Skagafjörður Municipality
Encyclopedia
Skagafjörður is a municipality
that covers most the land area of the region around the fjord
with the same name (see Skagafjörður
for details on the region) in northern Iceland
.
was the only municipality in Skagafjörður that did not participate.
The merge joined together the town of Sauðárkrókur
, the villages of Hofsós
and Varmahlíð
and several rural districts. It also includes the historic cathedral
site of Hólar
which is the site of a growing university
today. The municipality today has about 4,100 inhabitants out of which 2,600 live in Sauðárkrókur.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
that covers most the land area of the region around the 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...
with the same name (see Skagafjörður
Skagafjörður
Skagafjörður is a deep bay in northern Iceland.-Location:Skagafjörður is about 40 km long and 15 km wide, situated between Tröllaskagi to the west and the Tjornes Peninsula to the east. There are two municipalities in the area, Skagafjörður Municipality and Akrahreppur Municipality Skagafjörður...
for details on the region) in northern Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
Overview
The municipality was created in 1998 when 11 out of the 12 municipalities in Skagafjörður held votes on whether they should merge or not. The merge was approved in all the municipalities that held the vote. AkrahreppurAkrahreppur
Akrahreppur is a municipality in Iceland.According to the 2011 census, it had a population of 205 inhabitants.-References:...
was the only municipality in Skagafjörður that did not participate.
The merge joined together the town of Sauðárkrókur
Sauðárkrókur
Sauðárkrókur is a town in Skagafjörður in northern Iceland and a part of the municipality of Skagafjörður.Sauðárkrókur is the largest town in Northwest Iceland and the second-largest town on the north coast of Iceland, with a population of 2,635. It is the centre for commerce and services in the...
, the villages of Hofsós
Hofsós
Hofsós is one of the oldest trading ports in northern Iceland dating back to the 16th century.Hofsós, with a population of about 200 individuals, is located 37 km east from Sauðárkrókur....
and Varmahlíð
Varmahlíð
Varmahlíð is a small village near Skagafjörður in northern Iceland.Around 140 people live on the eastern slope of the hill for which the town is named ....
and several rural districts. It also includes the historic cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
site of Hólar
Hólar
Hólar is a small community located in the Skagafjörður district and situated in northern Iceland.-Location:Hólar is located in the Hjaltadalur valley, some from the national capital at Reykjavík. Hólar has a population of around 100...
which is the site of a growing university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
today. The municipality today has about 4,100 inhabitants out of which 2,600 live in Sauðárkrókur.