Nesseby


or is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Varangerbotn. Other villages in Nesseby include Gandvik, Karlebotn, Nesseby, and Nyelv. The European route E06 and European route E75 highways intersect at Varangerbotn in Nesseby.
The municipality is the 62nd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Nesseby is the 340th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 926. The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 4.8% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

The municipality of Nesseby was originally established in 1839 when the western part of the Vadsø landdistrikt was separated to form Nesseby. Initially, there were 598 residents. This was short-lived, however, since the two were merged back together in 1858. On 1 January 1864, the municipality of Nesseby was again created from the western district of Vadsø landdistrikt. The initial population was 886. The western part of Nesseby was separated on 1 January 1903 to form the new municipality of Polmak.
On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Finnmark county.

Name

The official name of the municipality was Nesseby before 1989 when it was changed to Unjárga-Nesseby. It was the second municipality in Norway to get a Sami name. In 2005, the name was again changed, such that either Unjárga or Nesseby can be used.
The municipality is named after the old Nesseby farm, since Nesseby Church was built there. The first element is nes which means "headland" and the last element is by which means "town".
The meaning of the first element in the Sami name is unknown and the last element is njárga which means "headland".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is from modern times; they were granted on 27 June 1986. The arms show a cloudberry plant, since these plants are commonly found in the municipality and the region. The berries were historically exported to other parts of Norway by the barrel.

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish within the municipality of Nesseby. It is part of the Indre Finnmark prosti in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.
Parish Church nameLocationYear built
NessebyNesseby ChurchNesseby1858

History

Wild reindeer used to cross the isthmus in prehistoric times until the year 1900, causing extensive human activity throughout the millennia. Therefore, the area is full of archeological finds from different periods.

Sami culture

Most inhabitants are of Sami origin, and today Sami is being taught as the first language in schools. The municipality has its own Sami costume.
The Norwegian Sami Parliament's department of culture and environment is located in Unjárga-Nesseby. The Várjjat Sámi Museum is located in the municipality. The museum is about the sea-sami culture. Unjárga-Nesseby is also the birthplace of Isak Saba the first Sami to be elected into the Norwegian Parliament.
The popular teen-age pop-band The Blacksheeps come from Nesseby.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Nesseby, are responsible for primary education, outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor. The municipality falls under the Indre Finnmark District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Nesseby is made up of 15 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:

Geography

The municipality is situated on the isthmus between the Varangerfjord and the Tana River at the entrance to the Varanger Peninsula. All the people live in small settlements along the fjord. Varangerhalvøya National Park is partially located in the park. The river Jakobselva partially forms the municipal border between Nesseby and Vadsø to the northeast.

Birdlife

The municipality of Unjárga-Nesseby is known for its interesting birding localities and is mentioned in several birding guide books. Other than the Varangerford, the main habitat is tundra with areas of bog and marsh. One species that can usually be seen on small ponds during the summer months is the red-necked phalarope.

Climate

Notable people