Grong Municipality

Grong Municipality
Grong kommune
Kråangken tjïelte (Southern Sami)
Municipality
Grong in early August 2007
Grong in early August 2007
Flag of Grong Municipality
Flag
Coat of arms of Grong Municipality
Coat of arms
Trøndelag within Norway
Trøndelag within Norway
Grong within Trøndelag
Grong within Trøndelag
Coordinates: 64°31′53″N 12°37′12″E / 64.53139°N 12.62000°E / 64.53139; 12.62000
CountryNorway
CountyTrøndelag
DistrictNamdalen
Established1 Jan 1838
 • Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Administrative centreMedjå
Government
 • Mayor (2023)Ann Jeanett Klinkenberg (Ap)
Area
 • Total
1,136.16 km2 (438.67 sq mi)
 • Land1,095.32 km2 (422.91 sq mi)
 • Water40.84 km2 (15.77 sq mi)  3.6%
 • Rank#97 in Norway
Highest elevation
[1]
1,158.86 m (3,802.03 ft)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
2,322
 • Rank#264 in Norway
 • Density2/km2 (5/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Decrease −5.2%
DemonymGrongning[2]
Official language
[3]
 • Norwegian formNeutral
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-5045[4]
WebsiteOfficial website
Data from Statistics Norway

Grongⓘ (Southern Sami: Kråangke) is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Medjå (sometimes called Grong also). Other villages in the municipality include Bergsmoen, Formofoss, Gartland, and Harran.

The 1,136-square-kilometre (439 sq mi) municipality is the 97th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Grong is the 264th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,322. The municipality's population density is 2 inhabitants per square kilometre (5.2/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 5.2% over the previous 10-year period.[5][6]

General information

Grong was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1901, the northwestern district of Grong (population: 1,046) was separated to form the new Høylandet Municipality. On 1 January 1923, the large Grong Municipality was divided into four smaller municipalities: Grong Municipality (population: 1,272) in the southwest, Harran Municipality (population: 630) in the centre, Røyrvik Municipality (population: 392) in the northeast, and Namsskogan Municipality (population: 469) in the northwest.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the neighboring Harran Municipality (population: 1,085) and Grong Municipality (population: 1,962) were merged (back together) to form a new, larger Grong Municipality.[7]

On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the old Nord-Trøndelag county to the new Trøndelag county.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Grong farm (Old Norse: Granungar) since the first Grong Church was built there. The first element is grǫn which means "spruce". The last element is the plural form of the suffix -ungr which is a common suffix for place names in Norway.[8]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 6 February 1987. The official blazon is "Argent, three triangles vert in pale" (Norwegian: I sølv tre grønne trekanter, 1-1-1). This means the arms have a field (background) that has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The charge is three green triangles lined up vertically. The green triangles symbolize spruce trees (Norwegian: gran) which dominate almost 40% of the municipal areas. This makes them canting arms since the name of the municipality is supposedly derived from Granungar which means spruce. The number three symbolizes the three main villages in the municipality: Harran, Bergsmoen, and Medjå. The arms were designed by Einar H. Skjervold.[9][10][11]

Churches

The Church of Norway has two parishes (sokn) within Grong Municipality. It is part of the Namdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nidaros.

Churches in Grong
Parish (sokn) Church name Location of the church Year built
Grong Grong Church Medjå 1877
Harran Harran Church Harran 1874
Gløshaug Church Gartland 1689

Geography

Nordlandsbanen train crossing Namsen river near Grong village

Grong is located along the river Namsen in the Namdalen valley. Two major tributaries of the Namsen flow through Grong too: the river Sanddøla and the river Neselva. The Bangsjøene lakes lie at the extreme southern border with Snåsa Municipality and Overhalla Municipality. The Blåfjella–Skjækerfjella National Park covers a small part of the southeastern part of Grong Municipality. The highest point in the municipality is the 1,158.86-metre (3,802.0 ft) tall mountain Heimdalhaugen.[1]

Government

Grong Municipality is 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 Trøndelag District Court and the Frostating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Grong is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Grong kommunestyre 2023–2027 [13]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:17
Grong kommunestyre 2019–2023 [14]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) 1
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 9
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:17
Grong kommunestyre 2015–2019 [15]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
Total number of members:17
Grong kommunestyre 2011–2015 [16]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
Total number of members:17
Grong kommunestyre 2007–2011 [15]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 4
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 9
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:17
Grong kommunestyre 2003–2007 [15]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 5
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:17
Grong kommunestyre 1999–2003 [15]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:21
Grong kommunestyre 1995–1999 [17]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 10
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:21
Grong kommunestyre 1991–1995 [18]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 9
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:21
Grong kommunestyre 1987–1991 [19]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:21
Grong kommunestyre 1983–1987 [20]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:21
Grong kommunestyre 1979–1983 [21]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:21
Grong kommunestyre 1975–1979 [22]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:21
Grong kommunestyre 1971–1975 [23]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:21
Grong kommunestyre 1967–1971 [24]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 12
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
  Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
Total number of members:29
Grong kommunestyre 1963–1967 [25]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 15
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
Total number of members:29
Note: On 1 January 1964, Harran Municipality became part of Grong Municipality.
Grong herredsstyre 1959–1963 [26]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 8
Total number of members:17
Grong herredsstyre 1955–1959 [27]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 2
Total number of members:17
Grong herredsstyre 1951–1955 [28]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:16
Grong herredsstyre 1947–1951 [29]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 5
Total number of members:16
Grong herredsstyre 1945–1947 [30]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 4
Total number of members:16
Grong herredsstyre 1937–1941* [31]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 5
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 mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Grong is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:[32][33][34]

  • 1838–1839: Jørgen Darre Strand
  • 1840–1843: Søren Rasmussen Eugenius Sørensen
  • 1844–1847: Peder Jakobsen Almås
  • 1847–1851: Lorents Mediå
  • 1852–1853: Elias Iversen Urstad
  • 1854–1855: Peder Jakobsen Almås
  • 1856–1859: Lorents Mediå
  • 1860–1863: Knut Flått
  • 1864–1867: Lorents Mediå
  • 1868–1871: Hans Fredrik Thoresen
  • 1872–1879: Svend Matthiesen (V)
  • 1880–1883: Knut Flått
  • 1884–1887: Lorents Mørkved (V)
  • 1888–1891: Hans Seem (V)
  • 1892–1907: Svend Matthiesen (V)
  • 1908–1910: Hans Seem (V)
  • 1911–1919: Ole Mørkved (V)
  • 1920–1928: Oluf Moe (V)
  • 1929–1934: Martin Bjerken (V)
  • 1934–1935: John Solli (Ap)
  • 1936–1937: Ole L. Haugen (Ap)
  • 1938–1945: Anders O. Seem (NS)
  • 1945-1945: Iver Tømmerås (Bp)
  • 1945-1945: Johannes Tømmerås (V)
  • 1946–1947: Ole L. Haugen (Ap)
  • 1948–1951: Ivar Moe (Bp)
  • 1952–1955: Håkon Letvik (Ap)
  • 1956–1959: Torfinn Haugum (Bp)
  • 1960–1971: Håkon Letvik (Ap)
  • 1972–1982: Agnar Gartland (Sp)
  • 1982–1983: Oluf Moe (H)
  • 1984–1985: Finn Jørgensen (Ap)
  • 1986–1987: Bo Pettersen (V)
  • 1988–1991: Finn Jørgensen (Ap)
  • 1992–1999: Torbjørn Østerås (Sp)
  • 1999-2003: Helge Formo (Ap)
  • 2003-2011: Erik Seem (Sp)
  • 2011-2019: Skjalg Åkerøy (Ap)
  • 2019–2023: Borgny Grande (Sp)
  • 2023-present: Ann Jeanett Klinkenberg (Ap)[35]

Transportation

The European route E6 highway follows the river Namsen across the municipality, as does the Nordland Line. The two main stations on the Nordland Line are Grong Station in Medjå and Harran Station in Harran. The old Namsos Line railway used to run from Grong to Namsos, but that is now closed.

Notable people

  • The old Gløshaug church in Gartland
    The old Gløshaug church in Gartland
  • County road from Grong to Sweden
    County road from Grong to Sweden
  • Train station in Grong
    Train station in Grong
  • Foss i Grong
    Foss i Grong

References

  1. ^ a b "Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 16 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  3. ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  4. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  5. ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  6. ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
  7. ^ Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  8. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1903). Norske gaardnavne: Nordre Trondhjems amt (in Norwegian) (15 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 295.
  9. ^ "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Grong, Nord-Trøndelag (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 6 February 1987. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  12. ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Trøndelag Trööndelage". Valgdirektoratet. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Trøndelag". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  15. ^ a b c d "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  16. ^ "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nord-Trøndelag". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  18. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  19. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  21. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  22. ^ "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  23. ^ "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  24. ^ "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  25. ^ "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  26. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  27. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  28. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  29. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  30. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  31. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  32. ^ Bjerken, Martin (1950). Grong bygdebok for Grong, Harran, Namsskogan og Røyrvik (in Norwegian). Grong kommune. pp. 205–210.
  33. ^ Seem, Anne Marie (1999). Alle disse dager. Grong 1900–2000 (in Norwegian). Grong kommune. ISBN 9788291134321.
  34. ^ Strand, Jørgen P. (1990–1993). Grong bygdebok. Gårds- og slektshistorie (in Norwegian). Vol. 1–3. Grong kommune.
  35. ^ "Grong: Arbeiderpartiet får ordføreren". NRK Trøndelag (in Norwegian). 23 September 2023.