Etne

Etne is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland, although it is also sometimes considered to be part of the district of Haugaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Etnesjøen. Other villages in the municipality include Skånevik and Fjæra. The two largest villages in the municipality are Etnesjøen with 1,159 residents and Skånevik with 594 residents (all figures from 1 January 2015).

The municipality is the 154th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Etne is the 201st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,073. The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 0.8% over the previous 10-year period.

Etne is situated south of the city of Bergen and it borders the municipalities of Kvinnherad, Ullensvang, Sauda, Suldal, and Vindafjord, the latter three are located in the neighboring county of Rogaland.

A Norwegian motion picture called United was shot in Etne with local people as actors.

General information

File:Simlebu.jpg

Mountain cabins

File:Mosnes Etne.jpg

Village of Mosnes

Etne was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). Originally, Etne Municipality encompassed the area around the Etnefjorden and the surrounding valleys. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, the neighboring Skånevik Municipality was dissolved and merged into its neighboring municipalities. All of Skånevik Municipality located south of the Åkrafjorden and east of the village of Åkra on the north side of the fjord (population: 1,493) was merged into Etne Municipality.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Etnefjorden (Template:Langx). The name is likely derived from the old name for the river "Etneelvi", Atn or Etn. The meaning of the old river name may come from Template:Wikt-lang which means "to drive forward" or "to goad" or it might come from Template:Wikt-lang which means "to eat".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 16 December 1983. The official blazon is "Per pale dovetailed azure and argent" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have are divided with a vertical line that is dovetailed. The field (background) to the left of the line has a tincture of blue. To the right of the line, the field has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The design was chosen to represent the strong unity between the two former municipalities of Skånevik and Etne that were joined to form one municipality in 1965. The arms were designed by Magnus Hardeland and John Digernes. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches

The Church of Norway has two parishes () within the municipality of Etne. It is part of the Sunnhordland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Churches in Etne

Parish ()	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Etne	Gjerde Church	Etnesjøen	1676
	Grindheim Church	Etnesjøen	1728
	Stødle Church	Etnesjøen	1160
Skånevik	Skånevik Church	Skånevik	1900
	Fjæra Chapel	Fjæra	1913

Geography

Etne Municipality is situated south of the city of Bergen and it borders the municipalities of Kvinnherad and Ullensvang in Vestland county and the municipalities of Sauda, Suldal, and Vindafjord in Rogaland county.

Etne Municipality has a varied landscape, extending from the Etnefjorden, Skånevikfjorden, and Åkrafjorden at sea level, through the villages up to the high mountains. In the far north, there is a barren and heavily eroded mountain glacier, Folgefonna, where the municipality's highest point rises above sea level. Folgefonna National Park is partially located in Etne. In addition to that national park, Etne has three nature reserves: Brattholmen, Skåno, and Langebudalen. Lakes in the area include Løkjelsvatnet. The famous waterfall Langfossen is located in northern Etne.

History

Recent archeological findings indicate that the area was already inhabited around 500 BC.

Government

Etne Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Haugaland og Sunnhordland District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council () of Etne is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Etne kommunestyre 2023–2027   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	3
	Progress Party	4
	Conservative Party	2
	Industry and Business Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	4
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		17

Etne kommunestyre 2019–2023   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	2
	Progress Party	4
	Conservative Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		17

Etne kommunestyre 2015–2019   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Progress Party	4
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		21

Etne kommunestyre 2011–2015   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Progress Party	3
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		21

Etne kommunestyre 2007–2011   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Progress Party	3
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		21

Etne kommunestyre 2003–2007   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Progress Party	3
	Conservative Party	6
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	3
	Liberal Party	1
	Local list	1
Total number of members:		21

Etne kommunestyre 1999–2003   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Progress Party	2
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	3
	Liberal Party	1
	Local list	2
Total number of members:		21

Etne kommunestyre 1995–1999   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	3
	Etne local list	2
	Local list for Skånevik	3
Total number of members:		29

Etne kommunestyre 1991–1995   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	9
	Liberal Party	1
	Etne local list	1
	Local list for Skånevik	3
Total number of members:		29

Etne kommunestyre 1987–1991   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	6
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	5
	Liberal Party	1
	Etne local list	2
	Local list for Skånevik	2
Total number of members:		29

Etne kommunestyre 1983–1987   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	4
	Liberal Party	1
	Non-party list	2
	Local list for Skånevik	4
Total number of members:		29

Etne kommunestyre 1979–1983   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	7
	Centre Party	5
	Liberal Party	1
	Non-party list	1
	Local list for Skånevik	4
Total number of members:		29

Etne kommunestyre 1975–1979   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	7
	New People's Party	1
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	1
	Local list for Skånevik	2
Total number of members:		29

Etne kommunestyre 1971–1975   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	6
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	4
Total number of members:		29

Etne kommunestyre 1967–1971   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	6
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	4
Total number of members:		29

Etne kommunestyre 1963–1967   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	5
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Etne heradsstyre 1959–1963   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	5
	Liberal Party	4
Total number of members:		21

Etne heradsstyre 1955–1959   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Conservative Party	2
	Farmers' Party	7
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	6
Total number of members:		21

Etne heradsstyre 1951–1955   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	11
	Local List(s)	6
Total number of members:		24

Etne heradsstyre 1947–1951   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	14
	Local List(s)	3
Total number of members:		24

Etne heradsstyre 1945–1947   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	3
	Local List(s)	14
Total number of members:		24

Etne heradsstyre 1937–1941*   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Farmers' Party	11
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	2
	Local List(s)	5
Total number of members:		24
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayors (Template:Langx) of Etne (incomplete list):

• 2000–2007: Amund Enge (H)
• 2007–2015: Sigve Sørheim (Sp)
• 2015–2019: Siri Klokkerstuen (Ap)
• 2019–present: Mette Heidi Bergsvåg Ekrheim (Sp)

Transportation

The European route E134 highway runs the length of the municipality connecting it to the city of Haugesund in the southwest and to Oslo in the east. The highway runs through Etnesjøen and then northeastwards along the Åkrafjorden before crossing into the neighboring municipality of Odda. There are many tunnels along the route, some quite long, including the Åkrafjord Tunnel, Fjæra Tunnel, Markhus Tunnel, and Rullestad Tunnel.

The Eintveitbrua is a bridge in rural Etne that is not connected to the road network. It is considered to be a bridge to nowhere.

Notable people

File:Osmund Kaldheim på Sentralbanksjefens årstale 2018 (191140).jpg

Osmund Kaldheim, 2018

• Erling Skakke (1115 at Etne – 1179), a Norwegian Jarl (Earl) during the 12th century
• Magnus V of Norway (1156 at Etne – 1184), the King during the Civil war era in Norway
• Jacob Børretzen (1900 in Etne – 1989), a hymnwriter and linguist
• Ingvar Moe (1936 in Etne - 1993), a poet, novelist, and children's writer
• Hans Olav Tungesvik (1936 in Skånevik – 2017), a physician and politician
• Osmund Kaldheim (born 1964), a businessman, civil servant, and politician who grew up in Etne
• Ivar Bjørnson (born 1977 in Etne), a composer and guitarist for the progressive black metal band Enslaved
• Anne Lise Frøkedal (born 1981 in Etne), a folk-pop singer-songwriter known by her stage name Frøkedal

External links

• Template:Sister-inline
• Template:Wikivoyage inline
• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway Template:In lang
• Pictures from Etne