Sveio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sveio kommune
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Municipality
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View of the Ryvarden coastline in Sveio
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Sveio within Vestland
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| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Vestland | ||
| District | Haugalandet | ||
| Established | 1865 | ||
| Administrative centre | Sveio | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 246.14 km2 (95.04 sq mi) | ||
| • Land | 224.26 km2 (86.59 sq mi) | ||
| • Water | 21.88 km2 (8.45 sq mi) 8.9% | ||
| Area rank | #290 in Norway | ||
| Population
(2023)
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| • Total | 5,732 | ||
| • Rank | #165 in Norway | ||
| • Density | 25.6/km2 (66/sq mi) | ||
| • Change (10 years) | 6.1% | ||
| Demonym(s) | Sveibu | ||
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | NO-4612 | ||
| Official language form | Nynorsk | ||
| Preceded by | Fjelberg and Finnås | ||
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Sveio is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the Haugalandet peninsula. This means it's sometimes considered part of the Haugalandet region. It is also seen as part of the Sunnhordland region.
The main town where the local government is located is called Sveio. Other small towns and villages in the municipality include Auklandshamn, Førde, Våga, and Valevåg.
Sveio covers about 246 square kilometers (95 square miles). This makes it the 290th largest municipality in Norway. With a population of 5,732 people, it is the 165th most populated. The number of people living here has grown by 6.1% in the last ten years.
Sveio is home to the Ryvarden Lighthouse. This lighthouse helps guide ships into the Hardangerfjorden. The lighthouse is now automatic. The old buildings there have been turned into art galleries, a museum called Flókemuseum, and a cafe.
The famous composer Fartein Valen lived much of his life in Valevåg in northern Sveio. His house, Valenheimen, is open to visitors. The Fartein Valen Festival is held in Sveio every year.
The Triangle Link is a system of bridges and tunnels. It connects islands to the mainland. The southern entrance to the Bømlafjord Tunnel is in Sveio. It is part of the European route E39 highway, near the village of Valevåg.
Contents
About Sveio Municipality
The municipality of Sveio was created in 1865. Parts of two other municipalities, Finnås and Fjelberg, joined together. At first, it was called Sveen, but the name was later changed to Sveio.
Over the years, Sveio's borders changed a few times. In 1902, the Vikebygd area became its own municipality. Then, in 1964, Sveio merged with several other areas. This included the municipality of Valestrand and parts of Vikebygd and Skjold.
What Does "Sveio" Mean?
The name Sveio comes from an old farm called Sveio. The medieval Sveio Church was built there. The word Sveio means "to singe" or "to burn". This likely refers to an area that was cleared for farming by burning trees and plants.
The municipality's name was officially changed from Sveen to Sveio in 1911.
Sveio's Coat of Arms
Sveio has a special coat of arms. It was approved in 1982. It shows a split white fleur-de-lis on a red background. A fleur-de-lis is a symbol that looks like a lily flower.
This design comes from the family symbol of Jon Gauteson. He was a nobleman from Sveio who lived around the year 1500. His family used this symbol. The artist Kolbjørn Ekkje designed the current municipal arms. Sveio's flag looks just like its coat of arms.
Churches in Sveio
The Church of Norway has two main church areas, called parishes, in Sveio. These churches are part of the Diocese of Bjørgvin.
| Parish | Church name | Location | Year built |
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| Sveio | Sveio Church | Sveio | 1858 |
| Valestrand og Førde | Førde Church | Førde | 1938 |
| Valestrand Church | Valestrand | 1873 | |
| Valen Chapel | Valevåg | 1707 |
Sveio's Geography
Sveio is located on the western coast of Norway. It faces the North Sea. The Hardangerfjorden is a large fjord along the northern side of Sveio. The smaller Ålfjorden is on the eastern border.
Sveio shares borders with several other places. To the south, it borders the city of Haugesund and the municipality of Tysvær. To the east, it borders Vindafjord across the Ålfjorden. To the north, it borders the island municipalities of Bømlo and Stord across the Hardangerfjorden.
There are also lakes in Sveio. Vigdarvatnet and Stakkastadvatnet are in the southern part. The Ryvarden Lighthouse stands on a small point along the Hardangerfjorden.
Sveio's Population Over Time
| Historical population | ||||||||||||||||
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| Year | 1865 | 1875 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1946 | 1951 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | 2023 |
| Pop. | 3,289 | 3,340 | 3,138 | 1,957 | 1,937 | 1,938 | 1,979 | 1,954 | 1,782 | 3,477 | 4,216 | 4,582 | 4,623 | 4,999 | 5,766 | 5,732 |
| ±% p.a. | — | +0.15% | −0.25% | −4.61% | −0.10% | +0.01% | +0.13% | −0.25% | −1.02% | +6.91% | +1.95% | +0.84% | +0.09% | +0.79% | +1.44% | −0.20% |
| Note: The municipal borders were changed in 1902 and 1964, causing a significant change in the population. Source: Statistics Norway and Norwegian Historical Data Centre |
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The population of Sveio has changed quite a bit over the years. This is mainly because the municipality's borders were changed in 1902 and 1964. You can see how the population has grown and shrunk in the chart above.
Famous People from Sveio
Many interesting people have connections to Sveio:
- Einar Økland (born 1940 in Sveio) is a writer. He writes poems, plays, essays, and books for children.
- May Britt Vihovde (born 1958 in Sveio) is a politician. She used to be a Member of Parliament.
- Sigbjørn Apeland (born 1966) is a scientist and musician. He plays the organ and harmonium and grew up in Sveio.
- Bjørn Berge (born 1968 in Sveio) is a Norwegian guitarist and blues musician.
- Grutle Kjellson (born 1973 in Sveio) is a bassist and singer. He is part of the band Enslaved.
- Agnes Ravatn (born 1983) is an author, columnist, and journalist. She lived in Valevåg.
- Cecilie Pedersen (born 1990 in Førde) is a Norwegian football player.
See also
In Spanish: Sveio para niños
