Loppa

Loppa (Northern Sami: Láhppi and Kven: Lappea) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Øksfjord. Other villages in Loppa include Andsnes, Bergsfjord, Langfjordhamn, Loppa, Nuvsvåg, Øksfjordbotn, Sandland, and Sør-Tverrfjord.

This article is about the municipality in Finnmark, Norway. For the island village in that municipality, see Loppa (island).
Loppa kommune

Láhpi suohkan
Lappean komuuni
Municipality
View of the village of Øksfjord
Flag
Troms og Finnmark within
Norway
Loppa within Troms og Finnmark
Coordinates: 70°14′22″N 22°20′55″E
CountryNorway
CountyTroms og Finnmark
DistrictVest-Finnmark
Established1 Jan 1838
Administrative centreØksfjord
Government
 • Mayor (2019)Stein Thomassen (Ap)
Area
 • Total688.88 km2 (265.98 sq mi)
 • Land670.94 km2 (259.05 sq mi)
 • Water17.94 km2 (6.93 sq mi)  2.6%
Area rank167 in Norway
Population
 (2020)
 • Total888
 • Rank342 in Norway
 • Density1.3/km2 (3/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
−18.3%
Demonym(s)Loppværing[1]
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-5432
Official language formBokmål[2]
Websiteloppa.kommune.no
Data from Statistics Norway

The 689-square-kilometre (266 sq mi) municipality is the 167th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Loppa is the 342nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 888. The municipality's population density is 1.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (3.4/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 18.3% over the previous 10-year period.[3][4]

Most people live in the village of Øksfjord, but smaller communities are spread out along the shores and islands, notably Nuvsvåg, Sandland, Bergsfjord, Brynilen, and the island of Loppa. This island was previously the administrative centre of the municipality (hence the name). There is no airport, but Øksfjord is a port of call for the Hurtigruten boats.

General information
View of the village of Bergsfjord
View of Øksfjord Church
View near Øksfjord

The municipality of Loppa was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). In 1858, the northern part of Loppa on the island of Sørøya and most of Loppa on Stjernøya (population: 506) was separated to form the new municipality of Hasvik. This left Loppa with 801 residents. The borders of the municipality have not changed since that time.[5]

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Finnmark county.[6]

Name

The municipality is named after the island of Loppa (Old Norse: Loppa), since it was the former centre of the municipality and the first church (Loppa Church) was located there. The meaning of the name is uncertain, however it is mentioned to be of Norse origin.[7] Historically, the name was spelled Loppen.[8][9]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is from modern times; they were granted on 19 December 1980. The arms show a great black cormorant on a gold background. The cormorant was chosen as a symbol since the municipality has several typical fishing villages which often attract cormorants.[10]

See also: Coats of arms of Rost and Skjervøy

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Loppa. It is part of the Alta prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland. In the medieval ages Loppa was its own parish, with traces after an old church in the fishing village of Yttervær, on the island Loppa.

Churches in Loppa
Parish (sokn)NameLocationYear built
LoppaBergsfjord ChurchBergsfjord1951
Loppa ChurchLoppa1953
Nuvsvåg ChapelNuvsvåg1961
Sandland ChapelSandland1971
Øksfjord ChurchØksfjord1954

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Loppa, 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.[11] The municipality falls under the Alta District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Loppa is made up of 15 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:

Loppa Kommunestyre 2020–2023 [12]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)5
 Conservative Party (Høyre)3
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)5
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
Total number of members:15
Loppa Kommunestyre 2016–2019 [13]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)6
 Conservative Party (Høyre)5
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
Total number of members:15
Loppa Kommunestyre 2012–2015 [14]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)4
 Conservative Party (Høyre)3
 Coastal Party (Kystpartiet)6
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
Total number of members:15
Loppa Kommunestyre 2008–2011 [13]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)5
 Conservative Party (Høyre)1
 Coastal Party (Kystpartiet)5
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
Total number of members:15
Loppa Kommunestyre 2004–2007 [13]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Coastal Party (Kystpartiet)5
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
Total number of members:15
Loppa Kommunestyre 2000–2003 [13]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Voting list for the Bergsfjord area
 (Valgliste for Bergsfjord krets)		1
 Loppa cross-party list (Loppa tverrpolitiske liste)2
Total number of members:15
Loppa Kommunestyre 1996–1999 [15]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)3
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Loppa cross-party common list (Loppa tverrpolitiske fellesliste)4
Total number of members:19
Loppa Kommunestyre 1992–1995 [16]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)7
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)6
 Nuvsvåg local list (Nuvsvåg bygdeliste)1
Total number of members:19
Loppa Kommunestyre 1988–1991 [17]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)10
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)3
 Nuvsvåg local list (Nuvsvåg bygdeliste)2
Total number of members:19
Loppa Kommunestyre 1984–1987 [18]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)3
 Nuvsvåg local list (Nuvsvåg bygdeliste)3
Total number of members:19
Loppa Kommunestyre 1980–1983 [19]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 Conservative Party (Høyre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)2
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Local list for Oksfjord og Oksfjordbotn
 (Kretsliste for Oksfjord og Oksfjordbotn)		1
 Local list for Bergsfjord (Kretsliste for Bergsfjord)1
Total number of members:19
Loppa Kommunestyre 1976–1979 [20]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)11
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)1
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Fishermen and Workers' Non-party List
 (Fiskernes og Arbeidernes Upolitiske Liste)		3
 Voting List for the Bergsfjord area
 (Valgliste for Bergsfjord Krets)		2
Total number of members:19
Loppa Kommunestyre 1972–1975 [21]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)13
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)2
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)4
Total number of members:19
Loppa Kommunestyre 1968–1971 [22]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)1
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders
(Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)		4
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)4
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)1
Total number of members:19
Loppa Kommunestyre 1964–1967 [23]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)7
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders
(Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)		5
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)4
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)3
Total number of members:19
Loppa Herredsstyre 1960–1963 [24]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)10
Total number of members:19
Loppa Herredsstyre 1956–1959 [25]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)5
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)1
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders
(Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)		5
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)8
Total number of members:19
Loppa Herredsstyre 1952–1955 [26]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)9
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders
(Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)		3
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)4
Total number of members:16
Loppa Herredsstyre 1948–1951 [27]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)8
 Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)1
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders
(Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)		7
Total number of members:16
Loppa Herredsstyre 1945–1947 [28]  
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
Loppa Herredsstyre 1938–1941* [29]  
Party Name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)6
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders
(Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste)		1
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)9
Total number of members:16

Mayor

The mayors of Loppa (incomplete list):

  • 2019–present: Stein Thomassen (Ap)
  • 2015-2019: Steinar Halvorsen (H)
  • 2007-2015: Jan-Eirik Jensen (K)
  • 1995-2007: Arne Dag Isaksen (Ap)

History

The area of Loppa is suggested to have been inhabited since the Mesolithic times with traces after settlement and scattered findings in both Nuvsvåg, Øksfjord, Sandland, Loppa, Silda and Bergsfjord. The activity of fishing and whaling in the municipality seems to have its origins from ancient times.[30]

Roman Age

Little is known of this period historically and archaeologically in this area. However the discovering of a Roman Age longhouse from 120 AD,[31] at the island of Loppa shows the earliest signs of settlement in the Early Iron Age. Perhaps was this the very beginning of Norse taxation of the Sami peoples in the area and the interaction between the two peoples of trade and commerce in fishing and the industry of the hunting of maritime mammals.[32][33] The longhouse is also one of the oldest one ever discovered in Northern Norway.

Viking Age

In 1962 a rich female Viking Age grave was discovered on the island of Loppa. It contained luxurious personal objects such as tortoise brooches, a round brooch in the Oseberg style, a whalebone plaque, beads, knife, scissor and an arrowhead. The female grave was dubbed "The Queens Grave" due to the manner in which she was buried. However she was most likely not a queen but a very important person indeed on Viking Age Loppa. Perhaps a housewife of a local chieftain? The wealth of the grave reflects that of the Norse elite's presence in the area. The burial was dated to the 9th century AD.[31][34][35]

In 1964 a longhouse from Viking Age was also discovered dated to the end of the 8th century AD. Several other buildings and boathouses was also discovered and dated to the same period as the longhouse and the rich female grave. There is also several burials from Iron Age on the island, where the biggest a burial cairn with the size of 13 meters in diameter. The amount of Iron Age burials and houses suggests that of a more permanent Norse settlement.[35]

Middle Ages

In Middle Ages, the hunting and the production of oil from marine mammals seems to stop, and fishing becomes more important. Along the coast of Northern Norway we see so called farm mounds of ancient settlements, and at Loppa there are at least 6 farm mounds spread out on the island of Loppa, Silda and at mainland Andsnes. However, the farm mounds of Northern Norway seem to have their upbringing already in Early Iron Age, suggesting that fishing was already a commercial trade before the Middle Ages. On the island of Loppa one of the farm mounds was dated to the 1100's AD, with a church site close by. This suggests that Loppa was its own parish already in the Middle Ages.[35][36]

Hans E Kinck, 1908

Notable people
  • Hans E. Kinck (1865 in Øksfjord – 1926) a Norwegian author and philologist who wrote novels, short stories, dramas, and essays
  • Harald Nicolai Samuelsberg (1911 in Loppa – 1986) a Norwegian politician & Mayor of Loppa
  • Hallgeir Pedersen (born 1973) a Norwegian jazz guitarist, raised in Øksfjord
  • Magnus Andersen (born 1986 in Øksfjord) a Norwegian football midfielder with over 300 club caps

Geography

Loppa is the westernmost municipality of Finnmark and it faces the open stretch of the Norwegian Sea called Lopphavet, and it is mostly coastal with fjords and islands under the gigantic snowcap of the Øksfjordjøkelen glacier. The municipality includes most of the peninsula between the Kvænangen and the Altafjorden. There are also several islands in the municipality, notably Loppa, Silda, and part of Stjernøya. The mountains Lopptinden and Svartfjellet both lie in the municipality along with the glaciers Langfjordjøkelen, Øksfjordjøkelen, and Svartfjelljøkelen.

Climate
Climate data for Øksfjord
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean °C (°F) −3.7
(25.3)		 −3.5
(25.7)		 −2.1
(28.2)		 0.7
(33.3)		 4.8
(40.6)		 8.9
(48.0)		 12.1
(53.8)		 11.3
(52.3)		 7.7
(45.9)		 3.5
(38.3)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 −2.6
(27.3)		 3.1
(37.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 73
(2.9)		 67
(2.6)		 57
(2.2)		 52
(2.0)		 46
(1.8)		 52
(2.0)		 59
(2.3)		 71
(2.8)		 80
(3.1)		 105
(4.1)		 82
(3.2)		 86
(3.4)		 830
(32.7)
Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[37]

References
  1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2020). "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  4. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2020). "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
  5. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
  6. Mæhlum, Lars, ed. (2019-12-24). "Troms og Finnmark". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
  7. Bratrein, Håvard Dahl (2018). Høvding, Jarl, Konge. Nord-Norges politiske historie i vikingtid, ei annerledes fortelling. Tromsø Museums Skrifter.
  8. Rygh, Oluf (1924). Norske gaardnavne: Finmarkens amt (in Norwegian) (18 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. pp. 93–94.
  9. Store norske leksikon. "Loppa" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2013-01-09.
  10. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
  11. Hansen, Tore, ed. (2016-05-12). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
  12. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Troms og Finnmark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  13. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  14. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Finnmark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  15. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  16. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  17. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  18. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  19. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  20. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  21. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  22. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  23. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  24. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  25. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
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  28. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  29. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  30. "Archaeological database Askeladden".
  31. Bratrein, Håvard Dahl (1996). Ottar Tidsskrift. Tromsø Museum.
  32. Ellingsen, Gøran Hálfdanarson (2017). Loppa - An Iron Age settlement in the periphery of Hálogaland (Thesis) (in Norwegian).
  33. Henriksen, Jørn Erik (1995). "Hellegropene, fornminner fra en funntom periode". Academia.edu.
  34. Storli, Inger (2006). Hålogaland før rikssamlingen. Institutt for sammenliknende forskning.
  35. Bratrein, Håvard Dahl. Feltrapport fra 1994.
  36. Bruun, Inga Malene (2009). Kulturminneregistrering i gamle fiskevær. Tromsø Museum.
  37. "eKlima Web Portal". Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 2004-06-14.
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