Editing Modalen

{{short description|Municipality in Vestland, Norway}}
{{Infobox kommune
|name                   = Modalen
|native_name            = 
|native_name_lang       = 
|other_name             = 
|former_name            = 
|image_skyline          = Mo 2.jpg
|image_caption          = View of Mo in Modalen
|idnumber               = 4629
|county                 = Vestland
|district               = Nordhordland
|capital                = [[Mo, Hordaland|Modalen]]
|established            = 1 Jan 1910
|preceded               = [[Hosanger|Hosanger Municipality]]
|language               = Nynorsk
|demonym                = Modøl
|coatofarms             = Modalen komm.svg
|webpage                = www.modalen.kommune.no
|mayor                  = Linda Neset
|mayor_party            = [[Bygdeliste|LL]]
|mayor_as_of            = 2023
|area_rank              = 236
|area_total_km2         = 412.01
|area_land_km2          = 379.08
|area_water_km2         = 32.90
|area_water_percent     = 8
|population_as_of       = 2023
|population_rank        = 355
|population_total       = 380
|population_density_km2 = 1.0
|population_increase    = -0.8
|coordinates            = {{coord|60|52|50|N|05|55|31|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}}
|utm_zone = 32V |utm_northing = 6753416 |utm_easting = 0333121 |geo_cat = adm2nd
}}

'''Modalen''' is a municipality in the [[Nordhordland]] [[Districts of Norway|district]] in the central part of [[Vestland]] county in [[Norway]]. The [[administrative centre]] of the municipality is the village of [[Mo, Hordaland|Mo]]. The other main village in the municipality is [[Øvre Helland]]. Most of the residents of Modalen live in the main Modalen valley which extends eastwards from the end of the [[Romarheimsfjorden]].

The small population, combined with a large income from [[hydro-electric power]] production, has given the municipality the ability to give all its residents free wireless internet access in the municipality. They also were the first Norwegian municipality to buy a computer for all students in the municipality in 1993.

The {{convert|412|km2|adj=on}} municipality is the 236th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Modalen is the 355th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 380 (making it the second smallest municipality in Norway after [[Utsira]]). The municipality's [[population density]] is {{convert|1|PD/km2}} and its population has decreased by 0.8% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb hist 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:Bruvik IMO 5054343 Mo 2009.JPG|thumb|left|View of the village of Mo]]
[[File:Mo_Hordaland.JPG|thumb|left|Another view of Mo]]
The parish of Modalen was separated from the old municipality of [[Hosanger]] on 1 January 1910 to become a separate municipality. Initially, the municipality had 821 residents. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the [[Schei Committee]]. On 1 January 1964, the middle part of the [[Eksingedalen]] valley (population: 151) was transferred from Modalen to the municipality of [[Vaksdal]]. Also on that date, the Nipo, Dyrkolbotn, and Eitrdalen farm areas (population: 12), located north of the village of [[Romarheim]], were transferred from Modalen to the neighboring municipality of [[Lindås]].<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 (originally the [[prestegjeld|parish]]) is named after the old ''[[Mo, Hordaland|Mo]]'' farm ({{langx|non|Mór}}) since the first [[Mo Church (Hordaland)|Mo Church]] was built there in the Middle Ages. The first element is {{wikt-lang|non|mór}} which means "[[Heath (habitat)|heath]]" or "[[Moorland|moor]]". The last element, {{wikt-lang|no|dalen}}, was added later and it is derived from the old word {{wikt-lang|non|dalr}} which means "[[valley]]" or "dale".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ud5LAQAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Søndre Bergenhus amt |date=1910 |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |edition=11 |location=Kristiania, Norge |pages=336–337 |language=no |authorlink=Oluf Rygh}}</ref>

===Coat of arms===
The [[coat of arms]] was granted on 2 November 1984. The official [[blazon]] is ''"[[Vert (heraldry)|Vert]], three spades [[palewise]] two and one [[argent]]"'' ({{langx|no|På græn grunn tre kvite spadar, 2-1}}). This means the arms have a green [[field (heraldry)|field]] (background) and the [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] is a set of three [[spade]]s aligned vertically with the center one sitting lower than the others. The charge has a [[tincture (heraldry)|tincture]] of [[argent]] which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The spades are a symbol for the [[agriculture]] and sand digging in the municipality, which historically were of great importance. The arms were designed by Egil Korsnes. 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=Modalen |access-date=2023-05-18 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Modalen, Hordaland (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-12-52.html |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Flags of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1984-11-02 |title=Godkjenning av våpen og flagg |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1984-11-02-1837 |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}}</ref>

===Churches===
The [[Church of Norway]] has one parish ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Modalen. It is part of the [[Nordhordland prosti]] ([[deanery]]) in the [[Diocese of Bjørgvin]].

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Modalen'''''
!Parish ({{lang|no|sokn}})!!Church name!!Location of the church!!Year built
|-
|Mo||[[Mo Church (Hordaland)|Mo Church]]||[[Mo, Hordaland|Mo]]||1883
|}

==Government==
Modalen 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 [[Nordhordland District Court]] and the [[Gulating Court of Appeal]].

===Municipal council===
The [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] ({{lang|no|Kommunestyre}}) of Modalen is made up of 13 representatives that are elected every four years. Modalen is the only municipality in Norway that has a non-partisan council, so all representatives run on [[Bygdeliste|local lists]] rather than by party. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council.
{{div col}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Modalen
|start                     = 2023
|end                       = 2027
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Vestland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/vestland/modalen#seats |access-date=2024-01-21 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = 
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 13
|otherparty                = Samlingslista
|otherparty_no             = Common List
|otherparty_number         = 6
|otherparty1               = Solrenningslista
|otherparty_no1            = Sunrise List
|otherparty_number1        = 7
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Modalen
|start                     = 2019
|end                       = 2023
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2019 – Vestland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/vestland/modalen#seats |access-date=2020-02-02 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 13
|otherparty                = Samlingslista
|otherparty_no             = Common List
|otherparty_number         = 7
|otherparty1               = Solrenningslista
|otherparty_no1            = Sunrise List
|otherparty_number1        = 6
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Modalen
|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                     = 13
|nynorsk                   = yes
|otherparty                = Samlingslista
|otherparty_no             = Common List
|otherparty_number         = 6
|otherparty1               = Solrenningslista
|otherparty_no1            = Sunrise List
|otherparty_number1        = 7
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Modalen
|start                     = 2011
|end                       = 2015
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2011 – Hordaland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/hordaland/modalen#seats |access-date=2020-02-02 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 13
|otherparty                = Samlingslista
|otherparty_no             = Common List
|otherparty_number         = 7
|otherparty1               = Solrenningslista
|otherparty_no1            = Sunrise List
|otherparty_number1        = 6
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Modalen
|start                     = 2007
|end                       = 2011
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 13
|otherparty                = Samlingslista
|otherparty_no             = Common List
|otherparty_number         = 5
|otherparty1               = Solrenningslista
|otherparty_no1            = Sunrise List
|otherparty_number1        = 8
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Modalen
|start                     = 2003
|end                       = 2007
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 13
|otherparty                = Samlingslista
|otherparty_no             = Common List
|otherparty_number         = 8
|otherparty1               = Solrenningslista
|otherparty_no1            = Sunrise List
|otherparty_number1        = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Modalen
|start                     = 1999
|end                       = 2003
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 13
|otherparty                = Common Election List
|otherparty_no             = Flertallsvalg
|otherparty_number         = 13
|}}
{{div col end}}

===Mayors===
The [[Mayor#Scandinavia|mayors]] ({{langx|nn|ordførar}}) of Modalen (incomplete list):
*2003–2015: Knut Moe ([[Bygdeliste|LL]])
*2015–2019: Tom Kristian Thorsen ([[Bygdeliste|LL]])
*2019–2023: Kjetil Eikefet ([[Bygdeliste|LL]])
*2023-present: Linda Neset ([[Bygdeliste|LL]])<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-16 |title=Ordførar |url=https://www.modalen.kommune.no/innhald/politikk/ordforar/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Modalen kommune |language=no}}</ref>

==Population==
{{Historical populations
|align       = none
|direction   = horizontal
|percentages = pagr
|footnote    = Note: The municipal borders were changed in 1964, causing a significant change in the population.
|source      = [[Statistics Norway]]<ref name="ssb hist 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="FM">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=Folketellingen 1960 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/folketellinger/kommunehefter/1960/kh_1960_1252.pdf |language=Norwegian}}</ref> and Norwegian Historical Data Centre<ref name="NHDC">{{Cite web |last=Universitetet i Tromsø – Norges arktiske universitet |author-link=University of Tromsø |title=Censuses in the Norwegian Historical Data Archive (NHDC) |url=https://rhd.uit.no/folketellinger/reg_komm_e.html}}</ref>
|1910|821
|1920|779
|1930|729
|1946|713
|1951|627
|1960|544
|1970|295
|1980|313
|1990|340
|2000|354
|2010|344
|2020|388
|2023|380
}}

==Geography==
[[File:Foss og naust kopiera.jpg|thumb|right|View of the Kvernhusfossen waterfall]]
Modalen municipality sits in the central part of [[Vestland]] county. It surrounds the innermost part of the [[Romarheimsfjorden]] (which is also called the Mofjorden) and the Modalen valley which extends eastwards from the end of the fjord. Both sides of the valley are mountainous, so the municipality is quite isolated with only two roads connecting it to the outside world. Both roads were constructed fairly recently, before that time, the municipality was only accessible by boat or crossing mountains on foot. The [[Modalen Tunnel]] was built in 1976 and it connects this valley to the [[Eksingedalen]] valley to the south. The other road was finished in 1996, and it follows the fjord heading west to Lindås.

The Modalen valley centers around the river Moelva. The lake [[Steinslandsvatnet]], in the central part of the municipality, is the headwaters of the river. The high mountains that surround the valley provide many sources of [[hydroelectric power]] such as the lake [[Skjerjavatnet]].

Modalen borders the municipality of [[Høyanger]] to the north and the municipality of [[Vik, Sogn|Vik]] to the east, [[Vaksdal]] to the south, and [[Alver, Norway|Alver]] and [[Masfjorden]] to the west.

== History ==
=== The Modalen project ===
In 2001 Modalen got a 2-megabit broadband connection. The idea was to make Modalen the world's first fully-connected wireless broadband community.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-08-16 |title=Norwegian village in broadband trial |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1493964.stm |access-date=2021-10-05 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Modalen was the first community to undergo an all-broadband project as part of an effort by the Norwegian government to achieve full broadband coverage nationwide by 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-08-30 |title=Entire Norwegian Village Gets Broadband Coverage |url=https://www.informationweek.com/it-life/entire-norwegian-village-gets-broadband-coverage |access-date=2021-10-05 |website=InformationWeek |language=en}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
* [[Andres Lavik]] (1852–1941), a farmer, politician, and mayor of Modalen in 1910
* [[Olav Nygard]] (1884 in Modalen – 1924), a poet
* [[Johannes Moe]] (born 1926 in Modalen), an engineer and research administrator

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Modalen}}
*[http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/modalen Municipal fact sheet] from [[Statistics Norway]] {{in lang|no}}

{{Vestland}}
{{authority control}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

[[Category:Modalen| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Vestland]]
[[Category:1910 establishments in Norway]]