Nord-Fron is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vinstra. Other population centers in Nord-Fron include the villages of Kvam and Skåbu.
Nord-Fron kommune | |
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Municipality | |
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Coordinates: 61°39′32″N 9°43′40″E | |
Country | Norway |
County | Innlandet |
District | Gudbrandsdal |
Established | 1 Jan 1851 |
• Preceded by | Fron Municipality |
Disestablished | 1 Jan 1966 |
• Succeeded by | Fron Municipality |
Re-established | 1 Jan 1977 |
• Preceded by | Fron Municipality |
Administrative centre | Vinstra |
Government | |
• Mayor (2021) | Anne-Marie Olstad (Ap) |
Area | |
• Total | 1,141.32 km2 (440.67 sq mi) |
• Land | 1,091.82 km2 (421.55 sq mi) |
• Water | 49.5 km2 (19.1 sq mi) 4.3% |
• Rank | #95 in Norway |
Population (2022) | |
• Total | 5,628 |
• Rank | #166 in Norway |
• Density | 5.2/km2 (13/sq mi) |
• Change (10 years) | −3.5% |
Demonym | Frøning[1] |
Official language | |
• Norwegian form | Nynorsk |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
ISO 3166 code | NO-3436 |
Website | Official website |
The 1,141-square-kilometre (441 sq mi) municipality is the 95th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Nord-Fron is the 166th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,628. The municipality's population density is 5.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (13/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 3.5% over the previous 10-year period.[3][4]
The prestegjeld of Fron was established as a civil municipality on 1 January 1838 when the new formannskapsdistrikt law went into effect. On 1 January 1851, the municipality was divided in two. The northwest portion became Nord-Fron Municipality (population: 4,685) and the southeast portion became Sør-Fron Municipality (population: 3,421).[5]
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, the Sjoa area (population: 413) was transferred from Nord-Fron to the neighboring Sel Municipality. Then, on 1 January 1966, the municipalities of Nord-Fron (population: 5,758) and Sør-Fron (population: 3,648) were merged to form a new Fron Municipality (with similar borders to the old Fron municipality that existed from 1838-1851 minus the Sjoa area which was then part of Sel).[5]
This merger was not well-liked among the residents of the new municipality. On 1 January 1977, the merger was reversed and Nord-Fron (population: 6,131) and Sør-Fron (population: 3,509) were recreated using their old borders from 1965.[5]
The municipality (and the prestegjeld) of Fron was named after the old Fron farm (Old Norse: Frón since this was the site of the first Fron Church. The meaning of the name is unknown (maybe "earth" or "land"). The prefix of the name, Nord- means "north", hence the name of the municipality is "(the) northern (part of) Fron" (since the parish of Fron was divided in 1851 into a "north" and a "south" part).[6]
The coat of arms was granted on 18 July 1980. The arms show a gold-colored Dole Gudbrandsdal horse on a red background. The Fron area has a long-standing tradition in horse breeding and is one of the main centres of horse breeding in Norway. Historically, the old Fron municipality used unofficial arms with a horse on it. After Fron was divided into Nord- and Sør-Fron in 1977, Nord-Fron choose these arms.[7]
The Church of Norway has four parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Nord-Fron. It is part of the Nord-Gudbrandsdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar.
Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
---|---|---|---|
Kvam | Kvam Church | Kvam | 1952 |
Kvikne | Kvikne Church | Kvikne | 1764 |
Skåbu | Skåbu Church | Skåbu | 1927 |
Sødorp | Sødorp Church | Vinstra | 1752 |
Sødorp Chapel | Vinstra | 1929 |
Ancestry | Number |
---|---|
Poland | 74 |
Eritrea | 53 |
Syria | 39 |
Lithuania | 31 |
Afghanistan | 28 |
Netherlands | 21 |
Thailand | 18 |
The Nord-Hoge farm in the Sødorp parish of Nord-Fron is the legendary home of Per Gynt. Per was made famous by both Peter Asbjørnsen's folk tales and Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt.
The body of Captain Sinclair is buried in Kvam.
The small Kvam Church which was built in 1775, was burned down during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was rebuilt after the war.[9]
Nord-Fron is bordered to the northwest by Sel municipality, to the east and south by Sør-Fron municipality, in the south by Øystre Slidre municipality, and in the southwest by Vågå municipality. The municipality stretches from the Rondane mountains in the north to the Jotunheimen mountains in the southwest.
There are two population main centers in Nord-Fron: the town of Vinstra in the central part of the municipality and the village of Kvam in the north. Kvam is located at the northern end of the Peer Gynt Road, which passes through high roads with excellent views of the Jotunheimen, Dovrefjell, and Rondane mountain.[10]
Lakes in the region include Feforvatnet, Olstappen, Øyangen, and Sandvatnet/Kaldfjorden/Øyvatnet. Mountains in the region include Gravdalsknappen, Heimdalshøe, Hornflågene, Ingulssjøhøi, Saukampen, Sikkilsdalshøa, Styggehøe, and Smiubelgen.
All municipalities in Norway, including Nord-Fron, 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 elects a mayor.[11] The municipality falls under the Vestre Innlandet District Court and the Eidsivating Court of Appeal.
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Nord-Fron is made up of 25 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 15 | |
Progress Party (Framstegspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 2 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 25 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 13 | |
Progress Party (Framstegspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 2 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
Total number of members: | 25 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Progress Party (Framstegspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 3 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 25 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 12 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 2 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 25 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 14 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 2 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 25 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 20 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 2 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 2 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
Total number of members: | 31 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 19 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 2 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
Total number of members: | 31 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 17 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 2 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 31 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 20 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 3 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 31 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 21 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 3 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
Total number of members: | 31 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 18 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 4 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 | |
Total number of members: | 31 | |
Note: On 1 January 1977, Fron Municipality was divided into Nord-Fron and Sør-Fron municipalities (reversing the merger from 1 January 1966). A special election was held in 1976 for a new council that existed from 1977-1979. |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 16 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidarar, fiskarar, småbrukarar liste) | 1 | |
Total number of members: | 25 | |
Note: On 1 January 1966, Nord-Fron and Sør-Fron were merged into Fron Municipality. |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 15 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 2 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 25 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 16 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 25 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 15 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 9 | |
Total number of members: | 24 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 15 | |
Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 3 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 6 | |
Total number of members: | 24 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 15 | |
Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 7 | |
Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and the Radical People's Party (Radikale Folkepartiet) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 24 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 14 | |
Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 8 | |
Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and the Radical People's Party (Radikale Folkepartiet) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 24 | |
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. |
The mayors of Nord-Fron (incomplete list):
The Royal Mountain Chalet, Prinsehytta is located in the Sikkilsdalen valley in Nord-Fron. It is used as a Royal residence by the Norwegian Royal Family for hunting trips as well as during the Easter and winter holidays.
The Rock carvings at Eidefoss are located on the east side of the river south of the white water.[28]
Nord-Fron has sister city agreements with the following places:[29]
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