6
(34.9)		 4.2
(39.6)		 9.2
(48.6)		 12.7
(54.9)		 15.2
(59.4)		 14.7
(58.5)		 10.8
(51.4)		 6.9
(44.4)		 3.4
(38.1)		 1.5
(34.7)		 6.8
(44.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.4
(29.5)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 1.9
(35.4)		 6.4
(43.5)		 9.7
(49.5)		 12.1
(53.8)		 11.9
(53.4)		 8.3
(46.9)		 4.8
(40.6)		 1.4
(34.5)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 4.4
(39.9)
Average low °C (°F) −4.6
(23.7)		 −4.7
(23.5)		 −3.6
(25.5)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 3.0
(37.4)		 6.6
(43.9)		 8.9
(48.0)		 8.5
(47.3)		 5.5
(41.9)		 2.2
(36.0)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 −3.8
(25.2)		 1.3
(34.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 88
(3.5)		 81
(3.2)		 70
(2.8)		 63
(2.5)		 48
(1.9)		 56
(2.2)		 73
(2.9)		 74
(2.9)		 110
(4.3)		 144
(5.7)		 103
(4.1)		 107
(4.2)		 1,017
(40.0)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 15.4 13.8 13.2 12.7 10.3 10.5 12.7 11.6 16.5 18.8 17.2 17.8 170.3
Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[33]

References
  1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2020). "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  4. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2020). "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
  5. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
  6. Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 374.
  7. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
  8. "Man from the sea" (in Norwegian). Northern Norway Tourist Board. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  9. "Bø Kommune" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  10. "Population estimates October 1, 2007 for Nordland" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  11. "Figures for Bø Kommune" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  12. "Kuling 2.0" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2012-02-09. See list of gårdsnummer in right column
  13. "Kuling 2.0 entry on Vinje gård" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2009-02-10.
  14. Hansen, Tore, ed. (2016-05-12). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
  15. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  16. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  17. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  18. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  19. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  20. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  21. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  22. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  23. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  24. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  25. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  26. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  27. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  28. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  29. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  30. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  31. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  32. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  33. "eKlima Web Portal". Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 2004-06-14.
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