Skjåk is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bismo. Most of the municipal residents live in the Billingsdalen and Ottadalen valleys along the river Otta. The local newspaper is named Fjuken.
Skjåk kommune | |
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Municipality | |
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![]() Flag ![]() Coat of arms ![]() Innlandet within Norway | |
![]() Skjåk within Innlandet | |
Coordinates: 61°56′10″N 7°57′37″E | |
Country | Norway |
County | Innlandet |
District | Gudbrandsdalen |
Established | 1 January 1866 |
• Preceded by | Lom Municipality |
Administrative centre | Bismo |
Government | |
• Mayor (2019) | Edel Kveen (Sp) |
Area | |
• Total | 2,075.53 km2 (801.37 sq mi) |
• Land | 1,966.68 km2 (759.34 sq mi) |
• Water | 108.85 km2 (42.03 sq mi) 5.2% |
• Rank | #33 in Norway |
Population (2022) | |
• Total | 2,151 |
• Rank | #270 in Norway |
• Density | 1.1/km2 (3/sq mi) |
• Change (10 years) | ![]() |
Demonym | Skjåkvær[1] |
Official language | |
• Norwegian form | Nynorsk |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
ISO 3166 code | NO-3433 |
Website | Official website |
The 2,076-square-kilometre (802 sq mi) municipality is the 33rd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Skjåk is the 270th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,151. The municipality's population density is 1.1 inhabitants per square kilometre (2.8/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 6.8% over the previous 10-year period.[3][4]
The municipality of Skjåk was established on 1 January 1866 when the municipality of Lom was divided and the western part of the municipality (population: 2,691) became the new municipality of Skjåk (historically spelled Skiaker). The eastern part of the municipality (population: 3,299) remained as Lom.[5]
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Skjåk farm (Old Norse: Skeiðakr), since the first Skjåk Church was built here. The first element is skeið which means "a running track for horse racing" and the last element is akr which means "field" or "acre".[6]
Prior to 1889, the name was written "Skiaker", then from 1889 to 1910 it was spelled "Skiaaker", from 1911 to 1920 it was "Skjaak", and since 1921 it has been written in its present form, "Skjåk".
The coat of arms was granted on 31 March 1989. It shows four white or silver-colored acanthus leaves on a blue background. This was picked to symbolize growth and strength. These symbols are found in many historic artifacts from around the area.[7]
The Church of Norway has two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Skjåk. It is part of the Nord-Gudbrandsdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar.
Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
---|---|---|---|
Nordberg | Nordberg Church | Nordberg | 1864 |
Skjåk | Skjåk Church | Bismo | 1752 |
Skjåk is the westernmost municipality in the Ottadalen valley. It is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Fjord, Rauma, and Lesja, in the east and southeast by Lom, in the south by Luster and in the west by Stryn and Stranda. The municipality lies along the Otta river between the mountainous areas of Breheim and Reinheim. Bismo is the modern population center and the location of the majority of industry and shopping as well as the municipal administration.
The community is at the meeting point between Gudbrandsdalen and the mountains between the eastern parts of Norway and the west coast. The municipality lies on a historically significant traffic artery between Stryn and Nordfjord, Geiranger, and Sunnmøre and the more easterly Ottadal municipalities of Lom and Vågå. The Breheimen National Park and Reinheimen National Park are both located in the municipality.
Of the total area, 19 square kilometres (7.3 sq mi) is used for agriculture; 129 square kilometres (50 sq mi) for forestry; 75 square kilometres (29 sq mi) is covered by water (including the Breiddalsvatnet lake); and the rest is mountains and other non-arable land. Virtually the entire 23-kilometre (14 mi) long valley floor is continuously, but sparsely, built up. Skjåk serves as a point of entry to the mountain areas just west; hunting and fishing are also popular tourist activities. The municipality includes a number of large lakes including Aursjoen, Breiddalsvatnet, Grønvatnet, Langvatnet, Rauddalsvatn, and Tordsvatnet. The Breheimen mountains run through the municipality and the Holåbreen and Tystigbreen glaciers are located in those mountains.
Nestled in a deep valley, the populated regions of Skjåk are rain shadowed and as a result are actually one of the most arid places in Europe with annual precipitation of about 250 millimetres (10 in) per year, but it avoids a steppe climate (Köppen Bsk) by being too cold (mean annual temperature of 2.75 °C [36.95 °F]), thus having a low evapotranspiration rate, and having precipitation too spread out (about 55% in summer). This gives Skjåk a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc), thanks to low overall precipitation levels in summer.[8][9]
In addition, one side of the valley, solsida ("the sunny side"), has a southern exposure, whereas baksida (the "back side") gets very little sun. Agriculture has been enabled by elaborate irrigation systems for hundreds of years, so the area is green and productive rather than desert-like.
Climate data for Skjåk, Oppland (1961-1990) / elevation of 372 metres (1,220 ft) above sea level | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −9.4 (15.1) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
2.7 (36.9) |
8.5 (47.3) |
12.7 (54.9) |
13.9 (57.0) |
12.8 (55.0) |
8.4 (47.1) |
3.8 (38.8) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
2.8 (36.9) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 20 (0.8) |
12 (0.5) |
12 (0.5) |
5 (0.2) |
15 (0.6) |
28 (1.1) |
43 (1.7) |
35 (1.4) |
30 (1.2) |
32 (1.3) |
23 (0.9) |
24 (0.9) |
279 (11.1) |
Source: Meteorologisk institutt[8] |
Ancestry | Number |
---|---|
![]() | 40 |
![]() | 26 |
![]() | 8 |
![]() | 3 |
Skjåk has historical roots back to the Viking Age and has a rich cultural heritage. An ancient route of travel between east and west went from Skjåk up through the Raudal valley and down through the Sunndal valley to Stryn on an arm of the Nordfjord. For example, in 1197, according to King Sverre's saga, Bishop Nikolaus is reported to have sent a group of baglers from Oppdal over the mountains to Stryn on Nordfjord, via Raudal.
All municipalities in Norway, including Skjåk, 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 Skjåk is made up of 17 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) | 4 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 11 | |
Local list in Skjåk (Bygdalist i Skjåk) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 9 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 12 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 8 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 10 | |
Local list in Skjåk (Bygdalist i Skjåk) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 8 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 10 | |
Local list in Skjåk (Bygdalist i Skjåk) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 5 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 12 | |
Local list in Skjåk (Bygdalist i Skjåk) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 5 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 11 | |
Local list in Skjåk (Bygdalist i Skjåk) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 4 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 14 | |
Local list in Skjåk (Bygdalista i Skjåk) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 9 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
Local list in Skjåk (Bygdalista i Skjåk) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
Local list for Skjåk (Bygdeliste for Skjåk) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 11 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
Local list for Skjåk (Bygdeliste for Skjåk) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Conservative Party (Høgre) | 1 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
Local list for Skjåk (Bygdeliste for Skjåk) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
Local list for Skjåk (Bygdeliste for Skjåk) | 1 | |
Free voters' list (Frie Veljarar) | 1 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 5 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 9 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 5 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 12 | |
Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 8 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 1 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 10 | |
Total number of members: | 20 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 6 | |
Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and the Radical People's Party (Radikale Folkepartiet) | 1 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 20 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 11 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) | 3 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 6 | |
Total number of members: | 20 |
Party Name (in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) | 13 | |
Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 20 | |
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 Skjåk (incomplete list):
Innlandet county, Norway | |||||||||||||||||||||
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