The 263-square-kilometre (102 sq mi) municipality is the 276th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Farsund is the 114th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 9,860. The municipality's population density is 39.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (102/sq mi) and its population has increased by 4.4% over the previous 10-year period.[4][5] The inhabitants of Farsund are concentrated in three centres of population: the town of Farsund (population: 3,265), Vanse (population: 2,016), and Vestbygda (population: 1,123).[6]Loshavn with its wooden buildings is located outside the town of Farsund. Other villages in Farsund include Ore, Rødland, and Sande.
General information
Map of urban areas in FarsundView of the town of FarsundHistoric Vanse Church
The town of Farsund was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law), although it was already recognized as a trading center in 1795. The present municipality of Farsund was established on 1 January 1965 when the rural municipalities of Herad, Lista, and Spind were merged with the town of Farsund. On 1 January 1971, the Ytre og Indre Skarstein farms (population: 21) located along the western shore of the Rosfjorden were transferred from Lyngdal to Farsund.[7]
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Farsundet strait, a narrow strait through which the Lyngdalsfjorden passes as it goes by the town of Farsund. The first element of the name comes from the small island of Farøy which sits in the Farsund strait. The name of the island comes from the word far which means "travel" or "journey" (similar to the English word farewell meaning "good journey"). The last element is sund which means "strait" or "sound".[8]
Coat of arms
The coat of arms has been used since 1900 or 1901. The blazon is "Or, a mount surmounted by four linden treesvert". This means the arms have a field (background) 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 charge is a group of linden trees on a green hill. This design was chosen to represent the town of Farsund since there were four old linden trees on the town square. Originally, these trees grew in the garden of the Lund merchant dynasty, where they were probably planted in the middle of the 18th century. The trees also appear in the trade seal of the family. In 1957, the old trees were removed and replaced with new ones. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[9][10]
There is evidence of settlement in Farsund and Lista since the Stone Age.
Farsund held a strategic location in the Atlantic wall during World War II, with the Lundebanen and over 400 bunkers built in Farsund municipality, many that can be visited. Between 1940 and 1945, large Soviet prison camps were located at Lista, with prison camps at Kåde and Ore holding over 600 prisoners. The Soviet prisoners were used as forced labour to build Farsund Airport, bunkers, barracks, and fortifications .[11]
Farsund previously had a hospital, which was closed down in 2007.
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Farsund is made up of 29 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.
The largest industries are Alcoa Lista, an aluminium plant that employs 270; A maker of auto parts, Aludyne Norway has c. 250 employees.[36]
Farsund Aluminium Casting AS, which makes auto parts out of aluminium. Historically, shipping and fisheries have also been important. Farsund is the largest agricultural district in the county of Vest-Agder, having 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) productive land, 88 square kilometres (34 sq mi) of forest, and 11 square kilometres (4.2 sq mi) freshwater areas. Farsund was already organized as a trading centre in 1795, and in 1995 celebrated its 200-year jubilee.
Trade and shipping laid the foundation for prosperity, and "the city of the strait" was a period one of the world's largest shipping towns in relation to the size of population.
Farsund has a temperate oceanic climate (Cfb). The driest season is April - July, and the wettest season is October - January. In January 1987, Lista recorded a low of −17.5 °C (0.5 °F), and July 2018 recorded a high of 28.3 °C (82.9 °F). The Lista lighthouse weather station has been recording since 1867.
The Airport was built by Luftwaffe in 1940, and they operated the airport with several fighter squadrons during World War II.[39]
After the war, the Royal Norwegian Air Force took over the airport, and for a period it was used as training camp for conscripts.
Today, the airport is privatized and is an industrial area with only minor GA-traffic.
Education
Farsund has 3 primary schools, located in Farsund, Vanse, and Borhaug. Furthermore, there are two junior high schools, in Farsund and Vanse, and two high schools also located in Farsund and Vanse.
Outdoor Activities
Farsund is a town linked to the fjords. Its guest harbour was considered one of the best in Norway, and is full of boats in summer months.
Every year, Strandmila (5k / 10k run) takes place in Husenby Park. The course covers countryside trails, forest paths and sand beaches.
The annual Kaperdagene (Pirate Town) festival takes place in July and depicts a battle between British and Norwegian ships who were fighting a war in the 1800s. It has been running since 1996.
The American Festival (Last weekend in June) is considered one of the most popular festivals in the region. It takes place, as mention in their name, in the last weekend in June in Vanse. And it celebrates the American heritage that many families from Lista brought home with them from the United States in the late 60s and early 70s. It is celebrated with an American inspired parade and also an old Am-Car Parade.
Twin towns
Farsund has sister city agreements with the following places:
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