Geography and environment

Covering an area of 2204.7 square kilometres (851.2 sq mi), it is the fourth-largest island in the country, and the largest off the mainland. The western part of the island is in the Vesterålen

Vesterålen

Vesterålen is a district and archipelago in Nordland, Norway, just north of Lofoten.-The name:The Norse forms of the name were Vestráll and Vestrálar . The first element is vestr n west, the last element is áll m ' sound, strait'...

 district, while the southwestern part is in Lofoten

Lofoten

Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...

. As of 2006, it had a population of 31,851, of which the only town is Harstad

Harstad

is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...

. Villages include Borkenes

Borkenes

Borkenes is a village in the municipality of Kvæfjord in Troms county, Norway. The village has about 1,524 inhabitants and it also is the administrative centre of Kvæfjord municipality....

, Lødingen

Lødingen

Lødingen is a village and municipality in Nordland in Northern Norway. Lødingen is located on the southeastern corner of the island Hinnøya, and is part of the Ofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lødingen.Lødingen was established as a...

, Sigerfjord

Sigerfjord

Sigerfjord is a village in Sortland municipality, Norway, located on Hinnøya by the Sigerfjorden inlet. Its population is 792....

 and Sørvik

Sørvik

Sørvik is a village approximately south of the city of Harstad in Troms county, Norway. Its population is about 451. The community includes a school, Sørvik Barne- og Ungdomsskole, housing grades 5 through 10; a kindergarten, Sørvik barnehage; and a retirement home, Sørvik eldrehjem...

.
The island is split between the municipalities of Harstad

Harstad

is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...

 and Kvæfjord

Kvæfjord

Kvæfjord is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is part of the Hålogaland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borkenes....

 in Troms, and Andøy

Andøy

Andøy is the northernmost municipality in Nordland county, Norway, and it belongs to the Vesterålen archipelago. The largest island in the municipality is Andøya. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Andenes....

, Hadsel

Hadsel

Hadsel is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Stokmarknes, and the other village on the island of Hadseløya is Melbu. Hadsel was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...

, Lødingen

Lødingen

Lødingen is a village and municipality in Nordland in Northern Norway. Lødingen is located on the southeastern corner of the island Hinnøya, and is part of the Ofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lødingen.Lødingen was established as a...

, Sortland

Sortland

is a town and municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland...

, Tjeldsund

Tjeldsund

Tjeldsund is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Ofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hol i Tjeldsund. Tjeldsund was separated from the municipality of Lødingen in 1909....

 and Vågan

Vågan

Vågan is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Lofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Svolvær....

 in Nordland. Hinnøya is dissected by several fjord

Fjord

Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...

s, and contains a mostly rugged and mountainous terrain, especially the southern part. It is the location of Møysalen National Park

Møysalen National Park

Møysalen National Park is a national park located on Hinnøya in North Norway that preserves undisturbed coastal alpine landscape. The scenery is characterized by peaks jutting out of the ocean and fjords, the highest point is Møysalen . The park is largely undisturbed...

, which includes the highest mountain on the island, Møysalen

Møysalen

Møysalen is at 1262 metres the highest mountain on the island Hinnøya , and the second highest mountain on any island in Norway. It is located within Møysalen National Park....

, with its 1262 metres (4,140.4 ft) above sea level. The best agricultural area is in the northeast, in Harstad and Kvæfjord. In the north lays a nature reserves contianing a valley with forests, bogs and the oldest pine tree in Norway, which is 700 years old.

Hinnøya is connected to the mainland by the Tjeldsund Bridge

Tjeldsund Bridge

The Tjeldsund Bridge is a suspension road bridge that crosses Tjeldsundet between the mainland and Hinnøya in Troms county in Norway. The bridge is 1007 metres long, the main span is 290 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 41 metres...

 across Tjeldsundet

Tjeldsundet

Tjeldsundet is the sound or strait that is located between the island Hinnøya and mainland Norway in the northern part, and in the southern part it is between Hinnøya and Tjeldøya island...

. To the west it is connected to Langøya

Langøya

Langøya is the third largest island of Norway , with an area of . The island is a part of Vesterålen, and is situated in Nordland county, just west of Hinnøya. The Sortlandssundet divides the two islands. It includes the municipality of Bø, and parts of the municipalities of Øksnes, Sortland and...

 by the Sortland Bridge

Sortland Bridge

Sortland Bridge is a cantilever road bridge that crosses Sortlandssundet between Strand on Hinnøya and the town of Sortland on Langøya in Nordland county, Norway. The bridge is 948 metres long, the main span is 150 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 30 metres. The bridge has 21...

, and to the north to Andøya

Andøya

Andøya is the northernmost island in the archipelago of Vesterålen. Andøya is located in the Andøy municipality in Nordland county, Norway.The island has an area of 489 km², making it the tenth largest island in Norway. The island is connected to the neighboring island of Hinnøya using the...

 by the Andøy Bridge

Andøy Bridge

Andøy Bridge is a cantilever road bridge that crosses Risøysundet between Andøya and Hinnøya in Nordland county in Norway. The bridge is 750 metres long, the main span is 110 metres, and the maximum clearing to the sea is 30 metres. The bridge has 21 spans.Andøy Bridge was opened in 1974...

. The Lofoten Fixed Link, was taken into use on 1 December 2007. Part of European Route E10

European route E10

European route E 10 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Å, Norway and ends in Luleå, Sweden. The road is about 850 km in length...

, it runs close to the national park. In the was officially opened on December 1, 2007. The road is designated as the E10

European route E10

European route E 10 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Å, Norway and ends in Luleå, Sweden. The road is about 850 km in length...

 and goes very close to Møysalen National Park.

The name

The Norse form of the name was just Hinn (-øya meaning 'the island' was added later). The large island is almost divided in two parts by Gullesfjorden

Gullesfjorden

Gullesfjorden is a fjord that cuts into the island of Hinnøya in Troms county in Norway. It is located in the municipality of Kvæfjord.The long fjord is one of three which branch off of the Andfjorden on the north side of Hinnøya. The other two branches are Godfjorden and Kvæfjorden...

 and Kanstadfjorden, and the old name is probably derived from an old verb with the meaning 'cleave, split, cut'. (See also the names Hitra

Hitra

Hitra is a municipality and an island in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality covers the island of Hitra and several smaller islands, and is part of the Fosen region...

 and Hidra

Hidra

Hidra is an island and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Flekkefjord. The island has two harbours: Rasvåg and Kirkehavn. It is the largest island in Vest-Agder county and it is separated from the mainland by the wide...

.)

Climate

Borkenes in Kvæfjord (36 m amsl) has mean annual temperature of 4°C and mean annual precipitation 820 mm (source met.no).

External links

• Wildlife of the Hinnøya region