Båtsfjord

Infobox_Kommune
name = Båtsfjord
idnumber = 2028
county = Finnmark
landscape =
capital = Båtsfjord
governor = Frank Bakke Jensen (H)
governor_as_of = 2007
arearank = 58
area = 1433
arealand = 1415
areapercent = 0.44
population_as_of = 2004
populationrank = 319
population = 2,290
populationpercent = 0.05
populationdensity = 2
populationincrease = -7.4
demonym = Båtsfjording
language = Neutral
lat_deg = 70| lat_min = 29 | lat_sec = 31 | lon_deg = 29 | lon_min = 56 | lon_sec = 20
utm_zone = 35W | utm_northing = 7823407 | utm_easting = 0609497 | geo_cat = adm2nd


munwebpage = www.batsfjord.kommune.no

Båtsfjord is a municipality in the county of Finnmark, Norway.

Båtsfjord (until 1957 named "Vardø herred", 'the rural district of Vardø') was separated from the city of Vardø in 1868. The eastern part of the municipality was, however, again merged with Vardø on January 1, 1964.

Geography

The municipality is situated on the north-eastern coast of the peninsula of Varangerhalvøya. Previously, there were several villages along this barren coast, but today everyone lives in the town of Båtsfjord, with a sheltered situation at the end of the Båtsfjord inlet. Båtsfjord Airport is a new, modern airport, and the hurtigruten calls at Båtsfjord.

The most interesting attraction is Hamningberg, an abandoned fishing village on the outer coast, with well-preserved 19th c. wooden houses, a unique example of old architecture in a county so devastated by World War II. Now it is used for summer stays.

The name

The Norse form of the name is "Botnsfjorðr". The first element is the genitive case of "botn" m 'innermost part of a fjord'.

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1985). It shows a fishhook. (Similar fishhooks made of bone, from the Stone Age, are found in the municipality.)

(See also the coat-of-arms of Frøya, Øksnes and Træna.)

Birdlife

The municipality covers an area of 1,433 km² including Finnmark's highest mountain pass over Ordofjell at 400 m.a.s. With the Barents Sea pounding the rocky coastline, Båtsfjord is at the mercy of the elements, but it is a great place to visit with the worlds northern most Gannet colony to be found on the stack at Syltefjordstauran. The two pairs that were discovered in 1961 have now grown to well over 300 pairs. The Northern Gannet is just one of many species that can be seen.

Båtsfjord in popular culture

Båtsfjord was used in the cartoon Metalocalypse's first episode, "The Curse of DethKlok." In the episode thousands of people from around the world travel to Båtsfjord to hear the main characters, a death metal band named DethKlok play a little-over 1 minute jingle promoting a fictional coffee company. The episode features a large amount of death by various means, mainly the parachuted stage missing its landing spot. The episode also features James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica fame.

External links

* [http://www.stauranfoto.net Pictures of Wild life and nature in Båtsfjord]