Meråker

Meråker is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Stjørdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Midtbygda which is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Storlien in Sweden and 46 kilometres (29 mi) east of the town of Stjørdalshalsen in neighboring Stjørdal municipality. Other villages in Meråker include Gudåa, Kopperå, and Stordalen.

Meråker kommune
Municipality
View of the Meråker valley
Coat of arms Trøndelag within Norway
Meråker within Trøndelag
Coordinates: 63°26′17″N 11°50′58″E
Country	Norway
County	Trøndelag
District	Stjørdalen
Established	1 Jan 1874
Administrative centre	Midtbygda
Government
• Mayor (2019)	Kjersti Kjenes (LL)
Area
• Total	1,273.94 km^2 (491.87 sq mi)
• Land	1,188.06 km^2 (458.71 sq mi)
• Water	85.88 km^2 (33.16 sq mi)  6.7%
Area rank	80 in Norway
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,422
• Rank	259 in Norway
• Density	2/km^2 (5/sq mi)
• Change (10 years)	−2%
Demonym(s)	Meråkerbygg[1]
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	NO-5034
Official language form	Bokmål[2]
Website	meraker.kommune.no
Data from Statistics Norway

The municipality markets itself as a recreational area. The main areas of employment are in industry and agriculture. The municipality is noted for its characteristic dialect.

The 1,274-square-kilometre (492 sq mi) municipality is the 80th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Meråker is the 259th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,422. The municipality's population density is 2 inhabitants per square kilometre (5.2/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 2% over the previous 10-year period.[3][4]

General information

The municipality of Meråker was established on 1 January 1874 when the old municipality of Øvre Stjørdal was divided into two: Hegra (population: 3,409) in the east and Meråker (population: 1,861) in the west. The municipal borders have not changed since then.[5] On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the old Nord-Trøndelag county to the new Trøndelag county.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Meråker farm (spelled "Mørakre" around 1430), since the first Meråker Church was built there. The meaning of the first element is uncertain (maybe merr which means "mare" or mýrr which means "bog" or "marsh") and the last element is akr which means "field" or "acre".[6]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 28 September 1990. Traditionally, mining has played a major role in the area and has been of great economic importance for Meråker. Thus a silver mining cart on a red background as a symbol for the municipality was an obvious decision. The cart depicted in the arms, however, is officially described as a cart, not a mining cart.[7]

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Meråker. It is part of the Stjørdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nidaros.

Churches in Meråker

Parish (sokn)	Church Name	Location of the Church	Year Built
Meråker	Meråker Church	Midtbygda	1874
	Kopperå Chapel	Kopperå	1936
	Stordalen Chapel	Stordalen	1863

History

Meråker Smelter

In 1898, a carbide factory was opened at Kopperå, later this factor was rebuilt as a silicon smelter. The smelter was in operation until June 2006. Its main product was microsilica which is used as an additive to cement.

Geography

Meråker is a landlocked municipality in the central part of Trøndelag county. To the north is the municipality of Verdal, to the west is Stjørdal, to the south is Selbu and Tydal, and to the east is Sweden.

There are three major lakes in Meråker: Feren, Fjergen, and Funnsjøen. The river Stjørdalselva runs through the municipality towards the Trondheimsfjord. The river Rotla begins in the southern part of Meråker. The mountain Fongen sits on the southern border with Tydal and Selbu.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Meråker, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), 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.[8] The municipality falls under the Inntrøndelag District Court and the Frostating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Meråker is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:

Meråker Kommunestyre 2020–2023 [9]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
	Meråker Cross-Party Local List (Meråker Tverrpolitiske Bygdeliste)	5
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 2016–2019 [10]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	6
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
	Meråker Cross-Party Local List (Meråker Tverrpolitiske Bygdeliste)	6
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 2012–2015 [11]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	7
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	1
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
	Meråker Cross-Party Local List (Meråker Tverrpolitiske Bygdeliste)	3
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 2008–2011 [10]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	1
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
	Meråker cross-party local list (Meråker tverrpolitiske bygdeliste)	2
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 2004–2007 [10]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	10
	Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
	Meråker Cross-party Local List (Meråker Tverrpolitiske Bygdeliste)	2
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 2000–2003 [10]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	10
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	1
	Meråker Cross-party local list (Meråker Tverrpolitisk bygdeliste)	4
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1996–1999 [12]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	10
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
	Meråker Cross-party local list (Meråker Tverrpolitiske bygdeliste)	4
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1992–1995 [13]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1988–1991 [14]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	5
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1984–1987 [15]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1980–1983 [16]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	1
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	6
	Joint list of the New People's Party and independent voters (Det Nye Folkepartiet og uavhengige velgere)	1
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre) and Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti)	1
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1976–1979 [17]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1972–1975 [18]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	2
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	2
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1968–1971 [19]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	1
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	3
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Kommunestyre 1964–1967 [20]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	15
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	3
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Herredsstyre 1960–1963 [21]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	2
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	3
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	3
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Herredsstyre 1956–1959 [22]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	13
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	3
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	5
Total number of members:		21

Meråker Herredsstyre 1952–1955 [23]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	4
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	5
Total number of members:		20

Meråker Herredsstyre 1948–1951 [24]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	5
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	4
Total number of members:		20

Meråker Herredsstyre 1945–1947 [25]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	11
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	6
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	3
Total number of members:		20

Meråker Herredsstyre 1938–1941* [26]  

Party Name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	12
	Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti)	4
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	5
Total number of members:		20

Mayor

The mayors of Meråker (incomplete list):

• 2019–present: Kjersti Kjenes (LL)
• 2015-2019: Kari Anita Furunes (Sp)
• 1995-2015: Bård Langsåvold (Ap)
• 1973-1995: Svein Brækken (Ap)

Transportation

The European route E14 highway runs east to west through the municipality connecting to Trondheim Airport, Værnes about 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the west. The Meråker Line railway follows the E14 through the municipality also, with stops at Kopperå Station, Meråker Station, and Gudå Station.

Media

The newspaper Meråkerposten has been published in Meråker since 1982.[27]

Notable residents

Bård Langsåvold, 2013

• Anton Johnson Fridrichsen (1888 in Meråker – 1953) a Swedish theologian
• Helge Ingstad (1899 in Meråker - 2001) author, explorer and archeologist
• Arne Braa Saatvedt (1922 in Meråker – 1945) a Norwegian police official and member of the Nasjonal Samling, executed in 1945
• Bård Langsåvold (born 1952) a Norwegian politician, Mayor of Meråker 1995-2015
• Dag Lyseid (1954–2012) a footballer and politician, deputy Mayor of Meråker 1999-2008
• Vebjørn Selbekk (born 1969) a newspaper editor and author, brought up in Meråker

Sport

• Magnar Lundemo (1938 in Meråker - 1987) a cross country skier and track and field athlete, competed at the 1960 and 1964 Winter Olympics
• Frode Estil (born 1972) a retired cross country skier, lives in Meråker
• Kine Beate Bjørnås (born 1980) a retired cross country skier
• Simen Raaen Sandmæl (born 1990 in Meråker) a Norwegian footballer with over 130 club caps

References

1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
3. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2020). "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
4. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2020). "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
5. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
6. Rygh, Oluf (1903). Norske gaardnavne: Nordre Trondhjems amt (dokpro.uio.no) (in Norwegian) (15 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 2.
7. Norske Kommunevåpen (1990). "Nye kommunevåbener i Norden". Retrieved 8 November 2008.
8. Hansen, Tore, ed. (2016-05-12). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
9. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Trøndelag". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
10. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
11. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Nord-Trøndelag". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
12. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
13. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
14. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
15. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
16. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
17. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
18. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
19. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
20. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
21. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
22. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
23. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
24. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
25. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
26. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
27. Smith-Meyer, Trond, ed. (2016-12-01). "Meråkerposten". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2018-03-24.

External links