Eidfjord
Eidfjord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Eidfjord, where the majority of the municipal population lives. The other major population centre in the municipality is the village of Øvre Eidfjord.
Eidfjord Municipality
Eidfjord kommune | |
|---|---|
Municipality | |
View of the Måbødalen valley | |
|
Flag | |
Vestland within Norway | |
Eidfjord within Vestland | |
| Coordinates: 60°26′06″N 07°16′38″E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Vestland |
| District | Hardanger |
| Established | 1 Jan 1891 |
| • Preceded by | Ulvik Municipality |
| Disestablished | 1 Jan 1964 |
| • Succeeded by | Ullensvang Municipality |
| Re-established | 1 Jan 1977 |
| • Preceded by | Ullensvang Municipality |
| Administrative centre | Eidfjord |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2023) | Timo Knoch (Ap) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,498.25 km2 (578.48 sq mi) |
| • Land | 1,388.67 km2 (536.17 sq mi) |
| • Water | 109.57 km2 (42.31 sq mi) 7.3% |
| • Rank | #57 in Norway |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Total | 962 |
| • Rank | #337 in Norway |
| • Density | 0.7/km2 (2/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) | +1.1% |
| Demonym | Eidfjøre |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Nynorsk |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-4619 |
| Website | Official website |
Eidfjord is situated at the end of the Eid Fjord, an inner branch of the large Hardangerfjorden. The village of Eidfjord is a major cruise ship port of call. Eidfjord has several tourist sites, like the Sima Power Plant which is built into the mountain itself, the Måbødalen valley, and the Vøringsfossen waterfall which has a free fall of 182 metres (597 ft). Large parts of the Hardangervidda (Europe's largest mountain plateau) are located in Eidfjord. The Hardangervidda Natursenter, a visitors centre and museum for Hardangervidda National Park, is located in Øvre Eidfjord.
The 1,498-square-kilometre (578 sq mi) municipality is the 57th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Eidfjord is the 337th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 962. The municipality's population density is 0.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (1.8/sq mi) and its population has increased by 1.1% over the previous 10-year period.
In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station for Ullensvang og Eidfjord be closed.