Åsnes is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Solør. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Flisa, which is also the largest village in the municipality with around 1,700 people. Other villages in the municipality include Gjesåsen, Hof, and Kjellmyra.

Åsnes Municipality
Åsnes kommune
Aasnes herred  (historic name)
View of the village of Flisa
View of the village of Flisa
Innlandet within Norway
Innlandet within Norway
Åsnes within Innlandet
Åsnes within Innlandet
Coordinates: 60°39′13″N 12°9′11″E / 60.65361°N 12.15306°E / 60.65361; 12.15306
CountryNorway
CountyInnlandet
DistrictSolør
Established1854
 • Preceded byÅsnes og Våler
Administrative centreFlisa
Government
 • Mayor (2023)Per Roar Bredvold (FrP)
Area
 • Total1,040.94 km2 (401.91 sq mi)
 • Land1,004.08 km2 (387.68 sq mi)
 • Water36.84 km2 (14.22 sq mi)  3.5%
 • Rank#108 in Norway
Population
 (2023)
 • Total7,267
 • Rank#138 in Norway
 • Density7.2/km2 (19/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Decrease −4.4%
DemonymÅsnessokning[1]
Official language
 • Norwegian formBokmål
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-3418[3]
WebsiteOfficial website

The 1,041-square-kilometre (402 sq mi) municipality is the 108th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Åsnes is the 138th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 7,267. The municipality's population density is 7.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (19/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 4.4% over the previous 10-year period.[4][5]

General information

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View of Gjesåssjøen lake
 
Åsnes Finnskog kirke

When municipal government was established in Norway on 1 January 1838, the Åsnes area was part of Hof Municipality. In 1849, Hof municipality was divided into two: Hof (population: 2,913) and Åsnes og Våler (population: 7,087). A short time later, in 1854, the municipality of Åsnes og Våler was divided into the two current municipalities of Våler (population: 3,410) and Åsnes (population: 3,677).[6]

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1963, Hof Municipality (population: 3,222) was merged into Åsnes Municipality (population: 6,750). On 1 January 1969, the Rotberget farm area (population: 23) in the Finnskogen part of the municipality was transferred to the neighboring municipality of Grue.[6] In the 2010s, there had been talk of further municipal mergers but the neighboring municipalities of Grue and Våler both rejected merging with Åsnes.

Name

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The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Åsnes farm (Old Norse: Ásnes) since the first Åsnes Church was built there. The first element is áss which means "mountain ridge". The last element is nes which means "headland". The headland that it is referring to is made by the river Glomma near the Åsnes farm which is located beneath a hill.[7] On 21 December 1917, a royal resolution enacted the 1917 Norwegian language reforms. Prior to this change, the name was spelled Aasnes with the digraph "Aa", and after this reform, the name was spelled Åsnes, using the letter Å instead.[8][9]

Coat of arms

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The coat of arms was granted on 9 December 2001. The official blazon is "Or, three pike hooks sable in bend sinister points in base dexter" (Norwegian: I gult tre skrått nedvoksende svarte fløterhaker). This means the arms have a field (background) has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The charge is three hooks for log driving that are pointing downwards diagonally. This was chosen to represent the importance of logging and forestry to the municipality throughout history. There are three poles to symbolize the three important rivers of the municipality: Glomma, Flisa, and Kynna. The arms were designed by Arvid Steen. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[10][11][12]

Churches

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The Church of Norway has six parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Åsnes. It is part of the Solør, Vinger og Odal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar.

Churches in Åsnes
Parish (sokn) Church name Location of the church Year built
Arneberg Arneberg Church Jammerdalen 1878
Gjesåsen Gjesåsen Church Gjesåsen 1863
Hof Hof Church Hof 1861
Hof Finnskog Hof Finnskog Church Dulpetorpet 1953
Åsnes Åsnes Church Flisa 1744
Åsnes Finnskog Åsnes Finnskog Church Vermundsjøen 1861

Geography

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Number of minorities (1st and 2nd generation) in Åsnes by country of origin in 2017[13]
Ancestry Number
  Poland 59
  Lithuania 58
  Sweden 55
  Eritrea 32
  Thailand 29
  Syria 25
  Bosnia-Herzegovina 23
  Denmark 22

The municipality is located in the southern part of Innlandet county in the traditional region of Solør. Åsnes is bordered to the north by the municipality of Våler, to the south by Grue, to the west by Nord-Odal and Stange, and to the east it borders Torsby Municipality in Värmland County, Sweden.

Finnskogen or the forest of the Finns is a belt about 32 kilometres (20 mi) wide which runs continuously northwards along the border between Norway and Sweden through six Norwegian municipalities, including Åsnes.

Åsnes has several lakes and rivers throughout the forested municipality which sits in the southern Glåmdal valley. It includes the lakes Gjesåssjøen, Hukusjøen, and Vermunden. The rivers Flisa, Rotna, and Glomma all flow through the municipality.

Government

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Åsnes 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.[14] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Østre Innlandet District Court and the Eidsivating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

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The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Åsnes is made up of 23 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Åsnes kommunestyre 2023–2027 [15]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 6
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 5
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Red Party (Rødt) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
 Common list (Samlingslista)3
 Åsnes local list (Åsnes Bygdeliste)2
Total number of members:23
Åsnes kommunestyre 2019–2023 [16]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 2
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 9
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:23
Åsnes kommunestyre 2015–2019 [17][18]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 2
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
  Radical Socialists (Radikale Sosialister) 1
Total number of members:23
Åsnes kommunestyre 2011–2015 [19]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 9
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 3
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
  Radical Socialists (Radikale Sosialister) 1
Total number of members:23
Åsnes kommunestyre 2007–2011 [18]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 7
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 3
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) 3
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
  Radical Socialists (Radikale Sosialister) 2
Total number of members:23
Åsnes kommunestyre 2003–2007 [18]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 3
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 3
  Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti), and Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:23
Åsnes kommunestyre 1999–2003 [18]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 13
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 4
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 3
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 3
Total number of members:23
Åsnes kommunestyre 1995–1999 [20]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 13
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 4
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 8
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 4
Total number of members:31
Åsnes kommunestyre 1991–1995 [21]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 12
  Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) 1
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 8
Total number of members:31
Åsnes kommunestyre 1987–1991 [22]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 20
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 6
 Cross-party local list (Tverrpolitisk bygdeliste)6
Total number of members:41
Åsnes kommunestyre 1983–1987 [23]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 19
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 8
 Cross-party local list (Tverrpolitisk bygdeliste)5
Total number of members:41
Åsnes kommunestyre 1979–1983 [24]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 20
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 8
 Local people's free list (Bygdefolkets Frie Liste)3
Total number of members:41
Åsnes kommunestyre 1975–1979 [25]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 19
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 9
 Local people's free list (Bygdefolkets Frie list)4
Total number of members:41
Åsnes kommunestyre 1971–1975 [26]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 21
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
  Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) 7
Total number of members:41
Åsnes kommunestyre 1967–1971 [27]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 20
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
  Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) 7
Total number of members:41
Åsnes kommunestyre 1963–1967 [28]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 24
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 5
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
  Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) 2
Total number of members:41
Åsnes herredsstyre 1959–1963 [29]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 15
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 7
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
Total number of members:29
Åsnes herredsstyre 1955–1959 [30]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 14
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 9
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
Total number of members:29
Åsnes herredsstyre 1951–1955 [31]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 14
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 2
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 9
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 3
Total number of members:28
Åsnes herredsstyre 1947–1951 [32]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 12
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 11
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 5
Total number of members:28
Åsnes herredsstyre 1945–1947 [33]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 13
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 13
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 2
Total number of members:28
Åsnes herredsstyre 1937–1941* [34]  
Party name (in Norwegian) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 20
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 1
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 2
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 3
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 2
Total number of members:28
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

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The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Åsnes (incomplete list):

  • 1910-1914: August Embretsen (Ap)
  • 1925-1928: Arne Adolf Løfsgaard (Bp)
  • 1941-1945: Gudbjørn Fleischer (NS)
  • 1945-1963: Jon Gudbjørn Dybendal (Ap)
  • 1980-1981: Johan Dybendal [35]
  • 1982-1983: Torbjørn Konttorp
  • 1984-1992: Hans-Didrik Bakke (Ap)
  • 1992-1999: Knut Rustad (Sp)[36]
  • 1999-2003: Hans-Didrik Bakke (Ap)
  • 2003-2007: Frank Willy Bjørneseth (Ap)
  • 2007-2011: Lars Petter Heggelund (V)
  • 2011-2019: Ørjan Bue (Sp)
  • 2019–2023: Kari Heggelund (Sp)
  • 2023-present: Per Roar Bredvold (FrP)[37]

Notable people

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Johannes Bergh, 1890
 
Gunnar Gundersen, 2008

Sister cities

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Åsnes has sister city agreements with the following places:[38]

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References

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  1. ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  4. ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  5. ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
  6. ^ a b Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  7. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1900). Norske gaardnavne: Hedmarkens amt (in Norwegian) (3 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. pp. 285 and 289.
  8. ^ "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1917. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 1000. 1917.
  9. ^ Den Nye rettskrivning : regler og ordlister (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norge: Den Mallingske Boktrykkeri. 1918.
  10. ^ "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Asnes, Hedmark". Flags of the World. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Kommunevåpen" (in Norwegian). Åsnes kommune. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  13. ^ "Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents". ssb.no. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  14. ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Innlandet". Valgdirektoratet. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Innlandet". Valgdirektoratet. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Kommunestyrevalg 2015 - Hedmark". Valgdirektoratet.
  18. ^ a b c d "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  19. ^ "Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Hedmark". Valgdirektoratet.
  20. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996.
  21. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993.
  22. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988.
  23. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984.
  24. ^ "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979.
  25. ^ "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977.
  26. ^ "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973.
  27. ^ "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967.
  28. ^ "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964.
  29. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960.
  30. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957.
  31. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952.
  32. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948.
  33. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947.
  34. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938.
  35. ^ "Ny ordfører". Glåmdalen (in Norwegian). 3 January 1980. p. 2.
  36. ^ "Rustad ny ordfører". Glåmdalen (in Norwegian). 2 October 1991. p. 2.
  37. ^ "Bredvold (Frp) ordfører i Åsnes". NRK (in Norwegian). 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  38. ^ "Vennskapskommuner" (in Norwegian). Åsnes kommune. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
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