Erfjord

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Erfjord is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The Script error: No such module "convert". municipality existed from 1914 until 1965. It encompassed the area around the Erfjorden in the southwestern part of the present-day municipality of Suldal. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Hålandsosen, where the Erfjord Church is located.^[1]

History

The municipality of Erfjord was created on 1 January 1914, when the municipality of Jelsa was split in two: the western part remained as Jelsa, and the eastern part became Erfjord. Initially, Erfjord had 617 inhabitants. On 1 January 1965, a major municipal consolidation took place due to the recommendations of the Schei Committee. Erfjord municipality ceased to exist and it was merged with the municipalities of Sand and Suldal as well as part of the municipalities of Jelsa and Imsland to form the new (much larger) municipality of Suldal. At the time of its dissolution, Erfjord had 610 residents.^[2]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Erfjord farm (Template:Langx or Script error: No such module "Lang".) since the first Erfjord Church was built there. The meaning of the first element of the name is uncertain, but there are two strong possibilities. The first possibility is that it comes from the word Template:Wikt-lang which means "alder", a type of common tree in the area (the more modern local name is ør which sounds a lot like Er-). The other main possibility is that it comes from the word Template:Wikt-lang which means "eider", a local type of waterfowl. The last element is Template:Wikt-lang which means "fjord".^[3]

Government

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.^[4]

Municipal council

The municipal council Script error: No such module "Lang". of Erfjord was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows: