Førde
Førde is a former municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center was the town of Førde which in 2016 had 10,255 inhabitants. Other villages in Førde municipality included Bruland, Holsen, Moskog, and Haukedalen. The Øyrane area in the town of Førde was a large industrial/commercial area for the region. The European Route E39 highway passed through the municipality, and it passed by the lake Holsavatnet.
Førde Municipality
Førde kommune | |
|---|---|
Former municipality | |
Førde town center | |
|
Flag | |
Sogn og Fjordane within Norway | |
Førde within Sogn og Fjordane | |
| Coordinates: 61°26′35″N 05°54′13″E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Sogn og Fjordane |
| District | Sunnfjord |
| Established | 1 Jan 1838 |
| • Created as | Formannskapsdistrikt |
| Disestablished | 1 Jan 2020 |
| • Succeeded by | Sunnfjord Municipality |
| Administrative centre | Førde |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2011-2019) | Olve Arlid Grotle (H) |
| Area (upon dissolution) | |
| • Total | 585.96 km2 (226.24 sq mi) |
| • Land | 553.01 km2 (213.52 sq mi) |
| • Water | 32.95 km2 (12.72 sq mi) 5.6% |
| • Rank | #189 in Norway |
| Population (2019) | |
| • Total | 13,092 |
| • Rank | #93 in Norway |
| • Density | 23.7/km2 (61/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) | +10.6% |
| Demonym | Førdianar |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Nynorsk |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1432 |
| Website | Official website |
Førde Airport, Bringeland was the regional airport, located about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from the town centre with flights that connect Oslo and Bergen with Førde. The airport was actually located in neighboring Gaular municipality, just south of the border. The largest hospital in Sogn og Fjordane county, Førde Central Hospital, and the regional offices of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation are located in the town. The International Førde Folk Music Festival is held each summer. The local newspaper is called Firda.
At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 586-square-kilometre (226 sq mi) municipality is the 189th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Førde is the 93rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 13,092. The municipality's population density is 23.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (61/sq mi) and its population has increased by 10.6% over the last decade.