Nordreisa ( Norwegian ) , Ráisa ( Northern Sami , pronounced [ˈraːjːsa] ), or Raisi ( Kven ) is a municipality in Troms county , Norway . The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Storslett . Other villages include Oksfjordhamn , Sørkjosen , and Rotsund .
24-642: The municipality consists of the Reisadalen valley, with the river Reisaelva and deep pine forests , surrounded by mountains and high plateaus . Most people live in Storslett, where the river meets the Reisafjorden . Sørkjosen , just northwest of Storslett, is the location of Sørkjosen Airport with flights to Tromsø and several destinations in Finnmark . The European route E6 runs through
48-701: Is a valley in northern Norway stretching over 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the Finnish border to the Balsfjorden . Mountains, birch and pine forests, and rivers surround the valley. About 1700 people live in the valley. Reisadalen is in the Reisa National Park , which covers 166 square kilometres (64 sq mi) and is home to the Reisaelva River. The park also has diverse flora and fauna, including rare bird species such as
72-658: Is also possible to view the Northern Lights , which are visible from late August to mid-April. The valley's remote location and lack of light pollution make observing this natural phenomenon possible. Reisaelva Reisaelva or Reisa River ( Northern Sami : Ráiseatnu , Kven : Raisinjoki ) is a river in Northern Norway , located in the county of Troms . It runs from the lake Reisavannet in Nordreisa Municipality through
96-615: Is from the Norwegian word meaning to rise. The Sámi people have lived in the area for thousands of years, relying on the river and its tributaries for fishing and reindeer herding. Today, the Reisaelva River and the surrounding area are protected by various conservation measures, including the Reisa National Park and the Reisaelva Salmon Management Board . This article related to
120-635: Is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Nord-Troms og Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal . In the 2007 municipal elections, Nordreisa recorded the highest vote for the right-wing Progress Party in Norway at 49.3%. The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Nordreisa
144-568: Is known for its strong currents and rapids, which made it an essential resource for the Sami people, who used it for transportation and fishing. The valley's name, therefore, reflects the river's significance to the region's history and culture. Reisadalen hosts several festivals throughout the year that celebrate Sami culture and heritage. The most significant is the Easter Festival, which includes traditional Sami music, dance, and food. It
168-471: Is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party . The mayors of Nordreisa: Nordreisa Municipality is located around the Reisafjorden and the Reisadalen valley. The municipality also includes the southern part of the island of Uløya . The Lyngen fjord lies on the northwestern edge of
192-627: The Northern Sámi language, one of the region's indigenous languages. In Northern Sami, the river is called “Raisjohka,” which is a compound word made up of “rais” and “johka.” “Rais” means “flat” or “level,” while “johka” means “river.” Therefore, “Raisjohka” roughly translates to “flat river” in English. Over time, the name has been adapted to the Norwegian language . It is now commonly referred to as "Reisaelva" in Norwegian. “Reisaelva”
216-578: The Reisa Valley and empties into the Reisafjorden in Kåfjord . The river is approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi) long, making it one of the longest rivers in Troms. Multiple fish in the river weighing over 20 kilograms (44 lb) have been caught. A total of 481 kilograms (1,060 lb) of salmon , sea trout , and char were caught in 2019. The name “Reisaelva” is derived from
240-421: The parish ) is named after the local Reisafjorden ( Old Norse : Reisa ). The fjord was named after the river Reisaelva which flows into the fjord. The river name is derived from the verb rísa which means "to raise" (referring to flooding ). The prefix nord (meaning "northern") was added to the name to distinguish the municipality from the nearby Sørreisa Municipality to the south. Historically,
264-496: The white-tailed and golden eagles . There are hiking trails in the area. The Mollisfossen Waterfall is also in Reisadalen. The waterfall is located on the Reisaelva River and has a height of 269 metres (883 ft). The remains of several tar kilns can still be found in the valley. Further up the valley, you can find remains of Sami (or Sámi) Sárran (fireplaces) and ancient pitfall trapping systems for wild reindeer. The local area has been used by reindeer herders and
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#1732775320258288-499: The 18th century, escaping famine and war . Today, only a few old people can speak Finnish . Some inhabitants have Sami or Norwegian backgrounds, and today the Norwegian language is most commonly used. Few old buildings survive in Nordreisa, as virtually everything was destroyed in early 1945 by retreating German troops . The two major attractions are the old trading post at Havnnes , with picturesque old houses that escaped
312-459: The Sami and Kven language names change depending on how they are used. In Sami, it is called Ráisa when it is spelled alone, but it is Ráissa suohkan when using the Sami language equivalent to "Nordreisa Municipality". In Kven, it is called Raisi when it is spelled alone, but it is Raisin komuuni when using the Kven language equivalent to "Nordreisa Municipality". The coat of arms
336-463: The local population, which is of Norwegian, Sami and Kven (Finnish) origins. During the 18th century there was a marked increase in the migration from northern Finland and the Torne valley in northern Sweden to Reisadalen. This resulted in Reisadalen being recognized as a core area for Kven settlement. During World War II , Reisadalen was occupied by German forces , who built a military airport in
360-459: The municipality, near Reisa National Park . Nordreisa has a boreal climate , although with autumn as the wettest season. The wettest month, October, sees almost three times as much precipitation as the driest month, April. The all-time high 31.6 °C (88.9 °F) was recorded August 2018. The weather station near the small airport has been recording since 1974. Reisadalen Reisadalen or Reisa Valley ( Kven : Raisinvankka )
384-456: The municipality. The islands of Skjervøy Municipality lie to the north; Kvænangen Municipality and Kautokeino Municipality are both located to the east; Finland is to the south; and Gáivuotna–Kåfjord Municipality and Lyngen Municipality are located to the west. The highest point in the municipality is the 1,360.6-metre (4,464 ft) tall mountain Halti ., located in the southern part of
408-421: The name of the municipality was spelled Nordreisen . On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Nordreisa . In 2017, the municipality adopted co-equal, trilingual names for the municipality: Nordreisa ( Norwegian ) , Ráisa ( Northern Sami ) , and Raisi ( Kven ) , and the government of Norway approved these in 2018. The spelling of
432-403: The northern part of the municipality. The 3,438-square-kilometre (1,327 sq mi) municipality is the 9th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Nordreisa is the 187th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,794. The municipality's population density is 1.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (3.6/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 1.2% over
456-553: The previous 10-year period. The municipality of Nordreisa was established on 1 January 1886 when Skjervøy Municipality was divided in two. The southern part of Skjervøy (population: 1,057) was separated to form the new municipality. On 1 January 1890, the Trætten and Loppevolden farms (population: 32) were transferred to Nordreisa from Skjervøy. The parts of Skjervøy lying on the mainland (population: 1,556) were transferred from Skjervøy to Nordreisa on 1 January 1972. On 1 January 1982,
480-465: The southern part of the island of Uløya (population: 128) was transferred from Skjervøy to Nordreisa. On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county. On 1 January 2024, the Troms og Finnmark county was divided and the municipality once again became part of Troms county. The municipality (originally
504-540: The valley. The airport transported troops and supplies to the northern front and played a significant role in the German war effort. After the war, the airport was decommissioned, and the area was returned to civilian use. The name "Reisadalen" is Norwegian for "Reisa Valley." It is derived from the Reisaelva River, which flows through the valley. The river comes from the Norse word "rísa," meaning "to rise." The river
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#1732775320258528-506: The war damages, and the waterfall of Mollisfossen, which is 269 metres (883 ft) high. The upper, or southernmost, areas of the municipality are covered by the Reisa National Park with unique forest and high plateau vegetation. Nordreisa Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services , senior citizen services, welfare and other social services , zoning , economic development , and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality
552-531: Was chosen to be on the arms because the local Reisaelva river is one of Norway's best salmon fishing rivers. The arms were designed by Arvid Sveen . The Church of Norway has one parish ( sokn ) within Nordreisa Municipality. It is part of the Nord-Troms prosti ( deanery ) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland . Most inhabitants are descendants of settlers from Finland who came over in
576-402: Was granted on 21 December 1984. The official blazon is " Vert , two salmon haurient argent addorsed " ( Norwegian : I grønt to adosserte sølv lakser ). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is two salmon . The salmon have a tincture of argent which means they are commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The salmon
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