Country Norway District Stjørdalen Area rank 74 in Norway Area 1,273 km² Official language form Bokmål | County Nord-Trøndelag Administrative centre Midtbygda Demonym(s) Meråkerbygg Population 2,503 (2011) | |
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Weather -1°C, Wind SE at 13 km/h, 45% Humidity | ||
Meråker is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Stjørdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Midtbygda which is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Storlien in Sweden and 46 kilometres (29 mi) east of Stjørdalshalsen in Stjørdal. Other villages in Meråker include Gudåa, Kopperå, and Stordalen.
Contents
- General information
- Name
- Coat of arms
- Churches
- Merker Smelter
- Geography
- Government
- Municipal council
- Transportation
- Notable residents
- References
The municipality markets itself as a recreational area. The main areas of employment are in industry and agriculture. The municipality is noted for its characteristic dialect.
General information
The municipality of Meråker was established on 1 January 1874 when the old municipality of Øvre Stjørdal was divided into two: Hegra and Meråker. Meråker had an initial population of 1,861. The municipality has not changed since then.
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Meråker farm (spelled "Mørakre" around 1430), since the first church was built there. The meaning of the first element is uncertain (maybe merr which means "mare" or mýrr which means "bog" or "marsh") and the last element is akr which means "field" or "acre".
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times; they were granted on 28 September 1990. Traditionally, mining has played a major role in the area and has been of great economic importance for Meråker. Thus a silver mining cart on a red background as a symbol for the municipality was an obvious decision. The cart depicted in the arms, however, is officially described as a cart, not a mining cart.
See also: Coat-of-arms of Evje og HornnesChurches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Meråker. It is part of the Stjørdal deanery and the Diocese of Nidaros.
Meråker Smelter
In 1898 a carbide factory was opened at Kopperå, later this factor was rebuilt as a silicon smelter. The smelter was in operation until June 2006. Its main product was microsilica which is used as an additive to cement.
Geography
Meråker is a landlocked municipality in the southern part of Nord-Trøndelag county. To the north is the municipality of Verdal, to the west is Stjørdal, to the south is Selbu and Tydal (both in Sør-Trøndelag county), and to the east is Sweden.
There are three major lakes in Meråker: Feren, Fjergen, and Funnsjøen. The river Stjørdalselva runs through the municipality towards the Trondheimsfjord. The river Rotla begins in the southern part of Meråker. The mountain Fongen sits on the southern border with Tydal and Selbu.
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Meråker, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Meråker is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to every four years. Currently, the party breakdown is as follows:
Transportation
The European route E14 highway runs east to west through the municipality connecting to Trondheim Airport, Værnes about 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the west. The Meråker Line railway follows the E14 through the municipality also, with stops at Kopperå Station, Meråker Station, and Gudå Station.