Fauske
Encyclopedia
is a town and municipality
located in Nordland
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Salten
region
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Fauske with approximately 6,000 inhabitants.
Fauske was separated from the municipality of Skjerstad
on 1 January 1905. Township was declared in 1998. The town is located on the northern shore of Skjerstadfjorden. The municipality borders Sweden
in the east and the municipalities of Sørfold
to the north, Bodø
to the west, and Saltdal
to the southeast.
) is named after the old Fauske farm (Old Norse
: Fauskar), since the first church was built there (in 1866). The name is the plural form of fauskr which means "old and rotten tree".
is from modern times (1988). The arms show a reef knot
to represent Fauske as a center of commerce
and transportation.
Several marble
quarries
are located in the municipality. The marble is exported to many countries, where it can be observed in many monumental buildings, among them the United Nations Headquarters
in New York City
. There are also dolostone
quarries in Fauske, as well as some agriculture
. Salten Kraftsamband
and Fauske Lysverk
are important employers in Fauske. The town is a commercial centre for parts of the inland areas of Salten
, and has hotel and camping
facilities. FK Fauske/Sprint
is the local soccer team.
In earlier days, mining in Sulitjelma
was very important.
The Nordlandsbanen railroad
passes through the municipality, reaching Bodø
west of Fauske. Travellers going further north usually leave the train in Fauske, and travel by express bus to Narvik
or further, using European route E6
which goes through the center of Fauske. The E6 from Mo i Rana
north to Fauske crosses over Saltfjellet
, and the E6 further north to Narvik also goes through very rugged terrain; these are among the most scenic drives in Norway, although there are many tunnels in the Sørfold
area. The Norwegian national road
Rv 80 to Bodø, 62 km to the west, departs from E6 in the centre of Fauske.
s in Fauske: Blåmannsisen
and Sulitjelmaisen
; covering about 14% of the municipality. The highest mountain
is Suliskongen at 1907 metres (6,256.6 ft) above sea level. There are many lakes in the municipality, such as Langvatnet
, Låmivatnet
, and Nedrevatnet
.
Junkerdal National Park
and Sjunkhatten National Park
are partly located in Fauske. Sulitjelma
, located 44 km by road east of Fauske, is a good starting point for hiking
in the mountains and hikes to the glaciers. There are several DNT
lodges in this area. There are many nature reserve
s in the municipality, such as Veten nature reserve with calcareous
pine
forest
and a rich understory
and Fauskeeidet wetland area with rich bird life and observation tower
. There are several cave
s in the municipality. The fairly easy accessible Svarthamarhola (Svarthamar cave) is one of the largest caves in northern Europe, also hosting one of the worlds most northerly bat
colonies.
and has 24-hr of daylight from early May to the beginning of August, with midnight sun
from the beginning of June to the second week of July. Average 24-hour temperatures in Fauske is below freezing from mid-November to the last part of March, but the ice free fjord moderates winter temperatures. Summer starts in June with moderate summer temperatures lasting until early September. Precipitation is heaviest from September to December (usually as snow
in December); average annual precipitation is 1040 mm. Daytime temperatures are usually significantly warmer than the 24-hr average from March to September, while there is very little diurnal temperature variation
from November to early February as the sun is very low or below the horizon all day. However, temperatures varies considerably with the weather; there might be cool westerlies with 10°C and rain both night and day in July, and the next day might be sunny with daytime temperature reaching 25°C. Southwesterlies can bring thaws anytime in winter, but not in the mountains, which usually get large amounts of snow in winter - the main reason for the large glaciers and the hydropower in the area.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
located in Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
, 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...
. It is part of the Salten
Salten
Salten is a district in Nordland in North Norway, consisting of the municipalities Meløy, Gildeskål, Bodø, Beiarn, Saltdal, Fauske, Sørfold, Steigen and Hamarøy. The district borders Helgeland in the south , Ofoten in the north, Sweden in the east and Vestfjorden in the west...
region
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Fauske with approximately 6,000 inhabitants.
Fauske was separated from the municipality of Skjerstad
Skjerstad
Skjerstad is a former municipality in the county of Nordland, Norway.Skjerstad was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . Fauske was separated from Skjerstad January 1, 1905...
on 1 January 1905. Township was declared in 1998. The town is located on the northern shore of Skjerstadfjorden. The municipality borders Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in the east and the municipalities of Sørfold
Sørfold
Sørfold is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Straumen. The old municipality of Folden was divided into Sørfold and Nordfold-Kjerringøy on 1 January 1887.-General...
to the north, Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
to the west, and Saltdal
Saltdal
-Transportation:European route E6 passes through the entire length of Saltdal, with the Nordlandsbanen railway running alongside it. A road running east through the Junkerdalen valley leads to Sweden. The nearest main airport is in Bodø, a nearly two hour drive from Rognan.- Economy :Saltdal has a...
to the southeast.
General information
Name
The municipality (originally the parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
) is named after the old Fauske farm (Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
: Fauskar), since the first church was built there (in 1866). The name is the plural form of fauskr which means "old and rotten tree".
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is from modern times (1988). The arms show a reef knot
Reef knot
The reef knot or square knot is an ancient and simple binding knot used to secure a rope or line around an object. Although the reef knot is often seen used for tying two ropes together, it is not recommended for this purpose due to potential instability of the knot.A reef knot is formed by tying...
to represent Fauske as a center of commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
and transportation.
Economy
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
quarries
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
are located in the municipality. The marble is exported to many countries, where it can be observed in many monumental buildings, among them the United Nations Headquarters
United Nations headquarters
The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. There are also dolostone
Dolostone
Dolostone or dolomite rock is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. In old U.S.G.S. publications it was referred to as magnesian limestone. Most dolostone formed as a magnesium replacement of limestone or lime mud prior to lithification. It is...
quarries in Fauske, as well as some agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Salten Kraftsamband
Salten Kraftsamband
Salten Kraftsamband or SKS is a Norwegian power company that operates eight hydroelectric power stations with annual production of 1,770 GWh. Since 1997 the company has also sold power to end-users...
and Fauske Lysverk
Fauske Lysverk
Fauske Lysverk is a private power company that operates the power grid in Fauske, Norway with 6,000 customers and 440 kilometers of grid. The company does not have any of its own power production. The largest owner is the municipality , Bodø Energi and Salten Kraftsamband. Fauske Lysverk was...
are important employers in Fauske. The town is a commercial centre for parts of the inland areas of Salten
Salten
Salten is a district in Nordland in North Norway, consisting of the municipalities Meløy, Gildeskål, Bodø, Beiarn, Saltdal, Fauske, Sørfold, Steigen and Hamarøy. The district borders Helgeland in the south , Ofoten in the north, Sweden in the east and Vestfjorden in the west...
, and has hotel and camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
facilities. FK Fauske/Sprint
FK Fauske/Sprint
Fotballklubben Fauske/Sprint is a Norwegian association football club from Fauske, Nordland.It was founded on 25 April 1937.The men's football team currently plays in the Third Division, the fourth tier of Norwegian football. It last played in the Norwegian Second Division in 2001. After the 2006...
is the local soccer team.
In earlier days, mining in Sulitjelma
Sulitjelma
Sulitjelma is a village in Fauske municipality in Nordland, Norway. The village has 481 residents . Sulitjelma is situated in a lush inland valley only 140 meters amsl along the shore of the Langvatnet lake. There are many old mines in the area. Sultitjelma are virtually sourrounded by mountains...
was very important.
Transportation
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
passes through the municipality, reaching Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
west of Fauske. Travellers going further north usually leave the train in Fauske, and travel by express bus to Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
or further, using European route E6
European route E6
European route E 6 is the designation for the main north-south road in Norway, and the west coast of Sweden, running from the southern tip of Sweden, at Trelleborg, into Norway and through almost all of the country north to Finnmark. The route ends close to the Norwegian border with Russia...
which goes through the center of Fauske. The E6 from Mo i Rana
Mo i Rana
Mo i Rana is a town in the municipality of Rana, Nordland, Norway, located just south of the Arctic Circle and in the region Helgeland. The town is called "Mo i Rana" to distinquish it from other places named Mo - most notably the town of Mosjøen, also in Helgeland - though locally the town is...
north to Fauske crosses over Saltfjellet
Saltfjellet
Saltfjellet is a mountain area in Nordland, Norway that separates the two regions of Helgeland and Salten. It is also a cultural border between the Southern and Central parts of Sápmi.-Geography and environment:...
, and the E6 further north to Narvik also goes through very rugged terrain; these are among the most scenic drives in Norway, although there are many tunnels in the Sørfold
Sørfold
Sørfold is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Straumen. The old municipality of Folden was divided into Sørfold and Nordfold-Kjerringøy on 1 January 1887.-General...
area. The Norwegian national road
Norwegian national road
Norwegian national road , are roads thus categorized by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration which also maintains them...
Rv 80 to Bodø, 62 km to the west, departs from E6 in the centre of Fauske.
Nature
There are two large glacierGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s in Fauske: Blåmannsisen
Blåmannsisen
Blåmannsisen is the fifth largest glacier in mainland Norway.Its highest point is above sea level and its lowest point is . Three outlet glaciers extend from the icecap. A small outlet spills over a subglacial ridge to the north damming an unnamed lake resulting in occasion outburst floods. To...
and Sulitjelmaisen
Sulitjelmaisen
Sulitjelmaisen ' is one of the largest glaciers in mainland Norway. Part of the glacier is in Sweden, where it is referred to as Salajekna. When the whole glacier is considered , is the largest glacier in Sweden. The glacier's highest point is above sea level and its lowest point is...
; covering about 14% of the municipality. The highest mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
is Suliskongen at 1907 metres (6,256.6 ft) above sea level. There are many lakes in the municipality, such as Langvatnet
Langvatnet (Fauske)
Langvatnet is a Norwegian lake that lies in Fauske municipality in Nordland....
, Låmivatnet
Låmivatnet
Låmivatnet is a Norwegian lake that lies in Fauske municipality in Nordland.-See also:* List of lakes in Norway* Geography of Norway...
, and Nedrevatnet
Nedrevatnet
Nedrevatnet is a Norwegian lake that lies in Fauske municipality in Nordland....
.
Junkerdal National Park
Junkerdal National Park
Junkerdal National Park lies in Saltdal and Fauske municipalities in Nordland county, Norway. The park was opened in 2004 and is 682 km². The park borders Junkerdalsura nature reserve.- Nature :...
and Sjunkhatten National Park
Sjunkhatten National Park
Sjunkhatten National Park was established in 2010. The park consists of a continuous protected area, including sea area. It is located in the county Nordland in Norway, and covers parts of the municipalities Bodø, Fauske and Sørfold. The park includes glacier formed landscape, caves and water...
are partly located in Fauske. Sulitjelma
Sulitjelma
Sulitjelma is a village in Fauske municipality in Nordland, Norway. The village has 481 residents . Sulitjelma is situated in a lush inland valley only 140 meters amsl along the shore of the Langvatnet lake. There are many old mines in the area. Sultitjelma are virtually sourrounded by mountains...
, located 44 km by road east of Fauske, is a good starting point for hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
in the mountains and hikes to the glaciers. There are several DNT
Norwegian Mountain Touring Association
The Norwegian Trekking Association is a Norwegian association which maintains mountain trails and cabins in Norway. The association was founded on 21 January 1868 with the scope "to help and develop tourism in this country". Today the goal is to work for simple, secure and environmentally friendly...
lodges in this area. There are many nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s in the municipality, such as Veten nature reserve with calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
and a rich understory
Understory
Understory is the term for the area of a forest which grows at the lowest height level below the forest canopy. Plants in the understory consist of a mixture of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees together with understory shrubs and herbs...
and Fauskeeidet wetland area with rich bird life and observation tower
Observation tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least tall and made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches...
. There are several cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s in the municipality. The fairly easy accessible Svarthamarhola (Svarthamar cave) is one of the largest caves in northern Europe, also hosting one of the worlds most northerly bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
colonies.
Climate
Fauske is located inside the Arctic circleArctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
and has 24-hr of daylight from early May to the beginning of August, with midnight sun
Midnight sun
The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon occurring in summer months at latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle, and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight. Given fair weather, the sun is visible for a continuous...
from the beginning of June to the second week of July. Average 24-hour temperatures in Fauske is below freezing from mid-November to the last part of March, but the ice free fjord moderates winter temperatures. Summer starts in June with moderate summer temperatures lasting until early September. Precipitation is heaviest from September to December (usually as snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
in December); average annual precipitation is 1040 mm. Daytime temperatures are usually significantly warmer than the 24-hr average from March to September, while there is very little diurnal temperature variation
Diurnal temperature variation
Diurnal temperature variation is a meteorological term that relates to the variation in temperature that occurs from the highs of the day to the cool of nights.-Temperature lag:Temperature lag is an important factor in diurnal temperature variation...
from November to early February as the sun is very low or below the horizon all day. However, temperatures varies considerably with the weather; there might be cool westerlies with 10°C and rain both night and day in July, and the next day might be sunny with daytime temperature reaching 25°C. Southwesterlies can bring thaws anytime in winter, but not in the mountains, which usually get large amounts of snow in winter - the main reason for the large glaciers and the hydropower in the area.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly 24-hr average (°C) | -4.1 | -3.6 | -1.7 | 1.9 | 7.3 | 11.1 | 13.0 | 12.5 | 8.6 | 4.4 | -0.1 | -2.8 | |
| Average precipitation (mm) | 98 | 81 | 75 | 53 | 45 | 53 | 78 | 79 | 110 | 147 | 105 | 116 | |
| Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute. All data is for the town of Fauske (14 meters amsl Above mean sea level The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach... ) during 1961-1990; temperatures have tended to be warmer in recent years. |
|||||||||||||
Notable residents
- The authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
s Dag Ove Johansen, Trine Angelsen and Karin Risvoll live in the municipality.
- The singersSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
"Fattern" and Christel Alsos both grew up and lived in Fauske before they left for higher education and to pursue solo-careers.
- Simon SlåttvikSimon SlåttvikSimon Slåttvik was a Norwegian nordic combined skier who competed in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He won gold in individual event at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo....
(born 24 July 1917 in Valnesfjord) is a wellknown skiier in the Nordic combinedNordic combinedThe Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
event who won a gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
during the 1952 Winter Olympics1952 Winter OlympicsThe 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
in OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
- Alexander OsAlexander OsAlexander Os is a Norwegian biathlete.-Career highlights:IBU World ChampionshipsIBU World Junior ChampionshipsAlexander Os is a Norwegian biathlete....
in biathlonBiathlonBiathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
.
- Dag Sigurdson senior international civil servant with the United Nation's High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).