Varhaug
Encyclopedia
Varhaug is a village in the district of Jæren
, Norway
and is the administrative centre and the second largest village in Hå
municipality. It was also the administrative centre for the former municipality Varhaug. It was founded in the late 19th century and expanded around the local train station in the 20th century. Varhaug lies approximately 2 km from the North Sea
coastline. The village of Varhaug lies between the two neighbouring villages Nærbø
and Vigrestad
, and the people live in a "love-hate relationship" with these villages. There are no one that are more important to beat in a football match.
The official demonym for a person coming from the village is Varhaugsbu. An unofficial but friendly nickname for people form Varhaug is Trausk (pl: Trausker). Trausk is a word from Jæren, meaning Frog
or Toad
. The nickname is decades old, and all local villages had one, though Varhaug's nickname is one of the few still somewhat in use. Other words describing a person from Varhaug can be Håbu or Jærbu.
With an elevation between 40 and 60 meters, Varhaug is the highest elevated village in the municipality.
was opened in 1878 as a part of Jærbanen
, there was basically only farms in the area. When the train station got built, a lot of services got located near the station, and people started settling down around the station.
. Varhaug is a word with two elements, the latter haug is from the Old Norse word Haugr and refers in this case to a tumulus. The first "Var" is believed to be Old Norse
meaning "stone made".
Varhaug became the approved name for the village in 1958 by the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority, though it had been in use long before this.
formannskapsdistrikt
from 1837. Hå got split into the municipalities of Varhaug and Nærbø
in 1894. After the split, Varhaug municipality consisted of the villages Varhaug and Vigrestad
as well as the surrounding area and had a population of 1,801. On January 1, 1964 the municipalities Varhaug, Nærbø and Ogna
merged to form the municipality Hå. The village Varhaug became the administrative centre for the new and bigger municipality. Before the merge Varhaug municipality had a population of 3,454.
The biggest employer in Hå municipality is the municipality itself. Most of these workplaces are spread around in the municipality, but the administration is located in the village, meaning it is one of the most important workplaces in Varhaug. Another big employer in Varhaug is Fjordkjøkken AS, a company specializing in producing prefabricated dinner meals for the Norwegian brand Fjordland
.
Many people from the village has jobs closer to Stavanger
. For example, Stavanger, Sandnes
, Bryne
. But Hå municipality is trying to create more jobs locally, such as the food industry park in Kviamarka.
, the railway going through the village, still plays an important role. Specially for young people going to high school, as there are none in Varhaug. Mopeds and tractors are not suited for long transportations, and you need to be 18 years old to get a driver's license in Norway. There is also a good number of workers using the train.
Bus transportation is important for the school children living on the farms around Varhaug. With the exception of using bus to school, there are no scheduled bus routes to/in Varhaug, due to the railway.
Car transport has become important for people living in Varhaug. Most workers use car as the mean to transport themselves to work. Norwegian national road
Rv44 is an important road for people living in Varhaug. This is the road which binds the coastline of Jæren, from Stavanger to Egersund
. Another important highway is Norwegian national road Rv504, which connects Varhaug to Rv 44 in one end and E39
in the other.
People from Varhaug who wish to travel with plane are using Stavanger Airport, Sola
.
Jæren
Jæren is a traditional district in the county of Rogaland. The others are Dalane, Ryfylke and Haugalandet.Jæren is the largest flat lowland area in Norway, stretching from the municipality of Randaberg in the north to Hå in the south. The coast is flat compared to the rest of the Norwegian coast,...
, 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...
and is the administrative centre and the second largest village in Hå
Hå
Hå is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. Hå is the southernmost municipality in the district Jæren.The parish of Haa was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . It was divided into Nærbø and Varhaug in 1894. The municipality of Hå was created after the merger of Nærbø, Varhaug,...
municipality. It was also the administrative centre for the former municipality Varhaug. It was founded in the late 19th century and expanded around the local train station in the 20th century. Varhaug lies approximately 2 km from the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coastline. The village of Varhaug lies between the two neighbouring villages Nærbø
Nærbø
Nærbø is the biggest village in the municipality of Hå, situated in the southern corner of the region of Rogaland. According to the Norwegian bureau of statistics the population of Nærbø was 5881 on January 1, 2009...
and Vigrestad
Vigrestad
Vigrestad is a village in the municipality of Hå, Norway. Its population was 1850 in 2009. It is situated approximately 32 metres above sea level and 7, 5 km from Varhaug, which is the municipality's administrative centre....
, and the people live in a "love-hate relationship" with these villages. There are no one that are more important to beat in a football match.
The official demonym for a person coming from the village is Varhaugsbu. An unofficial but friendly nickname for people form Varhaug is Trausk (pl: Trausker). Trausk is a word from Jæren, meaning Frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
or Toad
Toad
A toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura characterized by dry, leathery skin , short legs, and snoat-like parotoid glands...
. The nickname is decades old, and all local villages had one, though Varhaug's nickname is one of the few still somewhat in use. Other words describing a person from Varhaug can be Håbu or Jærbu.
With an elevation between 40 and 60 meters, Varhaug is the highest elevated village in the municipality.
History
Before Varhaug StationVarhaug Station
Varhaug Station is a railway station located at Varhaug in Hå, Norway on Sørland Line. The station is served by the Jæren Commuter Rail between Stavanger and Egersund. The station is south of Stavanger.-External links:*...
was opened in 1878 as a part of Jærbanen
Jærbanen
The Jæren Line long railway line between Stavanger and Egersund, in Jæren, Norway. The line is officially the western-most part of the Sørland Line. Owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration, the line has double track from Stavanger Station to Sandnes Station, and single track from...
, there was basically only farms in the area. When the train station got built, a lot of services got located near the station, and people started settling down around the station.
Origin of the name
The name of the village is derived from a farm with the same name, located closer to the sea. It is uncertain why this name was chosen for the train station, but the farms close to the sea has traditionally been wealthy and important on JærenJæren
Jæren is a traditional district in the county of Rogaland. The others are Dalane, Ryfylke and Haugalandet.Jæren is the largest flat lowland area in Norway, stretching from the municipality of Randaberg in the north to Hå in the south. The coast is flat compared to the rest of the Norwegian coast,...
. Varhaug is a word with two elements, the latter haug is from the Old Norse word Haugr and refers in this case to a tumulus. The first "Var" is believed to be 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....
meaning "stone made".
Varhaug became the approved name for the village in 1958 by the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority, though it had been in use long before this.
Varhaug municipality
Varhaug municipality was originally a part of HåHå
Hå is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. Hå is the southernmost municipality in the district Jæren.The parish of Haa was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . It was divided into Nærbø and Varhaug in 1894. The municipality of Hå was created after the merger of Nærbø, Varhaug,...
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...
from 1837. Hå got split into the municipalities of Varhaug and Nærbø
Nærbø
Nærbø is the biggest village in the municipality of Hå, situated in the southern corner of the region of Rogaland. According to the Norwegian bureau of statistics the population of Nærbø was 5881 on January 1, 2009...
in 1894. After the split, Varhaug municipality consisted of the villages Varhaug and Vigrestad
Vigrestad
Vigrestad is a village in the municipality of Hå, Norway. Its population was 1850 in 2009. It is situated approximately 32 metres above sea level and 7, 5 km from Varhaug, which is the municipality's administrative centre....
as well as the surrounding area and had a population of 1,801. On January 1, 1964 the municipalities Varhaug, Nærbø and Ogna
Ogna
Ogna is a village and former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway.Ogna was separated from Eigersund in 1839. It was merged with Nærbø and Varhaug to create the old municipality of Hå January 1, 1964....
merged to form the municipality Hå. The village Varhaug became the administrative centre for the new and bigger municipality. Before the merge Varhaug municipality had a population of 3,454.
Population development
The population of Varhaug is steadily growing. Statics Norway does not publish population development facts for individual villages. But Hå municipality is always high ranked on the birth per capita rankings. Due to the similarity between the villages in Hå, this is assumed to be true for Varhaug. In 2008 about 2/3 of the population increase in Hå municipality was from new settlers. Due to the heavy population increase in Nærbø, it's believed that this number is a bit lower in Varhaug. Still there has been a significant number of asylum seekers, foreign workers and Norwegians from other municipalities settling down in the village.| Year | Population | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2,766 | 2.77% |
| 2009 | 2,619 | 3.93% |
| 2008 | 2,520 | 1.04% |
| 2007 | 2,494 | 0.20% |
| 2006 | 2,489 | 0.20% |
| 2005 | 2,484 | 4.55% |
| 2004 | 2,376 | 2.19% |
| 2003 | 2,325 | 1.84% |
| 2002 | 2,283 | 3.29% |
| 2000 | 2,140 | - |
| References | ||
Climate
The village is located middle of Jæren, which is one of the mildest areas in Norway. This and the flat landscape makes it very suitable for agriculture, compared to other parts of Norway. The flat landscape however makes it pretty windy sometimes. There are normally only snow a few weeks every year. Precipitation is 1270 mm/year and the average temperature is 7.2 °C. Temperatures have tended to be higher in more recent years.Economy
Traditionally agriculture has been the backbone of the villages economy. But as the village has grown, it gradually becomes less important. Agriculture is still important for all the farms around the village, and the farmers are still being important customers for the shops in the village. The Jæren region has traditionally been and still is well known for the good and hard working craftsmen.The biggest employer in Hå municipality is the municipality itself. Most of these workplaces are spread around in the municipality, but the administration is located in the village, meaning it is one of the most important workplaces in Varhaug. Another big employer in Varhaug is Fjordkjøkken AS, a company specializing in producing prefabricated dinner meals for the Norwegian brand Fjordland
Fjordland
Fjordland is a Norwegian food manufacturer that produces easy made dinners, margarine, yoghurt and other dessert dairy products. It is owned by the three agricultural cooperatives Tine, Nortura and Hoff and uses raw products from the three owners as well as seafood...
.
Many people from the village has jobs closer to Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
. For example, Stavanger, Sandnes
Sandnes
is a city and municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the region of Jæren.-History:Sandnes was separated from Høyland as a municipality of its own in 1860, and gained city status the same year...
, Bryne
Bryne
Bryne is a city, located in, and the administrative centre of, the municipality of Time, Norway. Bryne is located about 25 minutes south of Stavanger by train. The area of Bryne is 4,79 km²....
. But Hå municipality is trying to create more jobs locally, such as the food industry park in Kviamarka.
Transportation
Varhaug train station has played an important role for the village. JærbanenJærbanen
The Jæren Line long railway line between Stavanger and Egersund, in Jæren, Norway. The line is officially the western-most part of the Sørland Line. Owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration, the line has double track from Stavanger Station to Sandnes Station, and single track from...
, the railway going through the village, still plays an important role. Specially for young people going to high school, as there are none in Varhaug. Mopeds and tractors are not suited for long transportations, and you need to be 18 years old to get a driver's license in Norway. There is also a good number of workers using the train.
Bus transportation is important for the school children living on the farms around Varhaug. With the exception of using bus to school, there are no scheduled bus routes to/in Varhaug, due to the railway.
Car transport has become important for people living in Varhaug. Most workers use car as the mean to transport themselves to work. Norwegian national road
Norwegian national road
Norwegian national road , are roads thus categorized by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration which also maintains them...
Rv44 is an important road for people living in Varhaug. This is the road which binds the coastline of Jæren, from Stavanger to Egersund
Egersund
The town of Egersund was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . It was merged with the surrounding municipality of Eigersund January 1, 1965....
. Another important highway is Norwegian national road Rv504, which connects Varhaug to Rv 44 in one end and E39
European route E39
E 39 is the designation of a 1330 km long north-south road in Norway and Denmark, running from Klett just south of Trondheim to Aalborg, via Orkanger, Vinjeøra, Halsa ... Straumsnes, Krifast, Batnfjordsøra, Molde ... Vestnes, Skodje, Ålesund ... Volda ... Nordfjordeid ... Sandane, Førde,...
in the other.
People from Varhaug who wish to travel with plane are using Stavanger Airport, Sola
Stavanger Airport, Sola
Stavanger Airport, Sola is an international airport located in Sola, Norway, southwest of Stavanger. It is Norway's third-busiest airport, with both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter traffic for the offshore North Sea oil installations...
.
Education
Varhaug has one elementary school, Varhaug skule, and one lower secondary school, Varhaug ungdomsskule. There are no upper secondary school in Varhaug. Varhaug skule was opened in 1958 and combined the school houses of Auestad, Lerbrekk, Odland, Ualand and Ånestad. Varhaug ungdomsskule was constructed in the mid 80s. Before this the youth had travelled to Vigrestad to go to lower secondary school.Sports
Most competitive sports are arranged through Varhaug Idrettslag.Notable persons from Varhaug
- Lars Gaute Bø, footballer
- Ole Gabriel UelandOle Gabriel UelandOle Gabriel Ueland was a Norwegian politician from Varhaug, Rogaland, active in the Centre Party. He was a member of the Norwegian parliament from 1977 to 1993.-References:...
, politician