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46-561: The entire county, which was established in 1866, is located north of the Arctic Circle . The Troms County Municipality 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

92-484: A field Gules a griffin [ segreant ] Or ." Trætteberg chose to have 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

138-478: A rugged outer coast with steep mountains, and 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;

184-544: A very rugged and indented coastline facing the Norwegian Sea . However, 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

230-558: 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

276-524: Is visible at local midnight , and at least once the centre is not visible at local noon . Directly on the Arctic Circle these events occur, in principle, exactly once per year: at the June and December solstices , respectively. However, because of atmospheric refraction and mirages , and also because the sun appears as a disk and not a point, part of the midnight sun is visible, on the night of

322-574: 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

368-565: 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

414-408: 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 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

460-621: Is located just to the east, Skjervøya and Kågen are to the southeast, and Vannøya is to the west. The Ullsfjorden lies to the west, the Lyngen fjord lies to the south, the Kvænangen fjord lies to the east, and the Norwegian Sea lies to the north. The Lyngen Alps are located south of Arnøya and they are a popular place for extreme skiers. Arnøya is also becoming a popular skiing destination. This article about an island in Troms

506-510: 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

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552-738: 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

598-610: 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 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

644-457: Is the 1,170-metre (3,840 ft) tall mountain Arnøyhøgda . There are regular ferry connections to the island from the nearby islands of Laukøya and Kågen , but there are no road connections to the island. Arnøy Church is located on the southern shore of the island. The villages of Årviksand , Arnøyhamn , Akkarvik , and Lauksletta are located on the island. The island of Laukøya

690-510: Is the longest day of the year), the Sun will not set. These phenomena are referred to as polar night and midnight sun respectively, and the further north one progresses, the more pronounced these effects become. For example, in the Russian port city of Murmansk , three degrees above the Arctic Circle, the Sun does not rise above the horizon for 40 successive days in midwinter. The position of

736-478: 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

782-608: The Arctic Ocean , the Scandinavian Peninsula , North Asia , Northern America , and Greenland. The land within the Arctic Circle is divided among eight countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United States ( Alaska ), Canada ( Yukon , Northwest Territories , and Nunavut ), Denmark (Greenland), and Iceland (where it passes through the small offshore island of Grímsey ). The climate north of

828-576: The Greek word ἀρκτικός ( arktikos : "near the Bear , northern") and that from the word ἄρκτος ( arktos : " bear "). The Arctic Circle is the southernmost latitude in the Northern Hemisphere at which the centre of the Sun can remain continuously above or below the horizon for twenty-four hours; as a result, at least once each year at any location within the Arctic Circle the centre of the Sun

874-526: The Arctic Circle is generally cold, but the coastal areas of Norway have a generally mild climate as a result of the Gulf Stream , which makes the ports of northern Norway and northwest Russia ice-free all year long. In the interior, summers can be quite warm, while winters are extremely cold. For example, summer temperatures in Norilsk , Russia will sometimes reach as high as 30 °C (86 °F), while

920-589: The Arctic Circle is not fixed and currently runs 66°33′50.2″ north of the Equator . Its latitude depends on the Earth's axial tilt , which fluctuates within a margin of more than 2° over a 41,000-year period, owing to tidal forces resulting from the orbit of the Moon . Consequently, the Arctic Circle is currently drifting northwards at a speed of about 14.5 m (48 ft) per year. The word arctic comes from

966-604: The Arctic Circle with about 5,000 inhabitants. The largest such community in Canada is Inuvik in the Northwest Territories , with 3,137 inhabitants. Download coordinates as: The Arctic Circle is roughly 16,000 km (9,900 mi) in circumference. The area north of the Circle is about 20,000,000 km (7,700,000 sq mi) and covers roughly 4% of Earth's surface. The Arctic Circle passes through

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1012-466: The Arctic Circle, lying 6 km (4 mi) south of the line. Salekhard (51,186) in Russia is the only city in the world located directly on the Arctic Circle. In contrast, the largest North American community north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut ( Greenland ), has approximately 5,600 inhabitants. In the United States, Utqiagvik, Alaska (formerly known as Barrow) is the largest settlement north of

1058-657: 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

1104-453: 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

1150-417: The area before the 19th century from Finland because of war and famine . They settled mainly in the northeastern part of Troms, in the municipalities of Kvænangen , Nordreisa , Skjervøy , Gáivuotna-Kåfjord and Storfjord , and some also reached Balsfjord and Lyngen . Troms county has a total of 21 municipalities. Arctic Circle The Arctic Circle is one of the two polar circles , and

1196-564: 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

1242-534: 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

1288-548: 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

1334-453: 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

1380-496: 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

1426-418: 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,

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1472-447: 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

1518-540: 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,

1564-457: The meaning of Romsa . A common misunderstanding is that Tromsø's Sámi name is Romssa with a double "s". This, however, 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

1610-523: 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 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

1656-635: The most alpine and striking are probably 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)

1702-591: The most northerly of the five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth at about 66° 34' N. Its southern equivalent is the Antarctic Circle . The Arctic Circle marks the southernmost latitude at which, on the winter solstice (which is the shortest day of the year) in the Northern Hemisphere , the Sun will not rise all day, and on the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice (which

1748-464: The new Troms og Finnmark county. This merger was reversed by the government resulting from the 2021 Norwegian parliamentary election . Until 1919, 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

1794-636: 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

1840-411: The northern summer solstice , at a latitude of about 50 minutes of arc (′) (90 km (56 mi)) south of the Arctic Circle. Similarly, on the day of the northern winter solstice , part of the Sun may be seen up to about 50′ north of the Arctic Circle. That is true at sea level ; those limits increase with elevation above sea level , although in mountainous regions there is often no direct view of

1886-560: 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

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1932-463: 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

1978-547: 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

2024-463: The true horizon. The largest communities north of the Arctic Circle are situated in Russia, Norway, and Sweden: Murmansk (population 295,374) and Norilsk (178,018) in Russia; Tromsø (75,638) in Norway, Vorkuta (58,133) in Russia, Bodø (52,357) and Harstad (24,703) in Norway; and Kiruna , Sweden (22,841). Rovaniemi (62,667) in Finland is the largest settlement in the immediate vicinity of

2070-458: 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

2116-433: The winter temperatures frequently fall below −50 °C (−58 °F). Starting at the prime meridian and heading eastwards, the Arctic Circle passes through: Arn%C3%B8y Arnøya   ( Norwegian ) or Árdni   ( Northern Sami ) is the 15th largest island in Norway . The 276-square-kilometre (107 sq mi) island is located in Skjervøy Municipality in Troms county. The highest peak

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