Country Norway District Nord-Norge Adm. Center Mortenhals Replaced by Balsfjord | County Troms Municipality ID NO-1932 Area 372 km² | |
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Created from Balsfjord and Lenvik in 1871 Weather -6°C, Wind S at 10 km/h, 94% Humidity | ||
Malangen (Northern Sami: Málatvuotna or Kven: Malankivuono) is a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. The old municipality surrounded the Malangen fjord and today that area is divided between the municipalities of Balsfjord, Lenvik, Tromsø, and Målselv. The main church for the municipality was Malangen Church, located in Mortenhals.
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Name
The name Malangen is probably derived from the Old Norse word mál which means "bag" and it may refer to the baggy shape of the fjord. The same word mál is probably also the origin of the name of the Målselva, the big river that enters the fjord from the Målselvdalen and Bardu valleys. The second element of the name angr which means "inlet" or "fjord".
History
The Saga of Haakon Haakonarson mentions that the king in 1242 allowed refuges from Bjarmaland (since they were attacked by the Tatars - «bjarmar rymdi fyrir tattarum») to settle in the area of Malangen.
The municipality of Malangen was established on 1 January 1871 when it was separated from Balsfjord. The initial population was 1,425. Also on that date, a small area of Lenvik (population: 70) was transferred to the new municipality of Malangen.
On 1 January 1873, an area of northern Malangen (population: 287) was transferred to Tromsøysund municipality. In 1891, a small part around the village of Målsnes in Målselv (population: 30) was transferred to Malangen.
On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Malangen ceased to exist. The Navaren and Målsnes areas (population: 118) were transferred to neighboring Målselv. The remaining areas of Malangen (population: 1,940) were transferred back into Balsfjord.