Finsland Municipality

Finsland Municipality
Finsland herad
Former municipality
Vest-Agder within Norway
Vest-Agder within Norway
Finsland within Vest-Agder
Finsland within Vest-Agder
Coordinates: 58°17′23″N 07°36′51″E / 58.28972°N 7.61417°E / 58.28972; 7.61417
CountryNorway
CountyVest-Agder
DistrictSørlandet
Established1 Jan 1838
 • Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Disestablished1 Jan 1964
 • Succeeded bySongdalen Municipality
Administrative centreFinsland
Government
 • Mayor (1962–1963)Ola J. Grindland
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total
114.9 km2 (44.4 sq mi)
 • Rank#491 in Norway
Highest elevation
[1]
413.76 m (1,357.5 ft)
Population
 (1963)
 • Total
847
 • Rank#635 in Norway
 • Density7.4/km2 (19/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Decrease −9.7%
Official language
[2]
 • Norwegian formNynorsk[3]
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1023[4]
Data from Statistics Norway

Finsland is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The 114.9-square-kilometre (44.4 sq mi) municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Kristiansand Municipality in Agder county. The administrative centre was the village of Finsland where Finsland Church is located.[5]

Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the 114.9-square-kilometre (44.4 sq mi) municipality was the 491st largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Finsland Municipality was the 635th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 847. The municipality's population density was 7.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (19/sq mi) and its population had decreased by 9.7% over the previous 10-year period.[6][7]

General information

The parish of Finsland was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law).[8]

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee.[9][10] On 1 January 1964, Finsland Municipality was dissolved and its lands were split up between the new Marnardal Municipality and Songdalen Municipality.[8]

The following areas were merged to form the new Marnardal Municipality on 1 January 1964:[8]

The following areas were merged to form the new Songdalen Municipality on 1 January 1964:[8]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Finsland farm (Old Norse: Finnsáland) since the first Finsland Church was built there. The first element comes from the old name for the local river Finnså. The river name is likely a compound of the words finn and á which means "river". The word finn could be referring specifically to the plant Nardus stricta or to "moorland" or "wilderness" in general. The farm is situated by the river Finnsåna, which flows into the river Mandalselva. There are also farms nearby called Finsdal and Finsådal, so the first element is a common local name. The last element is land which means "land" or "district".[11]

Churches

The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Finsland Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Bjelland prestegjeld and the Mandal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder.[7]

Churches in Finsland Municipality
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
FinslandFinsland ChurchFinsland1803

Geography

The highest point in the municipality was the 413.76-metre (1,357.5 ft) tall mountain Rinnan in the northern part of the municipality.[1] Bjelland Municipality was located to the north, Hægeland Municipality was located to the northeast, Øvrebø Municipality was located to the southeast, Øyslebø Municipality was located to the south, and Laudal Municipality was located to the west.

Government

While it existed, Finsland Municipality was 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 was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[12] The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Mandal District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Heradsstyre) of Finsland Municipality was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Finsland heradsstyre 1959–1963 [13]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 9
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:13
Note: On 1 January 1964, Finsland Municipality became part of Songdalen Municipality.
Finsland heradsstyre 1955–1959 [14]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 10
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:13
Finsland heradsstyre 1951–1955 [15]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 8
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 1
Total number of members:12
Finsland heradsstyre 1947–1951 [16]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 1
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 11
Total number of members:12
Finsland heradsstyre 1945–1947 [17]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 1
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 11
Total number of members:12
Finsland heradsstyre 1937–1941* [18]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 1
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 9
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 2
Total number of members:12
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayor (Nynorsk: ordførar) of Finsland Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:[19]

  • 1838–1839: Lars Sørensen Mandflaae
  • 1839–1841: Salve Andersen Frigstad
  • 1842–1843: Gunder Andersen Watnelie
  • 1844–1847: Lars Sørensen Mandflaae
  • 1848–1855: Gunder Andersen Watnelie
  • 1856–1859: Lars Nilsen Mæsel
  • 1859–1867: Guttorm Olsen Øvland
  • 1867–1871: Jens Olsen Slottet
  • 1871–1880: Anders Salvesen Frigstad
  • 1880–1884: Jens Olsen Slottet
  • 1884–1889: Jens Olsen Eftestad
  • 1889–1894: Jens Olsen Slottet
  • 1894–1919: Ola Grindland
  • 1919–1923: Salve P. Helland
  • 1923–1935: Andreas Haugedal
  • 1935–1942: Syvert Mæsel
  • 1942–1945: Anders Finsland
  • 1945–1946: Syvert Mæsel
  • 1946–1948: Søren H. Åsland
  • 1948–1952: Sigurd Follerås
  • 1952–1956: Syvert Mæsel
  • 1956–1960: Nils J. Kleveland
  • 1960–1962: Sigurd Follerås
  • 1962–1963: Ola J. Grindland

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune: Kristiansand" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 16 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. ↑ "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 453–471. 1932.
  4. ↑ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (9 January 2024). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon.
  5. ↑ Thorsnæs, Geir; Lauritzen, Per Roger, eds. (23 February 2026). "Finsland". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  7. 1 2 Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 1951). Norges Sivile, Geistlige, Rettslige og Militære Inndeling 1. Januar 1951 (PDF). Norges Offisielle Statistikk (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: H. Aschehoug & Co.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link)
  9. ↑ Grepstad, Jon, ed. (25 March 2025). "Nikolai Schei". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  10. ↑ Hansen, Tore; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (27 May 2024). "kommuneinndelingen i Norge". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  11. ↑ Rygh, Oluf (1912). Norske gaardnavne: Lister og Mandals amt (in Norwegian) (9 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 118.
  12. ↑ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  13. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  17. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  18. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  19. ↑ Stomnås, Johan (1974). Finsland. 2 : Nærings- og kulturlivet (in Norwegian). Kristiansand. pp. 589–590.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

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