The Municipality of Sortland, in the region of Vesterålen, covers the area around Sortlandssundet, the western part of Hinnøya and the eastern part of Langøya.
The service industries employ the most people in the municipality, but outside of densely populated areas, agriculture and fishing are still the main sources of income. Agriculture is particularly prevalent on Langøya, and animal husbandry is common. Eidsfjorden was previously known as an area with a plentiful supply of herring. The fishing fleet is primarily comprised of smaller vessels. In terms of industry, the food industry dominates: canning and herring oil factories, and the production of fish oils. The municipality's administrative centre, Sortland, is also a communications hub, where most of the roads intersecting Vesterålen meet. Sortland is also a trading hub for the entire region of Vesterålen.
Sortland is a popular tourist destination. Ramnflauget, just north of Sortland, is a good spot to view the midnight sun from 23 May to 23 July. The mountain known as Reka (607 metres above sea level) west of Eidsfjorden has been nicknamed "Norway's strangest mountain" due to its concave ridge. In the pastures at Kleiva Agricultural College, the now-rare Northlands pony still grazes. Sigerfjord Chapel has a figurine of St. Olaf dating back to the 15th century.
Jennestad Trading Post is Sortland's contribution to the "Footprints in the North" project. The farmstead at Jennestad gradually developed into a trading post in the years after 1830. Today, the site is a meeting ground for locals and visitors alike.
Fakta om Sortland kommune
Navnet: Sortland kan ha sin opprinnelse i et elvenavn, “Svorta” - av svart, som senere har blitt tatt i bruk som gårdsnavn.
Beliggenhet: Kommune i Vesterålen i Nordland - beliggende både på Langøya og Hinnøya. Sortland grenser i øst til Troms fylke, i sør til Lødingen og Hadsel, i vest til Øksnes og Bø, og over fjorden i nord ligger Andøy.
Folketall 2021: 10 514.
Utstrekning: 722 km2. 14,6 innbyggere pr. km2.
Administrasjonssted: Sortland.
Viktige næringer: Servicenæring, jordbruk, fiske
Kommunehistorie: Sortland har vært selvstendig kommune siden opprettelsen i 1838. Sortland fikk i 1963 overført Elsfjord fra Hadsel kommune og Holmområdet ved Gavlfjorden fra daværende Langenes kommune. Sortland ble bykommune i 1997.
Se kommunens nettside
Les mer om Sortland kommune på Wikipedia