Froland is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

Agder Agder is a county (''fylke'') and traditional region in the southern part of Norway. The county was established on 1 January 2020, when the old Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder counties were merged. Since the early 1900s, the term Sørlandet ("south ...

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

. It is part of the

traditional region Historical regions (or historical areas) are geographical regions which at some point in time had a cultural, ethnic, linguistic or political basis, regardless of latterday borders. They are used as delimitations for studying and analysing social ...

Sørlandet Southern Norway ( no, Sørlandet; lit. "The Southland") is the geographical region (''landsdel'') along the Skagerrak coast of southern Norway. The region is an informal description since it does not have any governmental function. It rough ...

. The administrative center is the village of Blakstad, which along with

Osedalen Blakstad or Blakstad-Osedalen is a village which is also the administrative centre of the municipality of Froland in Agder county, Norway. It is located along the river Nidelva, about northwest of the town of Arendal (where many residents of Bl ...

form the main population center of the municipality. Other villages in Froland include Bøylefoss, Bøylestad,

Froland Froland is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Agder counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Southern Norway, Sørlandet. The administrative center is the village of Blakst ...

Frolands verk Frolands verk is a small village area in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the Norwegian County Road 42, almost west of the municipal centre of Blakstad/ Osedalen and about southeast of the village of M ...

, Heldalsmo,

Hinnebu Hinnebu is a village in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of th ...

Hynnekleiv Hynnekleiv is a village in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located at the junction of the Norwegian National Road 41 and the Norwegian County Road 42. The Sørlandsbanen railway line runs through the village as well, ...

Jomås Jomås is a village in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the Norwegian County Road 152, about half-way between the villages of Heldalsmo and Løvjomås Løvjomås is a village in Froland municipality i ...

, Lauvrak, Libru,

Løvjomås Løvjomås is a village in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about northwest of the village of Froland Froland is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Sørlandet. ...

Mjåvatn Mjåvatn is a village in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along Norwegian County Road 42, about northwest of the village of Blakstad-Osedalen, about south of the village of Hinnebu, and about east of the vi ...

Mjølhus Mjølhus is a village in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the west shore of the river Nidelva Nidelva is a river in Trondheim Municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The name of the long river tran ...

, Mykland, and Risdal. The municipality is the 176th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Froland is the 156th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 6,098. The municipality's

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

is and its population has increased by 16% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

Froland IMG 1866 geology rv 41 kolhusfjell east of öyna

The municipality of Froland was established when it was separated from the municipality of Øyestad in 1850. The new municipality had an initial population of 1,976. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the

Schei Committee The Schei Committee ( no, Schei-komitéen) was a committee named by the Government of Norway to look into the organization of municipalities in Norway post- World War II. It convened in 1946, and its formal name was (The 1946 Committee on Munici ...

. On 1 January 1967, the neighboring municipality of Mykland (population: 604) was merged into the municipality of Froland. The newly enlarged municipality had a population of 3,372. On 1 January 1968, the Flateland area of neighboring

Åmli Åmli is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional region of Sørlandet. The main population centre and administrative center is the village of Åmli which lies along the river Nidelva. Other villages in Åmli in ...

municipality (population: 6) was transferred to Froland. On 1 January 1970, the two uninhabited areas of Neset and Råbudal were separated from Froland and transferred to neighboring

Birkenes Birkenes is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sørlandet. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Birkeland, where about half the municipal population lives. Other vil ...

municipality. Then on 1 January 1979, the uninhabited Landheia area was transferred from Froland to Birkenes municipality. On 1 January 1991, the Dalen area in

municipality (population: 60) was transferred from Birkenes to Froland municipality.

Name

The municipality (originally the

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

) is named after the old ''

'' farm ( non, Fróðaland), since the first Froland Church was built there. The first element is the

genitive case In grammar, the genitive case ( abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive can a ...

of the male name

Fróði Fróði ( non, Frōði; ang, Frōda; Middle High German: ''Vruote'') is the name of a number of legendary Danish kings in various texts including ''Beowulf'', Snorri Sturluson's ''Prose Edda'' and his ''Ynglinga saga'', Saxo Grammaticus' ''Gesta ...

and the last element is ''land'' which means "land" or "

farm A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is use ...

Coat of arms

The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

was granted on 17 January 1986. The green arms show a white or silver

squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. ...

in the centre. The color and the animal were chosen as a symbol for the

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s and

wildlife Wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous to game: those birds and mammals that were hunted ...

in the municipality.

Churches

The

Church of Norway The Church of Norway ( nb, Den norske kirke, nn, Den norske kyrkja, se, Norgga girku, sma, Nöörjen gærhkoe) is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. The church ...

has one parish () within the municipality of Froland. It is part of the Arendal prosti (

deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, the Evangelical Church in Germany, and the Church of Norway. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or reside ...

) in the

Diocese of Agder og Telemark The Diocese of Agder og Telemark ( no, Agder og Telemark bispedømme) is a diocese of the Church of Norway, covering all of Agder county and most of Vestfold og Telemark county in Norway. The cathedral city is Kristiansand, Norway's fifth largest ...

History

The

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in ...

production facility, ''

'', was founded in 1763 and continued in production through 1867. After that the facility became a

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

. Today the main building from 1791 is a historically protected building, and the old

stable A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. There are many different types of stables in use today; the ...

s are used as a cultural center.

Geography

The municipality is bordered on the north by the municipality of

; on the east by

Tvedestrand is municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sørlandet. The administrative center is the town of Tvedestrand. There are many villages in the municipality including Dypvåg, Fiane, Gjeving, Gødder ...

; on the south by

Arendal Arendal () is a municipality in Agder county in southeastern Norway. Arendal belongs to the region of Sørlandet. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Arendal (which is also the seat of Agder county). Some of the notab ...

Grimstad Grimstad () is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It belongs to the geographical region of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Grimstad. Some of the villages in Grimstad include Eide, Espenes, Fevik ...

, and Birkenes; and on the west by

Evje og Hornnes Evje og Hornnes is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Setesdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Evje. Other villages in the municipality include Åneland, Dåsnes ...

and

Bygland Bygland is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Setesdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bygland. Other villages in the municipality include Åraksbø, Austad, ...

. The large rivers

Nidelva Nidelva is a river in Trondheim Municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The name of the long river translates to "the River Nid" since the suffix ''elva'' or ''elven'' is the Norwegian word for "the river". Location The Nidelva starts at ...

and

Tovdalselva Tovdalselva (also known as the ''Tofdalselva'', ''Tovdalsåna'', ''Tovdalsåni'', literally: the ''Tov valley river'') is long and is one of the longest rivers in Southern Norway. The river flows through Agder county from the mountains on the nor ...

both run through Froland. There are also many lakes in Froland, including Homstølvatnet,

Nelaug Nelaug is a village in the southern part of the municipality of Åmli in Agder county, Norway. The population (2001) was 161. The village lies at east of the Nelaug lake, which is regulated by a hydroelectric power plant. The most notable fe ...

Nystølfjorden Nystølfjorden is a lake on the border of the municipalities of Birkenes and Froland in Agder county, Norway. It is part of the Tovdalselva river drainage basin. It flows into the Vågsdalsfjorden and eventually the Uldalsåna before emptying ...

, and Uldalsåna.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Froland, are responsible for

primary education Primary education or elementary education is typically the first stage of formal education, coming after preschool/ kindergarten and before secondary school. Primary education takes place in '' primary schools'', ''elementary schools'', or ...

(through 10th grade), outpatient

health services Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...

senior citizen Old age refers to ages nearing or surpassing the life expectancy of human beings, and is thus the end of the human life cycle. Terms and euphemisms for people at this age include old people, the elderly (worldwide usage), OAPs (British usage ...

services,

unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refe ...

and other

social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or adminis ...

zoning Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...

economic development In the economics study of the public sector, economic and social development is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and ...

, and municipal

road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types o ...

s. The municipality is governed by a

municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

of elected representatives, which in turn elect a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

. The municipality falls under the

Agder District Court Agder District Court ( no, Agder tingrett) is a district court located in Agder county, Norway. This court is based at three different courthouses which are located in Farsund, Kristiansand, and Arendal. The court serves most of Agder county and ...

and the

Agder Court of Appeal The Agder Court of Appeal ( no, Agder lagmannsrett) is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the town of Skien. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Vestfold og Telemark and Agder (except for Si ...

Municipal council

The

() of Froland is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. Currently, the

party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often featu ...

breakdown is as follows:

Transportation

The

Arendalsbanen The Arendal Line ( no, Arendalsbanen) is a long railway line between Arendal and Simonstad in Norway. At Nelaug, north of Arendal, the line intersects with the Sørland Line. The southern section is electrified and provides a feeder passenger s ...

railway which runs from

connects Froland and Arendal to the railway system in Norway.

Blakstad Station Blakstad Station ( no, Blakstad holdeplass) is a railway station in the village of Blakstad on the east side of the river Nidelva in the municipality of Froland in Agder county, Norway. Located along the Arendalsbanen railway line, it is served ...

is in the municipal centre of Blakstad,

Froland Station Froland Station ( no, Froland holdeplass) is a railway station in the village of Froland which lies along the river Nidelva in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway. Located along the Arendalsbanen railway line, it is served by Go-Ahead N ...

is located in the village of

, and Bøylestad Station is in the village of Bøylestad. There are also several highways in Froland including the

Norwegian National Road 41 Norwegian National Road 41 (''Rv 41''; also known as the ''Telemarksveien'') is a Norwegian national road that runs through Vestfold og Telemark and Agder counties in Norway. The road runs between the village of Brunkeberg in Kviteseid munici ...

Norwegian County Road 408 Norwegian county road 408 (Fylkesvei 408 or Fv408) is a long Norwegian county road which runs between the villages of Blakstad in Froland municipality and Rykene in Arendal municipality. The road roughly follows the river Nidelva the whole w ...

, and Norwegian County Road 413.

Media

The newspaper '' Frolendingen'' is published in Froland.

Notable residents

Niels Henrik Abel Niels Henrik Abel ( , ; 5 August 1802 – 6 April 1829) was a Norwegian mathematician who made pioneering contributions in a variety of fields. His most famous single result is the first complete proof demonstrating the impossibility of solvin ...

(1802 – 1829 in Froland) a distinguished Norwegian mathematician, buried at Froland cemetery * Iver Steen Thomle (1812 in Froland – 1889) a jurist and

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway () is the judicial leader of the Supreme Court of Norway. The following is a chronological list of chief justices since the court was established: * 1814–27: Johan Randulf Bull - Named in 1814 ...

1878–86 * Gotfred Kvifte (1914 in Froland – 1997) a Norwegian physicist and academic *

Marte Olsbu Røiseland Marte Olsbu Røiseland (born 7 December 1990) is a former Norwegian biathlete and 3 time Winter Olympic gold medalist. In addition, she won two Olympic silver medals and two bronze medals. Her world championships achievements include winning two ...

(born 1990) a biathlete, triple gold medalist at the

2022 Winter Olympics The 2022 Winter Olympics (2022年冬季奥林匹克运动会), officially called the XXIV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Beijing 2022 (2022), was an international winter multi-sport event held from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Bei ...

and team silver medalist at the

2018 Winter Olympics , nations = 93 , athletes = 2,922 (1,680 men and 1,242 women) , events = 102 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = , closing = , opened_by = President Moon Jae-in , cauldron = Kim Yun-a , stadium = Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium , wint ...

, resides in Froland.

References

External links

Municipal fact sheet
from

Statistics Norway Statistics Norway ( no, Statistisk sentralbyrå, abbreviated to ''SSB'') is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876. Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every ye ...

*
Arendals fossekompani

Froland.org

Municipal website

Froland Curlingklubb
{{use dmy dates, date=December 2020 Municipalities of Agder 1850 establishments in Norway