Båtsfjord
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Båtsfjord kommune | |||
| — Municipality — | |||
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| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Finnmark | ||
| Municipality ID | NO-2028 | ||
| Administrative centre | Båtsfjord | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor (2007) | Frank Bakke Jensen (H) | ||
| Area (Nr. 58 in Norway) | |||
| - Total | 1,433 km² (553.3 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 1,415 km² (546.3 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| - Total | 2,290 | ||
| - Density | 2/km² (5.2/sq mi) | ||
| - Change (10 years) | -7.4 % | ||
| - Rank in Norway | 319 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Official language form | Neutral | ||
| Demonym | Båtsfjording[1] | ||
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| Website: www.batsfjord.kommune.no | |||
Båtsfjord is a municipality in the county of Finnmark, Norway.
Båtsfjord (until 1957 named Vardø herred, 'the rural district of Vardø') was separated from the city of Vardø in 1868. The eastern part of the municipality was, however, again merged with Vardø on January 1, 1964.
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[edit] Geography
The municipality is situated on the north-eastern coast of the peninsula of Varangerhalvøya. Previously, there were several villages along this barren coast, but today everyone lives in the town of Båtsfjord, with a sheltered situation at the end of the Båtsfjord inlet. Båtsfjord Airport is a new, modern airport, and the hurtigruten calls at Båtsfjord.
The most interesting attraction is Hamningberg, an abandoned fishing village on the outer coast, with well-preserved 19th c. wooden houses, a unique example of old architecture in a county so devastated by World War II. Now it is used for summer stays.
[edit] The name
The Norse form of the name is Botnsfjorðr. The first element is the genitive case of botn m 'innermost part of a fjord'.
[edit] Coat-of-arms
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The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1985). It shows a fishhook. (Similar fishhooks made of bone, from the Stone Age, are found in the municipality.)
(See also the coat-of-arms of Frøya, Øksnes and Træna.)
[edit] Birdlife
The municipality covers an area of 1,433 km² including Finnmark's highest mountain pass over Ordofjell at 400 m.a.s. With the Barents Sea pounding the rocky coastline, Båtsfjord is at the mercy of the elements, but it is a great place to visit with the worlds northern most Gannet colony to be found on the stack at Syltefjordstauran. The two pairs that were discovered in 1961 have now grown to well over 300 pairs. The Northern Gannet is just one of many species that can be seen.
[edit] Båtsfjord in popular culture
Båtsfjord was used in the cartoon Metalocalypse's first episode, "The Curse of DethKlok." In the episode thousands of people from around the world travel to Båtsfjord to hear the main characters, a death metal band named DethKlok play a little-over 1 minute jingle promoting a fictional coffee company. The episode features a large amount of death by various means, mainly the parachuted stage missing its landing spot. The episode also features James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica fame.
[edit] External links
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