Gloppen

Infobox_Kommune
name = Gloppen
idnumber = 1445

---

county = Sogn og Fjordane
landscape = Nordfjord
capital = Sandane
demonym = Gloppar
language = Nynorsk


munwebpage = www.gloppen.kommune.no
governor = Anders Ryssdal (Sp)
governor_as_of = 1999
arearank = 104
area = 1028
arealand = 961
areapercent = 0.32
population_as_of = 2004
populationrank = 173
population = 5,741
populationpercent = 0.13
populationdensity = 6
populationincrease = -3.8
lat_deg = 61 | lat_min = 44 | lat_sec = 38 | lon_deg = 6 | lon_min = 10 | lon_sec = 14
utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6848903 | utm_easting = 0350597 | geo_cat = adm2nd

Gloppen is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord.

Gloppen is generally subdivided into three areas: Hyen in the west, Gloppen in the center, and Breim in the east. Each of the areas have their own main service centres. Sandane, the administrative centre, is the largest with about 2,500 inhabitants. Other villages include Byrkjelo, Re, and Straume.

General information

Name

The name (Old Norse "Gloppi") was originally the name of a fjord (now Gloppenfjorden). The name is probably derived from the word "gloppa" which means "narrow opening".

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. The arms were granted on 19 December 1986. It shows a fjord horse which are bred in the area. [cite web|url=http://www.ngw.nl/int/nor/g/gloppen.htm|author=Norske Kommunevåpen|date=1990|title=Nye kommunevåbener i Norden|accessdaymonth=3 August|accessyear=2008]

Background

Gloppen was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The original municipality was identical to the Gloppen parish "(prestegjeld)" including the sub-parishes "(sokn)" of Gimmestad, Breim, and Vereide.cite web|url=http://www.emigration.no/sff/emigration3.nsf/0/326D0346278A5909C1256F570048962C?OpenDocument|title=Some historical data on the 26 Kommunes|first=Oddvar|last=Natvik|date=9 February 2005|accessdaymonth=4 August|accessyear=2008]

On 1 January 1886, the sub-parish of Breim (population: 1,823) was separated from Gloppen. This left Gloppen with 2,970 residents.cite web|first=Dag|last=Jukvam|publisher=Statistics Norway|title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen|date=1999|url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf no icon]

On 1 January 1964, the muncipality of Breim (population: 1,731) was merged back into the municipality of Gloppen. After the merger, the population of Gloppen was 5,702.

On 1 January 1965, the Hoplandsgrenda area (population: 42) was transferred to neighboring Stryn municipality.

Churches

The Church of Norway has six churches within the municipality of Gloppen. It is part of the Diocese of Bjørgvin and the Rural Deanery "(Prosti)" of Nordfjord.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Gloppen, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor.

Municipal council

The municipal council "(Kommunestyre)" of Gloppen is made up of 27 representatives that are elected to every four years. For 2007–2011, the party breakdown is as follows: [cite web|publisher=Statistics Norway|url=http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/00/01/20/kommvalgform_en/tab-2008-01-29-15-en.html|title=Members of the local councils| accessdate = 2008-06-23|date=2007] Infobox_Kommunestyre
name = Gloppen
start = 2007
end = 2011
Total = 27
Arbeiderpartiet = 3
Fremskrittspartiet = 1
Høyre = 4
Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3
Senterpartiet = 13
Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
Venstre = 1
Local_Lists =
Rødt = |

Mayor

The mayor "(ordførar)" of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. Anders Ryssdal of the Centre Party "(Senterpartiet)" was re-elected mayor for the 2007–2011 term. [cite web|author=Gloppen Kommune|title=Ordføraren|url=http://www.gloppen.kommune.no/artikkel.aspx?AId=113&back=1&MId1=14&MId2=36|accessyear=2008|accessdaymonth=4 August no icon]

Geography

The municipality is located southern shores of the Nordfjord. To the north is the municipality of Eid, to the east is Stryn, to the south is Naustdal and Jølster, and to the west is Flora and Bremanger.

Gloppen has a natural landscape with virtually unspoiled nature ranging from sea level up to high-alpine mountains of some 1800 meters height. Snønipa is the highest mountain in the municipality and is located at the Myklebustbreen glacier. Lake Breimsvatn also lies in Gloppen.

Economy

The dominant trades and industries in Gloppen are agriculture and farming. The municipal centre Sandane is also home to a college of secondary education and until recently (2005) also a branch of Sogn og Fjordane University College specialized in music therapy.

References

External links

* [http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=11&ll=61.771174,6.255341&spn=0.227995,0.723038&t=h&om=1 Google Maps: Gloppen]