Astafjorden

Astafjorden is a fjord (more accurately, a strait) in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It flows through the municipalities of Salangen, Gratangen, Ibestad, and Tjeldsund. 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.[1]

Astafjorden
The Astafjorden flows left to right in this picture.
Astafjorden Location of the fjord Astafjorden Astafjorden (Norway)
Location	Troms og Finnmark county, Norway
Coordinates	68.7875°N 17.2445°E
Type	Fjord
Primary inflows	Salangen, Lavangen, Gratangen
Primary outflows	Vågsfjorden
Basin countries	Norway
Max. length	30 kilometres (19 mi)
Max. width	3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi)

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.[2][3]

Another possible explanation for the origen of the name of the Astafjord in Troms might be that it was named after Queen Asta, mother of King "Hellige" Olav in the 11th century who allegedly brought Christianity to Norway.

See also

• List of Norwegian fjords

References

1. Store norske leksikon. "Astafjorden" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2012-08-31.
2. Rygh, Oluf (1911). Norske gaardnavne: Troms amt (in Norwegian) (17 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 48.
3. "Astafjord" (in Norwegian). Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 2010-01-04.