Åmli

Infobox Kommune
name = Åmli


idnumber = 0929
county = Aust-Agder
landscape = Sørlandet
capital = Åmli
demonym = Åmling
language = Nynorsk


munwebpage = www.amli.kommune.no
governor = Tellef Olstad (Sp)
governor_as_of = 2004
arearank = 89
area = 1131
arealand = 1058
areapercent = 0.35
population_as_of = 2004
populationrank = 343
population = 1,859
populationpercent = 0.04
populationdensity = 2
populationincrease = -3.9
lat_deg = 58 | lat_min = 47 | lat_sec = 53 | lon_deg = 8 | lon_min = 22 | lon_sec = 9
utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6517765 | utm_easting = 0463550 | geo_cat = adm2nd

Åmli is a municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. It is located in the traditional region of Sørlandet. The main population centre is Åmli which lies along the river Nidelva.

The parish of "Omlid" was established as a municipality on January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Three other municipalities were later separated from it: Mykland (1876), Gjøvdal (1908), and Tovdal (1908). The two latter were, however, again merged with Åmli in 1960 and 1967.

General information

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old "Åmli" farm (Old Norse "Almlíð"), since the first church was built there. The first element is "almr" which means "elm" and the last element is "líð" which means "hillside".

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. The arms were granted in 1987. It shows a silver beaver on a blue background. Odd Einar Ufsvatn was the designer. The beaver was chosen because the Åmli area is one of the few remaining beaver habitats in Europe, and beavers from Norway have been used to help re-populate other areas in Europe where the beaver had gone extinct in the wild. [cite web|url=http://www.amli.kommune.no/index.php?m=sok&m_action=vis_side&s_id=48&sok=kommunevåpenet|title=Kommunevåpenet|date=2008|accessdate=2008-10-03 no icon]

Geography

Åmli is bordered on the north by Fyresdal and Nissedal in Telemark county, on the east by Vegårshei, on the south by Froland, on the west by Bygland in Aust-Agder county.

The most densely populated area is around the administration center Åmli, which lies on the banks of the Nidelva. About 600 people lived in the administrative center in 1997. Side valleys which joins the main valley include the Gjøvdal and the Tovdal.

In the south of the municipality the railway station is at Nelaug. Nelaug is also more densely populated. Rural settlements include Tovdal and Gjøvdal. The rest of the population is scattered among the valleys.

The Åmli hills are wooded and typically range from 700-800 meters above sea level. At 930 meters, the highest point is Trongedalsfjell, which lies between Tovdal and Gjøvdal.

There are several protected areas, for instance, the Årdalen nature reserve, bordering on the Rukkevatn nature reserve, and the Furubuhei marsh reserve, provide approximately 43 km² of nature reserves.

Economy

Lumbering in Åmli provides for about 12% of the Aust-Agder county's total timber production making it the third most import source of timber in Aust-Adger (after Froland and Birkenes). Agriculture, including sheep husbandry, provides a minor contribution to the economy. Electrical power is generated by a hydroelectric plant at Flatefoss, which regulates the level of the lake, Nelaug.

Famous residents

*Engvald Bakkan (1897-1982), author
*Godtfred Lorentsen (1909-2000), photographer, local historian and author

References

External links

* [http://www.ssb.now/municipalities/region.cgi?number=09 Kommunefakta Aust-Agder from Statistisk Sentralbyrå]
* [http://www.kulturnett.no/geografisknavigering/geografisknavigering_visning.jsp?fylke=T921062&kommune=T931466 Culture in Åmli on the map]