Borgund, Møre og Romsdal
Encyclopedia
Borgund is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal
county, Norway
. The municipality consisted of the islands of Sula, Humla
, Tørla
, and Ellingsøy
a, as well as parts of Oksenøya
, Hessa
, and Nørvøya
, plus many minor islands throughout the area. Giske
and Skodje
were also originally part of the municipality.
). According to the 1835 census, the municipality had a population of 3,754. In 1849, the district of Skodje
was separated from Borgund to become a municipality of its own. This left Borgund with 4,461 inhabitants. On 1 January 1908, the islands of Giske
were separated from Borgund to become a separate municipality. Borgund then had a population of 6,734. On 1 January 1916, a small part of Skodje (population: 14) was transferred to Borgund. Also on 1 July 1958, a small part of Hareid
on the island of Sula with 68 inhabitants was transferred to Borgund.
On 1 January 1965, the northern part of Borgund (including the Gamlem, Søvik, and Grytastranda areas on the mainland and the islands of Bjørnøya
, Terøya
and many small islands around them) with 1,191 inhabitants, was incorporated into the neighboring Haram
municipality to the north. On 1 January 1968, Borgund municipality ceased to exist when it was incorporated into the town of Ålesund
. Prior to the merger Borgund had a population of 20,132. It was the most populous municipality in Møre og Romsdal at the time. On 1 January 1977, the island of Sula
, previously a part of Borgund, was separated from Ålesund to constitute a separate municipality.
. However, when the Norwegian Parliament agreed to the incorporation, Borgund's municipal council passed a resolution that the new municipality be named Borgund instead of Ålesund. The case went to the Government of Norway, who drafted a resolution that the name Ålesund should be kept. In the Council of State of 10 March 1967, the cabinet Borten
agreed to this, except for Per Borten
, Kjell Bondevik
, Bjarne Lyngstad
, and Dagfinn Vårvik
who formally dissented—to no avail. The name Ålesund was recommended, and the Norwegian Parliament passed it.
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The municipality consisted of the islands of Sula, Humla
Humla, Norway
Humla is a small island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the Åsefjorden south and west of Oksenøya, north of Sula, and northwest of Tørla. The island was part of the municipality of Borgund until 1968 when it was merged into Ålesund. Humla is...
, Tørla
Tørla
Tørla is a small island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It has bridge connections to Humla and to Oksenøya . The island is located in the inner part of the Borgundfjorden, south of Spjelkavik and just north of the island of Sula.The island was part of Borgund...
, and Ellingsøy
Ellingsøy
Ellingsøy or Ellingsøya is the northernmost island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. With an area of , Ellingsøy is the second largest island in the municipality. The island is located northeast of the town of Ålesund, north of the islands of Nørvøya and Oksenøya,...
a, as well as parts of Oksenøya
Oksenøya
Oksenøya or Uksenøya is an island in the municipalities of Ålesund and Skodje in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Oksenøya has an area of . The Ålesund half of the island is home to about 24,000 people, the Skodje side has significantly less...
, Hessa
Hessa
Heissa or Hessa is an island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is the westernmost island in the municipality and it is located west and south of the island of Aspøya, south of Giske and Valderøy, east of Godøya, and north of Sula.The island contains mostly...
, and Nørvøya
Nørvøya
Nørvøya is an island in the municipality of Ålesund, Norway. It is the larger of the two islands containing the city center of Ålesund, the other being Aspøya, located to the west...
, plus many minor islands throughout the area. Giske
Giske
Giske is an island and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It lies north-northwest of the town of Ålesund in the Sunnmøre traditional district. The municipal center is the village of Nordstrand on the island of Valderøy. Other population centers include the villages of Roald and...
and Skodje
Skodje
Skodje is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is of the municipality is the village of Skodje...
were also originally part of the municipality.
History
The municipality of Borgund was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). According to the 1835 census, the municipality had a population of 3,754. In 1849, the district of Skodje
Skodje
Skodje is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is of the municipality is the village of Skodje...
was separated from Borgund to become a municipality of its own. This left Borgund with 4,461 inhabitants. On 1 January 1908, the islands of Giske
Giske
Giske is an island and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It lies north-northwest of the town of Ålesund in the Sunnmøre traditional district. The municipal center is the village of Nordstrand on the island of Valderøy. Other population centers include the villages of Roald and...
were separated from Borgund to become a separate municipality. Borgund then had a population of 6,734. On 1 January 1916, a small part of Skodje (population: 14) was transferred to Borgund. Also on 1 July 1958, a small part of Hareid
Hareid
Hareid is a village and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Hareid...
on the island of Sula with 68 inhabitants was transferred to Borgund.
On 1 January 1965, the northern part of Borgund (including the Gamlem, Søvik, and Grytastranda areas on the mainland and the islands of Bjørnøya
Bjørnøya, Haram
Bjørnøya is a populated island in the municipality of Haram in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is connected to the Norwegian mainland through a man-made causeway. The nearest larger village on the mainland is Søvik. To the east of the Bjørnøya lies the island of Terøya. The two islands are...
, Terøya
Terøya, Haram
Terøya is a little island in the municipality Haram in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The population of Terøya is concentrated on the southern and eastern parts of the island. Terøya is connected to Søvik on the mainland by a causeway on the east side. The island of Bjørnøya lies to the west...
and many small islands around them) with 1,191 inhabitants, was incorporated into the neighboring Haram
Haram, Norway
Haram is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative center is Brattvåg, the industrial center of Sunnmøre. Other important villages in the municipality include Austnes, Eidsvik, Helle, Longva, Søvik, Tennfjord, and Vatne.Brattvåg IL is...
municipality to the north. On 1 January 1968, Borgund municipality ceased to exist when it was incorporated into the town of Ålesund
Ålesund
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sunnmøre, and the center of the Ålesund Region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture....
. Prior to the merger Borgund had a population of 20,132. It was the most populous municipality in Møre og Romsdal at the time. On 1 January 1977, the island of Sula
Sula, Norway
is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Langevåg. Other villages include Solevåg, Fiskarstrand, Veibust, Leirvågen, and Mauseidvågen. Sula is one of the most densely populated municipalities of Møre og...
, previously a part of Borgund, was separated from Ålesund to constitute a separate municipality.
Incorporation into Ålesund
There was considerable debate on the 1968 incorporation into Ålesund and on what to name the new, larger municipality. The municipal council of Borgund opposed its own incorporation into Ålesund as worked out by the Schei CommitteeSchei Committee
The Schei Committee was a committee named by the Government of Norway to look into the organization of municipalities in Norway post-World War II.It convened in 1946, and its formal name was...
. However, when the Norwegian Parliament agreed to the incorporation, Borgund's municipal council passed a resolution that the new municipality be named Borgund instead of Ålesund. The case went to the Government of Norway, who drafted a resolution that the name Ålesund should be kept. In the Council of State of 10 March 1967, the cabinet Borten
Cabinet Borten
Borten's Cabinet governed Norway between 12 October 1965 and 17 March 1971. The cabinet wes led by Per Borten and consisted of the Conservative Party, the Centre Party, the Liberal Party and the Christian Democratic Party. It had the following composition:...
agreed to this, except for Per Borten
Per Borten
was a Norwegian politician from the Centre Party and Prime Minister of Norway from 1965 to 1971. Per Borten is credited for leading the modernization of what was then named Bondepartiet into today's Centre Party...
, Kjell Bondevik
Kjell Bondevik
Kjell Bondevik was a Norwegian politician for the Christian Democratic Party.He was born in Leikanger. He graduated with the cand.philol. and mag.art. degrees in 1927. He worked as a teacher and headmaster in schools in Oslo, Haugesund and Sauda...
, Bjarne Lyngstad
Bjarne Lyngstad
Bjarne Lyngstad was a Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party.He was born in Inderøy.From August to September 1963 he served as the Minister of Local Government and Work Affairs during the short-lived centre-right cabinet Lyng...
, and Dagfinn Vårvik
Dagfinn Vårvik
Dagfinn Vårvik is a Norwegian politician for the Centre Party.From August to September 1963 he was Minister of Finance during the short-lived centre-right cabinet Lyng...
who formally dissented—to no avail. The name Ålesund was recommended, and the Norwegian Parliament passed it.