Florø

Infobox Settlement
name = Florø
settlement_type = Town
latd=61|latm=35|lats=58|latNS=N
longd=5|longm=1|longs=58|longEW=E


seat_type = Administrative Center
seat = Florø
blank_name = Merged into
blank_info = Flora in 1964
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Norway
subdivision_type1 = County
subdivision_name1 = Sogn og Fjordane
subdivision_type2 = District
subdivision_name2 = Sunnfjord
subdivision_type3 = Municipality ID
subdivision_name3 =
established_title = Granted City Status
established_date = 1860
parts_type=Town Districts
p1=Badevika
p2=Botnaholten
p3=Botnavegen
p4=Brandsøy
p5=Evja
p6=Havreneset
p7=Hesteneset
p8=Kleiva
p9=Krokane
p10=Musikkpaviljongen
p11=Solheim
p12=Tua
population_as_of=2007
population_total=8,296
area_total_km2=5.98
population_density_km2=1387
footnotes=Population & Area data from [http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/01/10/beftett_en/arkiv/tab-2006-07-05-01-en.html Statistics Norway] .

Audio|Floroe.ogg|Florø a town and the administrative centre of Flora municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The town was founded by royal decree in 1860. In 2007, the city of Florø had 8,296 inhabitants. [cite web|title=Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality.|url=http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/01/10/beftett_en/arkiv/tab-2006-07-05-01-en.html|date=1 January 2006|accessdaymonth=10 August|accessyear=2008|publisher= Statistisk sentralbyrå] Florø is Norway's westernmost town.

Economy

The basis for the foundation of the town was the rich herring fisheries, symbolised by the three herrings in the municipality's coat of arms. Fishing is still an important part of the economy, in addition to shipbuilding and service industries. After the discovery of petroleum in the North Sea in the 1960s, Florø has been used as a supply base for the petroleum industry.

History

Florø was founded as a town "(ladested)" in 1860. Upon its founding, it was removed from the municipality of Kinn and made into a municipality of its own with a population of 846.cite web|first=Dag|last=Jukvam|publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå|title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen|date=1999|url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf no icon]

On 1 January 1964, the city of Florø was merged with the municipalities of Kinn and Eikefjord and parts of the municipalities of Bru, Vevring, and Bremanger in order to form the new municipality of Flora.

The name "Florø"

The municipality is named after the farm "Flora" (Old Norse "Flóra") since the town of Florø was built on its ground in 1860. The name is probably derived from "flóð" which means '(strong) stream'. The name of the town Florø is the same name, but it has the Danish word "ø" (island) added to the end.

References