Skånevik is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1965. The area is now divided between Kvinnherad Municipality and Etne Municipality in the traditional district of Sunnhordland in Vestland county. The administrative centre was the village of Skånevik. Other villages in the municipality included Fjæra, Åkra, and Ytre Matre.
Prior to its dissolution in 1965, the municipality was the 180th largest by area out of the 525 municipalities in Norway. Skånevik Municipality was the 326th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had decreased by 6% over the previous 10-year period.
General information The parish of Skonevig was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The spelling of the name was changed in the early 20th century to its present spelling of Skånevik. On 1 January 1965, the municipality of Skånevik was dissolved due to the recommendations of the Schei Committee during a period of many municipal mergers across Norway. The lands of the old Skånevik Municipality were divided as follows: the areas situated south of the Skånevikfjord and Åkrafjorden, as well as the parts of Skånevik located north of the fjord and east of the village of Åkra (population: 1,493) became part of Etne Municipality to the south the areas lying north of the fjord and west of the village of Åkra (population: 1,189), became a part of Kvinnherad Municipality to the north
Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Skaanevik farm () since the first Skånevik Church was built there. The meaning of the first element is uncertain. It may be the plura form of the word which means "harm" or "danger". The last element is which means "meadow" or "pasture".
On 21 December 1917, a royal resolution enacted the 1917 Norwegian language reforms. Prior to this change, the name was spelled Skaanevik with the digraph "aa", and after this reform, the name was spelled Skånevik, using the letter å instead.
Churches The Church of Norway had three parishes () within Skånevik Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Skånevik prestegjeld and the Søndre Sunnhordland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.
Churches in Skånevik MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtÅkraÅkra ChurchÅkra1735Fjæra ChapelFjæra1913HolmedalHolmedal ChurchUtåker1815SkånevikSkånevik ChurchSkånevik1900
Geography The municipality included the land surrounding both sides of the Skånevikfjorden and its smaller branches: the Åkrafjorden and Matersfjorden. It also included the eastern part of the island of Halsnøya and stretched quite a ways inland all the way to the Folgefonna glacier. The highest point in the municipality was the tall peak at the top of the Søndre Folgefonna glacier. This point was a tripoint on the border of Skånevik Municipality, Kvinnherad Municipality, and Odda Municipality.
Kvinnherad Municipality was located to the north, Odda Municipality was located to the east, Sauda Municipality (in Rogaland county) was located to the southeast, Etne Municipality was located to the south, and Fjelberg Municipality was located to the west.
Government While it existed, Skånevik 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 Gulating Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Skånevik Municipality was made up of 21 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 Skånevik Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1838–1839: Lars Lambrigtsen Skaalnæs 1840–1843: Rev. Christoffer Ellerhusen 1844–1845: Tollef Tollefsen Valdre 1846–1847: Lars Lambrigtsen Skaalnæs 1848–1851: Rev. Christoffer Ellerhusen 1852–1855: Lars Lambrigtsen Skaalnæs 1856–1857: Rev. Christoffer Ellerhusen 1858–1859: Johannes K. Vike 1860–1865: Ole Ludvigsen Tungesvik 1866–1867: Knud Torgersen Tungesvik 1868–1885: Lambrigt Skaalnæs 1886–1890: Rev. Peter Bøckman 1890–1895: Tjærand Sunde 1896–1910: Lars O. Tungesvik 1911–1916: Tjærand Sunde 1917–1941: Olav Tungesvik 1941–1945: Kristoffer Tungesvik 1945–1945: Olav Tungesvik 1946–1947: Arnfinn Matre 1947–1962: Kolbein Tjelle (H) 1962–1963: Ingvald Skålnes (V)
See also List of former municipalities of Norway
References