Hjelmeland
Encyclopedia
is a municipality
in Rogaland
county
, Norway
. Hjelmeland was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). Two other municipalities were later separated from it: Årdal
(in 1849) and Fister
(in 1884), but these were both again merged with Hjelmeland on 1 January 1965.
Hjelmeland is known for their fruit (apple
s, pear
s, plum
s, cherries
and strawberries
) and fish production. Salmon
has been important for the fish industry in Hjelmeland for a couple of decades, but white fish such as cod
and halibut
has increased its value in the latter years.
Hjelmeland is a very beautiful municipality, with deep fjord
s, mountain
s, archipelago
, and good opportunities for outdoor activities, like fishing
and mountain-trekking,
) is named after the old Hjelmeland farm (Old Norse
: Hjalmaland), since the first church was built there. The first element is the plural genitive case
of hjalmr which means "helmet
" and this is referring to two heights behind the farm which have the form of two helmets. The last element is land which means "land" or "farm".
is from modern times. They were granted on 30 November 1984. The arms show a plait of straw and are based on the local tradition of making chairs and other furniture with seats of woven twigs (jærstoler). The process of weaving is symbolised in the arms. At the same time the arms show the strength and solidarity of the municipality.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in Rogaland
Rogaland
is a county in Western Norway, bordering Hordaland, Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. It is the center of the Norwegian petroleum industry, and as a result of this, Rogaland has the lowest unemployment rate of any county in Norway, 1.1%...
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...
. Hjelmeland was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt
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...
). Two other municipalities were later separated from it: Årdal
Årdal, Rogaland
Årdal is a former municipality in Rogaland County, Norway.Dating from 1837, Årdal was a part of Hjelmeland formannskapsdistrikt, but it became a municipality of its own in 1859. On 1 January 1965 the majority of Årdal, with 743 inhabitants, became a part of Hjelmeland municipality once again...
(in 1849) and Fister
Fister
Fister is a small village near Stavanger in the Hjelmeland municipality on the south-western Norwegian coast. Fister has the highest average temperature in Norway. It is visited by many tourists each year...
(in 1884), but these were both again merged with Hjelmeland on 1 January 1965.
Hjelmeland is known for their fruit (apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, pear
Pear
The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
s, plum
Plum
A plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and solitary side buds , the flowers in groups of one to five together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one...
s, cherries
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
and strawberries
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
) and fish production. Salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
has been important for the fish industry in Hjelmeland for a couple of decades, but white fish such as cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
and halibut
Halibut
Halibut is a flatfish, genus Hippoglossus, from the family of the right-eye flounders . Other flatfish are also called halibut. The name is derived from haly and butt , for its popularity on Catholic holy days...
has increased its value in the latter years.
Hjelmeland is a very beautiful municipality, with deep 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, 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...
s, archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
, and good opportunities for outdoor activities, like fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and mountain-trekking,
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 Hjelmeland 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....
: Hjalmaland), since the first church was built there. The first element is the plural genitive case
Genitive case
In grammar, genitive is the grammatical case that marks a noun as modifying another noun...
of hjalmr which means "helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
" and this is referring to two heights behind the farm which have the form of two helmets. The last element is land which means "land" or "farm".
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. They were granted on 30 November 1984. The arms show a plait of straw and are based on the local tradition of making chairs and other furniture with seats of woven twigs (jærstoler). The process of weaving is symbolised in the arms. At the same time the arms show the strength and solidarity of the municipality.
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
- http://www.ryfylke.com