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Alstahaug kommune

County	Nordland
District	Helgeland
Municipality	NO-1820
Administrative centre	Sandnessjøen
Mayor (2003)	Magne Greger (Ap)
Official language form	Neutral
Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage	Ranked 336 187 km² 186 km² 0.06 %
Population  - Total (2004)  - Percentage  - Change (10 years)  - Density	Ranked 134 7,378 0.16 % -2.4 % 40/km²
Coordinates	65°57′N 12°34′E
www.alstahaug.kommune.no Data from Statistics Norway

Coordinates: 65°57′N 12°34′E

Alstahaug is a municipality in the county of Nordland, Norway.

The centre of Alstahaug is the town Sandnessjøen situated on the island of Alsten. The impressive mountain range of the Seven Sisters is to be found on the island, a chain of 6 peaks. Local legend has made them into seven sisters, one of the peaks representing twin sisters.

Contents 1 The name 2 Coat-of-arms 3 History 4 Birdlife 5 External links

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Alstahaug (Norse Alastarhaugr), since the first church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the name of the island Alöst (now Alsten), the last element is haugr m 'hill; mound'.

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1986). The blue line represents the Seven Sisters, and its reflection in the sea.

At Alstahaug, at the opposite end of the island, one finds the medieval church of Alstahaug, where the poet and minister Petter Dass worked around 1700. Tjøtta, another island, is the place where the famous Viking Hårek resided in the 11th century.

The island is connected to the mainland with the impressive Helgeland Bridge.

Lying south of the arctic circle in an area that is known as Outer Helgeland, Alstahaug offers the visiting bird watcher a chance to do some birding in spectacular scenery, be it coastal or inland where the mountain chain "The Seven Sisters" marks the boundary between the habitats. One of the better areas to birdwatch is Tjøtta. Here you will find the small nature reserve Ostjønna. For more information and some pictures of birds seen in the municipality check: Bird Watching In Norway - Alstahaug

Lying south of the arctic circle in an area that is known as Outer Helgeland, Alstahaug offers the visiting bird watcher a chance to do some birding in spectacular scenery, be it coastal or inland where the mountain chain "The Seven Sisters" marks the boundary between the habitats. One of the better areas to birdwatch is Tjøtta. Here you will find the small nature reserve Ostjønna. For more information and some photos of birds seen in the municipality check; Bird Watching In Norway - Alstahaug

• Picture: Beach south of Sandnessjøen
• Summer picture with the mountains in the background

Municipalities of Nordland

Alstahaug | Andøy | Ballangen | Beiarn | Bindal | Bodø | Brønnøy | Bø | Dønna | Evenes | Fauske | Flakstad | Gildeskål | Grane | Hadsel | Hamarøy | Hattfjelldal | Hemnes | Herøy | Leirfjord | Lurøy | Lødingen | Meløy | Moskenes | Narvik | Nesna | Rana | Rødøy | Røst | Saltdal | Sortland | Steigen | Sømna | Sørfold | Tjeldsund | Træna | Tysfjord | Vefsn | Vega | Vestvågøy | Vevelstad | Vågan | Værøy | Øksnes