Nord-Rana

Summary

Nord-Rana (historically: Mo herred) is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The 3,980-square-kilometre (1,540 sq mi) municipality existed from 1839 until its dissolution in 1964. From 1839 until 1844, it was named Nord-Ranen, from 1844 until 1923, it was called Mo, and then from 1923 until 1964 it was named Nord-Rana. The former municipality was located at the innermost part of the Ranfjorden. It encompassed the eastern 90% of what is now Rana Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Ytteren, just north of the town of Mo i Rana.[3][4]

Nord-Rana Municipality
Nord-Rana herred
Mo herred (historic)
Nordland within Norway
Nordland within Norway
Nord-Rana within Nordland
Nord-Rana within Nordland
Coordinates: 66°20′46″N 14°07′48″E / 66.34611°N 14.13000°E / 66.34611; 14.13000
CountryNorway
CountyNordland
DistrictHelgeland
Established1839
 • Preceded byRanen Municipality
Disestablished1 Jan 1964
 • Succeeded byRana Municipality
Administrative centreYtteren
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total3,980 km2 (1,540 sq mi)
Population
 (1964)
 • Total11,636
 • Density2.9/km2 (7.6/sq mi)
DemonymsMoværing
Ranværing[1]
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1833[2]
Data from Statistics Norway
Map of the areas in Rana that were merged in 1964.

History edit

Rana Municipality was established on 1 January 1838 under the old formannskapsdistrikt law. Shortly afterwards, in 1839, the municipality was divided into Nord-Ranen and Sør-Ranen.[3] In 1844, Nord-Ranen was renamed Mo. On 1 January 1923, the village of Mo was designated as a ladested and so it was separated from the rest of the municipality to become a municipality of its own. The new town of Mo (population: 1,305) kept the name Mo and the rest of the old municipality became known as Nord-Rana (bringing back the old name for the area).[5]

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Nord-Rana (population: 11,636) was merged with the town of Mo i Rana (population: 9,616), the part of the municipality of Sør-Rana located north of the Ranfjorden (population: 697), and the Sjona area of Nesna Municipality (population: 543) to create the large, new Rana Municipality.[5]

Name edit

The municipality is named Nord-Rana. The first element is nord which directly translates to "northern". The second element is Rana which comes from the local river Ranelva (Old Norse: Raðund). The name of the river is probably derived from the word raðr which means "quick", "fast", or "rapid". Another possibility is that the name comes from the old Sami god Rana Niejta.[6][7]

Government edit

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elected a mayor.[8]

Municipal council edit

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Nord-Rana was made up of 35 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Nord-Rana herredsstyre 1960–1963 [9]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 24
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
Total number of members:35
Nord-Rana herredsstyre 1956–1959 [10]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 22
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 6
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 7
Total number of members:35
Nord-Rana herredsstyre 1952–1955 [11]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 14
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 5
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 5
Total number of members:24
Nord-Rana herredsstyre 1948–1951 [12]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 12
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 7
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 5
Total number of members:24
Nord-Rana herredsstyre 1945–1947 [13]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 15
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 6
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 3
Total number of members:24
Nord-Rana herredsstyre 1938–1941* [14]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 17
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 1
Total number of members:24
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 edit

The mayors of Nord-Rana:[15][16]

  • 1838–1842: Hans Wølner
  • 1842–1844: Johannes Hansen
  • 1844–1847: Holger Olsen Enge
  • 1848–1851: Agathon Bartholomæus Hansteen
  • 1852–1854: Johannes Hansen
  • 1854–1856: Jens Jensen Yttermark
  • 1857–1860: Jakob Jæger
  • 1860–1864: Jens Jensen Yttermark
  • 1865–1866: Peder Johanessen
  • 1867–1874: Jens Pedersen Ånes
  • 1874–1877: Jens Jensen Yttermark
  • 1877–1883: Jonas Frost Enga
  • 1883–1888: Anders Bang Hanssen Leirbakhei
  • 1889–1894: Hans P. Johnsen
  • 1895–1901: Jakob Thode Jakobsen
  • 1902–1907: Einar Nilsen
  • 1908–1910: Ragnvald Hvoslef
  • 1911–1913: Peder Pedersen
  • 1914–1916: Johannes Skaar
  • 1917–1922: Redvald Knudtson
  • 1923-1924: Peder Pedersen Ytteren (Bp)
  • 1925-1939: Åsmund Olsen Selfors (NKP)
  • 1940-1940: Einar Aanes (Ap)
  • 1945-1950: Einar Aanes (Ap)
  • 1950-1963: Eilif M. Davidsen (Ap)
  • 1963-1964: Per Karstensen (Ap)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  3. ^ a b Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (18 September 2016). "Nord-Rana". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  4. ^ Helland, Amund (1908). "Mo herred". Norges land og folk: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian). Vol. XVIII. Kristiania, Norway: H. Aschehoug & Company. p. 446. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  5. ^ a b Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  6. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Rana – kommune" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  7. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt (in Norwegian) (16 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 122.
  8. ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  10. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  11. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  15. ^ Coldevin, Axel. Rana Bygdebok. Mo Prestegjeld etter 1850 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Mo Sparebank, Grøndahl & Søn Boktrykkeri.
  16. ^ Alstadhaug, Leif (1986). "150 år med lokalt sjølstyre". Årbok for Rana 1986 (in Norwegian). Rana Blads trykkeri.