Sand (municipality)

Sand is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality encompassed the area around the Hylsfjorden and the inner part of the Sandsfjorden in the present-day Suldal Municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Sand where Sand Church is located. The municipality was created in 1859 when the municipality of Jelsa was split in two. Initially, Sand had 1,600 inhabitants. On 1 January 1965, the municipality of Sand was dissolved due to the recommendations of the Schei Committee. Sand was incorporated into the neighboring municipality of Suldal along with Erfjord and parts of Imsland and Jelsa municipalities. Prior to the merger, Sand had 1,135 inhabitants. The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Sand farm (Sandr) since the first Sand Church was built there. The name is identical to the word sandr which means "sand". While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Sand was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms.