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128-596: Northern Norway ( Bokmål : Nord-Norge , Urban East Norwegian: [ˈnûːrˌnɔrɡə] , Nynorsk : Nord-Noreg ; Northern Sami : Davvi-Norga ) is a geographical region of Norway , consisting of the three northernmost counties Nordland , Troms and Finnmark , in total about 35% of the Norwegian mainland. Some of the largest towns in Northern Norway (from south to north) are Mo i Rana , Bodø , Narvik , Harstad , Tromsø and Alta . Northern Norway

256-492: A barren, mountainous coastline, with smaller islands offshore. The Lyngen Alps are the highest mountains of the area, rising to 1,833 metres (6,014 ft), an area of glaciers and waterfalls. The 269 metres (883 ft) Mollisfossen waterfall in Nordreisa Municipality is the highest waterfall in the north, while Målselvfossen is Norway's national waterfall. Finnmark county has fjords and glaciers in

384-517: A comeback, as it was less dependent on fish exports. After 1700, Russian Pomors started to come every summer on trading expeditions, bringing rye in exchange for fish. Although this was in violation of Bergen's trade monopoly and the Danish–Norwegian monarchy made some attempts to curtail the Pomor trade, the trade was vital to the survival of many Northern Norwegian fishing communities. In the 1740s

512-421: A cream sauce. Reindeer filets have become more popular in high-end restaurants in recent years, but the price can be prohibitive as the reindeer industry is shielded from market forces by the Norwegian government (in essence, it is treated as a vital component of Sami culture, rather than a competitive industry, which means there is little pressure to actually sell the meat products). Lamb meat from sheep following

640-770: A language form regulated by the non-governmental organisation The Norwegian Academy of Language and Literature. It is based on pre-1938 Bokmål and has been regulated by The Academy as a private alternative to the official Bokmål spelling standard since the 1950s. Over time it has accepted widespread "radical" spellings into the Riksmål standard. Since the official Samnorsk policy was abolished, Riksmål and Bokmål have converged, and The Academy currently edits an online dictionary that covers both. The differences have diminished (now being comparable to American and British English differences ), but The Academy still upholds its own standard. Norway's most popular daily newspaper, Aftenposten ,

768-473: A more calm eastern shore. There are several large fjords that stretch quite far inland. Starting in the south, the largest fjords are Vågsfjorden , Andfjorden (partially in Nordland county), Malangen , Balsfjorden , Ullsfjorden , Lyngen , and Kvænangen . The largest lake is Altevatnet in the interior of the county. There are mountains in all parts of Troms; the most alpine and striking are probably

896-416: A result of surplus childbirths and immigration from abroad), this is significantly lower than in southern counties, although the regional centres of Bodø, Tromsø and Alta continue to grow at a relatively brisk pace. Lately, the off-shore gas field of Snøhvit , off Hammerfest, has brought hopes of new development in the north. The Northern Norwegian dialects share a common, musical intonation, different from

1024-488: A single vote in the Lagting . The government does not regulate spoken Bokmål and recommends that normalised pronunciation should follow the phonology of the speaker's local dialect. Nevertheless, there is a spoken variety of Norwegian that, in the region of South-Eastern Norway , is commonly seen as the de facto standard for spoken Bokmål. In The Phonology of Norwegian , Gjert Kristoffersen writes that Bokmål [...]

1152-416: A speaker's native region. Up until about 1300, the written language of Norway, Old Norwegian , was essentially the same as the other Old Norse dialects . The speech, however, was gradually differentiated into local and regional dialects. As long as Norway remained an independent kingdom , the written language remained essentially constant. In 1380, Norway entered into a personal union with Denmark. By

1280-575: A temperate oceanic climate and few extremes even with 150 years of recording. Lakselv in Porsanger Municipality at 70 degrees north latitude has a continental boreal climate with cold winters and sparse precipitation. Ranked by population in the town itself (not the municipality) as of 1. January 2008: Bokm%C3%A5l language Bokmål is regulated by the governmental Language Council of Norway . A related, more conservative orthographic standard, commonly known as Riksmål ,

1408-558: Is Målselva (in Målselv Municipality ), and the largest (not the highest) waterfall is Målselvfossen at 600 m (2,000 ft) long and 20 m (66 ft) high. Marble is present in parts of Troms, and thus numerous caves , as in Salangen Municipality and Tjeldsund Municipality . Located at a latitude of nearly 70°N, Troms has short, cool summers, but fairly mild winters along the coast due to

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1536-489: Is a transitional period when the sun rapidly returns, and March and April often feel like an explosion of light with long daylight hours and snow cover in most areas except the coastal strip of Nordland. The Aurora Borealis can be seen in the whole area from autumn to mid-April, after which it gets too bright to observe the Aurora. It is a natural phenomenon arising due to the collision between electrically charged particles from

1664-568: Is called Helgeland . Here there is a multitude of islands and skerries on the outside of the coastal range, some flat, some with impressive shapes, like Mount Torghatten , which has a hole through it, and the Seven Sisters near Sandnessjøen . The inland is covered with dense spruce forests and mountains near the Swedish border; some of the biggest rivers in the region are the Vefsna and

1792-574: Is dominant. Important ports for the fishing fleet are Skjervøy , Tromsø , and Harstad . There is also some agriculture, especially in the southern part of the county, which has a longer growing season (150 days in Harstad). Balsfjord Municipality is often regarded to be the most northern municipality with substantial agricultural activity in Norway, although there is also agriculture further north. The Norwegian armed forces are vital employers in

1920-566: Is fairly flat with little height difference for 70 km (43 mi) (to Bilto); the Reisa river can be navigated by canoe or river boat for much of this distance. The salmon swim 90 km (56 mi) up the river, and some 137 different species of birds have been observed. Several rivers cascade down into the valley; the Mollisfossen waterfall is 269 m (883 ft). The valley ends 120 km (75 mi) southeast of Storslett, as

2048-528: Is in its most common variety looked upon as reflecting formal middle-class urban speech, especially that found in the eastern part of Southern Norway [sic], with the capital Oslo as the obvious centre. One can therefore say that Bokmål has a spoken realisation that one might call an unofficial standard spoken Norwegian. It is in fact often referred to as Standard Østnorsk ('Standard East Norwegian'). Standard Østnorsk ( lit.   ' 'Standard East Norwegian' ' ) or sometimes described as " Urban East Norwegian "

2176-587: Is limited by climatic factors, but still has a long history in the southern half of the region. Rhubarb and redcurrant has been used for more than 100 years; redcurrant also grows naturally in much of the region, blackcurrant is also common in gardens. In addition to potatoes and carrots, rutabaga and sometimes cabbage have traditionally been grown (very little in Finnmark). Many wild plants were used for medical purposes or as spices, such as Garden Angelica , but this has become rare in modern times. More lately

2304-474: Is not to suggest that no prejudices remain, however. Sami is spoken in three main dialects (or languages, depending on the definition): Southern Sami south of the Arctic Circle, Lule Sami mainly between Bodø and Narvik, and Northern Sami in the rest. Originally, Pite Sami and Ume Sami were spoken around Bodø, but these dialects are now extinct on the Norwegian side of the border. Eastern Sami

2432-563: Is notable for its use of Riksmål as its standard language. Use of Riksmål is rigorously pursued, even with regard to readers' letters, which are "translated" into the standard. Aftenposten gave up its most markedly conservative "signal words" in 1990. While the specifics of the debate are unique to Norway, some parallels can be found in Austrian German and the One Standard German Axiom , which revolves over

2560-554: Is official in addition to Sami and Norwegian in Porsanger municipality. Very few first language Finnish speakers remain in Northern Norway, and unlike Northern Sami, the Finnish language lacks a core region where it is still dominant in daily life. Coastal and fjord areas of Northern Norway have much in common with Western Norway , sometimes imagined in cultural terms as a shared "coastal identity". The topography and fjord landscape,

2688-687: Is often described as the land of the midnight sun and the land of the northern lights . Farther north, halfway to the North Pole, is the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard , traditionally not regarded as part of Northern Norway. The region is multi-cultural, housing not just Norwegians but also the indigenous Sami people , Norwegian Finns (known as Kvens , distinct from the " Forest Finns " of Southern Norway) and Russian populations (mostly in Kirkenes ). The Norwegian language dominates in most of

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2816-408: Is often served on the beach, boiled in seawater over an open fire, or fried (typically the smaller coalfish). Halibut is traditional Christmas food. Most fish is served plainly poached, only accompanied by boiled potatoes, carrots and possibly fried bacon. A more particular kind of fish is "gammelsei", saithe that has been conserved for a year or more. Other traditions are lutefisk and boknafisk ,

2944-436: Is one of the most idyllic river valleys in Norway; from Storslett in Nordreisa Municipality the valley stretches south-southeast, covered with birch, pine, grey alder , and willow. The northern part of the valley is 5 km (3.1 mi) wide, with 1,200-metre (3,900 ft) high mountains on both sides; the southern part of the valley narrows to a few hundred metres (canyon), with increasingly dry climate. The valley floor

3072-741: Is protected by Øvre Dividal National Park , which was enlarged in 2006. In 2011, the Rohkunborri National Park (571 square kilometres or 220 square miles) was established in Bardu Municipality , bordering Sweden and only a few kilometers south of Øvre Dividal National Park. The inland valleys, like Østerdalen (with Altevatnet), Kirkesdalen, Dividalen, Rostadalen, Signaldalen, and Skibotndalen, are perfect for summer hiking , with their varied nature, mostly dry climate and not too difficult terrain, although there are many accessible mountains for energetic hikers. Reisadalen

3200-404: Is quite distinct, although comprehensible for people from Finland. Further east, around Vadsø and Kirkenes, the spoken Finnish resembles standard Finnish. People of Finnish descent in these eastern areas are also typically more likely to consider themselves as " Finnish Norwegians " rather than Kvens , arguing that the term Kven represents an attempt to cut them off from their Finnish roots. Finnish

3328-484: Is regulated by the non-governmental Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature . The written standard is a Norwegianised variety of the Danish language . The first Bokmål orthography was officially adopted in 1907 under the name Riksmål after being under development since 1879. The architects behind the reform were Marius Nygaard and Jacob Jonathan Aars. It was an adaptation of written Danish - commonly used since

3456-408: Is the accusative and genitive form of the noun used when, for example, writing "Tromsø Municipality" (Roms s a Suohkan). The coat of arms of Troms was made by Hallvard Trætteberg (1898–1987) and adopted by royal resolution on 15 January 1960. The official blazon in Norwegian ("På rød bunn en gull griff") translates to "On a field Gules a griffin [ segreant ] Or ." Trætteberg chose to have

3584-530: Is the governing body for the county, elected by the people of Troms, while the Troms county governor is a representative of the King and Government of Norway . From 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023 Troms was merged with the neighboring Finnmark county to create the new Troms og Finnmark county. This merger was reversed by the government resulting from the 2021 Norwegian parliamentary election . Until 1919,

3712-615: Is the imported strawberry which has become popular and are grown locally (mostly southern half of region). The unique growing conditions, with ripening in 24-hr daylight and modest warmth is sometimes claimed to enhance flavor. Bioforsk , with research in terrestrial effects of climate and subarctic agriculture, has branches in four places in Northern Norway – Tromsø, Bodø, Tjøtta and Svanhovd in Sør-Varanger Municipality . There are large climatic differences from southwest to northeast in this region. Finnmarksvidda in

3840-413: Is the only municipality in the county with a strong population growth; most of the smaller municipalities experience decreasing populations as the young and educated moved to the cities, often in the southern part of Norway. Harstad is a commercial centre for the southern part of the county, and has been chosen by Statoil as its main office in Northern Norway. Along the coast and on the islands, fishing

3968-482: Is the pronunciation most commonly given in dictionaries. However, Standard Østnorsk as a spoken language is not used (and does not have prestige ) outside South-Eastern Norway. All spoken variations of the Norwegian language are used in the Storting (parliament) and in Norwegian national broadcasters such as NRK and TV 2 , even in cases where the conventions of Bokmål are used. The spoken variation typically reflects

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4096-637: The Late Middle Ages . There were numerous wars with the Novgorod Republic in Russia at the time, that stopped by the late 15th century. Reduced fish prices in the 17th century and the exploitative trade practices of merchants from Bergen, who had been granted a royal monopoly on fish trading, led to a significant decline in the population and grinding poverty for those who remained. Large coastal areas were depopulated, and Sami culture made

4224-593: The Lyngen Alps ( Lyngsalpene ), with several small glaciers and the highest mountain in the county, Jiekkevarre with a height of 1,833 m (6,014 ft). Several glaciers are located in Kvænangen Municipality , including parts of the Øksfjordjøkelen , the last glacier in mainland Norway to drop icebergs directly into the sea (in the Jøkelfjord ). The largest river in Troms (waterflow)

4352-562: The Ranelva . The highest mountain in Northern Norway is found here in the Okstindan range south of Mo i Rana with Oksskolten reaching 1,915 metres (6,283 ft) above sea level, and with the glacier Okstindbreen . The Saltfjellet range, with its Svartisen glacier and intersecting Arctic Circle , divides Helgeland from the next region, called Salten . Notable peaks in Salten are

4480-400: The past union with Denmark - to Dano-Norwegian , the koiné spoken by the Norwegian urban elite, especially in the capital. When the large conservative newspaper Aftenposten adopted the 1907 orthography in 1923, Danish writing was practically out of use in Norway. The name Bokmål was officially adopted in 1929 after a proposition to call the written language Dano-Norwegian lost by

4608-451: The 1885 decision that adopted Landsmål as a co-official language. The term Riksmål ( Rigsmaal ), meaning National Language , was first proposed by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in 1899 as a name for the Norwegian variety of written Danish as well as spoken Dano-Norwegian. It was borrowed from Denmark where it denoted standard written and spoken Danish. The same year the Riksmål movement became organised under his leadership in order to fight against

4736-508: The 1950s under the leadership of Arnulf Øverland . Riksmålsforbundet organised a parents' campaign against Samnorsk in 1951, and the Norwegian Academy for Language and Literature was founded in 1953. Because of this resistance, the 1959 reform was relatively modest, and some of the common traditional Danish spellings and inflections were admitted back into the standard through the reforms in 1981 and 2005. Currently, Riksmål denotes

4864-533: The British blockade of the Napoleonic wars, this introduced a period of unprecedented growth in the north as the trade monopoly had previously made cities nonviable in Northern Norway. Bodø was founded in 1816, and Vadsø in 1833. The Hurtigruten shipping line, introduced in 1893, gave quicker communications with the south. In 1906, the iron mines in Kirkenes opened. At the same time, the ethnic diversity of

4992-520: The Bronze Age 1000 BC. A larger settlement by people of Germanic origin, with substantial archeological evidence, seem to have occurred 200–300 AD. These settled along the coasts roughly up to Tromsø. The two ethnic groups traded with each other, and there seems to have been quite a lot of intermarriage. The nature of the co-existence is hotly debated. In the Viking Age , several chieftains along

5120-620: The Børvasstindan south of Bodø , Suliskongen near Fauske (1,907 metres or 6,257 feet, highest mountain north of the Arctic Circle), the Steigartindan and the phallic Hamarøytinden. Between Saltfjellet and eastern Finnmark, Norway spruce trees have originally been planted and are mostly privately owned. The older plantations are now producing lumber , 80 years after planted. Lofoten is a chain of peaks that jut out of

5248-476: The Danish writing, the latter for a brand new start." The more conservative of the two language transitions was advanced by the work of writers like Peter Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe , schoolmaster and agitator for language reform Knud Knudsen , and Knudsen's famous disciple, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson , as well as a more cautious Norwegianisation by Henrik Ibsen . In particular, Knudsen's work on language reform in

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5376-658: The Great around 890. The Viking leader Tore Hund had his seat at Bjarkøya . According to the sagas , Tore Hund speared King Olav Haraldsson at the Battle of Stiklestad . He also traded and fought in Bjarmaland , today the area of Arkhangelsk in northern Russia . Trondenes (near today's Harstad ) was also a central Viking power centre, and seems to have been a gathering place. The Kven residents of Troms are largely descendants of Finnish immigrants who arrived in

5504-604: The Heathens"), was built in Tromsø, along with a small rampart intended to serve as protection against Karelian raids. This was followed in 1307 by the consecration of Vardø Church in what is now eastern Finnmark. Finally, Vardøhus Fortress was constructed to mark and defend the border with the Karelian tributary lands of the Novgorod Republic . The traditional view has been that the fortress and church were constructed at roughly

5632-623: The Northern Norwegian chieftains. In the Middle Ages , churches and fortifications were built along the coast in an effort to stake a more firm claim for the kingdom of Norway along what was then the frontier of Norwegian settlement. By 1150, Lenvik Church was the northernmost church in Norway. In 1252 the first church, the Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae de Trums juxta paganos ("The Church of Saint Mary in Troms near

5760-556: The Oslofjord area) and written Danish; and subsequently Riksmål and Bokmål, which primarily inherited their non-Oslo elements from Danish. The present-day Oslo dialect is also influenced by other Eastern Norwegian dialects. The following table shows some important cases where traditional Bokmål and Standard Østnorsk followed Danish rather than the traditional Oslo dialect as it is commonly portrayed in literature about Norwegian dialects. In many of these cases, radical Bokmål follows

5888-574: The Riksmål movement, and Riksmålsvernet (The Society for the Protection of Riksmål) was founded in 1919. In 1929, the parliament voted to rename the written standards. Bokmål was re-introduced as the official name for the Dano-Norwegian standard, replacing Riksmål , while Landsmål was renamed Nynorsk . In 1938 both written standards were heavily reformed and many common spellings and grammatical endings were made mandatory. This meant

6016-460: The Stone Age, and the comparatively large areas of sparsely settled valleys, fells and mountains still hold wildlife. In the winter, the codfish comes to the coastal waters to spawn, especially to the cod fisheries of Lofoten. Mølja , boiled codfish with liver and roe , is a delicacy that today is served in the best restaurants. In the summer, the coalfish , or saithe , bites, and fresh saithe

6144-401: The Troms, having the seat of the 6th army division , Bardufoss Air Station , helicopter wings and radar stations in the county. There are hospitals in Tromsø (university hospital and main hospital for North Norway) and Harstad. While the busiest airport in Troms is Tromsø Airport , the southern part included Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes and Bardufoss Airport , with Sørkjosen Airport in

6272-418: The advent of Nynorsk in the 19th century, a written language based on rural Modern Norwegian dialects and puristic opposition to the Danish and Dano-Norwegian spoken in Norwegian cities. The following table shows a few central differences between Bokmål and Danish. Most natives of Oslo today speak a dialect that is an amalgamation of vikværsk (which is the technical term for the traditional dialects in

6400-407: The area ( Helgeland , Salten , Lofoten, Harstad- Kvæfjord ). In addition to fishing, each family traditionally had a small farm with a few cows (see Pietro Querinis shipwrecked at Røst in 1432), sheep or goats (goats being preferred in many places due to their superior adaptation to the rough and mountainous terrain found in much of Northern Norway) and had small grain fields (mostly barley ). After

6528-541: The area between the Russian border and the Lyngen fjord , as part of their tactics . The population was forcibly evacuated, although a third of them chose to hide in the wilderness instead. All who were found were shot. After World War II, Norway made a huge effort to rebuild the destroyed towns and villages. Modernizing fishing and agriculture was important, as Northern Norway was considerably poorer and less developed than

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6656-713: The area came under threat. Particularly after Norwegian independence (from the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway ) in 1905, the Norwegian authorities were insistent that all should speak Norwegian only and schools became active tools of assimilation. The Sami language was banned in schools, churches and in public administration. Concerns about possible Finnish irredentism also led to increasing pressure on Kvens to assimilate. People who wanted to buy state-owned land in Finnmark had to prove they could speak Norwegian before they were allowed to settle. This region of Norway

6784-474: The area; Sami speakers are mainly found inland and in some of the fjord areas of Nordland, Troms and particularly Finnmark – though ethnic Sámi who do not speak the language are found more or less everywhere in the region. Finnish is spoken in only a few communities in the east of Finnmark. Northern Norway covers about a third of Norway. The southernmost part, roughly the part south of the Arctic Circle ,

6912-554: The barren coasts that rise directly up from the sea. The landscape towards the Russian border is comparatively flat. Knivskjellodden on the island of Magerøya marks the northern end of Europe; tourism is directed to the much more accessible (and dramatic) North Cape , whereas Kinnarodden on the Nordkinn Peninsula is the northernmost point of Europe's mainland. Finnmark is situated north of northernmost Finland, and to

7040-565: The beginning of April, but coastal areas are moderated by the sea: with more than 130 years of official weather recordings, the coldest winter temperature ever recorded in Tromsø is −20.1 °C (−4.2 °F) in February 1985. The all-time high for Troms is 33.5 °C (92.3 °F) recorded in Bardufoss 18 July 2018. Thaws can occur even in mid-winter. There is often snow in abundance, and avalanches were not uncommon in winter. With

7168-477: The coast and in some of the larger fjords, while the Sami lived in the same fjord areas, usually just into the fjord and in the interior. From the 10th century, Norse settlements start to appear along the coast further north, reaching into what is today the county of Finnmark. Southern and Mid-Troms was a petty kingdom in the Viking Age , and considered part of Hålogaland . Ottar from Hålogaland met King Alfred

7296-548: The coast and rivers), Eurasian lynx (in the forests), and harbour porpoises in the fjords. Sperm whales , killer whales and humpback whales are often seen in Andfjorden . Some of the common birds are ptarmigan , sea eagles , European herring gulls , and great cormorants . The sheltered valleys in the interior of Troms have the highest tree line (summer warmth and length is the limiting factor), with downy birch reaching an elevation of 700 m (2,300 ft) on

7424-454: The coast played a significant role in Norwegian history, usually resisting unification of Norway . The voyage and story of Ottar from Hålogaland was recorded by King Alfred the Great in Wessex . Hårek from Tjøtta and Tore Hund , who killed Saint Olav at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030 were important leaders according to Heimskringla . The chieftain and poet Øyvind Skaldespiller was

7552-467: The coast. Shark meat has traditionally not been used as food, even if some can grow nearly 10 metres (33 ft) long. In later years, the large Red king crab has invaded Norwegian waters from the east and, having reached west to Hammerfest, are now served in the finest restaurants. The large sea bird colonies along the coast provided eggs for the local population, yet most of these are now protected by law. However, in Tromsø, sea gull eggs and beer from

7680-473: The county was formerly known as Tromsø amt . On 1 July 2006, the Northern Sami name for the county, Romsa , was granted official status along with Troms. The county (and the city of Tromsø ) is named after the island Tromsøya on which it is located ( Old Norse Trums ). Several theories exist as to the etymology of Troms. One theory holds "Troms-" to derive from the old (uncompounded) name of

7808-453: The current ethnic groups to settle in the county were the Sami people , who inhabited Sápmi , an area much larger than today's Nordland , Troms and Finnmark counties. Archeological evidence has shown that a Norse iron -based culture in the late Roman Iron Age (200–400 AD), reaches as far north as Karlsøy Municipality (north of today's city of Tromsø), but not further northeast. The Norse with their iron and agriculture settled along

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7936-518: The dates are 17 May to 25 July, and 26 November to 15 January, respectively; and for Bodø from 30 May to 12 July (no polar night in Bodø). The mid-winter darkness is not totally dark on the mainland; there is twilight for about three hours around noon in Tromsø. Helgeland does not have true midnight sun, but the upper part of the sun disc never descends below the horizon as far south as Mosjøen in June. February

8064-613: The earliest settlers in Northern Norway is being used to question their status as an indigenous people. Metals were introduced around 500 BC. The Sami culture can be traced back at least 2,000 years. There is also some archeological evidence of Bronze Age agricultural settlements about 2,500 years old, as in Steigen Municipality and Sømna Municipality . In 2009, archeologist discovered evidence of barley grown in Kvæfjord Municipality (near Harstad ) in

8192-418: The early 16th century, Norway had lost its separate political institutions, and together with Denmark formed the political unit known as Denmark–Norway until 1814, progressively becoming the weaker member of the union. During this period, the modern Danish and Norwegian languages emerged. Norwegian went through a Middle Norwegian transition, and a Danish written language more heavily influenced by Low German

8320-643: The east Norway has a 196 kilometres (122 mi) border with Russia. The oldest known historical culture in the region is called the Komsa culture , named after a mountain in Alta . The first people possibly arrived 12,000–13,000 years ago, but it is uncertain whether they came from southern Norway or from the Kola Peninsula . Today the rock carvings at Hjemmeluft in Alta or at Leknes in Nordland are among

8448-417: The evolution of language in Norway. Old language traditions were revived by the patriotic poet Henrik Wergeland (1808–1845), who championed an independent non-Danish written language. Haugen indicates that: "Within the first generation of liberty, two solutions emerged and won adherents, one based on the speech of the upper class and one on that of the common people. The former called for Norwegianisation of

8576-431: The far southwest, and the northwestern coasts are characterized by big islands, like Sørøya and Seiland . The inland is covered by Finnmarksvidda , a relatively barren plateau about 300 to 400 metres (980 to 1,310 ft) high, with many lakes and rivers like Alta-Kautokeino and Tana-Deatnu . Even at this latitude, pine forests grow naturally in lowland areas inland. East of Honningsvåg , there are no islands protecting

8704-557: The first settlers started arriving in Northern Norway from Finland. The traditional view is that these were refugees escaping famine and warfare at home, although modern scholars have pointed out that many were simply looking for their own piece of land, which was getting scarce in Finland as a result of rapid population growth. In 1789, the trade monopoly of the city of Bergen was lifted, Hammerfest and Vardø were issued their city charters, and Tromsø followed suit in 1794. Interrupted by

8832-460: The first to receive international acclaim, as his poems were rewarded when the Icelandic parliament organized a money collection to buy him a thick ring of gold. This flourishing period of resistance was followed by consolidation and centralization of the Norwegian state, which was (and is) dominated by southerners (in the relative sense of south of Northern Norway), reducing the power and wealth of

8960-478: The fjords, and the coldest are inland. Inland Finnmark, as in Karasjok, average temperatures remain below freezing for 7 months (October–April). In Tromsø, average temperatures stays below freezing for 4–5 months. Even if winter temperatures depends largely on the distance to the sea, the length of the season varies mostly with latitude (and altitude). While the southern coast of Nordland have four months of summer,

9088-532: The freezing highlands out through the large fjords, −10 °C (14 °F) and strong breeze will feel very cold on the skin. Mild westerlies are still much more common in most winters. Weather patterns are inherently unpredictable in this northern region—both low pressure and high pressure weather can occur at any time of year, although the strongest winds occur in winter. Along the coast of Nordland north to southern Vesterålen, average winter temperatures hover just above freezing, getting gradually colder winters into

9216-442: The government of Finland expressed interest in building a railway from the Finnish rail network to port facilities at Skibotn , though they also stated that they could not finance much of the cost. Troms has been settled since the early Stone Age , and there are prehistoric rock carvings at several locations (for instance Ibestad and Balsfjord ). These people made their living from hunting, fishing and gathering. The first of

9344-478: The gradual subsequent process of Norwegianisation of the written language used in the cities of Norway, from Danish to Bokmål and Riksmål, the upper-class sociolects in the cities changed accordingly. In 1814, when Norway was ceded from Denmark to Sweden , Norway defied Sweden and her allies, declared independence and adopted a democratic constitution. Although compelled to submit to a dynastic union with Sweden, this spark of independence continued to burn, influencing

9472-548: The griffin as charge because that animal was the symbol of the mighty clan of Bjarne Erlingsson on Bjarkøy in the 13th century. Troms is located in the northern part of the Scandinavian peninsula . Due to the long distance to the more densely populated areas of the continent, this is one of the least polluted areas of Europe. Troms has a very rugged and indented coastline facing the Norwegian Sea . However,

9600-597: The growing influence of Nynorsk, eventually leading to the foundation of the non-governmental organisation Riksmålsforbundet in 1907, which he led until his death in 1910. The 1907 reform documents do not mention the language by name, but the term Riksmål eventually caught on and was adopted by the Ministry of Church and Education in the years leading up to the 1917 spelling reform, appearing in its 1908 publication Utredning av spørsmaalet om et mulig samarbeide mellem landsmaal og riksmaal i retskrivningen ("Investigation of

9728-418: The innermost fjord areas, but 15 to 22 °C (59 to 72 °F) is much more common. Along the outer seaboard, a summer day at 15 °C (59 °F) is considered fairly warm. The aurora borealis is a common sight in the whole of Troms, but not in summer as there is no darkness. As with all areas in the polar latitudes, there are extreme variations in daylight between the seasons. As a consequence of this,

9856-437: The interior of Finnmark and some valleys in the interior of Troms, experience a more continental climate with much less precipitation and much colder winters compared to the long coastal region. There are extreme variations in daylight between winter and summer. In Nordkapp Municipality the midnight sun can be seen from 11 May to 31 July, and the sun does not rise above the horizon from 19 November to 22 January. For Tromsø,

9984-529: The introduction (and somewhat later acceptance) of potatoes from the Americas, these became a main staple in much of Northern Norway, as well as many other parts of Norway. Agriculture gradually becomes less important as a food source as one moves further north, and in the northern half (north of Balsfjord/Tromsø area) was usually of minor importance and certainly less important than fishing or Sami reindeer nomadic pastoralism . Hunting has been important ever since

10112-415: The island ( Old Norse : Trums ). Several islands and rivers in Norway have the name Tromsa , and the names of these are probably derived from the word straumr which means "(strong) stream". (The original form must then have been Strums , for the missing s see Indo-European s-mobile .) Another theory holds that Tromsøya was originally called Lille Tromsøya (Little Tromsøya), because of its proximity to

10240-491: The kind of standard to be used in a non-dominant country. In the Norwegian discourse, the term Dano-Norwegian is seldom used with reference to contemporary Bokmål and its spoken varieties. The nationality of the language has been a hotly debated topic, and its users and proponents have generally not been fond of the implied association with Danish (hence the neutral names Riksmål and Bokmål , meaning state language and book language respectively). The debate intensified with

10368-455: The large and mountainous islands along the coast provide an excellent sheltered waterway on the inside. Starting in the south, the largest islands are: northeastern part of Hinnøya (the southern part is in Nordland), Grytøya , Senja , Kvaløya , Ringvassøya , Reinøy , Vanna , and Arnøy . Some of these islands, most noteworthy Senja, have a rugged outer coast with steep mountains, and

10496-468: The latter always served with sugar and cinnamon . None of the aforementioned are distinctly Northern Norwegian foods, however, but are popular throughout Norway. There are a number of local traditions in this long region, including goat cheese from Balsfjord Municipality , Blanklefse and other variations of lefse from Helgeland, and a number of variations of reindeer, an integral part of traditional Sami culture. Wild berries have long traditions in

10624-441: The latter made from stockfish , and in Nordland often from herring . Seawolf and rose fish are regarded as good food, the latter often eaten salted and poached, with the brain ( krus ) highly regarded, sometimes fried with onions. In addition to cod, herring and potatoes were traditional staple foods (except in the most northern area). Salmon has long traditions as food along the rivers, and also trout which are common also in

10752-448: The length of daylight increases (late winter and spring) or decreases (autumn) by 10 minutes from one day to the next. Moose , red fox , hare , stoat , and small rodents are common in all of Troms county. Brown bears are sighted in the interior parts of the county in the summer. Other animals that can be seen are reindeer (interior mountain areas, with Sami owners), wolverine (interior mountain areas), Eurasian otters (along

10880-428: The local brewery is still a highly regarded dish to enjoy in the sun of late spring. Tender whale meat is usually served as steaks, whereas seals are an acquired taste, due to the smell. However, when processed into "Barents ham", it gets more palatable. Fresh seal meat is served at the end of the hunting season in spring, and Tromsø is the place to look for it. Reindeer are often served as finnebiff , thin slices in

11008-457: The local cuisine, and the most sought after is the cloudberry , used in marmalade, desserts and cakes. Other popular wild berries are bilberries , lingonberry , raspberry (southern half of region, also cultivated in some private gardens), and there are also a number of less well known berries used for food. Mushrooms are common in the forests from late July to September and also has seen some use in traditional food. The use of kitchen gardens

11136-540: The mainland ( Tromsø Municipality ), Kvaløya to Ringvassøya (also in Tromsø), and Skjervøya to the mainland (in Skjervøy Municipality . The roads are well maintained, but have to go long detours around fjords. For this reason passenger boats are fairly popular, for example between Tromsø and Harstad, and there are also commercial flights inside the county of Troms. There is no railway in Troms, but in 2013,

11264-473: The mid-19th century was important for the 1907 orthography and a subsequent reform in 1917, so much so that he is now often called the "father of Bokmål". Since the creation of Landsmål , the Danish written in Norway was referred to as (det almindelige) Bogmaal , etc. ("(The ordinary) book language"), e.g. in Den norske Literatur fra 1814 indtil vore Dage (Hans Olaf Hansen, 1862), or the synonym Bogsprog , e.g. in

11392-448: The most well-known is Stetind , the national mountain of Norway. There are also glaciers, like Frostisen and Blåisen . Troms county has surprising greenery for the latitude, and the inner waterways and fjords are lined with birch forests, and further inland there are extensive pine forests and highlands around the rivers Målselva and Reisaelva . Big islands like Senja , Kvaløya and Ringvassøya have green, forested interiors and

11520-576: The much bigger island today called Kvaløya , that according to this theory was earlier called "Store Tromsøya" due to a characteristic mountain known as Tromma (the Drum). The mountain's name in Sámi , Rumbbučohkka , is identical in meaning, and it is said to have been a sacred mountain for the Sámi in pre-Christian times. The Sámi name of the island, Romsa , is assumed to be a loan from Norse – but according to

11648-521: The northeast and Nordland county in the southwest. Norrbotten Län in Sweden is located to the south and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland . To the west is the Norwegian Sea ( Atlantic Ocean ). The county had a population of 169,610 in 2024. The entire county, which was established in 1866, is located north of the Arctic Circle . The Troms County Municipality

11776-636: The northeast. The E6 cuts through the county from Nordland into Gratangen Municipality in the south to Kvænangen Municipality in the north and then into Finnmark. The E8 highway runs from Tromsø to Finland via Nordkjosbotn and the Skibotn valley. There are several large bridges; some of the largest are Tjeldsund Bridge , Mjøsund Bridge , Gisund Bridge , Tromsø Bridge and Sandnessund Bridge . There are several undersea road tunnels; Rolla to Andørja (in Ibestad Municipality ), Tromsøya to

11904-426: The northeasternmost areas just averages two months, such as Kirkenes and Vadsø. The warmest summer daily highs are in the inland valleys and sheltered fjords, in towns like Mosjøen, Rognan, Narvik, Bardufoss, Alta and Karasjok. A small strip of land along the extreme northeastern coast from Nordkapp Municipality to Vardø Municipality was earlier partly tundra (Arctic climate) due to lack of summer warmth, however with

12032-506: The numerous glaciers – more than 500, mostly in Nordland and Troms. Autumn, and some places along the coast winter, tend to be the wettest season, often receiving more than twice as much precipitation as does spring and early summer. Only the interior areas of Finnmark tend to be wettest in summer. The areas with the least precipitation are some inland valleys, like Dividalen in Målselv Municipality with only 282 millimetres (11.1 in) precip/year, and upper Saltdal and Skibotn with about

12160-454: The numerous lakes. In the latest decades consumption has increased in correspondence with increased salmon fish farming ; smoked salmon is very popular, often on open sandwiches , alone or together with boiled or scrambled eggs or salad . Traditionally, northerners regarded shellfish and prawns as bait, but lately they have developed a taste for it, and the freshest and most succulent prawns and shellfish are easily obtainable all along

12288-476: The ocean. From the mainland side it looks very barren, but behind the violet-black peaks there are also flatlands with good grazing for sheep, partially on soil made from seaweed . The Vesterålen islands consist of smaller and bigger islands with a huge variation in landscape. Ofoten , further inland, is a fjord landscape with high mountains, the highest is Storsteinfjellet in Narvik, 1,894 m above sea level, but

12416-988: The outer seaboard. However, many winter days are completely calm. The most windy location in continental Norway (apart from mountain summits) is Fruholmen Lighthouse ( Fruholmen fyr ) in Måsøy Municipality not far from the North Cape . The most windy city in Northern Norway is Bodø with on average 153 days/year with strong breeze or more and 24 days with gale-force winds, while Vardø , also lacking shelter, sees 136 days of strong breeze or more and 18 days with gale. Inland valleys and sheltered fjord areas—particularly if sheltered by mountains—are much less windy. Tromsø, partly sheltered by large islands, experiences on average 27 days/year with strong breeze, and 1 day with gale, and Bardufoss sees on average only 11 days with strong breeze or more and scarcely ever experiences gale. In winter, there might sometimes blow cold winds from

12544-582: The overnight low does not fall below 20 °C (68 °F). The warmest night ever recorded in Norway was 29 July 2019 at Sømna-Kvaløyfjellet (302 m) in Sømna Municipality near Brønnøysund with overnight low 26.1 °C (79.0 °F). The third warmest night recorded in Norway was at Makkaur in Båtsfjord Municipality with overnight low 25.2 °C (77.4 °F) on 19 July 2018. Brønnøysund at 65 degrees north latitude has

12672-456: The phonetical rules of the Sami language the frontal t has disappeared from the name. However, an alternative form – Tromsa – is in informal use. There is a theory that holds the Norwegian name of Tromsø derives from the Sámi name, though this theory lacks an explanation for the meaning of Romsa . A common misunderstanding is that Tromsø's Sámi name is Romssa with a double "s". This, however,

12800-560: The prevailing westerlies, lowland areas east of mountain ranges have less precipitation than areas west of the mountains. Skibotn (elevation: 46 m or 151 ft) in Storfjord Municipality is the location in Norway which has recorded the most days per year with clear skies (no clouds). Winter temperatures in Målselv Municipality and Bardu Municipality can get down to −35 °C (−31 °F), while summer days can reach 30 °C (86 °F) in inland valleys and

12928-426: The question of a possible cooperation between Landmål and Riksmål with regards to orthography"). Through this work an official policy to merge the standards (to a common Samnorsk ) through spelling reforms came to be. In line with these plans, the 1917 reform introduced some elements from Norwegian dialects and Nynorsk as optional alternatives to traditional Dano-Norwegian forms. The reform met some resistance from

13056-586: The region, especially towards the border with Sweden and north to the Lyngen alps east of Tromsø, are mountains and highlands with alpine tundra climate above the treeline. The mean annual temperature difference between Brønnøysund (6.6 °C (43.9 °F)) and Kautokeino (−1.4 °C (29.5 °F)) is 8 °C (13 °F), about the same as the difference between Brønnøysund and Madrid, Spain ( MADRID/RETIRO, SPAIN Weather History and Climate Data ). The warm climate in coastal areas, relative to other locations at

13184-456: The remainders of the Stone Age cultures, showing reindeer swimming across the fjords. A significant find area is between the river Tana and the fjord of Varanger , where the reindeer probably ran over the isthmus on the way between the winter and summer grazing. The question of the ethnic identity of the Stone Age cultures is politically charged, as many Sami feel the uncertainty surrounding

13312-493: The removal of many traditional Dano-Norwegian forms in Bokmål, a decision that was harshly criticised by the Riksmål movement for being too radical and premature. While it criticised the adoption of Nynorsk spellings, it initially also expressed support for making the orthography more phonemic , for instance by removing silent h's in interrogative pronouns (which was done in Swedish a few years earlier). The resistance culminated in

13440-434: The retreating snow line up the hills and mountains to get the most nutritious fresh vegetation throughout summer is highly regarded by the locals, and research seem to indicate that a varied diet does influence the taste of the meat. Game meat includes mountain hare , rock ptarmigan , willow grouse and moose . Foods with dairy as an important ingredient include waffles , pancakes and rømmegrøt (sour-cream porridge),

13568-555: The rich fisheries, the culture and even some aspects of the dialects ( Vestnorsk ) have clear similarities. During the 18th and 19th centuries a Russian-Norwegian pidgin known as Russenorsk developed for the communication of Russian traders and Norwegian fishermen in the Pomor trade . Northern Norway is surrounded by some of the richest seas in the world, and seafood is the main source for traditional cuisine. However, agricultural produce has existed for at least 3,000 years in parts of

13696-500: The same coastal area, but slightly into the fjords north to include Bodø , is a narrow area where winters are a little colder but summers still lasts four month, making this a humid continental climate (Dfb). A long area along the coast from Myken island in the south north along the outer coast north to Hasvik Municipality is the subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc) with still not very cold winters (coldest month above −3 °C (27 °F)). This includes much of Lofoten and Vesterålen,

13824-533: The same latitude, is by many attributed to the relatively warm North Atlantic Current , an extension of the Gulf Stream . Wind strength is strongest in winter and late autumn, when the Lows are strongest. Summers and early autumn are much less windy and will rarely see the wind strength that can be experienced in winter. Every winter sees windstorms disrupting communications (ferries, air traffic), especially along

13952-417: The same time, although recent research indicates that the fortress may have been constructed as late as the 1330s, after the border between Norway and Novgorod had become more fixed. At roughly the same time, the cod fishing gained momentum. Dried cod was exported through Bergen to the whole Hanseatic world , bringing prosperity to the north. This is reflected in the numerous pieces of imported church art from

14080-665: The same. Inland Finnmark is the only large area with less than 450 millimetres (18 in) precipitation/year. The wettest areas are generally the Helgeland region; Lurøy Municipality on the west coast of Saltfjell averages 2,900 millimetres (110 in)/year. The coldest temperature recorded is −51.4 °C (−60.5 °F) in Karasjok on 1.January 1886, and the warmest recorded is 35 °C (95 °F) at Mosjøen Airport on 27 July 2019. Many locations in North Norway have recorded what Norwegians know as "tropical nights" when

14208-548: The south. In 1946, the huge steel works of Mo i Rana were founded, heralding industrialization of the north. Transportation was also improved, as airports were built throughout the area, notably in Bodø in 1952 and Tromsø in 1964. The rail network was extended to reach Bodø in 1961. In 1972, the University of Tromsø opened, accompanied by a number of university colleges, notably in Bodø, Alta, Harstad and Narvik. In 1972 and 1994,

14336-534: The southern dialects of Norway. Apart from this, there is great variation in sound system, grammar, and vocabulary. In general, one can say that the southernmost of the northern dialects, particularly in Helgeland and Salten, are the most distinct. Notably they cut grammar endings (like French relative to Italian). In areas of Finnmark, the dialects are somewhat more in line with standard written Norwegian ( Bokmål , Nynorsk ), particularly in those areas where Norwegian

14464-463: The southern slope of Njunis ; all over Troms county birch trees forms the tree lines, often 200 metres (660 ft) above other trees. Rowan , aspen , willow , grey alder , and bird cherry are common in the lower elevations. Scots pine reaches an elevation of almost 400 m (1,300 ft) in Dividalen , where some of the largest trees are 500 years old. The upper part of the valley

14592-489: The spoken language of the vast majority of the population, by the time Norway's ties with Denmark were severed in 1814, a Dano-Norwegian vernacular often called the "educated daily speech" had become the mother tongue of elites in most Norwegian cities, such as Bergen , Kristiania and Trondheim . This Dano-Norwegian koiné could be described as Danish with regional Norwegian pronunciation (see Norwegian dialects ), some Norwegian vocabulary, and simplified grammar. With

14720-425: The strong anti-EU movements of the north, largely based on concerns over EU mismanagement of its own fish stocks, were instrumental when Norway voted against EU membership in referendums. Sami language instruction was introduced in schools in the 1970s. In 1979, the building of a hydro-electric dam in Alta caused huge demonstrations, giving the Sami question national attention for virtually the first time. The result

14848-492: The sun that enter the atmosphere of the earth, and paint the sky all colors from the color palette. The coast of Helgeland in southern Nordland and some islands further north to Skrova in Lofoten have a temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ) with monthly mean temperatures above 0 °C (32 °F) in winter, and four months with mean at or above 10 °C (50 °F). This includes the towns Brønnøysund and Sandnessjøen . In

14976-547: The temperate sea; Torsvåg Lighthouse in Karlsøy Municipality has January 24-hr average of −1 °C (30 °F). Tromsø averages −4 °C (25 °F) in January with a daily high of −2 °C (28 °F), while July averages 12 °C (54 °F) with high of 15 °C (59 °F). Temperatures are typically below freezing for about 5 months (8 months in the mountains), from early November to

15104-415: The traditional Oslo dialect and Nynorsk, and these forms are also given. Closest match to the traditional Oslo dialect. However, Bokmål uses ku "cow" and (now archaic) su "sow" exclusively. Troms Troms ( Norwegian: [trʊms] ; Northern Sami : Romsa ; Kven : Tromssa ; Finnish : Tromssa ) is a county in northern Norway . It borders Finnmark county to

15232-563: The typical boreal climate, and a complete lack of permafrost; this includes Mosjøen, Mo i Rana, Narvik, Tromsø and Hammerfest. Colder winters are found in Bardufoss, Alta, Kirkenes and Vadsø. The really cold areas are inland in Finnmark where Karasjok and Kautokeino have mean annual below 0 °C (32 °F) and patchy permafrost. However, the inland towns seldom see strong winds, and Karasjok only experiences on average 1 day/year with strong breeze (22 knots) or more. A substantial area of

15360-412: The updated climate normals 1991–2020, summers have warmed and the tundra climate has changed to a boreal climate along this northernmost coast, but still with very modest summer warmth. Precipitation occur in all seasons, usually as snow in winter, although often as rain on the Nordland coast. Snow accumulation in the mountains can exceed 3 metres (9.8 ft), and this abundance of snow is the reason for

15488-460: The vast and more barren Finnmarksvidda plateau takes over. Reisa National Park protects the upper part of the valley. The city of Tromsø , in the north central part, is the county seat and an Arctic seaport, and seat of the world's northernmost university, renowned for research about the aurora borealis . The University of Tromsø has an astrophysical observatory located in Skibotn . Tromsø

15616-489: The western coast of Troms north to Fruholmen in Måsøy Municipality in Finnmark. Towns in this area includes Leknes , Sortland , Harstad, the mildest parts of Tromsø close to the sea and Hasvik . The largest part of North Norway are within the boreal climate (also known as subarctic), but with large variation of temperatures and precipitation from south to northeast. Most towns along the fjords falling into this climate zone in North Norway have winters milder and wetter than

15744-559: Was a significant effort by the authorities to promote Sami language and culture. In 1989, the Norwegian Sami parliament, Samediggi , opened, and the Law of Finnmark of 2005 was an attempt to deal with the question of land rights. A similar law is on the way for Nordland and Troms. Working against all this, emigration to the south has been strong after World War II. While there is a slight overall population growth in Northern Norway (as

15872-859: Was bombed by the Luftwaffe , and on 7 June, the Allies retreated from the North, and the King and government fled to Britain from Tromsø. During the war, the area was used by the Kriegsmarine to stage U-boat attacks on Allied Arctic supply convoys resupplying the Eastern Front . In 1944, the German Wehrmacht started to retreat from the Murmansk front. They burned everything after them in

16000-572: Was gradually standardised. This process was aided by the Reformation , which prompted Christiern Pedersen 's translation of the Bible into Danish. Remnants of written Old Norse and Norwegian were thus displaced by the Danish standard, which became used for virtually all administrative documents. Norwegians used Danish primarily in writing, but it gradually came to be spoken by urban elites on formal or official occasions. Although Danish never became

16128-708: Was originally spoken in Neiden , close to Kirkenes, but it is more or less extinct. Overall, Northern Sami is by far the healthiest of the Sami languages today, primarily because it still has a relatively large number of first language speakers and maintains its dominance in core areas in Finnmark. Northern Sami is an official language (in addition to Norwegian) in the municipalities of Gáivuotna Municipality (Kåfjord), Kautokeino Municipality , Karasjok Municipality , Porsanger Municipality , Tana Municipality , and Nesseby Municipality . The Finnish spoken in western regions, from Storfjord Municipality to Porsanger Municipality ,

16256-544: Was primarily introduced by the school system as part of the assimilation process during the 20th century. In some inland valleys in the county of Troms, settlers from the inland of Southern Norway immigrated 200 years ago. Even today, these dialects have southern characteristics in intonation and vocabulary. Earlier, northern dialects had a low status in Norway, but recently they have been used extensively in song lyrics, poetry, in TV and radio. Today, anyone can use their dialects. This

16384-535: Was the area most affected by World War II . In 1940, the Norwegians and Allied forces fought the German Army to a standstill over the strategic port for iron exports of Narvik, until allied forces and equipment were withdrawn, leaving the remaining Norwegians with no option but surrender. King Haakon VII and the government fled towards the north, and stayed in the Tromsø area for three weeks. On 27 May, Bodø

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