Vegårshei is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sørlandet. The administrative center is the village of Myra. Other villages in Vegårshei include Mo and Ubergsmoen.[3]
Vegårshei kommune | |
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Municipality | |
![]() View of the lake Vegår | |
![]() Flag ![]() Coat of arms ![]() Agder within Norway | |
![]() Vegårshei within Agder | |
Coordinates: 58°46′32″N 08°49′56″E | |
Country | Norway |
County | Agder |
District | Sørlandet |
Established | 1 Jan 1838 |
• Created as | Formannskapsdistrikt |
Administrative centre | Myra |
Government | |
• Mayor (2015) | Kirsten Helen Myren (Sp) |
Area | |
• Total | 355.67 km2 (137.32 sq mi) |
• Land | 321.77 km2 (124.24 sq mi) |
• Water | 33.90 km2 (13.09 sq mi) 9.5% |
• Rank | #249 in Norway |
Population (2022) | |
• Total | 2,131 |
• Rank | #272 in Norway |
• Density | 6.6/km2 (17/sq mi) |
• Change (10 years) | ![]() |
Demonym | Vegårsheiing[1] |
Official language | |
• Norwegian form | Neutral |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
ISO 3166 code | NO-4212 |
Website | Official website |
The 356-square-kilometre (137 sq mi) municipality is the 249th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Vegårshei is the 272nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,131. The municipality's population density is 6.6 inhabitants per square kilometre (17/sq mi) and its population has increased by 10.2% over the previous 10-year period.[4][5]
The Old Norse form of the name may have been Vigisheiðr. The first element is the genitive case of the name of the lake Vegår (of which the Old Norse form and the meaning of the name is uncertain). The last element is heiðr which means "heath" or "moor".[3][6] Historically, the name was spelled as Wegaardsheien or Vegaardsheien, and sometimes it was abbreviated as simply Heien.
The coat of arms was granted on 30 April 1987. The arms show a fox as a representative of the local wildlife and also for the fox farming in the village.[7]
The parish of Vegaardsheien was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The borders of the municipality have not changed since that time.[8]
The population was at its largest in 1930, population 2161.[9]
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Vegårshei. It is part of the Aust-Nedenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.
Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
---|---|---|---|
Vegårshei | Vegårshei Church | Myra | 1808 |
Vegårshei is bordered on the north by the municipalities of Nissedal (in Vestfold og Telemark county) and Gjerstad, on the east by Risør, on the south by Tvedestrand, and on the west by Åmli. The lake Vegår dominates the northern part of the hilly and forested municipality.
All municipalities in Norway, including Vegårshei, 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.[10] The municipality falls under the Agder District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Vegårshei is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. Currently, the party breakdown is as follows:
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 7 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 3 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 5 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 3 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 3 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 6 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 6 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 7 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 21 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
Conservative Party (Høyre) | 3 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 | |
Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Centre Party (Senterpartiet), Liberal Party (Venstre), and Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet) | 6 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Centre Party (Senterpartiet), Liberal Party (Venstre), and New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 6 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 8 | |
Total number of members: | 17 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 7 | |
Total number of members: | 16 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 5 | |
Total number of members: | 16 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 16 |
Party Name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
---|---|---|
Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and the Radical People's Party (Radikale Folkepartiet) | 5 | |
Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 4 | |
Total number of members: | 16 | |
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. |
As of 2019, public administration and the service sector, are most important in regard to employment; the retail industry and entities that have hotel services and those that serve food and beverages, constitute 11% of employment; agriculture and forestry accounts for 9% of employment; manufacturing accounts for 7% of employment—21% including those employed in construction and those employed in the energy sector and [water supply]vannforsyning/ [garbage collection or] renovasjon.[9] Of the inhabitants that are employed, 55% have employment outside the municipal borders.[9]
It is well-suited for hunting and fishing for residents and tourists alike.
The Sørlandsbanen railway line runs through the municipality, stopping at Vegårshei Station, just north of the village of Myra. There are several Norwegian county roads that cross the municipality, connecting it to its neighbors. Some of the roads include Norwegian County Road 414, Norwegian County Road 415, Norwegian County Road 416, and Norwegian County Road 417.
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