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Alstahaug

Alstahaug kommune
Municipality
Village of Tjøtta in Alstahaug
Village of Tjøtta in Alstahaug
Coat of arms of Alstahaug kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Alstahaug kommune
Nordland within
Norway
Alstahaug within Nordland
Alstahaug within Nordland
Coordinates: 65°57′24″N 12°34′22″E / 65.95667°N 12.57278°E / 65.95667; 12.57278Coordinates: 65°57′24″N 12°34′22″E / 65.95667°N 12.57278°E / 65.95667; 12.57278
Country Norway
County Nordland
District Helgeland
Administrative centre Sandnessjøen
Government
 • Mayor (2011) Bård Anders Langø (Ap)
Area
 • Total 187.22 km2 (72.29 sq mi)
 • Land 186.29 km2 (71.93 sq mi)
 • Water 0.93 km2 (0.36 sq mi)
Area rank 336 in Norway
Population (2011)
 • Total 7,296
 • Rank 134 in Norway
 • Density 39.2/km2 (102/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years) -1.5 %
Demonym(s) Alstahaugværing
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
ISO 3166 code NO-1820
Official language form Neutral
Website www.alstahaug.kommune.no
Data from Statistics Norway

Alstahaug is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandnessjøen. Other villages in Alstahaug include Søvika and Tjøtta.

The administrative centre of Alstahaug is the town Sandnessjøen which is situated on the island of Alsta. The characteristic Seven Sisters mountain range is found on the eastern part of the island. Local legend has made this chain of peaks into seven sisters, two adjacent peaks representing twin sisters.

The island is connected to the mainland via the impressive Helgeland Bridge along Norwegian County Road 17. The Sandnessjøen Airport, Stokka is located just south of Sandnessjøen.

Alstahaug was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). In 1862, the southern district (population: 2,781) was separated to become the new municipality of Tjøtta (Vevelstad was later separated from Tjøtta). In 1864, the western island district (population: 2,438) was separated to become the new municipality of Herøy. Then on 1 July 1899, the northern district (population: 2,673) was separated to form the new municipality of Stamnes (Leirfjord was later separated from Stamnes).

On 1 January 1965, the Husvær area of Alstahaug (population: 461) was transferred from Alstahaug to Herøy. On the same day, the municipalities of Tjøtta (not including the Skogsholmen area), Sandnessjøen, and the rest of Alstahaug were all merged to form the new, larger municipality of Alstahaug. On 1 January 1971, the Skålvær islands (population: 32) were transferred from Vega to Alstahaug. On 1 January 1995, the mainland areas of Alstahaug (population: 70) were transferred to Vefsn.


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