Vestre Moland
Encyclopedia
Vestre Moland is a former municipality in Aust-Agder
county
, Norway
. It is part of the present-day municipality of Lillesand
in the Sørlandet region
. Villages in Vestre Moland include Brekkestø
and Justøy. The lake Østre Grimevann
is in the northern part and the Blindleia
inland waterway is located along the coast of Vestre Moland.
word Móðguland which is derived from the river
name Móðga, which can be linked with the Old Norse word móðigr which means "brave". Vestre means "western."
) of Vestre Moland was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). In 1865, the municipality was divided into two separate municipalities of Vestre Moland (population: 2,167) and Høvåg
(population: 2,069). On 1 January 1962, Vestre Moland (population: 2,454) was merged together with Eide
, Høvåg
, and Lillesand
to form a new, enlarged Lillesand municipality.
Aust-Agder
is a county in Norway, bordering Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is . The administrative center of the county is in Arendal....
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 present-day municipality of Lillesand
Lillesand
is a town and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Lillesand.-General information:...
in the Sørlandet 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,...
. Villages in Vestre Moland include Brekkestø
Brekkestø
Brekkestø is a small village on the southern coast of Norway. It is located on the island of Justøya within the municipality of Lillesand in Aust-Agder county, in the region known as Sørlandet. The village is actually located on several rocky islands, and many of the homes built around its...
and Justøy. The lake Østre Grimevann
Østre Grimevann
Østre Grimevann is a lake in the municipality of Lillesand in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The lake is located north of the European route E18 highway about from the city of Lillesand. It is the drinking water reservoir for the municipality of Lillesand....
is in the northern part and the Blindleia
Blindleia
Blindleia is an long inland waterway in the municipality of Lillesand in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It starts in the Gamle Hellesund or Ulvøysund areas in southern Høvåg in the southwest and it continues northeast past the city of Lillesand. It is a salt water fjord passage that is protected...
inland waterway is located along the coast of Vestre Moland.
Name
The name comes from Old NorseOld 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....
word Móðguland which is derived from the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
name Móðga, which can be linked with the Old Norse word móðigr which means "brave". Vestre means "western."
History
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...
) of Vestre Moland was established 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...
). In 1865, the municipality was divided into two separate municipalities of Vestre Moland (population: 2,167) and Høvåg
Høvåg
Høvåg is a village and former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Lillesand in the Sørlandet region....
(population: 2,069). On 1 January 1962, Vestre Moland (population: 2,454) was merged together with Eide
Eide, Aust-Agder
Eide is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is currently located within the municipality of Grimstad in the traditional district of Sørlandet. Eide had an area of , of which is mainland.-Name:...
, Høvåg
Høvåg
Høvåg is a village and former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Lillesand in the Sørlandet region....
, and Lillesand
Lillesand
is a town and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Lillesand.-General information:...
to form a new, enlarged Lillesand municipality.