Editing Flekkefjord

{{short description|Municipality in Agder, Norway}}
{{about|the municipality in Norway|the town in Agder, Norway|Flekkefjord (town)}}
{{Infobox kommune
|name                   = Flekkefjord
|native_name            = 
|native_name_lang       = 
|other_name             = 
|former_name            = 
|image_skyline          = Flekkefjord-Nirwana.jpg
|image_caption          = View of a local harbour
|idnumber               = 4207
|county                 = Agder
|district               = [[Lister Region|Lister]]
|capital                = [[Flekkefjord (town)|Flekkefjord]]
|established            = 1 Jan 1838
|preceded               = none
|demonym                = Flekkefjæring
|language               = Bokmål
|coatofarms             = Flekkefjord komm.svg
|webpage                = www.flekkefjord.kommune.no
|mayor                  = Torbjørn Klungland
|mayor_party            = [[Progress Party (Norway)|FrP]]
|mayor_as_of            = 2019
|area_rank              = 198
|area_total_km2         = 544.08
|area_land_km2          = 482.19
|area_water_km2         = 61.89
|area_water_percent     = 11.4
|population_as_of       = 2023
|population_rank        = 121
|population_total       = 9216
|population_density_km2 = 19.1
|population_increase    = 1.7
|coordinates            = {{coord|58|19|38|N|06|40|00|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}}
|utm_zone = 32V |utm_northing = 6467516 |utm_easting = 0363357 |geo_cat = adm2nd
}}

'''Flekkefjord''' ({{Audio|Flekkefjord.ogg|pronunciation}}) is a [[List of municipalities of Norway|municipality]] in [[Agder]] county, [[Norway]]. It is located in the [[Traditional districts of Norway|traditional district]] of [[Lister Region|Lister]]. The [[administrative centre]] of the municipality is the [[Flekkefjord (town)|town of Flekkefjord]]. The villages of [[Sira, Norway|Sira]], [[Gyland]], [[Rasvåg]], [[Kirkehavn]], and [[Åna-Sira]] are located in Flekkefjord.

Flekkefjord is the westernmost municipality of the geographical region of [[Sørlandet]]. Flekkefjord is approximately midway between the cities of [[Kristiansand (town)|Kristiansand]] and [[Stavanger (city)|Stavanger]], located along [[European route E39]] and the [[Sørlandet Line]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Welle-Strand |first=Erling |title=Adventure Roads in Norway |publisher=Nortrabooks |year=1996 |isbn=82-90103-71-9 |author-link=Erling Welle-Strand}}</ref>

The {{convert|544|km2|adj=on}} municipality is the 198th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Flekkefjord is the 121st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 9,216. The municipality's [[population density]] is {{convert|19.1|PD/km2}} and its population has increased by 1.7% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb pop">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/ |language=Norwegian}}</ref><ref name="ssb area">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/09280/ |language=Norwegian}}</ref>

==General information==
[[File:Evening light (6088422262).jpg|thumb|left|Flekkefjord landscape]]
The small [[Flekkefjord (town)|town of Flekkefjord]] was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see [[formannskapsdistrikt]] law). In 1942, a part of the municipality of [[Nes, Vest-Agder|Nes]] (population: 377) was transferred to the town of Flekkefjord.<ref name="Dag" />

On 1 January 1965, there was a major municipal merger due to the work of the [[Schei Committee]]. On that date, the rural municipalities of [[Bakke, Norway|Bakke]] (except the Øksendal area), [[Gyland (municipality)|Gyland]], [[Hidra, Vest-Agder|Hidra]], and [[Nes, Vest-Agder|Nes]] were merged with the town of Flekkefjord, creating a new, much larger municipality of Flekkefjord with about 8,800 people. On 1 January 1987, the Virak and Espetveit areas of northern Flekkefjord (population: 41) were transferred to [[Sirdal]] municipality.<ref name="Dag">{{Cite book |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |year=1999 |isbn=9788253746845 |language=no}}</ref>

===Name===
The municipality (and town) is named after the local [[fjord]] called the ''Flekkefjorden''. The first element of the name comes from the name of the old ''Flikke'' farm ({{langx|non|Flikkar}}) since it is located near the fjord. That name is the plural form of the word {{lang|non|flikkar}} which has an unknown meaning. The last element is {{wikt-lang|no|fjord}} which means "[[fjord]]".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mt1LAQAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Lister og Mandals amt |date=1912 |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |edition=9 |location=Kristiania, Norge |pages=317–318 |language=no |authorlink=Oluf Rygh}}</ref>

===Coat of arms===
The [[coat of arms]] for Flekkefjord are rather old (compared with most Norwegian municipal arms). They were granted around the year 1855. The [[blazon]] is ''"[[Or (heraldry)|Or]], a sailing ship above four [[barrulet]]s wavy [[gules]]"''. This means the arms have a [[field (heraldry)|field]] (background) has a [[tincture (heraldry)|tincture]] of [[Or (heraldry)|Or]] which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] is a [[pilot boat]] above four wavy stripes symbolizing the sea. The arms have a [[mural crown]] above the shield. The arms were originally proposed in 1855 and they were described as a [[pilot boat]] on the [[sea]]. It specifically is like the pilot boats that Colin Archer made during that time period. The original proposal showed a boat on a very natural sea, using all in natural colours. The present shape of the boat and the more heraldically correct arms date from 1899. The arms were designed by an unknown designer. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Flekkefjord |access-date=2023-07-12 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Flekkefjord kommune, våpen |url=https://foto.digitalarkivet.no/fotoweb/archives/5003-Kommunev%C3%A5pen/Kart%20og%20tegninger%20og%20segl/Flekkefjord%20fra%20SNL.JPG.info#c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5003-Kommunev%25C3%25A5pen%2F%3Fq%3Dflekkefjord |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Digitalarkivet |publisher=Arkivverket |language=no}}</ref> In 2023, the design of the arms was updated slightly. The flag on the boat was made to look more wavy, a single black stripe is on the sails, and a pilot is more visible at the rear of the boat.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ny grafisk profil på vei |url=https://www.flekkefjord.kommune.no/ny-grafisk-profil-paa-vei.6624004-504114.html |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=Flekkefjord kommune |language=no}}</ref>

===Churches===
The [[Church of Norway]] has four parishes ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Flekkefjord. It is part of the [[Lister og Mandal prosti]] ([[deanery]]) in the [[Diocese of Agder og Telemark]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Flekkefjord'''''
!Parish ({{lang|no|sokn}})!!Church name!!Location of the church!!Year built
|-
|rowspan="1"|Bakke||[[Bakke Church (Vest-Agder)|Bakke Church]]||[[Sira, Norway|Sira]]||1865
|-
|rowspan="1"|Flekkefjord||[[Flekkefjord Church]]||[[Flekkefjord (town)|Flekkefjord]]||1966
|-
|rowspan="1"|Gyland||[[Gyland Church]]||Nuland (near [[Gyland]])||1982
|-
|rowspan="1"|Hidra||[[Hidra Church]]||[[Kirkehamn]]||1924
|}

==Geography==
The municipality is located in southwestern [[Agder]] county, along the border with [[Rogaland]] county and the [[North Sea]] to the southwest. It is bounded by [[Sokndal]] and [[Lund]] municipalities (in [[Rogaland]] county) to the west across the river [[Sira (river)|Sira]], by [[Sirdal]] municipality to the north, and by [[Kvinesdal]] municipality to the east.

The town of [[Flekkefjord (town)|Flekkefjord]] is located near the southern coast of the municipality in a fjord. It straddles the narrow [[sound (geography)|sound]] which connects the Flekkefjorden to [[Grisefjorden]]. The port is ideal due to the tiny difference in [[tide]]s experienced here. This is a result of its close proximity to the [[amphidromic point]] outside [[Eigersund]].<ref name="sn" />

The lakes [[Kumlevollvatnet]], [[Lundevatn]], [[Selura]], and [[Sirdalsvatnet]] are located in Flekkefjord. The southern coast is dominated by the [[Listafjorden]] and [[Fedafjorden]] with the large inhabited islands of [[Hidra (island)|Hidra]] and [[Andabeløyna]] lying in the Listafjorden.

===Climate===
{{Weather box 
|metric first = yes
|single line  = yes
|location     = [[Flekkefjord (town)|Flekkefjord]] 1961-90
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean C = -1.0
| Feb mean C = -1.3
| Mar mean C = 1.0
| Apr mean C = 4.5
| May mean C = 10.0
| Jun mean C = 13.5
| Jul mean C = 15.0
| Aug mean C = 14.5
| Sep mean C = 10.8
| Oct mean C = 7.6
| Nov mean C = 3.0
| Dec mean C = -0.5
|year mean C = 6.4
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
|precipitation colour = <!-- Enter "green" for green precipitation colours, remove this line for blue colouring. -->
| Jan precipitation mm = 189
| Feb precipitation mm = 133
| Mar precipitation mm = 147
| Apr precipitation mm = 91
| May precipitation mm = 102
| Jun precipitation mm = 100
| Jul precipitation mm = 119
| Aug precipitation mm = 158
| Sep precipitation mm = 208
| Oct precipitation mm = 250
| Nov precipitation mm = 253
| Dec precipitation mm = 215
|year precipitation mm = 1965
<!-- Average number of precipitation days -->
|unit precipitation days = 1 mm<!-- If entering the average number of days, then the unit requirement should be used, because this varies between countries. E.g. 0.2 cm, 0.2 mm. -->
| Jan precipitation days = 16.1
| Feb precipitation days = 10.9
| Mar precipitation days = 13.7
| Apr precipitation days = 10.4
| May precipitation days = 11.5
| Jun precipitation days = 10.0
| Jul precipitation days = 10.9
| Aug precipitation days = 13.0
| Sep precipitation days = 16.1
| Oct precipitation days = 17.1
| Nov precipitation days = 18.6
| Dec precipitation days = 16.3
|year precipitation days = 164.6
<!-- Mandatory fields, source -->
|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute<ref>{{Cite web |title=eKlima Web Portal |url=http://eklima.met.no |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040614073527/http://eklima.met.no/ |archive-date=2004-06-14 |publisher=Norwegian Meteorological Institute}}</ref>
}}

==History==
[[File:Flekkefjord-11.jpg|thumb|right|View of the town of Flekkefjord]]
[[File:Selura Lake 20150620 195205.jpg|thumb|right|View of the lake Selura]]
[[File:Bakke kirke, Vest-Agder - Riksantikvaren-T218 01 0007.jpg|thumb|right|View of the Bakke Church in Sira]]
[[File:2010-07-04 Flekkefjord hustak.jpg|thumb|right|The town of Flekkefjord]]
Flekkefjord was a landing place from early times. It was mentioned as a town as early as 1580. In 1589, [[James I of England|James VI of Scotland]] landed there before travelling overland via [[Tønsberg]] to [[Oslo]], where he married Princess [[Anne of Denmark]], daughter of [[Frederick II of Denmark|Frederick II]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Carleton Williams |first=Ethel |url=https://archive.org/details/anneofdenmarkwif00will/page/20 |title=Anne of Denmark |publisher=Longman |year=1970 |isbn=0-582-12783-1 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/anneofdenmarkwif00will/page/20 20] |url-access=registration}}</ref> When Kristiansand was founded in 1641, [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]] wanted to assure the economic survival of his new city by moving Flekkefjord residents there. Twice it was sentenced to extinction by royal [[decree]]. But many of the Flekkefjord inhabitants remained and continued to trade.

Norway's plentiful stone was a Flekkefjord commodity. In 1736 over 300 [[Netherlands|Dutch]] ships are reported to have carried paving stones from Flekkefjord. By 1750 the [[herring]] fishery began in earnest, such that herring and timber dominated the trade. In the 1750s Flekkefjord was the most important Norwegian herring export harbor.

In 1760 Flekkefjord petitioned [[Frederick V of Denmark|Frederik V]] to grant a town charter. At that time several ships were home ported there and both sailors and herring fishermen had their homes in this small town that was not officially recognized. [[Barrel (storage)|Barrel]] making ([[Cooper (profession)|cooperage]]) was also an important local trade that served the fishing fleet.

During the [[Napoleonic Wars]] Flekkefjord found a new life as a [[smuggler]]s port, exporting [[oak]] to the [[Napoleon]]-occupied [[Netherlands]] during the period prior to 1807. The unusual tidal condition, the local timber abundance, and a long-term relationship with the Dutch were the reasons behind Flekkefjord's then serving as a smuggler's headquarters. They specialized in the lucrative oak trade, the [[warship]] timber in those days. Ships could come and leave Flekkefjord at any hour of the day, without concern for the tides.

Prior to 1807, [[Denmark-Norway]] had followed a policy of [[armed neutrality]], using its naval forces only to protect trade flowing within, into, and out of Danish and Norwegian waters. But this changed for the last phase of the Napoleonic Wars when, in the [[Battle of Copenhagen (1807)|Battle of Copenhagen]] in 1807, the British preemptively captured large portions of the Danish naval fleet to prevent the French from doing the same. As a result, the [[Denmark|Danish]] government declared war and built small gunboats in large numbers to attack the British. The [[Gunboat War]] (1807–1814) was the title given to naval conflict between [[Denmark-Norway]] against the [[United Kingdom|British]] navy. It was natural for Flekkefjord to move from a smuggler's haven to blockade runner's headquarters. The unusual tides there were unknown to the British warships that were blockading the Norwegian coast against Napoleon-supporting ships and this provided the blockade runners a considerable advantage.

After the war the Dutch maintained a strong presence in Flekkefjord, and continued exporting oak and [[pine]]. The pine was used mainly to make foundations for the boom in [[Amsterdam]] house construction; as a result most of Amsterdam's houses from the 19th century are constructed of pines from Flekkefjord exporters. A section of Flekkefjord called 'Hollenderbyen' (town of the Dutch) dates from the 18th century.<ref name="sn">{{Cite book |last=Stagg |first=Frank Noel |title=South Norway |publisher=George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. |year=1958}}</ref>

[[Xenotime]], a rare [[yttrium]] [[phosphate]] [[mineral]] whose [[chemical formula]] is YPO<sub>4</sub>, was discovered in 1832 at [[Hidra (island)|Hidra]] (Hitterø), Flekkefjord.

The herring fisheries deserted the coast in 1838, depriving Flekkefjord residents of their main export. Tanning replaced fishing and by 1866 five tanneries were operating in Flekkefjord.

The [[Flekkefjord Line]] railway ran between Sira and Flekkefjord from 1904 to 1990.

Flekkefjord and nearby areas are served by [[Sørlandet Hospital Flekkefjord]] that covers population needs for surgery, orthopedics, oncology, gynecology and obstetrics.

==Government==
Flekkefjord Municipality is responsible for [[primary education]] (through 10th grade), outpatient [[Health care|health services]], [[old age|senior citizen]] services, [[welfare spending|welfare]] and other [[Social work|social services]], [[zoning]], [[economic development]], and municipal [[road]]s and utilities. The municipality is governed by a [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] of [[Direct election|directly elected]] representatives. The [[mayor]] is [[Indirect election|indirectly elected]] by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |language=Norwegian |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene |accessdate=2022-10-14}}</ref> The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the [[Agder District Court]] and the [[Agder Court of Appeal]].

===Municipal council===
The [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] ({{lang|no|Kommunestyre}}) of Flekkefjord is made up of 35 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political [[Political party|party]].
{{div col}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 2023
|end                       = 2027
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Agder |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/agder/flekkefjord#seats |access-date=2024-01-27 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = 
|Total                     = 35
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 3
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 14
|Høyre                     = 5
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 5
|Rødt                      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 2
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 2
|otherparty                = Flekkefjord's Well
|otherparty_no             = Flekkefjords Vel 
|otherparty_number         = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 2019
|end                       = 2023
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2019 – Agder |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/agder/flekkefjord#seats |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 35
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 4
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 6
|Høyre                     = 8
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 5
|Rødt                      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 7
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 2015
|end                       = 2019
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg">{{Cite web |title=Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/04813/ |publisher=Statistics Norway |language=no}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 35
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 6
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 6
|Høyre                     = 8
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 5
|Senterpartiet             = 4
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 4
|Grønne                    = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 2011
|end                       = 2015
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2011 – Vest-Agder |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/vest-agder/flekkefjord#seats |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 35
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 6
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 5
|Høyre                     = 9
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 6
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 2007
|end                       = 2011
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 35
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 5
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 5
|Høyre                     = 5
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 9
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 2003
|end                       = 2007
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 35
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 6
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 4
|Høyre                     = 7
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 7
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|Venstre                   = 4
|Demokratene               = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1999
|end                       = 2003
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 35
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 6
|Høyre                     = 6
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 8
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1995
|end                       = 1999
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1996 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1995 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 35
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 3
|Høyre                     = 7
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 8
|Senterpartiet             = 5
|Venstre                   = 4
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1991
|end                       = 1995
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1991 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 45
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 4
|Høyre                     = 9
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 11
|Senterpartiet             = 6
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|Venstre                   = 4
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1987
|end                       = 1991
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1988 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1987 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 45
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 11
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 5
|Høyre                     = 10
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 10
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|DLF/V                     = 4
|otherparty                = Cross-party local list
|otherparty_no             = Tverrpolitisk kommuneliste
|otherparty_number         = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1983
|end                       = 1987
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1984 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1983 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 45
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 11
|DLF                       = 1
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 3
|Høyre                     = 13
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 11
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1979
|end                       = 1983
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1979 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1979 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 45
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 10
|DLF                       = 2
|Høyre                     = 14
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 10
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 3
|otherparty                = The non-party common list
|otherparty_no             = Den upolitiske fellesliste
|otherparty_number         = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1975
|end                       = 1979
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1977 |title=Kommunevalgene 1975 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a769.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 45
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|DLF                       = 5
|Høyre                     = 9
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 12
|Senterpartiet             = 6
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1971
|end                       = 1975
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1973 |title=Kommunevalgene 1972 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a457.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 45
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 14
|Høyre                     = 7
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 8
|Senterpartiet             = 6
|Venstre                   = 10
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|start                     = 1967
|end                       = 1971
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1967 |title=Kommunevalgene 1967 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a214.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo |volume=I}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 45
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 12
|Høyre                     = 8
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 7
|Senterpartiet             = 4
|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti   = 1
|Venstre                   = 12
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1963
|end                       = 1967
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1964 |title=Kommunevalgene 1963 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 5
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 5
|Local_Lists               = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1959
|end                       = 1963
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |access-date=2020-12-05 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 5
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 7
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1955
|end                       = 1959
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Høyre                     = 5
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 6
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1951
|end                       = 1955
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 5
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1947
|end                       = 1951
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 6
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 4
|Local_Lists               = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1945
|end                       = 1947
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 4
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Venstre                   = 5
|Local_Lists               = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1937
|end                       = 1941* 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Høyre                     = 4
|Venstre                   = 6
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 5
|Local_Lists               = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Flekkefjord
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1934
|end                       = 1937 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1935 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1934 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_057.pdf |access-date=2020-12-06 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Høyre                     = 5
|Nasjonal_Samling          = 1
|Venstre                   = 4
|Avholdspartiet            = 2
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 4
|Local_Lists               = 4
|}}
{{div col end}}

===Parliamentary representation===
After Flekkefjord acquired [[Market town#Norway|market town]] status in 1842, it also became a constituency for elections to the [[Parliament of Norway]]. The first representative was elected in 1845: [[Gerhard Heiberg Garmann]]. He served for three years before [[Nils Elias Børresen]] was elected. He served until 1863, when deputy [[Johan Andreas Kraft]] took over for one year. [[Knud Geelmuyden Fleischer Maartmann]] served from 1865 to 1866 and 1868 to 1869, and [[Elias Didrichsen]] served from 1871 to 1888, interrupted by [[Thorvald Olsen (politician)|Thorvald Olsen]] who served from 1877 through 1879. [[Niels Eyde]], [[Jakob Stang]], [[Sivert Hanssen-Sunde]] and [[Hans Sivert Jacobsen]] served one three-year term each between 1889 and 1900. Then, [[Cornelius Bernhard Hanssen]] served from 1900 to 1921, interrupted by [[Bernhard Severin Sannerud]] in the years 1916 through 1918. A law change in 1919 repelled Flekkefjord as a constituency of its own; from then it was a part of the combined constituency [[Market towns of Vest-Agder and Rogaland counties]].<ref name="mayor">{{Cite book |last=Ringard |first=Morten |title=Flekkefjords historie |publisher=Flekkefjord Municipality |year=1942 |location=Flekkefjord |pages=134–135 |language=no |author-link=Morten Ringard}}</ref>

===Mayors===
Mayors in Flekkefjord typically served for one year from the start of local government in 1838. Of the notable early mayors were [[Jens Henrik Beer]] (Parliament member before Flekkefjord became its own constituency) in 1840 and [[Anders Beer (shipowner)|Anders Beer]] in 1843. Many of the parliamentarians served as mayors: J. A. Kraft in 1842, 1858 and 1859; Børresen in 1846, 1849, 1850, 1852 and 1862; Didrichsen from 1853 to 1857, 1863 to 1870, 1878 to 1879 and 1883 to 1888; Jacobsen in 1889; Hanssen-Sunde from 1893 to 1899; Sannerud from 1906 to 1909 and in 1917; and C. B. Hanssen in 1933, 1936 and 1937. The [[Mayor#Scandinavia|mayors]] ({{langx|no|ordfører}}) of Flekkefjord:<ref name="mayor" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ordførere gjennom tidene |url=https://www.flekkefjord.kommune.no/ordfoerere-gjennom-tidene.6323634-520804.html |access-date=2023-07-15 |website=Flekkefjord kommune |language=no}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*1838-1838: Ebbe Dreier
*1839-1839: Anders Tjørsvaag
*1840-1840: [[Jens Henrik Beer]]
*1841-1841: L.L. Ross
*1842-1842: [[Johan Andreas Kraft]]
*1843-1843: [[Anders Beer (shipowner)|Anders Beer]]
*1844-1844: L.L. Ross
*1845-1845: J. Saxe
*1846-1847: [[Nils Elias Børresen]]
*1848-1848: Johan Christian Stephanson
*1849-1850: [[Nils Elias Børresen]]
*1851-1851: Johan Christian Stephanson
*1852-1852: [[Nils Elias Børresen]]
*1853-1857: [[Elias Didrichsen]]
*1858-1859: [[Johan Andreas Kraft]]
*1860-1860: B.L. Søyland
*1861-1861: Inspector Engh
*1862-1862: [[Nils Elias Børresen]]
*1863-1870: [[Elias Didrichsen]]
*1871-1877: Hans H.S. Sunde
*1878-1879: [[Elias Didrichsen]]
*1880-1882: Hans H.S. Sunde
*1883-1888: [[Elias Didrichsen]]
*1889-1889: [[Hans Sivert Jacobsen]] 
*1890-1892: Ole Z. Torkildsen
*1893-1899: [[Sivert Hanssen-Sunde]]
*1900-1900: T. Knudsen
*1901-1904: C.T. Berg
*1905-1905: J. Olsby
*1906-1909: [[Bernhard Severin Sannerud]] 
*1910-1913: J.P.M. Eyde
*1914-1916: S. Brække
*1918-1918: S. Brække
*1919-1919: H.T. Nygaard
*1920-1922: Wilhelm E. Kaurin
*1923-1924: Børge Ask
*1925-1925: Olav Just
*1926-1928: Wilhelm E. Kaurin
*1929-1931: T.V.H. Undhammer
*1932-1932: Wilhelm E. Kaurin
*1933-1933: [[Cornelius Bernhard Hanssen]]
*1934-1934: T.V.H. Undhammer
*1935-1935: Olav Just
*1936-1937: [[Cornelius Bernhard Hanssen]]
*1938-1938: Olav Just
*1939-1939: Wilhelm E. Kaurin
*1940-1940: Olav Just
*1945-1945: Olav Just
*1946-1947: Gustav Selstad
*1948-1948: Jens Smith Sunde
*1949-1949: Sverre Fredhall
*1950-1951: Olaf Søyland
*1952-1959: Jakob Modal
*1960-1963: Magnus Tonstad
*1964-1967: Jakob Modal
*1968-1975: Petter J. Peersen
*1976-1987: [[Kjell Svindland]] ([[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|KrF]])
*1988-1989: [[Sigmund Kroslid]] ([[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|KrF]])
*1990-1991: Jan Østreim
*1992-1995: Egil Nordmann Eek
*1995-2007: [[Sigmund Kroslid]] ([[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|KrF]])
*2007-2011: Reidar Gausdal ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
*2011-2019: Jan Sigbjørnsen ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
*2019-present: Torbjørn Klungland ([[Progress Party (Norway)|FrP]])
{{div col end}}

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Norway}}
Flekkefjord is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vennskapsbyer |url=https://www.flekkefjord.kommune.no/om-kommunenfakta-om-kommunen/vennskapsbyer2 |access-date=2016-09-13 |publisher=Flekkefjord kommune |language=no}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=24em}}
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Bollnäs Municipality|Bollnäs]], Sweden (1950)
*{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Burntisland]], Scotland, UK (1946)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town Twinning |url=https://www.fifedirect.org.uk/topics/index.cfm?fuseaction=service.display&objectid=909a83ad-347e-4e30-828c-07b353b68048 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103165242/https://www.fifedirect.org.uk/topics/index.cfm?fuseaction=service.display&objectid=909A83AD-347E-4E30-828C-07B353B68048 |archive-date=3 January 2017 |access-date=26 January 2018 |website=www.fifedirect.org.uk}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Elbow Lake, Grant County, Minnesota|Elbow Lake]], United States (1973)
*{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Kankaanpää]], Finland (1950)
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Hanover#Subdivisions|Misburg-Anderten (Hanover)]], Germany (1971)
*{{flagicon|DEN}} [[Morsø Municipality|Morsø]], Denmark (1950)
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
[[File:Anders Beer Wilse.png|140px|thumb|Anders Beer Wilse, 1935]]
[[File:Marta Steinsvik.jpg|140px|thumb|Marta Steinsvik, 1935]]
* [[Jens Henrik Beer Sr.]] (1731–1808), a ship-owner, sawmill owner, and merchant
* [[Jens Henrik Beer]] (1799–1881), a ship-owner, sawmill owner, farmer, and politician
* [[Anders Beer (shipowner)|Anders Beer]] (1801–1863), a Norwegian ship-owner, tanner, and agriculturalist
* [[Marie Aarestrup]] (1826–1919), a painter who specialized in genre and portrait painting
* [[Peter Waage]] (1833–1900), a chemist and academic who developed the [[law of mass action]]
* [[Anders Beer Wilse]] (1865–1949), a photographer of natural sceneries and people at work 
* [[Marta Steinsvik]] (1877–1950), an author who promoted women's rights, [[Nynorsk]], and theology 
* [[Gudmund Seland]] (1907–1996), a [[Norwegian resistance movement|Norwegian resistance]] member and Mayor of Nes
* [[Nils Fuglesang]] (1918–1944), a Norwegian [[Supermarine Spitfire]] pilot who escaped from [[Stalag Luft III]], was recaptured, and shot
* [[Gunvald Tomstad]] (1918–1970), a major agent of the British SIS and [[Norwegian resistance movement|resistance member]]
* [[:no:Bitten Modal|Bitten Modal, (Norwegian Wiki)]] (1940–2008), a journalist, writer, and feminist
* Kåre Drangsholt (1941–1983), a boat designer and manufacturer of Draco boats
* [[Sverre Anker Ousdal]] (born 1944), an actor <ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0030153/  IMDb Database] retrieved 03 January 2021</ref>
* [[Eva Lundgren]] (born 1947), a Norwegian-Swedish sociologist, re. [[violence against women]]
* [[Arnfinn Moland]] (born 1951), a Norwegian historian, long jumper, and triple jumper
* [[Tove Pettersen]] (born 1962 on Hidra), a Norwegian feminist philosopher
* [[Boye Brogeland]] (born 1973), a Norwegian professional bridge player

=== Sport ===
* [[Olaf Søyland]] (born 1952), a sprint canoer who competed at the [[1976 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Einar Rasmussen]] (born 1956), a sprint canoeist who was a medallist at several [[ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships|World Championships]]
* [[Svein Egil Solvang]] (born 1968), a sprint canoer who competed at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Anne Tønnessen]] (born 1974), a footballer and team gold medallist at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Eirik Verås Larsen]] (born 1976), a Norwegian sprint kayaker and medallist at three Olympics

==See also==
*[[Flekkefjord Dampskipsselskap]]
*[[Flekkefjords Budstikke]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Flekkefjord}}
{{wiktionary|Flekkefjord}}
*{{Wikivoyage inline|Vest-Agder}}
*[http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/flekkefjord Municipal fact sheet] from [[Statistics Norway]] {{in lang|no}}
*[http://www.flekkefjord.kommune.no Municipal website] {{in lang|no}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051128174707/http://kulturnett.no/geografisknavigering/geografisknavigering_visning.jsp?fylke=T922040&kommune=T910731 Map of Flekkefjord]

{{Agder}}
{{authority control}}
{{use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

[[Category:Flekkefjord| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Agder]]
[[Category:1838 establishments in Norway]]