Flosta is a former municipality in the old Aust-Agder county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1902 until its dissolution in 1962. The area is now part of Arendal Municipality in the traditional district of Østre Agder in Agder county. The administrative centre was at Staubø in the village of Kilsund. Other villages in the municipality included Eikeland, Borås, and Vatnebu.
Prior to its dissolution in 1962, the municipality was the 663rd largest by area out of the 731 municipalities in Norway. Flosta Municipality was the 607th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had decreased by 6.6% over the previous 10-year period.
General information The municipality of Flosta was established on 1 January 1902 when Dybvaag Municipality was divided into two: the southwestern district (population: ) became the new Flosta Municipality and the northeastern district (population: ) continued as a smaller Dybvaag Municipality. The new Flosta Municipality included the islands of Flosterøya and Tverrdalsøya and some of the mainland north of those islands.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1962, Flosta Municipality was dissolved and the following areas were merged to form the new Moland Municipality: all of Flosta Municipality (population: ) all of Austre Moland Municipality (population: ) all of Stokken Municipality (population: ) the Strengereid area of Tvedestrand Municipality (population: )
Later, on 1 January 1992, Moland Municipality (population: 8,148) was merged into the neighboring Arendal Municipality.
Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the island of Flosterøya () since the historic Flosta Church was built there. The meaning of the name is unknown, but one theory is that it comes from the word which means "high tide" or "flood".
Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Flosta Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Dypvåg prestegjeld and the Aust-Nedenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder.
Churches in Flosta MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtFlostaFlosta ChurchFlosta1632
Geography The municipality primarily encompassed the two islands of Flosterøya and Tverrdalsøya and about on the mainland just north of the islands including the villages of Eikeland, Borås, and Vatnebu. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Eikelandsheia on the mainland. Dypvåg Municipality was located to the north, the Skagerrak was located to the east, Tromøy Municipality was located to the south, Stokken Municipality was located to the southwest, and Holt Municipality was located to the west.
Government While it existed, Flosta 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 Holt District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Flosta Municipality was made up of 13 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 Flosta Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1902–1903: Erik Andersen Kilsund 1903–1904: Christian Taraldsen Nærestø 1905–1913: Terje Andersen Nærestø 1914–1916: Anders Berntzen Arnevik 1917–1919: Thor Thorsen Brårvik 1920–1921: Andreas Kolstad 1922–1922: Gunder P. Jensen Nærestø 1923–1928: Elling Ellingsen Sundet 1929–1941: Bernt Berntzen Arnevik 1942–1945: Bjarne Jacobsen (NS) 1945–1951: Bernt Berntzen Arnevik 1951–1955: John Christian Johnsen (V) 1955–1959: Bertin Stiansen (Ap) 1959–1961: Torstein Lønvik (H)
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References
External links 1960 census and map of the municipality (page 4)