Suldal

Infobox_Kommune
name = Suldal
idnumber = 1134
county = Rogaland
landscape = Ryfylke
capital = Sand
governor = Andreas Drarvik (Sp)
governor_as_of = 2003
arearank = 39
area = 1736
arealand = 1588
areapercent = 0.54
population_as_of = 2004
populationrank = 235
population = 3,895
populationpercent = 0.09
populationdensity = 2
populationincrease = -4.9
language = Nynorsk
lat_deg = 59 | lat_min = 28 | lat_sec = 6 | lon_deg = 6 | lon_min = 29 | lon_sec = 59
utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6594877 | utm_easting = 0358343 | geo_cat = adm2nd


munwebpage = www.suldal.kommune.no

Suldal is a municipality in the northeast of Rogaland county, Norway located in the Ryfylke historically traditional district.

The parish of "Suledal" was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Søvde was separated from Suldal in 1842. The municipalities of Erfjord and Sand, most of Jelsa, and some parts of Imsland and Vikedal, were merged with Suldal January 1, 1965.

On the north the municipality is bordered by Sauda and Odda, on the east by Vinje and Bykle, on the south by Hjelmeland, and on the west by Vindafjord. Across the Jelsafjord and Vindafjord lie Finnøy and Tysvær municipalities.

The Sandsfjord and Hylsfjord lie within Suldal, as does lake Suldalsvatnet. The Saudafjord lies partially within the boundary of Suldal. The Erfjord and the lake Blåsjø also lie on the boundary of Suldal.

Sand i Ryfylke, is a village in Suldal.

The name

The Norse form of the name was "Súladalr". The first element is probably the plural genitive case of "súla" f 'pillar, column' (and then referring to the mountain pass Suldalsporten), the last element is "dalr" m 'valley, dale'.

Until 1891 the name was written "Suledal".

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1976). The lines represent the river of Suldalslågen.

History

Suldal municipality has a long history of trade connections to the Setesdal valley to the east. The main mountain plateau trade route led east from Suldal municipality in Rogaland to Bykle municipality in Aust-Agder county.