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Porsanger
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| County | Finnmark | |
| District | ||
| Municipality | NO-2020 | |
| Administrative centre | Lakselv | |
| Mayor (2004) | Bjørn Kåre Søderholm (H) | |
| Official language form | Bokmål, Sami, and Kven | |
| Area - Total - Land - Percentage |
Ranked 3 4,873 km² 4,643 km² 1.51 % |
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| Population - Total (2007) - Percentage - Change (10 years) - Density |
Ranked 221? 4,100 0.09 % -4 % 1/km² |
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| Coordinates | Coordinates: | |
| www.porsanger.no |
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Porsanger (Norwegian) or Porsáŋgu (Northern Sami) or Porsanki (Kven/Finnish) is a municipality in the county of Finnmark, Norway. Since 2004 the municipality has had three official names: Porsanger, Porsáŋgu, and Porsanki.
Porsanger (until 1964 named Kistrand) was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Three other municipalities were later separated from it: Kautokeino (1851), Nordkapp (1861) and Karasjok (1866).
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Porsanger is the third largest municipality, with 4.873 km2. Has the fourth longest fjord. (The longest in North-Norway). The northernmost Wineproducer of crowberry.
Midnight sun from 16th May to 27 July. (The time may be longer then usual) darkness from 25th November to 16th January. But today the time is a bit earlier depending on the weather.
With a population of 4141 people, most with Kven(Kainu) or Sami background. The population decrease slowly with 0-8% according to the municipality statistics, taken yearly. To get better jobs most people move to larger cities, for instance Hammerfest or Alta.
The municipality is on the shores of the fjord Porsangen, a wide, open body of water with many islands. The biggest settlement and administrative centre is the town of Lakselv at the fjord's end, but there are smaller hamlets spread around on both sides, notably Kistrand, Olderfjord, Børselv and Billefjord.
On the western side of the fjord, one finds the Stabbursdalen National Park, with the world's northernmost pine forest.
The area has been settled by Sami since time immemorial. In the 18th century people from Finland, escaping famine and war, settled along the fjord. These people are today known as Kven. Today, three official languages are in use, and the municipality is named Porsanger, Porsáŋgu and Porsanki (the name in respectively Norwegian, Northern Sami and Kven/Finnish).
Lakselv Airport, Banak has connections to Tromsø and Kirkenes operated by Widerøe, as well as charter flights in the summer season. The airport is also used by the Norwegian air force's Station Group Banak, and with the Norwegian army's garrison at Porsangmoen, the military presence is quite heavy.
Local newspapers are Finnmark Dagblad and Ságat.
The Norse form of the name was Porsangr. Pors may come from either "Pors" which grows all over the place, or "Borsi" meaning stream of water. the last word is angr and it comes from the Norrøn (Viking) language, meaning 'fjord'.
The coat-of-arms is from 1967. It shows three reindeer.
(See also the coat-of-arms of Eidfjord, Rendalen, Tromsø, Vadsø and Vågå.)
Porsanger is an area of rich and varied bird fauna. The Stabbursdalen National Park can be found within the municipality, a site of international importance with the worlds northernmost pine forests. Here one can find such species as Pine Grosbeak. Away from the woodlands, it is the surrounding wetlands that have the greatest diversity. During spring thousands of Red Knot stop to rest and feed along the shores of Porsangerfjord. For more information check; Bird Watching In Norway - Porsanger
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| Alta · Berlevåg · Båtsfjord · Gamvik · Hammerfest · Hasvik · Karasjok · Kautokeino · Kvalsund · Lebesby · Loppa · Måsøy · Nesseby · Nordkapp · Porsanger · Sør-Varanger · Tana · Vadsø · Vardø |