- Kvinesdal
Infobox_Kommune
name = Kvinesdal
idnumber = 1037
county = Vest-Agder
landscape = Sørlandet
capital =Liknes
language = Neutral
demonym = Kvindøl
munwebpage = www.kvinesdal.kommune.no
governor = Odd Omland (Ap)
governor_as_of = 2003
arearank = 110
area = 963
arealand = 886
areapercent = 0.30
population_as_of = 2004
populationrank = 177
population = 5,547
populationpercent = 0.12
populationdensity = 6
populationincrease = -3.1
lat_deg = 58 | lat_min = 20 | lat_sec = 17 | lon_deg = 7 | lon_min = 1 | lon_sec = 23
utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6468054 | utm_easting = 0384268 | geo_cat = adm2ndKvinesdal is a municipality in the county of
Vest-Agder ,Norway .Kvinesdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see
formannskapsdistrikt ).Feda was separated from Kvinesdal on 1 January 1900 but again merged with Kvinesdal on 1 January 1963.Fjotland was also merged with Kvinesdal on that date. (Fjotland was in addition a part of Kvinesdal in the period 1841-1858.)Kvinesdal is an elongated mountain-to-coast municipality, reaching saltwater at the head of the Fedafjord, which provides access to the
North Sea in the south. Further north, the landscape is cut in narrow valleys with small villages scattered around. There are also abandoned mines atKnaben , which remains an immensely popularski resort . Due to Kvinesdal resembling the geography of the nation as a whole, it is often referred to as "Little Norway". [cite book|title=Adventure Roads in Norway|first=Erling|last=Welle-Strand|publisher=Nortrabooks|date=1996|isbn=82-90103-71-9]General information
Name
The
Old Norse form of the name was "Hvínisdalr". The first element is thegenitive case of thefjord name "Hvínir" (now Fedafjorden) and the last element is "dalr" which means "valley" or "dale". The name of the fjord is derived from the river name "Hvín" (now Kvina), and that name is derived from the verb "hvína" which means "squeal". During the period from 1900-1917, the municipality was named "Liknes".Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 15 March 1985. The figure symbolizes the meeting of the two rivers
Kvina andLitleåna . [cite web|url=http://www.ngw.nl/int/nor/k/kvinesda.htm|author=Norske Kommunevåpen|date=1990|title=Nye kommunevåbener i Norden|accessdaymonth=27 September|accessyear=2008]Geography
To the west, Kvinesdal is bordered by
Flekkefjord andSirdal municipalities. To the east, it is bordered byÅseral andHægebostad . To the south, it is bordered byLyngdal , and it is bordered byFarsund in the east and south. A small segment if the northern boundary bordersBygland municipality inAust-Agder county.The river Kvina is known for its
salmon , and salmon fishing is a popular activity.Two valleys meet in Kvinesdal's center: Vesterdalen (the Western Valley) through which flows the river Kvina and Austerdalen (the Eastern Valley) through which flows the river Litleåna to join the Kvina.
Population
About 10% of the inhabitants of Kvinesdal are American citizens, and Kvinesdal does enjoy a special relationship with the
United States . Every year the municipality hosts a special festival remembering the days when local people immigrated to the new world.History
Kvinesdal was home of many prominent characters in the Saga Period. Among them were the
Skald "Tjodolv the Frode." Frode means one with great knowledge of the history of ancestors. He composed a historic poem for his king Harold Fairhair. His work was later combined into theHeimskringla when it was recorded bySnorri Sturluson .In northern Kvinesdal, along the high plateau (at 550 m. above sea level) records show that the Salmeli Farm dates back at least to the year 1300. During the
Black Death years of 1350 the farm became deserted, but was back as a working farm again by 1647. It is now a historic site.The bailiff "Stig Bagge", who was granted local leadership from 1536-42 by
Christian III of Denmark , was an energetic man when he lived at his ancestral home of Eikeland in Kvinesdal. According to the reports ofPeder Claussøn Friis , he executed refractory peasants so willingly that the district thought it was to excess; he was the district'sbogeyman for many years thereafter. When the bailiff in Nedenes was killed in his bed and rebels came in an unsuccessful attempt to capture and execute Stig, he collected his men and brutally stifled the revolt. Stig himself died by being drawn and quartered by the Dutch when he was caught in piracy or espionage off their coast atWalcheren . [cite book|title=South Norway|first=Frank Noel|last=Stagg|publisher=George Allen & Unwin, Ltd.|date=1958]Economy
Tourism is an important part of the economy for Kvinesdal. The local hotel called "Rafoss Hotell" has had a famous guest:Roald Dahl .Tinfos is an important local employer that provides work to about 200 persons.Famous residents
Kvinesdal is known for
Aril Edvardsen , a world-renownedChristian charismatic evangelist and the founder of "Troens Bevis Verdens Evangelisering" ( _en. Evidence of Faith World Evangelisation). The organization has its headquarters in Kvinesdal, called "Sarons Dal" ( _en. The Valley ofSaron ), with a giant mess hall, offices, music studio, TV-studio, a small congregation called "Kirken i Dalen" ( _en. The Church in the Valley), a theological seminary, camping sites and swimming pools.One of Southern Norway’s greatest artists,
Kristian Marcelius Førland (1891-1978), lived and painted in Kvinesdal. His home is now a museum. Førland was a gifted and skilful portrait painter and a prominent landscape painter.Ludvig Hunsbedt , a famous rallycross driver also lives in Kvinesdal. He started localy as a driver in the amateur class called "bilcross" in 1978. In 1993 he became the European champion and in 1997 he went to the pro-class. He has been at the startline of 223 European championship races and won 23 of these. In 2003 he resigned as a rallycross driver and he's currently owning a car dealership in Kvinesdal specializing on Volvo and Renault cars. He also for many years where the manager of a gas station and a "road rescue service", also in Kvinesdal.The Band
Luxus Leverpostei which is famous all over Norway.The footballers
Atle Roar Håland andRoger Eskeland hail from Kvinesdal.ee also
*
Kvinesdal Rock Festival References
External links
* [http://www.kvinesdal.kommune.no Official website of Kvinesdal]
* [http://www.webcamsinnorway.com/webcams_noiframes.php?nr=1&viewcam=664 Webcam from Kvinesdal]
* [http://www.visitsydvest.no/english.asp Turist Information]
* [http://www.kvgk.no/?vis=artikkel&fid=0&id=3105200513575330141 Kvinesdal Golf Club]
* [http://www.kvinesdalrockfestival.no/english.asp Kvinesdal Rock Festival]
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