Astafjord

Astafjord is a former municipality in Troms county, Norway. The 310.1 km2 municipality existed from 1926 until its dissolution in 1964. The area now makes up the eastern part of Tjeldsund Municipality, surrounding the Grovfjorden. The administrative center of the former municipality was the village of Grov where Astafjord Church is located. The Astafjorden (strait) flowed along the northern part of the municipality and it was the namesake for the municipality.

Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the 310.1 km2 municipality was the 277th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Astafjord Municipality was the 595th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 1,126. The municipality's population density was 3.6 PD/km2 and its population had decreased by 2.3% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
Historically, Astafjord was a prestegjeld that encompassed a large part of southern Troms county, including the present-day municipalities of Bardu, Gratangen, Ibestad, Lavangen, Salangen, and most of Tjeldsund. When municipalities were created in Norway in 1838, the old parish was created as Ibestad Municipality (see formannskapsdistrikt law).

Astafjord Municipality was established on 1 July 1926 when the large Ibestad Municipality was separated into four municipalities: Ibestad Municipality (population: 1,768), Andørja Municipality (population: 1,420), Astafjord Municipality (population: 1,018), and Gratangen Municipality (population: 1,967). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Astafjord (population: 1,120) was merged with the part of Skånland Municipality on the mainland (population: 2,246) to create a new larger Skånland Municipality (the rest of the old Skånland on the island of Rolla joined Ibestad Municipality).

Name
The municipality was named after the Astafjorden strait which was named after the old Ånstad farm (Arnastaðafjǫrðr). The first element of the old name comes from the male name Arna or "Arne", the second element means "home" or "farm", and the last element  is identical with the word for "fjord". Thus, the name literally means the "fjord by Arne's farm".

Churches
The Church of Norway did not have any churches within the municipality of Astafjord. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Skånland Church prestegjeld within the Trondenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland.

Geography
The highest point in the municipality is the 1305.9 m tall mountain Skittendalstinden.

Government
While it existed, Astafjord 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 is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Hålogaland Court of Appeal.

Mayors
The mayors (ordfører) of Astafjord:


 * 1926-1929: Martin Rasmussen
 * 1929-1932: Viggo Tande
 * 1933-1942: Hartvik Nilsen
 * 1945-1945: Viggo Tande
 * 1945-1945: Peder Dyrstad
 * 1946-1963: Peder Ellefsen

Municipal council
The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Astafjord was made up of 15 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.