Stokmarknes is a town and administration center in Hadsel
municipality in Nordland. The town of Stokmarknes has 3,445
inhabitants as of 1 January 2020, and is located on Hadseløya.
Stokmarknes was granted city status at New Year 2000. The city is
one of the only two cities in Vesterålen (together with Sortland).
Sometimes Myre, Andenes and Lødingen are also included.
The
town is home to Hurtigruten, and the Hurtigruten Museum is located
by the Hurtigruten quay. Adjacent to the museum is the old
Hurtigruten MS "Finnmarken" on land and is one of several landmarks.
Fylkesvei 82 passes Stokmarknes between Melbu and Sortland. The
small island Børøya with residential areas and industry is connected
to Stokmarknes with Børøybrua. Nordlak's head office and fish farm
there. Vesterålen Hotel & Kongressenter (also called Vesterålen
Kysthotell) is also located here. From Børøya, the county road
continues over Hadselbrua to Langøya and towards Sortland.
The municipality's most important industrial area is located on
Børøya, which is connected to Stokmarknes center. About 500 people
from 25 nations work here. The main industry is fish farming and
fish processing. There is also a significant fishing industry (Aker
Seafoods) on Melbu, which is located approx. 15 kilometers south of
Stokmarknes.
The population has increased since 2005. In
Hadsel municipality, the population has occasionally decreased, but
Stokmarknes incl. Sandnes (which has the same postcode 8450) has
increased markedly according to figures from Statistics Norway in
the spring of 2007. According to Statistics Norway, the population
also increased in 2008. This increase is partly markedly different
from similar coastal municipalities.
Hadsel municipality is
politically led by mayor Siv Dagny Aasvik (Labor Party) ever since
the municipal election in 2015, when Kjell Børge Freiberg (FrP)
resigned.
At Stokmarknes, Vesteraalens Avis, the oldest
newspaper in Vesterålen and Nordland, is published. Hadsel is one of
the municipalities in the region with the highest proportion of
immigrants and in addition positive population development (Latest
data 3rd quarter 2008). According to Statistics Norway in the fourth
quarter of 2007, the employment rate among the immigrant population
was 74%. This is 4% higher than the rest of the population.
Stokmarknes Airport, Skagen is located on Langøya, approx. 5 km
north of Stokmarknes. This is one of Norway's most used regional
airports with about 100,000 passengers annually.
Stokmarknes
is divided into 5 parts, Tømmervika, Nesset (Sentrum), Søndre, Hauan
(sometimes Haugen) and Børøya. Fylkesvei 7634 goes through Nesset, a
bit of Hauan and Tømmervika. Where Tømmervika meets Bergvika, there
is a Pentecostal church. On the south side of the road there is a
hiking trail that goes from a small football field to Bergvikvatnet
and then down to Bergvika. Here there is also a detour to
Nilssvensktinden, which is a good starting point for a Hadseløya
mountain hike. In Søndre, there has previously been a grocery store,
but it has been closed due to. little usefulness. The main hospital
in Vesterålen is also located on Søndre. There are two sports halls
and a large football pitch, as well as a light trail with a hiking
trail up to Storheia and Ørnheia with Ørnheihytta. From here there
is a paved road down to Melbu.