Bardu


Bardu is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Setermoen, the largest urban area in the municipality.
The municipality is the 18th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Bardu is the 203rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 4,005. The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 1.4% over the last decade.
Norway's largest military garrison is located at Setermoen. The military is the municipality's largest employer and more than 1,000 young soldiers perform their duty service here each year. The world's most northern zoo, Polar Park, is located in the southern part of the municipality.

General information

The municipality of Bardodalen was established in 1854 when the eastern part of the old Ibestad Municipality was separated to form the new municipality. The initial population of the new municipality was 757. The municipal borders have not changed since then, although the name was later changed to Bardu.
On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county. Previously, it had been part of the old Troms county.

Name

Bardu is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi name Beardu. The meaning of the Sámi name is probably "long and steep mountain side". Prior to 1889, the municipality was called "Bardodalen" which meant "the valley/dale of Bardo". From 1889 until 1908, the name was written "Bardo". Since 1909, it has been spelled "Bardu".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is from modern times; they were granted on 6 June 1980. The arms show a black wolverine on a gold background. It was chosen as a symbol for the large forests and the rich wildlife in the municipality. The rock speedwell is the municipal flower.

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish ' within the municipality of Bardu. It is part of the Indre Troms prosti in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.
Parish 'Church NameLocation of the ChurchYear Built
BarduBardu ChurchSetermoen1829
BarduNedre Bardu ChapelBrandmoen1981
BarduØvre Bardu ChapelSørdalen1971
BarduSalangsdalen ChapelSalangsdalen1981

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Bardu, are responsible for primary education, outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor. The municipality falls under the Senja District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Bardu is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:

Geography

Bardu borders the municipalities of Lavangen and Salangen to the west, Målselv to the north, Narvik to the south, and Sweden to the east. The Barduelva river runs through the municipality from south to north along the Bardudalen valley. The Salangsdalen valley is located along the western part of the municipality. The largest lake in the county, Altevatnet, is located in the eastern part of the municipality, near the smaller lakes Geavdnjajávri and Leinavatn. These lakes lie in and near Rohkunborri National Park.

Climate

Bardu, although not far from the coast, is known for its cold winters compared to the coastal areas. This is caused by mountains usually blocking the milder, coastal air from reaching the Bardu valley. In summer, however, it is usually warmer than the coastal areas.

Media gallery

Notable residents