SvolværSvolvær (ˈsvôːlvæːr) is the administrative centre of Vågan Municipality in Nordland County, Norway. It is located on the island of Austvågøya in the Lofoten archipelago, along the Vestfjorden. The town has a population (2018) of 4,720 which gives the town a population density of . The first town formation known in North Norway, Vågar, was situated around the narrow, natural harbor near Kabelvåg, just west of Svolvær. Vågar is mentioned in the book Heimskringla, and might have been established as early as the year 800 AD.
SørfoldSørfold is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Salten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Straumen. Other villages in the municipality include Leirfjordgården, Mørsvikbotn, Røsvika, Rørstad, Styrkesvik, and Øvre Kvarv. The municipality surrounds the Sørfolda fjord and stretches east to the border with Sweden. The municipality is the 48th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway.
Harstad(Hárstták) is the second-most populated municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It is mostly located on the large island of Hinnøya. The municipal center is the town of Harstad, which is the most populous town in Central Hålogaland and the third-largest in all of Northern Norway. The town was incorporated in 1904. Villages in the municipality include Elgsnes, Fauskevåg, Gausvik, Grøtavær, Kasfjord, Lundenes, Nergården and Sørvika. The municipality is the 226th largest by area out of Norway's 356 municipalities and 49th most populous with a population of 24,903.
Scandinavian PeninsulaThe Scandinavian Peninsula (Skandinaviska halvön; Den skandinaviske halvøy (Bokmål) or Den skandinaviske halvøya (Nynorsk); Skandinavian niemimaa) is a peninsula located in Northern Europe, which roughly comprises the mainlands of Sweden, Norway and the northwestern area of Finland. The name of the peninsula is derived from the term Scandinavia, the cultural region of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
FinnmarkFinnmark (ˈfɪ̀nːmɑrk; Finnmárku ˈfinːmaːrku; Finmarku; Ruija ˈrui̯jɑ; Финнмарк) is a former county in the northern part of Norway, and it is scheduled to become a county again in 2024. On 1 January 2020, Finnmark was merged with the neighbouring county of Troms to form the new Troms og Finnmark county. On 1 January 2024, the county will be demerged back to the counties Finnmark and Troms, after a decision made by parliament on 15 June 2022.
Andenesis the administrative centre of Andøy Municipality which is located in the Vesterålen district of Nordland county, Norway. The village of Andenes is the northernmost settlement of the island of Andøya (and in Nordland county). To the east is the island of Senja (in Troms county), and to the west the endless horizon of the North Atlantic Ocean. Andenes Lighthouse sits along the harbor and can be seen for long distances. Andøya Airport, Andenes is located just south of the village, off of Norwegian County Road 82.
VåganVågan (Vuogát) is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Lofoten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Svolvær. Some of the villages in Vågan include Digermulen, Gimsøysand, Gravermarka, Henningsvær, Hopen, Kabelvåg, Kleppstad, Laupstad, Liland, Skrova, Straumnes, and Sydalen. The municipality is the 210th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Vågan is the 115th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 9,724.
Whale watchingWhale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also serve scientific and/or educational purposes. A study prepared for International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2009 estimated that 13 million people went whale watching globally in 2008. Whale watching generates $2.1 billion per annum in tourism revenue worldwide, employing around 13,000 workers.
SaltfjelletSaltfjellet is a mountain area in Nordland county, Norway that separates the two regions of Helgeland and Salten. It is also a cultural border between the Southern and Central parts of Sápmi. The Saltfjell is one of the largest mountain ranges in Norway, and is also where the Arctic Circle cuts through the country. This range is part of seven municipalities: The northern part is part of the municipalities of Saltdal, Bodø, Beiarn and Gildeskål, the western part is in the municipalities of Meløy and Rødøy while the southern part is in Rana Municipality.
Norwegian SeaThe Norwegian Sea (Norskehavet; Noregshaf; Norskahavið) is a marginal sea, grouped with either the Atlantic Ocean or the Arctic Ocean, northwest of Norway between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea, adjoining the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a submarine ridge running between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. To the north, the Jan Mayen Ridge separates it from the Greenland Sea.
