Birkenes Municipality
Birkenes kommune
Municipality
View of the ski terrain at Topdalsheia
View of the ski terrain at Topdalsheia
Flag of Birkenes Municipality
Flag
Coat of arms of Birkenes Municipality
Coat of arms
Agder within Norway
Agder within Norway
Birkenes within Agder
Birkenes within Agder
Coordinates: 58°26′58″N 08°14′00″E / 58.44944°N 8.23333°E / 58.44944; 8.23333
CountryNorway
CountyAgder
DistrictSørlandet
Established1 Jan 1838
 • Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Administrative centreBirkeland
Government
 • Mayor (2020)Gyro Heia (Sp)
Area
 • Total637.35 km2 (246.08 sq mi)
 • Land596.06 km2 (230.14 sq mi)
 • Water41.29 km2 (15.94 sq mi)  6.5%
 • Rank#183 in Norway
Population
 (2022)
 • Total5,342
 • Rank#174 in Norway
 • Density9/km2 (20/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Increase +10.6%
DemonymsBirkenesing
Borkis[1]
Official language
[2]
 • Norwegian formNeutral
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-4216[3]
WebsiteOfficial website
Data from Statistics Norway

Birkenes is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sørlandet. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Birkeland, where about half the municipal population lives. Other villages in Birkenes include Ås, Engesland, Flakk, Håbbesland, Herefoss, Mollestad, Oggevatn, Rugsland, Senumstad, Søre Herefoss, Svaland, Tveide, and Væting.

The 637-square-kilometre (246 sq mi) municipality is the 183rd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Birkenes is the 174th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,342. The municipality's population density is 9 inhabitants per square kilometre (23/sq mi) and its population has increased by 10.6% over the previous 10-year period.[4][5]

General information

View of a farm area in Birkenes
Landscape of rural Birkenes
Birkenes Church, circa 1858

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Birkenes farm (Old Norse: Birkines) since the first Birkenes Church was built there. The first element is birki which means "birch wood". The last element is nes which means "headland". This farm is located on the south side of what is now the village of Mollestad.[6]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 5 December 1986. The official blazon is "Vert, a birch branch with three leaves argent issuant from the base" (Norwegian: I grønt en oppvoksende sølv bjørkekvist med tre blader). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a birch tree branch with three leaves. The branch and leaves have a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The green color in the field symbolizes the importance of agriculture in the municipality. The arms are a canting of the Norwegian word bjørk which means birch (it is canting since bjørk is similar to "birk-" in the name Birkenes). The three leaves symbolize the three main areas in the municipality: Birkenes in the south, Herefoss in the northeast, and Vegusdal in the northwest. The arms were designed by Daniel Rike who based it off an idea by Knut Øvensen. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[7][8][9]

Churches

The Church of Norway has three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Birkenes. It is part of the Vest-Nedenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.

Churches in Birkenes
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
BirkenesBirkenes ChurchMollestad1858
HerefossHerefoss ChurchHerefoss1865
VegusdalVegusdal ChurchEngesland1867

History

The historic parish of Tveit had to be divided into two formannskapsdistrikts on 1 January 1838 because the main part of Tveit belonged to the county of Lister og Mandal and the annex of Birkenæs belonged to the county of Nedenæs and the new law said a municipality could only exist in one county, not two. Therefore, the parish was split and Birkenæs municipality was created in Nedenæs county. On 1 January 1883, an uninhabited part of Birkenes was transferred to the control of neighboring Landvik municipality.[10]

Starting in the 1960s, Norway enacted many municipal reforms such as mergers and border adjustments stemming from the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1967, the neighboring municipalities of Herefoss (population: 585) and Vegusdal (population: 582) were merged into the municipality of Birkenes, creating a much larger municipality with a population of 3,050.[10]

On 1 January 1970, two uninhabited areas of Neset and Råbudal in the neighboring municipality of Froland were transferred to Birkenes (these areas were formerly in the municipality of Mykland prior to 1967). On 1 January 1979, the uninhabited area of Landheia in Froland was transferred to the control of Birkenes municipality. Later, on 1 January 1986, the Lislevand farm area (population: 8) was transferred from Birkenes to the neighboring municipality of Evje og Hornnes. Then on 1 January 1991, the Dalen area of Birkenes (population: 60) was transferred to the neighboring municipality of Froland.[10] On 1 January 2019, the Hovlandsdalen area (population: 27) was transferred from Birkenes municipality to the neighboring Evje og Hornnes municipality.[11]

Geography

The municipality borders Kristiansand, Vennesla, Iveland, Evje og Hornnes, Froland, Grimstad, and Lillesand municipalities.

Birkenes is home to many lakes, including Herefossfjorden, Nystølfjorden, Ogge, and Uldalsåna. The river Tovdalselva runs through the municipality as well.

Government

All municipalities in Norway are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[12] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Agder District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Birkenes is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. Currently, the party breakdown is as follows:

Birkenes kommunestyre 2020–2023 [13]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 4
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 2
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 5
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Joint list of the Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) and the Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) 1
Total number of members:21
Birkenes kommunestyre 2016–2019 [14]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 2
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 5
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 5
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:21
Birkenes kommunestyre 2012–2015 [15]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 4
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 2
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 8
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 4
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:21
Birkenes kommunestyre 2008–2011 [14]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 4
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 9
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 5
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 2004–2007 [14]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 3
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 8
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 5
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 2000–2003 [14]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 1
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 8
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 6
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1996–1999 [16]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 7
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 6
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1992–1995 [17]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 3
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 6
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 5
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1988–1991 [18]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 6
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 6
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and
Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet)		 1
 Birkenes local list (Birkenes Bygdeliste)1
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1984–1987 [19]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 2
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 6
  Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1980–1983 [20]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 5
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 6
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and
Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet)		 1
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1976–1979 [21]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 7
  New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1972–1975 [22]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 4
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1968–1971 [23]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 3
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 5
Total number of members:27
Birkenes kommunestyre 1964–1967 [24]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
Total number of members:17
Birkenes herredsstyre 1960–1963 [25]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
Total number of members:17
Birkenes herredsstyre 1956–1959 [26]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 5
Total number of members:17
Birkenes herredsstyre 1952–1955 [27]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 5
Total number of members:16
Birkenes herredsstyre 1948–1951 [28]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 7
Total number of members:16
Birkenes herredsstyre 1945–1947 [29]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 6
Total number of members:16
Birkenes herredsstyre 1938–1941* [30]  
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 7
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.

Mayors

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Birkenes (incomplete list):

  • 1856-1863: Andreas Solberg
  • 1868-1869: Andreas Solberg
  • 1876-1879: Andreas Solberg
  • 1972-1991: Kristen K. Flaa (Sp)
  • 1991-2010: Harald Vestøl (H)
  • 2010-2011: Arild Espegren (KrF)
  • 2011-2015: Arild Windsland (H)
  • 2015-2019: Anders Christiansen (Ap)
  • 2020-present: Gyro Heia (Sp)

Economy

Agriculture and logging are important sources of employment, but the municipality also has a small industrial base with about 400 different work sites. The largest enterprise is Owens Corning with approximately 180 employees. Other larger businesses include Uldal Vinduer og Dører, Foss Bad, Scanflex, KOAB Industrier, and Birkeland Trykkeri.

Transportation

The Sørland Line provides rail service at Herefoss Station. Prior to 1953, the Lillesand-Flaksvand Line also served Birkenes, but that railway line was closed down and removed.

Norwegian National Road 41 runs north–south through Birkenes, and is one of the main highways in this area of Norway. There are also several other important county roads in Birkenes, such as Norwegian County Road 404, Norwegian County Road 405, and Norwegian County Road 406.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. ↑ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. ↑ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  4. ↑ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  5. ↑ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
  6. ↑ Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nedenes amt (in Norwegian) (8 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 161.
  7. ↑ "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  8. ↑ "Birkenes, Aust-Agder (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  9. ↑ "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 5 December 1986. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  11. ↑ "Vedtak om endring av kommunegrense – overføring av Hovlandsdalen fra Birkenes kommune til Evje og Hornnes kommune, Aust-Agder fylke" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Fylkesmannen i Aust- og Vest-Agder. 21 March 2018.
  12. ↑ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Agder". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  15. ↑ "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Aust-Agder". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  16. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  17. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  18. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  19. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  20. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  21. ↑ "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  22. ↑ "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  23. ↑ "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  24. ↑ "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  25. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  26. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  27. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  28. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  29. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  30. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
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