Nordfjord

This article is about the traditional district in Vestland, Norway. For the fjord in Greenland, see Nordfjord (Greenland). For other uses, see Nordfjorden.

Nordfjord
District
Districts of Vestland:   Nordfjord   Sunnfjord   Indre Sogn   Ytre Sogn   Nordhordland   Midthordland   Sunnhordland   Hardanger   Voss
Coordinates: 61°55′34″N 5°08′40″E
Country	Norway
County	Vestland
Region	Vestlandet
Largest town	Måløy
Area
• Total	3,472 km2 (1,341 sq mi)
Population  (2005)
• Total	28,816
• Density	8.300/km2 (21.50/sq mi)
Demonym	Nordfjording

Nordfjord (lit. 'Northern fjord'—in contrast to Sunnfjord) is a traditional district in Vestland county, Norway.

Origin

Following the Viking Age, it was common practice to divide large counties into two halves (halvfylke). Firdafylke was split geographically into Nordfirda halvfylke and Sunnfirda halvfylke. Over the centuries, these names were contracted to form the modern traditional districts of Nordfjord and Sunnfjord in Vestland county.

Geography

The region is located in the northern part of Vestland county in Western Norway. It centers on the Nordfjord and it comprises Stad Municipality, Kinn Municipality, Bremanger Municipality, Gloppen Municipality, and Stryn Municipality. The Nordfjord region covers an area of about 4,300 square kilometres (1,700 sq mi) and is home to a population (2015) of approximately 32,838.

The fjord is the sixth longest in Norway stretching 106 kilometres (66 mi) from the island of Husevågøy at the mouth to the village of Loen at the other end. The region encompasses the rough coastline of the Stadlandet peninsula to the Jostedalsbreen, Europe's largest mainland glacier. The region also includes the lake Hornindalsvatnet, Europe's deepest lake at 514 metres (1,686 ft). The glacier Briksdalsbreen is particularly scenic. The Stryn area and Harpefossen in Nordfjordeid provides year-round alpine skiing, and there are numerous old fishing communities along the fjord going back to pre-Viking times.

• 
  Satellite view of Romsdal, Sunnmøre and Nordfjord.
• 
  Map of Nordfjorden with branches and surroundings.

Population

Historical population Year 1769 1951 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020(est) 2030(est) Pop. 13,171 28,234 33,107 33,657 34,283 34,033 33,157 32,464 32,029 32,066 ±% —     +114.4% +17.3% +1.7% +1.9% −0.7% −2.6% −2.1% −1.3% +0.1% Source: Statistics Norway

External links

• Media related to Nordfjord at Wikimedia Commons
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Nordfjord" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 741.
• Nordfjord promotional web site
• Nordfjord - official travel guide to Norway