Porsanger
Encyclopedia : P : PO : POR : Porsanger
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| County | Finnmark | |
| District | ||
| Municipality | ||
| Administrative centre | Lakselv | |
| Mayor (2004) | Bjørn Kåre Søderholm (H) | |
| Official language form | Bokmål | |
| Area - Total - Land - Percentage | 4,874 Square kilometre>km² 4,643 km² 1.51 % | |
| Population - Total (as of 2005>2005) - Percentage - Change (10 years) - Density | Ranked 221 4,299 0.09 % -3.6 % 1/km² | |
| Coordinates | ||
| [www.porsanger.no] [Data from Statistics Norway] | ||
The municipality is on the shores of the fjord Porsangen, a wide, open body of water with lots of islands. The biggest settlement and administrative centre is the town of Lakselv at the fjord's end, but there are smaller hamlets spread around on both sides, notably Kistrand, Olderfjord, Børselv and Billefjord.
On the western side of the fjord, one finds the Stabbursdalen National Park, with the world's northernmost pine forest.
The area has been settled by Sami since time immemorial. In the 18th century people from Finland, escaping famine and war, settled along the fjord. Today, three official languages are in use, and the municipality is named Porsanger kommune, Porsángu gielda, Porsanki kunta in respectively Norwegian, Northern Sami and Finnish/Kainu.
Both the Norwegian army and the air force have a base in Porsanger, so there is quite a heavy military presence. North Cape Airport is located in Lakselv, with connections to Tromsø and Kirkenes operated by Widerøe, as well as charter flights in the summer season.
Local newspapers are Finnmark Dagblad and Ságat.
External links
| Municipalities of Finnmark |
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| Alta | Berlevåg | Båtsfjord | Gamvik | Hammerfest | Hasvik | Karasjok | Kautokeino | Kvalsund | Lebesby | Loppa | Måsøy | Nesseby | Nordkapp | Porsanger | Sør-Varanger | Tana | Vadsø | Vardø | |
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