Midsund
Encyclopedia
Midsund is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Romsdal
region
. The administrative centre is the village of Midsund on Otrøya
island. The municipality consists of the islands of Otrøya
, Midøya
, Dryna
, and the smaller (<1 km) islands of Magerøya and Tautra. The islands all sit at the mouth of the great Romsdalsfjord
.
(population: 1,912) was merged together with part of Midøya
island and the neighboring island of Dryna
(population: 334) which were part of Vatne municipality.
that flows between the island
s of Otrøya
and Midøy, the Midsundet (Old Norse
: Miðjusund). The first element of the name Miðja means "middle" and the second element sund means "strait" or "sound".
is from modern times. They were granted on 15 May 1987. The arms show two silver triangle
s on a blue background, representing Otrøya and Midøya islands in the ocean. These two main islands in the municipality are separated by a small strait, the Midsund. The geographical situation is symbolised in the arms.
has one parish with two churches within the municipality of Midsund. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
and the Molde domprosti (Deanery
).
. To the north the open sea begins, although the smaller (yet populated) islands of Harøya
and Fjørtofta
are even further out. These islands are part of the communities of Sandøy
and Haram
and are about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from Otrøya.
The three largest islands of the community lie in a line from ENE to WSW (Otrøya
, Midøya
, and Dryna
). Magerøy is between Midøy and Otrøy, a bridge connects it to the latter. Tautra lies in the Moldefjord. Otrøya is the main island of the community, measuring about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) from east to west. The southern coast of Otrøya, Midøya, and Dryna rises from the fjord as sheer 800 metres (2,624.7 ft) tall cliffs. At Oppstad, the cliff is feared to collapse, which would cause a small tsunami
in the Moldefjord.
On the southcoast of Otrøya the following small villages can be found: (from east to west) Solholmen, Nord-Heggdal
, Oppstad, Sør-Heggdal, and Klauset. The north has the following villages: (east to west) Ræstad, Rakvåg, Tangen, Raknes, and Uglvik. On the western side of Otrøya, facing the bay that separates it from Midøya, lies the village of Midsund, the largest settlement in the community. The Midsund Bridge
connects it with Midøya. Dryna and Midøya are also connected with a bridge. Ferries run between the islands and the mainland, they go across the Julsund
to Molde
(from Solholmen) and Brattvåg
(from Dryna). The larger three islands' interior is wilderness, but the rims are used for keeping cattle and small farming.
or small farmers.
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
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 Romsdal
Romsdal
Romsdal is the name of a traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal comprises Aukra, Fræna, Midsund, Molde, Nesset, Rauma, Sandøy, and Vestnes. It is named for the valley of Romsdalen, which covers part of Rauma.The...
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 is the village of Midsund on Otrøya
Otrøya
Otrøya is the largest island of the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord. The highest point is Oppstadhornet at above sea level....
island. The municipality consists of the islands of Otrøya
Otrøya
Otrøya is the largest island of the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord. The highest point is Oppstadhornet at above sea level....
, Midøya
Midøya
Midøya is an island in the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord between the islands of Dryna and Otrøya. Until 1965 the island was divided between the municipalities of Sør-Aukra and Vatne. The Midsund Bridge connects the island...
, Dryna
Dryna
Dryna is an island in the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is the westernmost of the main islands in the municipality. The island sits between the Harøyfjord and the Midfjord, at the entrance to the great Romsdalfjord. Until 1965, Dryna was part of Haram.Dryna has a...
, and the smaller (<1 km) islands of Magerøya and Tautra. The islands all sit at the mouth of the great Romsdalsfjord
Romsdalsfjord
Romsdalsfjord is the ninth longest fjord in Norway. It is long and located in the Romsdal district of Møre og Romsdal county. It flows through the municipalities of Midsund, Haram, Vestnes, Molde, Nesset, and Rauma...
.
General information
The municipality of Midsund was established on 1 January 1965 when the old municipality of Sør-AukraSør-Aukra
Sør-Aukra is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It consisted of the island of Otrøya and some small surrounding islands at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord.-History:...
(population: 1,912) was merged together with part of Midøya
Midøya
Midøya is an island in the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord between the islands of Dryna and Otrøya. Until 1965 the island was divided between the municipalities of Sør-Aukra and Vatne. The Midsund Bridge connects the island...
island and the neighboring island of Dryna
Dryna
Dryna is an island in the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is the westernmost of the main islands in the municipality. The island sits between the Harøyfjord and the Midfjord, at the entrance to the great Romsdalfjord. Until 1965, Dryna was part of Haram.Dryna has a...
(population: 334) which were part of Vatne municipality.
Name
The municipality is named after the straitStrait
A strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
that flows between the island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s of Otrøya
Otrøya
Otrøya is the largest island of the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord. The highest point is Oppstadhornet at above sea level....
and Midøy, the Midsundet (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....
: Miðjusund). The first element of the name Miðja means "middle" and the second element sund means "strait" or "sound".
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 15 May 1987. The arms show two silver triangle
Triangle
A triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are line segments. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted ....
s on a blue background, representing Otrøya and Midøya islands in the ocean. These two main islands in the municipality are separated by a small strait, the Midsund. The geographical situation is symbolised in the arms.
Churches
The Church of NorwayChurch of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
has one parish with two churches within the municipality of Midsund. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
Diocese of Møre
The Diocese of Møre is a diocese in the Church of Norway which geographically consists of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Its bishop and cathedral are located in the county administrative center of Molde...
and the Molde domprosti (Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
).
| Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midsund | Otrøya kyrkje | 1878 | Uglvik, Otrøya Otrøya Otrøya is the largest island of the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord. The highest point is Oppstadhornet at above sea level.... |
| Nord-Heggdal kapell | 1974 | Nord-Heggdal Nord-Heggdal Nord-Heggdal is a village in the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located southwest of Molde on the south side of Otrøya island, along the Romsdalsfjord. The Nord-Heggdal church is located here.... |
Geography
The islands are separated from the mainland by the 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) wide MoldefjordMoldefjord
The Moldefjord is a fjord in the municipality of Molde in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is a long branch of the Romsdalsfjord, running past the city of Molde in and east-west bound direction from Julsund to the west, north of the Molde archipelago and Bolsøya, and continuing east into the...
. To the north the open sea begins, although the smaller (yet populated) islands of Harøya
Harøya
Harøya is a swampy island in the municipality of Sandøy in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is the largest island in the municipality. The island is located between the islands of Finnøya and Fjørtofta ....
and Fjørtofta
Fjørtofta
Fjørtofta is an island in the municipality of Haram in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the northern part of the municipality of Haram, between the islands of Flemsøya , Harøya , and Midøya and Dryna ....
are even further out. These islands are part of the communities of Sandøy
Sandøy
Sandøy is an island municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The administrative centre is the village of Steinshamn. Other villages include Ona and Myklebost...
and 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...
and are about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from Otrøya.
The three largest islands of the community lie in a line from ENE to WSW (Otrøya
Otrøya
Otrøya is the largest island of the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord. The highest point is Oppstadhornet at above sea level....
, Midøya
Midøya
Midøya is an island in the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjord between the islands of Dryna and Otrøya. Until 1965 the island was divided between the municipalities of Sør-Aukra and Vatne. The Midsund Bridge connects the island...
, and Dryna
Dryna
Dryna is an island in the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is the westernmost of the main islands in the municipality. The island sits between the Harøyfjord and the Midfjord, at the entrance to the great Romsdalfjord. Until 1965, Dryna was part of Haram.Dryna has a...
). Magerøy is between Midøy and Otrøy, a bridge connects it to the latter. Tautra lies in the Moldefjord. Otrøya is the main island of the community, measuring about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) from east to west. The southern coast of Otrøya, Midøya, and Dryna rises from the fjord as sheer 800 metres (2,624.7 ft) tall cliffs. At Oppstad, the cliff is feared to collapse, which would cause a small tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
in the Moldefjord.
On the southcoast of Otrøya the following small villages can be found: (from east to west) Solholmen, Nord-Heggdal
Nord-Heggdal
Nord-Heggdal is a village in the municipality of Midsund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located southwest of Molde on the south side of Otrøya island, along the Romsdalsfjord. The Nord-Heggdal church is located here....
, Oppstad, Sør-Heggdal, and Klauset. The north has the following villages: (east to west) Ræstad, Rakvåg, Tangen, Raknes, and Uglvik. On the western side of Otrøya, facing the bay that separates it from Midøya, lies the village of Midsund, the largest settlement in the community. The Midsund Bridge
Midsund Bridge
Midsund Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Midsundet strait between the islands of Otrøya and Midøya in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long bridge opened on 28 June 1969 and cost .-See also:*List of bridges in Norway...
connects it with Midøya. Dryna and Midøya are also connected with a bridge. Ferries run between the islands and the mainland, they go across the Julsund
Julsund
Julsundet is a long strait between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Romsdalsfjord, about 15 minutes west of Molde, Norway. It runs through the municipalities of Fræna, Aukra, Molde, and Midsund, flowing north-south from Bud to Julneset . It is between the Romsdal peninsula and the islands of...
to Molde
Molde
is a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
(from Solholmen) and Brattvåg
Brattvåg
Brattvåg is a village and the administrative centre of the municipality of Haram in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located on the Norwegian mainland, along the west side of the Samfjorden. It is northwest of Vatne/Eidsvik...
(from Dryna). The larger three islands' interior is wilderness, but the rims are used for keeping cattle and small farming.
Demographics
The community has 1,939 inhabitants (January 2005), with 50.3% male. The percentage of people older than 67 is 18.3%. Unemployment is 2.3%. Population growth is stable. Most inhabitants are fishersFishing
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....
or small farmers.