Location Troms county, Norway Max. length 30 kilometres (19 mi) Settlement Hamnvik | Basin countries Norway Settlements Hamnvik | |
 | ||
Max. width 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) | ||
Astafjorden is a fjord (more accurately, a strait) in Troms county, Norway. It flows through the municipalities of Salangen, Gratangen, Ibestad, and Skånland. The 30-kilometre (19 mi) long fjord flows from the Salangen fjord in the east to the Vågsfjorden in the west. The 3.5-kilometre (2.2 mi) wide fjord separates the islands of Andørja and Rolla from the mainland. There are several small fjords that branch off this fjord including: Lavangen, Gratangen, Grovfjorden, and Salangen.
Contents
Map of Astafjorden, 9454 %C3%85nstad, Norway
Name
The fjord (and the former municipality of Astafjord) were named after the old Ånstad farm (Old Norse: Arnastaðafjǫrðr). The first element of the old name comes from the male name Arna or "Arne", the second element staða means "home" or "farm", and the last element fjǫrðr is identical with the word for "fjord". Thus, the fjord by Arne's farm.