Editing Narvik Municipality

{{short description|Municipality in Nordland, Norway}}
{{redir|Narvik|the [[Narvik (town)|town of Narvik]] or other uses}}
{{Infobox kommune
|name                   = Narvik
|native_name            = 
|native_name_lang       = 
|other_name             = <hr />{{native name|se|Áhkanjárga}}
|former_name            = 
|nicknames              = By1
|image_skyline          = Narvik from above.JPG
|image_caption          = View of Narvik
|idnumber               = 1806
|county                 = Nordland
|district               = Ofoten
|capital                = [[Narvik (town)|Narvik]]
|established            = 1 Jan 1902
|preceded               = [[Ankenes Municipality]]
|demonyms               = Narvikværing<br />Narviking
|language               = Neutral
|coatofarms             = Narvik komm 2020.svg
|flag                   = Flag of Narvik.png
|webpage                = www.narvik.kommune.no
|mayor                  = Rune Edvardsen
|mayor_party            = [[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]]
|mayor_as_of            = 2015
|elevation_max_m        = 1893.7
|highest_point_ref      = <ref name="elev">{{Cite web |date=2024-01-16 |title=Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune |url=https://www.kartverket.no/til-lands/fakta-om-norge/hoyeste-fjelltopp-i-kommunen |publisher=[[Kartverket]] |language=no}}</ref>
|area_rank              = 10
|area_total_km2         = 3432.20
|area_land_km2          = 3194.70
|area_water_km2         = 237.50
|area_water_percent     = 6.9
|population_as_of       = 2024
|population_rank        = 61
|population_total       = 21580
|population_density_km2 = 6.3
|population_increase    = 15.4
|coordinates            = {{coord|68|25|14|N|17|33|36|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}}
}}

{{Audio|narvik.ogg|'''Narvik'''}} ({{langx|se|Áhkanjárga}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schanche |first=Tor Emil |date=2016-09-22 |title=Nå er denne byen endelig formelt "døpt" med et samisk navn |url=https://www.nrk.no/sapmi/na-er-denne-byen-endelig-formelt-_dopt_-med-et-samisk-navn-1.13146029 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923101813/https://www.nrk.no/sapmi/na-er-denne-byen-endelig-formelt-_dopt_-med-et-samisk-navn-1.13146029 |archive-date=2016-09-23 |access-date=2017-09-19 |work=NRK Sápmi |language=no}}</ref>) is the third-largest [[List of municipalities of Norway|municipality]] in [[Nordland]] [[Counties of Norway|county]], [[Norway]], by population. The [[administrative centre]] of the municipality is the [[Narvik (town)|town of Narvik]]. Some of the notable villages in the municipality include [[Ankenesstrand]], [[Ballangen (village)|Ballangen]], [[Beisfjord]], [[Bjerkvik]], [[Bjørnfjell, Nordland|Bjørnfjell]], [[Elvegården]], [[Kjøpsvik]], [[Skjomen]], [[Håkvik]], [[Hergot]], [[Straumsnes, Narvik|Straumsnes]], and [[Vidrek]]. The [[Elvegårdsmoen]] army camp is located near Bjerkvik.

Narvik is located on the shores of the [[Ofotfjorden]]. The municipality is part of the [[Districts of Norway|traditional district]] of [[Ofoten]] of [[Northern Norway]], inside the [[Arctic Circle]]. Narvik Municipality borders [[Hamarøy Municipality]] to the southwest; [[Evenes Municipality]] to the northwest; [[Bardu Municipality]], [[Gratangen Municipality]], [[Lavangen Municipality]], and [[Tjeldsund Municipality]] (in [[Troms]] county) to the north; and [[Norrbotten County]] ([[Lapland, Sweden|Lapland]]) in [[Sweden]] to the south and east.

The {{convert|3432|km2|adj=on}} municipality is the 10th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Narvik is the 61st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 21,580. The municipality's [[population density]] is {{convert|6.3|PD/km2}} and its population has increased by 15.4% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb pop">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |year=2020 |title=Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526133944/https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/ |archive-date=2020-05-26 |access-date=2019-01-10 |language=no}}</ref><ref name="ssb area">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |year=2020 |title=09280: Area of land and fresh water (km<sup>2</sup>) (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/09280/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526133950/https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/09280/ |archive-date=2020-05-26 |access-date=2019-01-10 |language=no}}</ref>

==General information==
[[File:Narvik city centre.jpg|thumb|left|Central Narvik with a view on the freedom monument 'Liv opp av kaos' ('Life out of chaos', 1956) by Narvik's sculptor {{ill|Gunnar Olaf Finn Eriksen|sv|Finn Eriksen}}.]]
The municipality of Narvik was established on 1 January 1902 when the village of Narvik received status as a proper town ([[kjøpstad]]) and was separated from the large [[Ankenes Municipality]]. Initially, the town-municipality of Narvik had 3,705 residents.<ref name="Dag" /> 

On 1 January 1974, [[Ankenes Municipality]] was merged with the town-municipality of Narvik, forming a new, larger Narvik Municipality. After the merger, the new Narvik Municipality had 19,780 residents. On 1 January 1999, a small area of Narvik Municipality (population: 9) was transferred to the neighboring [[Evenes Municipality]].<ref name="Dag">{{Cite web |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |year=2012 |title=1805 Narvik. Population 1 January and population changes during the year. 1951– |url=http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/02/folkendrhist_en/tables/tab/1805.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525151307/http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/02/folkendrhist_en/tables/tab/1805.html |archive-date=2012-05-25 |access-date=2012-06-07 |language=no}}</ref>

On 1 January 2020, Narvik Municipality was merged with the neighboring [[Ballangen Municipality]] and the eastern half of [[Tysfjord Municipality]] to form a new, larger Narvik Municipality. This occurred because in 2017 the municipal government agreed to merge after the [[Parliament of Norway]] required Tysfjord Municipality to be split up.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Karlsen |first=Tone Anita |date=2017-08-22 |title=Ny Narvik tar form |url=http://www.ht.no/nyheter/2017/08/22/Nye-Narvik-tar-form-15192004.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911072326/http://www.ht.no/nyheter/2017/08/22/Nye-Narvik-tar-form-15192004.ece |archive-date=2017-09-11 |access-date=2017-09-10 |work=Harstad Tidende |language=no}}</ref>

===Coat of arms===
The [[coat of arms]] was adopted on 20 June 2019 for use starting on 1 January 2020 after a municipal merger. The [[blazon]] is ''"[[Azure (heraldry)|Azure]], a mountain peak [[argent]]"''. This means the arms have a blue [[field (heraldry)|field]] (background) and the [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] is a mountain peak. The mountain peak 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 arms were designed to look like the local mountain [[Stetind]]. The arms were designed by Eirik Djupvik.<ref name="HW">{{Cite web |date=24 July 2022 |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Narvik |access-date=2023-02-03 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-06-20 |title=Nytt kommunevåpen vedtatt |url=https://www.nrk.no/nordland/nytt-kommunevapen-vedtatt-1.14596440 |access-date=2020-02-09 |work=NRK Nordland |language=no}}</ref>

The [[coat of arms]] was granted on 1 June 1951 and they were in use until 1 January 2020 when there was a municipal merger. The official [[blazon]] is ''"[[Gules]], an anchor [[Or (heraldry)|Or]]"'' ({{langx|no|På rød bunn et opprett gull anker}}). This means the arms have a red [[field (heraldry)|field]] (background) and the [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] is an [[anchor]]. The anchor 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 anchor symbolises Narvik's status as an important [[port]] (the largest [[harbour]] in North Norway). The arms were designed by [[Hallvard Trætteberg]].<ref name="HW" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Narvik, Nordland (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-18-05.html |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=Flags of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1951-06-01 |title=Forskrift om godkjennelse av byvåpen, Narvik kommune, Nordland |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1951-06-01-1 |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}}</ref>

<gallery>
Narvik komm 2020.svg|Current arms since 2020
Narvik komm.svg|Arms (1951-2019)
</gallery>

===Name===
The municipality (originally the [[Narvik (town)|town of Narvik]]) is named after the old ''Narvik'' farm ({{langx|non|Knarravík}} or {{lang|non|Njarðarvík}}) since the town was built there. The two possible Old Norse roots have differing meanings. If it comes from {{lang|non|Knarravík}}, then the meaning of the first element is the [[genitive]] plural form of {{wikt-lang|non|knǫrr}} or [[knarr]] which means "merchant ship". The other option is that the name is derived from {{lang|non|Njarðarvík}}. In that case, the first element comes from the old pagan god name {{lang|non|[[Njǫrðr]]}}. Both options share the same last element, {{wikt-lang|non|vík}}, which means "[[inlet]]". Historically, the name was spelled ''Narduigh'' or ''Narvigen''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |author-link=Oluf Rygh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K21BAAAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Nordlands amt |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |year=1905 |edition=16 |location=Kristiania, Norge |pages=285 |language=no |access-date=2015-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506085138/https://books.google.com/books?id=K21BAAAAIAAJ |archive-date=2016-05-06 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The harbour in the [[Narvik (town)|town of Narvik]] was once called ''Victoriahavn'' after [[Queen Victoria]] of the United Kingdom, however Sweden's [[Victoria of Baden|Crown Princess Victoria]] was also honoured.<ref name="visit">{{Cite web |title=Key facts about Narvik |url=http://www.visitnorway.com/en/Articles/Norway/North/Narvik/Key-facts-on-Narvik/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920075547/http://www.visitnorway.com/en/Articles/Norway/North/Narvik/Key-facts-on-Narvik/ |archive-date=20 September 2008 |access-date=24 November 2008 |publisher=VisitNorway.com}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Narvik, Norway - panoramio (2).jpg | thumb|left|View of Narvik at night from the highest point accessible to cars]]
[[File:Narvik1.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Near Narvik city centre; Ankenesstrand is seen across the bay]]
The Narvik area was settled in the [[Bronze Age]]. Not very much is known about these people, but the [[Viking]]s lived in this area.

The [[Narvik (town)|town of Narvik]] was developed as an all-year [[ice free port]] for the Swedish iron [[mining|mines]] in [[Kiruna]] and [[Gällivare]] . The history of modern Narvik begins in the 1870s, when the [[Swedish government]] began to understand the potential of the [[iron ore]] mines in [[Kiruna]], Sweden. Obtaining iron ore from Kiruna had one significant problem in that there was no suitable Swedish port. The nearest Swedish port, [[Luleå]], had limitations. It was covered with ice all winter, it is far from Kiruna, and it allows only medium-sized bulk freight vessels. Narvik offered a port which is ice-free thanks to the warm [[Gulf Stream]], and is naturally large, allowing boats of virtually any size to anchor, up to {{convert|208|m}} long and {{convert|27|m}} deep.<ref name="visit" /><ref name="bbc" /> The Swedish company ''(Gällivarre Aktiebolag)'' built the [[Iron Ore Line]] (''Malmbanan'') to [[Riksgränsen]] on the Norway–Sweden border. The Norwegian [[Ofot Line|Ofotbanen]] railway line connects Narvik to the Swedish border.

Swedish mining corporation [[LKAB]] still ships the majority of its ore from Narvik (a total 25 million tons a year). It is an important employer and landowner in Narvik, although its influence is not as prominent as in the past.<ref name="bbc">{{Cite web |title=Narvik, Norway |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A533125 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214095757/http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A533125 |archive-date=14 February 2009 |access-date=24 November 2008 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref>

===World War II===
{{Main|Battles of Narvik}}
[[File:Lapland1940.png|right|thumb|Iron ore is extracted in [[Kiruna mine|Kiruna]] and [[Malmberget]], and brought by rail to the harbours of [[Luleå]] and Narvik.<br />(Borders as of 1920–1940.)]]
[[File:Narvik burning WW2.png|thumb|right|Narvik burning after German bombing, 2. June 1940]]
[[File:Narvik 1928 Rombakfjorden.jpg|thumb|right|Narvik 1928 with the fjord [[Rombaken]] as backdrop]]
The port of Narvik proved to be strategically valuable in the early years of [[World War II]] and [[Narvik (town)|the town]] became a focal point of the [[Norwegian Campaign]]. In 1939, Germany's war industry depended upon iron ore mined in Kiruna and Malmberget in Sweden. During the summer season, this ore could be sent by cargo ship to Germany through the [[Baltic Sea]] via the Swedish port of Luleå on the [[Gulf of Bothnia]]. However, when the Gulf of Bothnia froze during the winter, more shipments of the ore needed to be transported through Narvik and, from there, down the west coast of Norway to Germany. The town of Narvik is linked by rail to Sweden, but not to any other towns in Norway. As a result, Narvik serves as a gateway to the ore fields of Sweden that cannot be easily reached from southern Norway via land. [[Winston Churchill]] realized that the control of Narvik meant stopping most German imports of iron ore during the winter of 1940. This would be advantageous to the Allies, and it might help shorten the war. Equally as important, later in the war, German submarines and warships based there threatened the allied supply line to the [[Soviet Union]].<ref name="wc">{{Cite book |last=Churchill |first=Winston S |author-link=Winston Churchill |url=https://archive.org/details/gatheringstorm00chur_0 |title=The Second World War: The Gathering Storm |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |year=1948 |isbn=978-0-395-41055-4 |volume=1 |location=Cambridge |url-access=registration}}</ref>

Churchill proposed laying a [[naval mine]]field in Norwegian territorial waters around Narvik (referred to as "the Leads"),<ref name=wc/> or else occupying the town with Allied troops. The Allies hoped that they might be able to use an occupied Narvik as a base from which to secure the Swedish ore fields and/or to send supplies and reinforcements to [[Finland]], then fighting the Finnish [[Winter War]] with the Soviet Union. Plans to lay a minefield around Narvik or to seize the town met with debate within the British government – since both plans would mean a violation of Norway's neutrality and sovereignty.<ref name=wc/>

Finally, on 8 April 1940, the British Admiralty launched [[Operation Wilfred]], an attempt to lay anti-shipping minefields around Narvik in Norwegian territorial waters. Coincidentally, Germany launched its invasion of Norway ([[Operation Weserübung]]) on the next day. During this invasion, ten German [[destroyer]]s, each carrying 200 mountain infantry soldiers, were sent to Narvik. The outdated Norwegian [[coastal defence ship]]s {{HNoMS|Eidsvold}} and {{HNoMS|Norge}} attempted to resist the invasion, but both Norwegian warships were sunk after a short and uneven battle. The [[Royal Navy]] quickly dispatched several ships to Narvik, including the battleship {{HMS|Warspite|03|6}}, and during the [[Battles of Narvik]], the British took control of the coast, destroying the German destroyers that had brought the invasion force to Narvik, as well as other German ships in the area.

On 12 April 1940, the first convoys of Allied soldiers were sent under Major-General [[Pierse Joseph Mackesy]] to Narvik. The Admiralty urged Mackesy to conduct an assault on Narvik from the sea as soon as possible. However, Mackesy believed that the German harbour defences were too strong for such an invasion to take place. The Admiralty argued that a naval bombardment of Norway would enable the troops to land safely, but General Mackesy refused to subject Norwegian citizens to such a bombardment, and instead he chose to land his troops near Narvik and wait until the snow melted to take over the town.<ref name=wc/>

Coordinated by the Norwegian [[General]] [[Carl Gustav Fleischer]], Norwegian, French, Polish, and British forces recaptured Narvik on 28 May 1940. This is also considered the first Allied infantry victory in World War II. However, by that time, the Allies were losing the [[Battle of France]] and the [[Operation Dynamo|evacuation from Dunkirk]] was underway. Since the [[Nazi German]] invasion of France had made Scandinavia largely irrelevant, and since the valuable troops assigned to Narvik were badly needed elsewhere, the Allies withdrew from Narvik on 8 June 1940 in [[Operation Alphabet]]. The same day, [[Operation Juno|while operating in the Narvik area]], the German battleships {{ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst||2}} and {{ship|German battleship|Gneisenau||2}} sank the British aircraft carrier {{HMS|Glorious}} during the withdrawal from this battle.<ref name="firstandlast">{{Cite book |last=Galland |first=Adolf |author-link=Adolf Galland |title=The First and the Last |publisher=Cerberus Publishing |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-89966-728-7 |pages=92}}</ref> Without support from the Allied naval task force, the Norwegians were outnumbered, and they had to lay down their arms in Norway on 10 June 1940. This was not a complete capitulation, since the Norwegians kept on fighting [[guerrilla]] operations inland.

Possession of the [[Ofotfjord]] was also important to the German [[Kriegsmarine]] (navy) since it provided a refuge for warships like the "pocket battleship" {{ship|German cruiser|Lützow|1940|2}} and the battleship {{ship|German battleship|Tirpitz||2}} outside the range (at the time) of air attacks from [[Scotland]]. Also, possibly [[U-boats]] could be based at Narvik.

==Government==
Narvik 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 [[Midtre Hålogaland District Court]] and the [[Hålogaland Court of Appeal]].

===Municipal council===
The [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] {{lang|no|(Kommunestyre)}} of Narvik is made up of 31 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                      = Narvik
|start                     = 2023
|end                       = 2027
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Nordland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/nordland/narvik#seats |access-date=2023-12-27 |publisher=Valg Direktoratet}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = 
|Total                     = 31
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 4
|Høyre                     = 7
|INP                       = 4
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Rødt                      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 2019
|end                       = 2023
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Nordland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/nordland/narvik#seats |access-date=2019-10-27 |publisher=Valg Direktoratet}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 41
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 15
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 4
|Grønne                    = 2
|Høyre                     = 5
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Rødt                      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 9
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 4
|note = On 1 January 2020, [[Ballangen Municipality]] and part of [[Tysfjord Municipality]] became part of Narvik Municipality.
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|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/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419034538/https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/04813/ |archive-date=2020-04-19 |access-date=2019-01-10 |publisher=Statistics Norway |language=no}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 41
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 13
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 4
|Høyre                     = 12
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 6
|Venstre                   = 1
|Rødt                      = 2
|Grønne                    = 2 
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 2011
|end                       = 2015
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nordland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/nordland/narvik#seats |access-date=2019-10-27 |publisher=Valg Direktoratet}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 41
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 15
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 9
|Høyre                     = 10
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Rødt                      = 2
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 2007
|end                       = 2011
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 41
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 14
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 13
|Høyre                     = 5
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 5
|Venstre                   = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 2003
|end                       = 2007
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 41
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 14
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 9
|Høyre                     = 6
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 8
|Venstre                   = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 1999
|end                       = 2003
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 41
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 16
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 5
|Høyre                     = 9
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Senterpartiet             = 2
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 5
|Venstre                   = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 1995
|end                       = 1999
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1996 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1995 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920122018/http://ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |archive-date=2014-09-20 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 23
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 5
|Høyre                     = 9
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Senterpartiet             = 5
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 5
|Venstre                   = 1
|smallparty                = Joint list of the Left/Socialists Electoral Union and [[Norwegian Communist Party|Communist Party]] 
|smallparty_no             = Venstresosialistenes Valgforbund og Kommunistiske Parti 
|smallparty_number         = 2
|smallparty_color          = linear-gradient(135deg, red 50%, {{Party color|Communist Party of Norway}} 50%);
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 1991
|end                       = 1995
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1991 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522201730/http://ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |archive-date=2015-05-22 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 25
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 2
|Høyre                     = 9
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 4
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 9
|Venstre                   = 1
|smallparty                = Left/Socialists Electoral Union
|smallparty_no             = Venstresosialistenes Valgforbun
|smallparty_number         = 1
|smallparty_color          = red
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 1987
|end                       = 1991
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1988 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1987 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019115549/http://ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |archive-date=2014-10-19 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 26
|Høyre                     = 14
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 2
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 6
|Venstre                   = 2
|smallparty                = Joint list of the Left/Socialists Electoral Union and [[Norwegian Communist Party|Communist Party]] 
|smallparty_no             = Venstresosialistenes Valgforbund og Kommunistiske Parti 
|smallparty_number         = 1
|smallparty_color          = linear-gradient(135deg, red 50%, {{Party color|Communist Party of Norway}} 50%);
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 1983
|end                       = 1987
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1984 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1983 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019091914/http://ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |archive-date=2014-10-19 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 61
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 31
|Høyre                     = 17
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 5
|Venstre                   = 2
|smallparty                = Joint list of the Left/Socialists Electoral Union and [[Norwegian Communist Party|Communist Party]] 
|smallparty_no             = Venstresosialistenes Valgforbund og Kommunistiske Parti 
|smallparty_number         = 1
|smallparty_color          = linear-gradient(135deg, red 50%, {{Party color|Communist Party of Norway}} 50%);
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 1979
|end                       = 1983
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1979 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1979 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140929113607/http://ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |archive-date=2014-09-29 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 61
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 28
|Høyre                     = 19
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|Venstre                   = 4
|smallparty                = Joint list of Independent socialists and [[Norwegian Communist Party|Communist Party]] 
|smallparty_no             = Uavhengige sosialister og Norges Kommunistiske Part
|smallparty_number         = 1
|smallparty_color          = linear-gradient(135deg, red 50%, {{Party color|Communist Party of Norway}} 50%);
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|start                     = 1975
|end                       = 1979
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1977 |title=Kommunevalgene 1975 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a769.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315223921/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a769.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-15 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 61
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 31
|DLF                       = 2
|Høyre                     = 12
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 4
|Senterpartiet             = 4
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 6
|Venstre                   = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1971
|end                       = 1975
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1973 |title=Kommunevalgene 1972 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a457.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421043257/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a457.pdf |archive-date=2016-04-21 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 29
|Høyre                     = 10
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 2
|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti   = 3
|Venstre                   = 3
|otherparty                = Socialist common list
|otherparty_no             = Venstresosialistiske felleslister
|otherparty_number         = 4
|note = On 1 January 1974, [[Ankenes Municipality]] became part of Narvik Municipality.
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1967
|end                       = 1971
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1967 |title=Kommunevalgene 1967 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a214.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421035823/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a214.pdf |archive-date=2016-04-21 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo |volume=I}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 28
|Høyre                     = 11
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|NKP                       = 2
|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti   = 5
|Venstre                   = 6
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421050701/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |archive-date=2016-04-21 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 28
|Høyre                     = 12
|NKP                       = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti   = 5
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317152829/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-17 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 28
|Høyre                     = 12
|NKP                       = 4
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 4
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214033802/https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |archive-date=2020-02-14 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 30
|NKP                       = 6
|Høyre                     = 9
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 4
|Venstre                   = 4
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317192202/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-17 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 26
|NKP                       = 8
|Høyre                     = 11
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Venstre                   = 4
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316182828/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-16 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 44
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 19
|NKP                       = 10
|Høyre                     = 10
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140825102312/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |archive-date=2014-08-25 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 44
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 17
|NKP                       = 13
|Høyre                     = 9
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Narvik
|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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306080913/http://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-06 |access-date=2020-03-18 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 44
|Høyre                     = 11
|Venstre                   = 3
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 23
|AFS                       = 6
|Local_Lists               = 1
|}}
{{div col end}}

===Mayors===
The [[Mayor#Scandinavia|mayor]] ({{langx|no|ordfører}}) of Narvik is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Svendsen |first=Oddvar |title=Narviks historie |publisher=Stiftelsen Narviks Historieverk |year=2002 |isbn=8299612829 |language=no}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1902–1902: Ole Martinussen 
* 1903–1903: [[Nils Astrup]] 
* 1904–1904: Statius Mosling 
* 1905–1905: Ole Martinussen
* 1906–1907: Statius Mosling 
* 1908–1908: Edvard Kristiansen 
* 1909–1910: Karl Kristian Høiem 
* 1911–1911: [[Rolf Jacobsen (politician)|Rolf Jacobsen]] ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
* 1912–1913: Albert Zintzen 
* 1914–1921: [[Julius Bastian Olsen]] ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1922–1922: Einar Wexelsen ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
* 1923–1927: [[Julius Bastian Olsen]] ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1929–1930: Hans Kisen ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1934–1940: [[Theodor Broch]] ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1940-1945: [[German occupation of Norway|Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany]]
* 1945–1945: [[Theodor Broch]] ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1945–1949: Alfred Nilsen ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1949–1953: Odd Finseth ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1953–1967: Sverre Øvergård ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1968–1973: Arne Kristian Meedby ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1974–1979: Edgar Sneve ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1980–1987: Roald Sandvoll ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1988–1999: Odd G. Andreassen  ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 2000–2007: Olav Sigurd Alstad  ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 2007–2011: [[Karen Margrethe Kuvaas]] ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 2011–2015: Tore Nysæter ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 2015–present: Rune Edvardsen ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
{{div col end}}

==Geography==
[[File:Skjomtinden.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Skjomtinden (1,575 m), May 2009]]
[[File:Narvik sign post.jpg|thumb|right|Narvik – {{convert|2407|km|0|abbr=on}} from North Pole]]
Narvik Municipality is the 10th largest municipality in Norway and it covers large areas of rural land outside the town itself. Some of the other settlements in the municipality are [[Bjerkvik]] (located at the head of the [[Herjangsfjord]]), [[Håkvik]], [[Beisfjord]] (along the [[Beisfjorden]]) and [[Skjomen]]. The eastern part, towards the border with Sweden, is dominated by mountains, including the {{convert|1893.7|m|adj=on}} tall [[Storsteinfjellet]] which is the highest point in the municipality.<ref name="elev" /> The mountain [[Stetinden (Narvik)|Stetinden]] is also a notable mountain for the region. 

There are also valleys such as the [[Vassdalen]] and many, many lakes, including the lakes [[Baugevatnet]], [[Båvrojávrre]], [[Børsvatnet]], [[Gautelisvatnet]], [[Geitvatnet]], [[Hartvikvatnet]], [[Hjertvatnet]], [[Indre Sildvikvatnet]], [[Iptojávri]], [[Kjelvatnet (Narvik)|Kjelvatnet]], [[Langvatnet (Ballangen)|Langvatnet]], [[Lossivatnet]], [[Melkevatnet]], [[Rødvatnet]], [[Sealggajávri]], [[Siiddašjávri]], [[Søndre Bukkevatnet]], [[Storvatnet (Narvik)|Storvatnet]], [[Tjårdavatnet]], and [[Unna Guovdelisjávri]].

The town itself is situated near the innermost part of the deep [[Ofotfjorden]], but even here the mountains, going almost straight up from the blue [[fjord]], reach as high as {{convert|1700|m|ft}} in [[Skjomen]], where the [[glacier]] [[Frostisen]] can be seen. Other fjords in Narvik include [[Skjomen]], [[Beisfjorden]], [[Herjangsfjorden]], [[Efjorden]], [[Tysfjorden]], [[Vestfjorden]], and [[Rombaken]]. The island [[Barøya]] lies just off shore at the mouth of the Ofotfjorden. The [[Gihtsejiegŋa]] glacier is also located in Narvik. 

[[Forests]] cover the lower parts of the mountains (below 500 metres), but near the summits, the [[snow]] can stay most of the summer. Narvik has well prepared slopes for [[alpine skiing]], some of which end almost in the town centre.

===Climate===
[[File:Rombakstøtta May.JPG|thumb|left|In early May, there is still a large amount of snow in the mountains, as seen here in Rombaken.]]
Narvik features a [[boreal climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]]: '''Dfc''') with mild winters for this climate type, or a subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc), depending on winter threshold ({{convert|0|°C}} as used in the US or {{convert|-3|°C}} as in the original [[Köppen climate|classification]]). It is close to a humid continental climate due to a mild September. As Narvik is {{convert|220|km|mi}} inside the [[Arctic Circle]], the climate is  very mild for the latitude. The mountains surrounding the town give shelter from some of the strong winds typical for coastal areas, but the easterlies can be strong with especially strong wind gusts. The all-time high {{convert|32.5|°C}} was set 9 July 2014. July 2014 is warmest month on record with mean {{convert|18.7|°C}} and average daily high {{convert|24.7|°C}}. The all-time low {{convert|-22.3|°C}} was recorded on 1 February 1980. Coldest month on record is February 1966 with mean {{convert|-10.7|°C}} and average daily low {{convert|-13.2|°C}}. The average date for the first overnight freeze in autumn when the low goes below {{convert|-0|°C}} is October 13 (1981-2010).<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 September 2013 |title=Første frostnatt – Yr |url=https://www.yr.no/artikkel/forste-frostnatt-1.11261900 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807222743/https://www.yr.no/artikkel/forste-frostnatt-1.11261900 |archive-date=2021-08-07 |access-date=2021-08-14}}</ref>

The light varies considerably in Narvik since the sun is below the [[horizon]] from late November until mid-January; when there is only a bluish light for a few hours around [[noon]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Narvik daylight |url=http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/narvik.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205222525/http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/narvik.html |archive-date=5 February 2012 |access-date=24 November 2008 |publisher=Gaisma.com}}</ref> The mountains surrounding the town in reality extend this period from early November until the end of January. The light is often intense in March and April, with long daylight hours and snow cover since the snow melts in lowland areas in April, but stays in the mountains for several months. The "[[midnight sun]]" is above the horizon from 25 May to 20 July (57 days), and the period with continuous daylight lasts a bit longer, from approximately 10 May to the end of July, [[polar night]] from 5 December to 6 January (33 days). There is also a transitional period with twilight in the night, so it is not possible to see any stars at night from the last days of April until early August. 
<br>
{{Weather box 
|metric first= yes
|single line = yes
|location = Narvik Airport 1991–2020 (31 m, precipitation Narvik III, extremes 1954-2020 includes earlier stations)
|Jan record high C = 11.5 | Jan record low C = -20
|Feb record high C = 9 | Feb record low C = -22.3
|Mar record high C = 12.5 | Mar record low C = -15.7
|Apr record high C = 20.4 | Apr record low C = -11.8
|May record high C = 29.9 | May record low C = -5
|Jun record high C = 30 | Jun record low C = -1
|Jul record high C = 32.5 | Jul record low C = 4.5
|Aug record high C = 28.6 | Aug record low C = 0.5
|Sep record high C = 27.2 | Sep record low C = -3.5
|Oct record high C = 19.6 | Oct record low C = -11.1
|Nov record high C = 15.8 | Nov record low C = -13.6
|Dec record high C = 11.4 | Dec record low C = -19
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
|Jan mean C=-2.3
|Feb mean C=-2.7
|Mar mean C=-0.8
|Apr mean C=2.9
|May mean C=7.4
|Jun mean C=11.4
|Jul mean C=14.5
|Aug mean C=13.5
|Sep mean C=9.4
|Oct mean C=4.5
|Nov mean C=1.2
|Dec mean C=-0.8
|year mean C=
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
|precipitation colour=green <!-- Enter "green" for green precipitation colours, remove this line for blue colouring. -->
|Jan precipitation mm=108
|Feb precipitation mm=98
|Mar precipitation mm=82
|Apr precipitation mm=44
|May precipitation mm=56
|Jun precipitation mm=57
|Jul precipitation mm=88
|Aug precipitation mm=91
|Sep precipitation mm=107
|Oct precipitation mm=107
|Nov precipitation mm=99
|Dec precipitation mm=97
|year precipitation mm=
<!-- Mandatory fields, source -->
|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute<ref>{{Cite web |title=EKlima |url=http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128080558/http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-date=2021-01-28 |access-date=2021-02-01}}</ref>
}}
{{Weather box
|collapsed=yes
|location = Narvik (1961–90)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan high C = −2
|Feb high C = −2
|Mar high C = 1
|Apr high C = 5
|May high C = 9
|Jun high C = 14
|Jul high C = 18
|Aug high C = 16
|Sep high C = 12
|Oct high C = 6
|Nov high C = 3
|Dec high C = −1
|Jan low C = −7
|Feb low C = −7
|Mar low C = −5.0
|Apr low C = −2
|May low C = 3
|Jun low C = 7
|Jul low C = 11
|Aug low C = 10
|Sep low C = 6
|Oct low C = 2
|Nov low C = −2
|Dec low C = −5
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
|Jan mean C=−4.1
|Feb mean C=−3.9
|Mar mean C=−2
|Apr mean C=1.8
|May mean C=6.9
|Jun mean C=10.9
|Jul mean C=13.4
|Aug mean C=12.5
|Sep mean C=8.4
|Oct mean C=4.2
|Nov mean C=−0.2
|Dec mean C=−2.7
|year mean C=3.8
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
|precipitation colour=
|Jan precipitation mm=69
|Feb precipitation mm=64
|Mar precipitation mm=49
|Apr precipitation mm=44
|May precipitation mm=40
|Jun precipitation mm=53
|Jul precipitation mm=74
|Aug precipitation mm=82
|Sep precipitation mm=92
|Oct precipitation mm=110
|Nov precipitation mm=75
|Dec precipitation mm=78
|year precipitation mm=830
<!-- Average number of precipitation days -->
|unit precipitation days= 1mm
|Jan precipitation days=10.6
|Feb precipitation days=10.2
|Mar precipitation days=8.8
|Apr precipitation days=9.1
|May precipitation days=9.2
|Jun precipitation days=12.4
|Jul precipitation days=14.7
|Aug precipitation days=14.0
|Sep precipitation days=15.1
|Oct precipitation days=14.5
|Nov precipitation days=11.1
|Dec precipitation days=12.2
|year precipitation days=141.9
|source 1 = Norwegian Meteorological Institute – eKlima portal<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=14 June 2004 |access-date=6 June 2012 |publisher=Norwegian Meteorological Institute}}</ref>
}}

==Economy==
[[File:View from Fagernesfjellet.jpg|thumb|right|View from Fagernes mountain overlooking Narvik harbour and Ofotfjord, April 2009.]]
The [[Narvik (town)|town of Narvik]] is a commercial centre for the whole municipality and some of the neighbouring municipalities. [[Narvik University College]] has approximately 1,200 students. There are some high-tech businesses in Narvik (among them [[Natech]]) and the largest research institute in Northern Norway, [[Norut Narvik]].

Narvik was one of the first areas in the world to be affected by the [[financial crisis of 2007–2008]]. It lost the equivalent of US${{To USD|18|GBR|year=2007|round=Yes|r=0}} million in August 2007 after it invested in [[Citigroup]] securities.<ref name=":0" /> As the Norwegian government refused to bail them out, Narvik was forced to implement severe budget cuts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Fouche |first=Gwladys |date=30 June 2008 |title=Sub-prime chill reaches the Arctic |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/jun/30/subprimecrisis.creditcrunch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112030246/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/jun/30/subprimecrisis.creditcrunch |archive-date=12 January 2017 |access-date=12 December 2016 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

===Recreation and tourism===
[[File:Rallarveien Ofotbanen.jpg|thumb|right|Rallarveien; hiking route near the railway from the mountains down to the Rombaken fjord]]
Narvik has access to numerous outdoor activities. This is the best known location in northern Norway for alpine skiing.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 November 2008 |title=Winter rail destinations: Narvik |url=http://www.thelocal.se/15410/20081103 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081107212849/http://www.thelocal.se/15410/20081103/ |archive-date=7 November 2008 |access-date=8 November 2008 |work=[[SJ AB]] |publisher=TheLocal.se}}</ref>
[[File:Ofoten museum02.jpg|thumb|Museum Nord - Narvik]]

There are lifts, and several of the slopes are floodlit. There is also a [[Gondola lift|cable car]] to Fagernesfjellet, with a view and the possibility to walk even higher up in the mountains. Narvik Winter Festival ({{langx|no|Vinterfestuka}}) takes place in early March. Mountain [[hiking]] is very popular in the area, and the mountain area near the Swedish border has several places of accommodation. A signed mountain bike route is also available. 

[[Wreck diving]] attracts divers to Narvik, as there are a lot of wrecks in or near the harbour, and more spread out in the fjord. Fishing in the fjord or in lakes and streams is a popular leisure activity. There are [[salmon]] rivers in Skjomen, Beisfjord and Bjerkvik.

==Transportation==
[[File:Rc6-tog i Narvik.JPG|thumb|right|The railway in Narvik]]
[[File:Narvik harbour 2014.jpg|thumb|The harbour in Narvik, Norway where a ship is loaded with iron ore.]]
{{See also|Port of Narvik}}
Narvik municipality is a cross-roads of transportation in Northern Norway since the [[Ofotfjord]] cuts into the municipality leaving only a few kilometers of land between the fjord and the national border with [[Sweden]]. The one major highway heading north–south at this point runs through Narvik, the [[European route E6]]. The [[Port of Narvik]] located in the [[Narvik (town)|town of Narvik]] is also a major transportation and freight hub for the region.

=== Rail ===
A present and historical key to land transportation to Narvik is the [[Ofoten Line]] railway from northern Sweden across the mountains to this port town, which connect to the Swedish [[Iron Ore Line]] southeast towards [[Luleå]] and from there on south to the other Swedish railway lines. Goods like iron ore shipped via this railroad make Narvik an important seaport. The railway has stops at [[Bjørnfjell Station]], [[Katterat Station]], [[Søsterbekk Station]], and [[Narvik Station]].

Because of the extreme terrain there, there are no railways northwards from Narvik or south to [[Bodø (town)|Bodø]], Norway, which is at the northern end of the rest of Norway's rail network. There have been proposals for a Narvik-Bodø rail connection with a [[Northern Norway Line]], but the proposals have failed due to extremely high estimated construction costs. It is possible to get from Narvik to the rest of Norway through lengthy transits on the Swedish railway lines, most commonly passing through [[Sundsvall Central Station]] and [[Luleå Central Station]].

The activity related to the railway and large port facilities are still important in Narvik, and goods to and from [[North Norway]], Sweden, and Finland are often distributed via Narvik. In the proposed project called the "[[Northern East West Freight Corridor]]" portion of the [[Eurasian Land Bridge]], there are plans for using Narvik as a port for goods from [[East Asia]] bound for eastern [[North America]]. The reason is that the railway and ocean distances using this route are shorter than through central Europe to Western European ports.

=== Air ===
Narvik is served by [[Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes]] which is {{convert|57|km|mi|0}} by road from Narvik and has regular flights to [[Oslo]], [[Trondheim (city)|Trondheim]], [[Bodø (town)|Bodø]], [[Tromsø (city)|Tromsø]] and [[Andenes]].

==Culture==
The Narvik War Museum (''Narvik Krigsmuseum'') covers the war years 1940–1945. The museum displays the [[Victoria Cross]] awarded posthumously to Captain [[Bernard Warburton-Lee]] of the British Royal Navy and a rare German [[Enigma machine|Enigma coding machine]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Narvik Krigsmuseum |url=https://www.visitnarvik.com/Home/?News=126&artlang=no |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926235643/https://www.visitnarvik.com/Home/?News=126&artlang=no |archive-date=September 26, 2017 |access-date=September 1, 2017 |publisher=Visit Narvik AS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 April 2016 |title=New war museum in Narvik |url=http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/nytt-krigsmuseum-i-narvik-1.710502 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427195952/http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/nytt-krigsmuseum-i-narvik-1.710502 |archive-date=2016-04-27 |access-date=2016-04-11}}</ref>

[[Museum Nord, Narvik|Museum Nord - Narvik]] tells of the development of the ice-free harbour of Narvik and the rapid transformation of the town over the past century. The building that houses Museum Nord - Narvik was erected in 1902 as the head office of the Norwegian state railway company, ''Norges statsbaner'' and was designed by architect, [[Paul Due (architect)|Paul Due]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bjørn Cappelen |title=Paul Due |url=https://snl.no/Paul_Due |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926042121/https://snl.no/Paul_Due |archive-date=September 26, 2017 |access-date=September 1, 2017 |publisher=Store norske leksikon}}</ref>

===Sport===
Narvik's most successful club team in the 21st century has been [[Narvik IK]] in men's [[ice hockey]], which have varyingly played in the Tier 1 ([[EliteHockey Ligaen]]) and Tier 2 (1. divisjon) Norwegian national leagues, having previously moved to 1. divisjon from the Swedish Tier 5 (''{{ill|Hockeytrean|sv}}'') for the 2012–13 season. Their highest placement in EliteHockey Ligaen was in the [[2019–20 GET-ligaen season|2019–20 season]] where they placed 9th out of 10 teams.

The Narvikfjellet alpine skiing facility immediately southeast of the main town has been given the hosting rights for the 2029 [[FIS Alpine World Ski Championships]].

In men's [[association football]], the main team has been [[FK Mjølner]]. The team last played in the [[Eliteserien]] top league in the [[1989 Norwegian First Division|1989 season]], and is playing on Tier 5 (4. divisjon) as of the 2025 season.

===Churches===
The [[Church of Norway]] has four parishes ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within Narvik Municipality. It is part of the [[Ofoten prosti]] ([[deanery]]) in the [[Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Narvik'''''
!Parish ({{lang|no|sokn}})!!Church Name!!Location of the Church!!Year Built
|-
|rowspan="2"|Ankenes||[[Ankenes Church]]||[[Ankenesstrand]]||1867
|-
|[[Håkvik Chapel]]||[[Håkvik]]||1980
|-
|rowspan="2"|Bjerkvik||[[Bjerkvik Church]]||[[Bjerkvik]]||1955
|-
|[[Bjørnfjell Chapel]]||[[Bjørnfjell, Nordland|Bjørnfjell]]||1952
|-
|rowspan="3"|Narvik||[[Narvik Church]]||[[Narvik (town)|Narvik]]||1925
|-
|[[Fredskapellet]]||[[Narvik (town)|Narvik]]||1957
|-
|[[Hergot Chapel]]||[[Hergot]]||2005
|-
|Skjomen||[[Skjomen Church]]||[[Elvegården]]||1893
|}

== Notable people ==
[[File:Mehre.jpg|140px|thumb|Helge Mehre, 1941]]
[[File:Gro Brækken.JPG|140px|thumb|Gro Brækken, 2010]]
* [[Theodor Broch]] (1904–1998), a lawyer and politician who was Mayor of Narvik 1934 to 1946, except during WWII
* [[Helge Mehre]] [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|DFC]] (1911–1997), a Norwegian military officer
* [[Fredrik Kiil]] (1921–2015), a physician who improved the [[artificial kidney]]
* [[Cissi Klein]] (1929 in Narvik – 1943 in Auschwitz), a Norwegian-Jewish girl, victim of the Holocaust
* Dr. [[Jan Paulsen]] (born 1935), a [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] leader, past president of the [[General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists]]
* [[Jack Berntsen]] (1940–2010), a philologist, songwriter and folk singer
* [[Thorgeir Stubø]] (1943–1986), a jazz musician and composer, had a family of jazz musicians 
* [[Terje Bjørklund]] (born 1945), a jazz pianist and composer
* [[Gro Brækken]] (born 1952), a businessperson, has chaired several public bodies
* [[Lise Haavik]] (born 1962), a Danish-Norwegian singer, sang at the [[1986 Eurovision Song Contest]]
* [[Anne Rydning]] (born 1965), a Colonel in the [[Norwegian army]] who was the first female Army chief in Afghanistan
* [[Vibeke Larsen]] (born 1971 in Vassdalen), a Norwegian-Sami politician

=== Sport ===
* [[Per Willy Guttormsen]] (born 1942), a former speed skater who competed in the [[1964 Winter Olympics|1964]], [[1968 Winter Olympics|1968]], and [[1972 Winter Olympics]] 
* [[Thomas Hafstad]] (born 1974), a retired footballer who played 239 games for [[Tromsø IL]]
* [[Ragnhild Gulbrandsen]] (born 1977), a journalist and former football striker with 80 caps for [[Norway women's national football team|Norway]]
* [[Marit Røsberg Jacobsen]] (born 1994), a handball player

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Norway}}
Narvik is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-16 |title=6 ting du kanskje ikke visste om Narvik |url=http://www.fordeby.no/6-ting-du-kanskje-ikke-visste-om-Narvik |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207134226/http://www.fordeby.no/6-ting-du-kanskje-ikke-visste-om-Narvik |archive-date=2020-02-07 |access-date=2021-01-31 |website=fordeby.no |publisher=FørdeBy |language=no}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*{{flagicon|SRB}} [[Kikinda]], Serbia
*{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Kingisepp]], Russia
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Kiruna Municipality|Kiruna]], Sweden
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Nowy Sącz]], Poland
*{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Rovaniemi]], Finland
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/narvik Municipal fact sheet] from [[Statistics Norway]] {{in lang|no}}
*[http://www.museumnord.no/en/narvik/ Museum Nord Official Website]
*[https://warmuseum.no/ Narvik Krigsmuseum Official Website]
*[http://www.narvikinfo.no/ Destination Narvik – tourist information] {{in lang|no}}

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[[Category:Narvik| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Nordland]]
[[Category:Ski areas and resorts in Norway]]
[[Category:Populated places of Arctic Norway]]
[[Category:1902 establishments in Norway]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1902]]