Utsira

Infobox_Kommune
name=Utsira
county=Rogaland
idnumber=1151
landscape=
capital=Utsira
governor=Geir Helge Rasmussen ("Bygdalista for Utsira")
governor_as_of=2005
arearank=433
area=6
arealand=6
areapercent=0.00
population_as_of=2008
populationrank=430
population=212
populationpercent=0.00
populationdensity=34
populationincrease=-0.9
language=Neutral
lat_deg=59| lat_min=18| lat_sec=26| lon_deg=4| lon_min=53| lon_sec=10
utm_zone=32V| utm_northing=6581510 |utm_easting=0265867| geo_cat=adm2nd

munwebpage=www.utsira.kommune.no

Utsira is a municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.

Utsira was separated from Torvastad July 1, 1924.

The municipality consists of an island located in the North Sea, 18 km west of Haugesund. Utsira is the smallest municipality of Norway in population - and the second smallest in area (after Kvitsøy).

The name

The Norse forms of the name was just "Síri" (nominative) and "Síra" (genitive). The first element "ut" ('out'/'the external') was added in the 16th Century. (Sira is also the name of the border river between Rogaland and Vest-Agder.) The inhabitants still call the island just "Sira" - and an inhabitant is called a "sirabu".

The meaning of the name "Sira" is unknown (maybe 'strong stream').

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1982). It shows the light beams from a light house.

(See also the coat-of-arms of Sandøy.)

History

The Utsira church is from 1785. There is also a finding from the Stone Age on the island.

The highest Lighthouse light in Norway, at 78.2 m (257 feet) AMSL, resides at Utsira [] .

In 2004, Norsk Hydro installed a combined wind-Hydrogen utility on Utsira. It is a full scale pilot project for energy self-sufficiency for a remote community. In periods when there is surplus wind energy, the excess power will be used for generating hydrogen by electrolysis. The hydrogen is stored, and is available for power generation in periods where there is little wind. Additional to this an energy storing flywheel exists to help out when for a short time more power is needed.

Birding

Utsira is known as the best birding site in Norway. There have been 317 different species recorded on Utsira, of which 23 are new to Norway.

hipping Forecast

Utsira (under the spelling "Utsire") gives its name to two of the sea areas of the British Shipping Forecast.

References

External links

* [http://www.utsira.kommune.no/ Municipality web site]
* [http://www.utsira.kommune.no/kart.htm Map]
* [http://www.hydro.com/en/Press-room/News/Archive/2005/November/16889/ Hydrogen pilot project]
* [http://lokal.utsira.kommune.no/utsira-fuglestasjon Birding on Utsira]