Senja (municipality)
Senja is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It was established on 1 January 2020 when the municipalities of Berg, Lenvik, Torsken, and Tranøy were merged into one municipality. It is located in the traditional district of Hålogaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Finnsnes. The municipality includes all of the island of Senja, the smaller surrounding islands, and part of the mainland between the Gisundet strait and the Malangen fjord. The municipality is the 40th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Senja is the 81st most populous  municipality in Norway with a population of 14,851. The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 1.6% over the previous 10-year period. General information. In March 2017, the Parliament of Norway voted to merge the municipalities of Berg, Torsken, Lenvik, and Tranøy. The new municipality was established on 1 January 2020 as "Senja Municipality" (). Etymology. The Old Norse form of the name must also have been "Senja" or perhaps "Sændja". The meaning of the name is unknown, but it might be related to the verb "sundra" which means to "tear" or "split apart", possibly because  the west coast of the island is torn and split by numerous small fjords. It might also be derived from a Proto-Norse form of the word "Sandijōn" meaning "(area) of sand" or "sandy island". Coat of arms. The coat of arms was approved for use starting on 1 January 2020. It is blue with a white outline of the Okshornan mountain with a green depiction of the northern lights above the mountain. Churches. The Church of Norway has four parishes () within the municipality of Senja. It is part of the Senja prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland . Government. All municipalities in Norway, including Senja, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elects a mayor. The municipality falls under the Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal. Municipal council. The municipal council of Senja is made up of 45 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows: Geography. The island of Senja is located along  the Troms county coastline with Finnsnes as the closest town. Senja is connected to the mainland by the Gisund Bridge. The municipalities located on Senja are Lenvik (part of which is on the mainland), Berg, Torsken, and Tranøy. The northern coasts of Senja faces the open sea, the western coast faces the islands of Andøya and Krøttøya, the southern coast faces the islands of Andørja and Dyrøya. On the western coast, steep and rugged mountains rise straight from the sea, with some fishing villages (like Gryllefjord, Husøy) tucked into the small lowland areas between the mountains and the sea. The  eastern and southern parts of the island are milder, with rounder mountains, forests, rivers and agriculture land. Senja is often referred to as "Norway in miniature", as the island's diverse scenery reflects almost the entire span of Norwegian nature. Senja is known domestically for its natural environment, and is marketed as a tourist attraction. Climate. Climate data from the village of Gibostad on the eastern shore of the island, facing the mainland during the base period of 1961-1990. The western side of the island, facing the Norwegian Sea, will have slightly milder but more windy winters. Attractions. Among  the sights of the island are Ånderdalen National Park with coastal pine forests and mountains, traditional fishing communities, and the Senja Troll, the world's largest troll. The southernmost municipality Tranøy also has several small museums documenting local history, among these the Halibut Museum ("Kveitmuseet") in Skrolsvik.