Hetland is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1965. The area is now divided between Stavanger Municipality and Sandnes Municipality in the traditional district of Jæren. The administrative centre was located in the city of Stavanger (so the administration was actually located in a different municipality).

Prior to its dissolution in 1965, the municipality was the 426th largest by area out of the 525 municipalities in Norway. Hetland Municipality was the 243rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about . The municipality's population density was and its population had increased by 36.9% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

The parish of Hetland was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 July 1922, the northwestern district of the municipality (population: 1,256) was separated to form the new Randaberg Municipality. This split left Hetland Municipality with 10,167 residents. The port city of Stavanger was located along the Gandsfjorden, adjacent to Hetland Municipality and as the city expanded over the years, areas of Hetland Municipality were annexed to join the city. Such changes happened in 1867, 1879, 1906, 1923, and 1953. Also on 1 January 1912, a small area in Høyland Municipality (population: 41) was transferred to Hetland.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, Hetland Municipality was dissolved and its lands were divided between Sandnes Municipality (lands east of the Gandsfjord) and Stavanger Municipality (lands west of the Gandsfjord).

The following areas were merged to form a larger Sandnes Municipality:

all of Høyland Municipality (population: 20,353) all of the city of Sandnes (population: 3,961) the Riska and Dale areas of Hetland Municipality (population: 2,077) most of Høle Municipality (population: 926), except for the Oltevik area which became part of Gjesdal Municipality

The following areas were merged to form a larger Stavanger Municipality:

most of Hetland Municipality (population: 20,861), except for the Riska and Dale areas which became part of Sandnes Municipality all of Madla Municipality (population: 6,025) all of the city of Stavanger (population: 51,470)

Name The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hetland farm () since the first Hetland Church was built there. The first element is which means "hazel tree". The last element is which means "land" or "district".

Churches The Church of Norway had one parish () within Hetland Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Hetland prestegjeld and the Hetland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Stavanger.

Churches in Hetland MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtHetlandFrue ChurchHetland1854Austre Åmøy ChapelAustre Åmøy1904RiskaRiska ChurchHommersåk1877

Geography

The municipality included land on the Stavanger Peninsula and the land surrounding both sides of the Gandsfjord, but not the area around the head of the fjord. The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain Ullandhaug, located on the border with Stavanger Municipality, just south of the lake Mosvatnet. Hetland Municipality included many islands in the Gandsfjord including Hundvåg, Langøy, Vassøy, Roaldsøy, Lindøy, Hellesøy, Kalvøy, Uskjo, and the eastern half of Åmøy.

Rennesøy Municipality was located to the north, Strand Municipality was located to the northeast, Høle Municipality was located to the east, Høyland Municipality was located to the south, Sola Municipality was located to the southwest, Madla Municipality was located to the west, and both Randaberg Municipality and Mosterøy Municipality were located to the northwest. The city of Stavanger was located within Hetland Municipality as an enclave, completely surrounded by Hetland.

Government While it existed, Hetland 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 Hafrsfjord District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council The municipal council of Hetland Municipality was made up of 41 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 Hetland Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:

1838–1841: Ommund Larsen Stokke 1841–1841: Samuel Samuelsen Ledaal 1842–1845: Halvor Sondresen 1843–1843: Sven Knutsen Bø 1846–1849: Jakob Christian Lindemann Bull 1850–1857: Asser Enoksen Jaatten 1858–1858: Niels Enoksen Qvaleberg 1858–1860: Wilhelm Ravn Sundt 1861–1861: Johan E. Nymann 1862–1863: Halvor Børgesen Scheie 1864–1867: Olaus Olsen Eskeland (V) 1868–1869: Gullik Furta Gitlesen 1870–1890: Olaus Olsen Eskeland (V) 1890–1891: Erik A. Gilje 1892–1893: Thore Olsen Wølstad 1894–1903: Olaus Olsen Eskeland (V) 1903–1904: Arne Berge 1905–1912: Thore Olsen Wølstad 1912–1913: Osmund Rossavik 1914–1916: Karl L. Helliesen 1917–1922: Christian Eriksen Gilje 1923–1925: Henrik O. Tjensvold 1926–1941: Olav Tveterås (V) 1941–1945: Peter Gustav Adolf Thjømøe (NS) 1945–1959: Johan Askeland (V) 1960–1965: Per Barkved (V)

See also List of former municipalities of Norway

References