Nes is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1893 until its dissolution in 1965. The area is now part of Flekkefjord Municipality in the traditional district of Lister in Agder county. The administrative centre of the municipality was the small village of Sunde in Nes parish, located just outside the town of Flekkefjord (which was its own separate municipality).
Prior to its dissolution in 1965, the municipality was the 370th largest by area out of the 525 municipalities in Norway. Nes Municipality was the 321st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had increased by 11.8% over the previous 10-year period.
General information The municipality of Nes was established on 8 October 1893 when the old Nes og Hitterø Municipality was split into two: the northern district (population: 1,704) became the new Nes Municipality and the southern district (population: 2,075) became the new Hitterø Municipality. In 1942, a part of Nes Municipality with 377 inhabitants was moved to the neighboring town of Flekkefjord.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, Nes Municipality was dissolved and the following areas were merged to form a new, larger Flekkefjord Municipality: the town of Flekkefjord (population: 3,163) all of Nes Municipality (population: 2,757) all of Hidra Municipality (population: 1,277) all of Gyland Municipality (population: 691) most of Bakke Municipality (population: 925), except for the Øksendal area which went to Sirdal Municipality
Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Nes farm () since the first local church (now called Flekkefjord Church) was built there. The name is identical to the word which means "peninsula", since the farm is located on a peninsula.
Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Nes Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Flekkefjord prestegjeld and the Flekkefjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder.
Churches in Nes MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtNesFlekkefjord ChurchFlekkefjord1833
Geography The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Solandsvarden. Bakke Municipality was located to the north, Gyland Municipality was located to the northeast, Feda Municipality was located to the east, Herad Municipality was located to the southeast, Flekkefjord Municipality was located to the south (as an enclave), Hidra Municipality was located to the southwest, and Lund Municipality was located to the west (in Rogaland county).
Government While it existed, Nes Municipality was 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 was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Flekkefjord District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Nes Municipality was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
Mayors The mayor () of Nes Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1893–1904: Johannes Jensen Loge 1904–1919: Andreas S. Tjersland 1919–1921: Nils Djuvik 1922–1929: Andreas S. Tjersland 1929–1933: Theodor Tønnessen Lende 1933–1937: Hans Olsen Aarenes 1938–1940: Ola Eide 1941–1945: Gisle Tjersland 1945–1951: Ola Eide 1952–1955: Gudmund Seland 1956–1959: Ole Soland 1960–1963: Ola Eide 1964–1964: Trygve Hanssen
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References