Balsfjord Municipality

Balsfjord Municipality
Balsfjord kommune

Báhccavuona suohkan (Northern Sami)
Paatsivuonon komuuni (Kven)
Balsfjorden herred  (historic name)
View of Nordkjosbotn
View of Nordkjosbotn
Flag of Balsfjord Municipality
Coat of arms of Balsfjord Municipality
Troms within Norway
Troms within Norway
Balsfjord within Troms
Balsfjord within Troms
Coordinates: 69°18′17″N 19°12′13″E / 69.30472°N 19.20361°E / 69.30472; 19.20361
CountryNorway
CountyTroms
DistrictHålogaland
Established1860
 • Preceded byTromsøe landdistrikt
Administrative centreStorsteinnes
Government
 • Mayor (2023)Laila Monica Johannessen (Sp)
Area
 • Total1,496.99 km2 (577.99 sq mi)
 • Land1,440.03 km2 (556.00 sq mi)
 • Water56.96 km2 (21.99 sq mi)  3.8%
 • Rank#58 in Norway
Highest elevation1,587 m (5,207 ft)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total5,571
 • Rank#173 in Norway
 • Density3.7/km2 (10/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Decrease −0.4%
DemonymBalsfjording[2]
Official language
 • Norwegian formBokmål
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-5532[4]
WebsiteOfficial website

Balsfjord (Northern Sami: Báhccavuotna - pronounced [ˈpaːhːt͡saˌvuo̯tna]; Kven: Paatsivuono) is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storsteinnes. Other notable villages include Mestervik, Mortenhals, and Nordkjosbotn.

The 1,497-square-kilometre (578 sq mi) municipality is the 58th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Balsfjord is the 173rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,571. The municipality's population density is 3.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (9.6/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 0.4% over the previous 10-year period.[5][6]

The municipality surrounds two fjords: Malangen and Balsfjorden, surrounded by comparatively rich farmlands under majestic peaks including the southern end of the Lyngen Alps.

  1. ^ "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).

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