The municipality of Røst was established on 1 July 1928 when it was separated from Værøy Municipality. Initially, it had 731 residents. The municipal boundaries have not changed since that time.
Name
The municipality is named after the main island of Røstlandet. The name is identical with the wordrǫst which means "maelstrom".
Coat of arms
The coat of arms is from modern times; they were granted on 28 November 1986. The artist was . The arms show three black European shags on a grey background. The shags play a role in a local legend in which three brothers can transform themselves into shags.
A vivid description of medieval island life has been delivered by the shipwrecked Venetian sea captain Pietro Querini, who was rescued by the islanders in 1432. He described the society as very harmonious and pious, and described how they made a living from fishing cod and some agriculture. The Norwegian Lundehund originated from this part of Norway, where it natively would have climbed along cliff paths to hunt puffins. Fishing is the main economic activity on Røst.
Culture
The island has a rich cultural life. Every year in June there is a popular festival in honor of the puffin.
Querini opera
In 2012, the Querini Opera was shown on Røst for the first time, telling the dramatic story about Pietro Querini who shipwrecked on Røst in 1432. The show was a great success and was shown again in 2014.
Literary Park Pietro Querini
In 2017, the Pietro Querini Literary Park was established with the Municipality of Røst, the Dante Committee, I Parchi Letterari Network and the support of the Embassy of Italy. The park started its activity in 2018. https://www.parchiletterari.com/parchi/pietro-querini-063/vita.php
The municipal council of Røst is made up of 11 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:
Mayor
The mayors of Røst :
2019–present: Elisabeth Mikalsen
2011-2019: Tor-Arne Andreassen
2007-2011: Arnfinn Ellingsen
1999-2007: Paul Rånes
1988-1999: Arnfinn Ellingsen
1929-1941: Mathias Skaar
Transportation
As an isolated island municipality, there are no road connections to Røst. It can be reached by boat and airplane. There are ferry connections to the neighboring island of Værøya and also to the nearby town of Bodø on the mainland. Røst Airport has regularly scheduled flights to Bodø.
Economy
During the winter, the population of Røst gets doubled due to the number of boats arriving at Røst to fish. Yearly, the small island of Røst produces fish and fish-related products worth more than.
Environment
Geography
There are 365 islands and skerries in the municipality situated some off the mainland, at the southwestern tip of the Lofoten island chain in the Vestfjorden. Skomvær Lighthouse is located in the southern part of the municipality on the small island of Skomvær. Most inhabitants live on the main island of Røstlandet, but a few other islands are also inhabited. These islands are linked to Røstlandet with roads, causeways, and bridges. Røstlandet is the largest island in the municipality and its highest point rises no more than above sea level. South of Røstlandet, there are several small islands that are dominated by large mountains including Vedøya, Storfjellet, Trenyken, Hærnyken, and Ellevsnyken. Storfjellet is the highest, rising above sea level.
Birdlife
Røst is one of the few bird watching localities in Norway that is known worldwide. The seabird colonies that are to be found are regarded as internationally important. The island offers a range of habitats, and as one would expect, a stop-over point for many species that are migrating even further north. During the last few years, birders have been showing an interest for Røst during the autumn, producing a whole range of rarities. The municipality also has one of the biggest bird cliffs in the North Atlantic, with puffin colonies, as well as colonies of shag, kittiwake, and cormorants.
Climate
Røst features a subpolar oceanic climate, bordering on an incredibly rare cool-summer mediterranean climate. Røst and Værøy are known by meteorologists as the most northern locations in the world with average temperatures above freezing all winter. The winter temperatures in southern Lofoten represent the largest temperature anomaly in the world relative to latitude. The mean annual temperature is , and the average annual precipitation is. The wettest months are October through December with approximately precipitation each month, and the driest period is during May and June with on average of each month. Precipitation varies considerably and June 2009 saw only precipitation and July 2009 only, while in December 2008 there was of precipitation registered.
