Nesna Municipality

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Municipality in Nordland, Norway

title: "Nesna Municipality" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["nesna-municipality", "municipalities-of-nordland", "1838-establishments-in-norway", "populated-places-established-in-1838"] description: "Municipality in Nordland, Norway" topic_path: "geography/norway" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nesna_Municipality" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Municipality in Nordland, Norway ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox kommune"]

Field	Value
name	Nesna
former_name	Nesne herred
image_skyline	Nesna1.jpg
image_caption	View of the Nesna peninsula (front), Tomma (middle), Handnesøya (right), Hugla (left)
idnumber	1828
county	Nordland
district	Helgeland
capital	Nesna
established	1 January 1838
preceded	none
demonym	Nesnaværing
language	Bokmål
coatofarms	Nesna komm.svg
webpage	www.nesna.kommune.no
mayor	Hanne Davidsen
mayor_party	Ap
mayor_as_of	2015
elevation_max_m	921.75
highest_point_ref
area_rank	310
area_total_km2	183.19
area_land_km2	181.30
area_water_km2	1.89
area_water_percent	1
population_as_of	2024
population_rank	294
population_total	1808
population_density_km2	9.9
population_increase	-4.9
coordinates
::

Nesna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Nesna. Other villages in Nesna include Handnesneset, Husby, Saura, and Vikholmen.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Nesna_map_thumbview.svg" caption="Map of Nesna municipality"] ::

The municipality consists of the three main islands Tomma, Hugla (known as "Hugløy" by its inhabitants), and Handnesøya, and one peninsula that bears the name of the municipality, Nesna. The old Husby Estate is headquartered in Husby on Tomma island.

The Coastal Express arrives two times a day at the village of Nesna, the northbound arrives 05:30 and the southbound 11:15. The village of Nesna is also home to the Nesna campus of Nord University, and there is also the KVN High School, and Nesna Church.

The 183.2 km2 municipality is the 310th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Nesna Municipality is the 294th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,808. The municipality's population density is 9.9 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 4.9% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Tomma001.JPG" caption="View of the island of [[Tomma"] ::

Nesna was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The western island district of Nesna Municipality (population: 1,348) was separated from Nesna Municipality on 1 July 1888 to form the new Dønnes Municipality. This left Nesna Municipality with 2,958 residents. On 1 January 1919, the Bardalssjøen farm (population: 4) was transferred from Hemnes Municipality to Nesna Municipality. In 1945, a small area of southern Nesna Municipality (population: 26) was transferred to Leirfjord Municipality.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1962, the part of the island of Løkta (population: 80) belonging to Nesna Municipality was transferred to the new Dønna Municipality. The part of the island of Tomma (population: 80) belonging to Dønnes Municipality was transferred to Nesna Municipality. Then on 1 January 1964, the Bardalssjøen area of Nesna Municipality (located south of the Ranfjorden), was transferred to Leirfjord Municipality. On that same date, the part of Nesna around the inner part of the Sjona fjord was transferred to Rana Municipality.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Nesna farm () since the first Nesna Church was built there. The name is derived from the word which means "headland". Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Nesne. On 6 January 1908, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Nesna.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 23 June 1989. The official blazon is "Per chevron inverted Or and Azure" (). This means the arms have a field (background) that is divided by a line in the form of an inverted chevron pattern. The background above the line has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The background below the line has a tincture of azure. The arms are a canting of the name of the municipality (Nesna comes form nes which means headland in Norwegian). The arms show a yellow-colored "headland" or peninsula surrounded by blue water. The arms were designed by Jarle E. Henriksen.

Churches

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Church_of_Nesna.JPG" caption="[[Nesna Church"] ::

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within Nesna Municipality. It is part of the Nord-Helgeland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.

::data[format=table title="style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Nesna Municipality'''''"]

Parish (sokn)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Nesna	Nesna Church	Nesna	1880
Handnesøya Chapel	Saura	1969
Husby Chapel	Husby	1905
::

Government

Nesna Municipality is 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 is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Helgeland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Nesna Municipality is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party. |name = Nesna |start = 2023 |end = 2027 |reference = |collapsed = |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Fremskrittspartiet = 1 |Senterpartiet = 3 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3 |Borgerlige_Felleslister = 3 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 2019 |end = 2023 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Grønne = 1 |Senterpartiet = 4 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2 |Borgerlige_Felleslister = 3 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 2015 |end = 2019 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Høyre = 3 |Senterpartiet = 3 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3 |Grønne = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 2011 |end = 2015 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 4 |Fremskrittspartiet = 2 |Høyre = 5 |Senterpartiet = 3 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2 |Venstre = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 2007 |end = 2011 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 4 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3 |Senterpartiet = 3 |Venstre = 2 |Høyre = 2 |Fremskrittspartiet = 3 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 2003 |end = 2007 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 4 |Fremskrittspartiet = 5 |Høyre = 2 |Senterpartiet = 2 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3 |Venstre = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1999 |end = 2003 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Høyre = 3 |Senterpartiet = 3 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2 |Venstre = 2 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1995 |end = 1999 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 4 |Høyre = 2 |Senterpartiet = 4 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2 |Venstre = 2 |otherparty = Cooperative list for Nesna |otherparty_no = Samarbeidslista for Nesna |otherparty_number = 3 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1991 |end = 1995 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Høyre = 2 |Senterpartiet = 4 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3 |Venstre = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1987 |end = 1991 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 9 |Høyre = 3 |Senterpartiet = 3 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |Venstre = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1983 |end = 1987 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Høyre = 5 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Sp/V = 3 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1979 |end = 1983 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 6 |Høyre = 4 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |Sp/V = 4 |otherparty = Election list for the Tomma area |otherparty_no = Valgliste for Tomma krets |otherparty_number = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1975 |end = 1979 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 6 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 2 |Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1 |smallparty = Joint list of independent voters, the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Party

|smallparty_no = Samarbeidsliste av Uavhengige Velgere, Høyre og Venstre |smallparty_color = linear-gradient(135deg, white 35%, 35%, 65%, 65%); |smallparty_number = 5 |otherparty = Election list for the Tomma area |otherparty_no = Valgliste for Tomma krets |otherparty_number = 2 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1971 |end = 1975 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 7 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 2 |Venstre = 1 |Local_Lists = 6 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1967 |end = 1971 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 9 |Høyre = 1 |Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1 |Senterpartiet = 3 |Venstre = 2 |Local_Lists = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |start = 1963 |end = 1967 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 17 |Arbeiderpartiet = 9 |Høyre = 2 |Senterpartiet = 4 |Venstre = 1 |Local_Lists = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |herad = yes |start = 1959 |end = 1963 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 9 |Høyre = 3 |Senterpartiet = 5 |Venstre = 2 |Local_Lists = 2 |}} |name = Nesna |herad = yes |start = 1955 |end = 1959 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 10 |AFS = 2 |Borgerlige_Felleslister = 9 |}} |name = Nesna |herad = yes |start = 1951 |end = 1955 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 11 |Borgerlige_Felleslister = 10 |}} |name = Nesna |herad = yes |start = 1947 |end = 1951 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 13 |Borgerlige_Felleslister = 7 |Local_Lists = 1 |}} |name = Nesna |herad = yes |start = 1945 |end = 1947 |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 21 |Arbeiderpartiet = 14 |Local_Lists = 7 |}} |name = Nesna |herad = yes |start = 1937 |end = 1941* |reference = |collapsed = yes |Total = 16 |Borgerlige_Felleslister = 6 |Arbeiderpartiet = 5 |AFS = 1 |Local_Lists = 4 |}}

Mayors

The mayor () of Nesna Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:

1838–1848: Johan Augustinussen
1848–1850: Fredrik Christian Sand
1850–1854: Johan Augustinussen
1854–1867: Elias Olsen
1867–1876: Jacob Fredrik Zahl
1877–1880: Elias Olsen
1881–1890: Carl Jøsevold
1891–1894: Jakob Beck
1894–1896: Lorents Pettersen
1896–1898: Christian F. Olsen
1899–1907: Carl Jøsevold
1908–1914: Nils Haugen
1915–1918: Anders Pettersen
1919–1922: Møller Zahl Hauknes
1922–1925: Ivar Hjellvik
1926–1928: Laurits Riise
1929–1942: Arne Langset (V)
1943–1945: Anders Forsland
1945–1945: Arne Langset (V)
1946–1952: Johan Knutsen (Ap)
1952–1956: Einar Enga (Ap)
1956–1957: Olaus Berg (H)
1958–1964: Edvard Kaspersen (Ap)
1964–1964: Henry Antonsen (Ap)
1964–1965: Håkon Langseth (Sp)
1966–1967: Leander Paulsen (Ap)
1968–1971: Arne Herseth (Ap)
1972–1973: Edvard Kaspersen (LL)
1974–1975: Arne Herseth (Ap)
1976–1981: Mathias Sellæg Moe (V)
1982–1983: Kåre Eriksen (H)
1984–1985: Ole A. Selseth (V)
1986–1987: Arne Herseth (Ap)
1988–1991: Øyvind Jenssen (Ap)
1991–1995: Anne-Lise Wold (Ap)
1996–1999: Gunnhild Forsland (Sp)
1999–2007: Anne-Lise Wold (Ap)
2007–2011: Ronny Sommerro (Ap)
2011–2015: Marit Bye (H)
2015–present: Hanne Davidsen (Ap)

Geography

The highest point in the municipality is the 921.75 m tall mountain Tommskjevelen. Nesna is located west of Rana Municipality, north of Leirfjord Municipality (across the Ranfjorden), east of Dønna Municipality (an island municipality), and south of Lurøy Municipality.

Farms of Nesna

Historically, the land of Nesna was divided up into named farms. These farms were used in census and tax records and are useful for genealogical research. | coord = | zoom = 10 | float = right | nolabels = 1 | width = 600 | height = 350 | title = Nesna municipality, tellingskrets 1-3, 6-7, from 1920 census | caption = Tellingskrets (enumeration districts): 1, Tomøy (lime); 2, Hannesøy (red); 3, Hugløya og Horn (blue); 6, Nesnastranden (purple); 7, Nesna og Strandlandet (black). List of farms: | auto-caption = 11

| mark-coord1 = | mark-title1 = 1: Finvik | shape-color1 = lime

| mark-coord2 = | mark-title2 = 2: Sellåt | shape-color2 = lime

| mark-coord3 = | mark-title3 = 3: Forsland | shape-color3 = lime

| mark-coord4 = | mark-title4 = 4: Skjeivstad | shape-color4 = lime

| mark-coord5 = | mark-title5 = 5: Alsøy | shape-color5 = lime

| mark-coord6 = | mark-title6 = 6: Nordstrand | shape-color6 = red

| mark-coord7 = | mark-title7 = 7: Valla | shape-color7 = red

| mark-coord8 = | mark-title8 = 8: Hansteen | shape-color8 = red

| mark-coord9 = | mark-title9 = 9: Hagen | shape-color9 = red

| mark-coord10 = | mark-title10 = 10: Ravnfløi | shape-color10 = red

| mark-coord11 = | mark-title11 = 11: Skaganeset | shape-color11 = red

| mark-coord12 = | mark-title12 = 12: Øbo | shape-color12 = red

| mark-coord13 = | mark-title13 = 13: Fjelstad | shape-color13 = red

| mark-coord14 = | mark-title14 = 14: Steiro | shape-color14 = red

| mark-coord17 = | mark-title17 = 17: Riksen | shape-color17 = red

| mark-coord18 = | mark-title18 = 18: Saura | shape-color18 = red

| mark-coord19 = | mark-title19 = 19: Dilleren | shape-color19 = red

| mark-coord20 = | mark-title20 = 20: Svaleng | shape-color20 = blue

| mark-coord21 = | mark-title21 = 21: Huglen | shape-color21 = blue

| mark-coord22 = | mark-title22 = 22: Horn | shape-color22 = blue

| mark-coord23 = | mark-title23 = 23: Halland | shape-color23 = blue

| mark-coord24 = | mark-title24 = 24: Feøy | shape-color24 = blue

| mark-coord25 = | mark-title25 = 25: Nordbostad | shape-color25 = blue

| mark-coord26 = | mark-title26 = 26: Vik | shape-color26 = blue

| mark-coord27 = | mark-title27 = 46: Einmo | shape-color27 = purple

| mark-coord28 = | mark-title28 = 47: Langseth | shape-color28 = purple

| mark-coord31 = | mark-title31 = 50: Skog | shape-color31 = purple

| mark-coord35 = | mark-title35 = 54: Herseth | shape-color35 = purple

| mark-coord36 = | mark-title36 = 55: Handaa | shape-color36 = purple

| mark-coord37 = | mark-title37 = 56: Sletstrand | shape-color37 = purple

| mark-coord40 = | mark-title40 = 59: Sandnes | shape-color40 = black

| mark-coord41 = | mark-title41 = 60: Strandheim | shape-color41 = black

| mark-coord44 = | mark-title44 = 63: Hammerø | shape-color44 = black

| mark-coord45 = | mark-title45 = 64: Hinderå | shape-color45 = black

Map of the farms

Note that each map has a maximum number of listings it can display, so the map has been divided into parts consistent with the enumeration districts () in the 1920 census. This map includes one farm name per farm number; other farm names or subdivision numbers may exist. (Note: The historical tellingskrets 4, Nordsjona og Kvalnes, and 5, Myklebostad og Venes, are now part of Vefsn Municipality, while the historical tellingskrets 8, Bardal; 9, Sørlandet; and 10, Lilandet Fagerviken, are now part of Leirfjord Municipality. Parts of the Dønnes municipality were added to Nesna).

Farm names and numbers

The farms in the Nesna municipality are listed in O. Rygh's series Norske_Gaardnavne ("Norwegian farm names"), the Nordland volume of which was published in 1905. :See also: Digital version of Norske Gaardnavne - Nordland

The farm numbers are used in some census records, and numbers that are near each other indicate that those farms are geographically proximate. Handwritten Norwegian sources, particularly those prior to 1800, may use variants on these names. For recorded variants before 1723, see the digital version of O. Rygh. Note that the 1920 census records mapped above may not match O. Rygh.

Farm names were often used as part of Norwegian names, in addition to the person's given name and patronymic or inherited surname. Some families retained the farm name, or toponymic, as a surname when they emigrated, so in those cases tracing a surname may tell you specifically where in Norway the family was from. This tradition began to change in the mid to late 19th century, and inherited surnames were codified into law in 1923.

Notable people

Johan Augustinussen (born 1808 at Langset - 1888 in Nesna), a curate/choirmaster, teacher, and politician
Hans Christiansen (1867 in Nesna – 1938), a sailor who competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Birger Fredrik Motzfeldt OBE, CVO (1898 in Nesna – 1987), an aviator and senior military officer
Ida Maria (born 1984), a musician and singer-songwriter who was born and lives in Nesna
Emil Weber Meek (born 1988), a professional mixed martial artist who was brought up in Nesna
Ulrik Berglann (born 1992 in Nesna), a footballer with 180 club caps

References

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Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)".
Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)".
Jukvam, Dag. (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen". [[Statistics Norway.
Rygh, Oluf. (1905). "Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt". W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri.
(1908). "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1908. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri.
"Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World.
"Nesna, Nordland (Norway)".
(1989-09-09). "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet.
Store norske leksikon. "Nesna – Kommune i Nordland".
{{Cite SNL. kommunestyre. kommunestyre. 2024-12-31. Hansen. Tore. 2024-11-25
"Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet.
"Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland". Valg Direktoratet.
"Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)". Statistics Norway.
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(1996). "Kommunestyrevalget 1995". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1993). "Kommunestyrevalget 1991". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1988). "Kommunestyrevalget 1987". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1984). "Kommunestyrevalget 1983". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1979). "Kommunestyrevalget 1979". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1977). "Kommunevalgene 1975". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1973). "Kommunevalgene 1972". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1967). "Kommunevalgene 1967". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1964). "Kommunevalgene 1963". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1960). "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1957). "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1952). "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1948). "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1947). "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
(1938). "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937". Statistisk sentralbyrå.
Jensen, Øyvind. (1998). "Nesna 1800−1920. Fra prestegjeld til kommune, Bygdebok for Nesna". Rønnes Trykk AS.
(2024). "Local Candidate Dataset".

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