Nærøyfjord
Encyclopedia
The Nærøyfjord is a fjord
in the municipality of Aurland
in Sogn og Fjordane
, Norway
. The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord
, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists. The 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) long fjord is only 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) wide in some parts.
The river Nærøydalselvi flows down the valley Nærøydalen into the fjord at the village of Gudvangen
, near the highway . The village of Bakka
and the Bakka church are located on the west shore of the fjord.
Since 2005, the Nærøyfjord has been listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
. It has also been rated by the National Geographic Society
as the world's number one natural heritage site along with the Geirangerfjord
.
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...
in the municipality of Aurland
Aurland
Aurland is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen. Other villages include Bakka, Flåm, Undredal, and Gudvangen....
in Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
, 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 narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world. Located in Sogn og Fjordane county, it stretches inland to the small village of Skjolden...
, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists. The 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) long fjord is only 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) wide in some parts.
The river Nærøydalselvi flows down the valley Nærøydalen into the fjord at the village of Gudvangen
Gudvangen
Gudvangen is a village in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is a popular tourist destination and is located at the end of the Nærøyfjord where the Nærøydalselvi river empties into the fjord. The highway passes by the village...
, near the highway . The village of Bakka
Bakka, Sogn og Fjordane
Bakka is a tiny village in the municipality of Aurland, Norway. It is located on the western shore of the Nærøyfjord, about north of Gudvangen and the highway . The village is home to the Bakka Church. In 2000, the Bakka Tunnel was constructed on the road from Gudvangen to Bakka.-Name:The name...
and the Bakka church are located on the west shore of the fjord.
Since 2005, the Nærøyfjord has been listed as a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. It has also been rated by the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
as the world's number one natural heritage site along with the Geirangerfjord
Geirangerfjord
The Geiranger Fjord is a fjord in the Sunnmøre region of Møre og Romsdal county in Norway. It is in the municipality of Stranda. It is a long branch of the Storfjord...
.