# Orkanger

> settlement in Orkland Municipality, Norway

**Wikidata**: [Q6516399](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6516399)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkanger)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/orkanger

## Summary
Orkanger is a settlement and former administrative centre in Trøndelag county, Norway. Since 2020, it has been part of the newly formed Orkland Municipality, having previously served as the capital of both Orkanger Municipality (1920–1962) and Orkdal Municipality (1963–2019).

## Key Facts
- **Location**: Settlement in Orkland Municipality, Trøndelag county, Norway.
- **Coordinates**: 63.312222°N, 9.853333°E.
- **Area**: 6.15 square kilometres.
- **Elevation**: 11 metres above sea level.
- **Inception**: Established as a municipality on 1 July 1920.
- **Administrative History**:
  - Capital of Orkanger Municipality (1 July 1920 – 31 December 1962).
  - Capital of Orkdal Municipality (1 January 1963 – 31 December 2019).
  - Part of Orkland Municipality since 1 January 2020.
- **Urban Area Status**: The urban area was redefined and replaced by "Orkanger/Fannrem" as the official urban area designation.
- **Demonym**: The inhabitant is called an "ørbygg".
- **Identifiers**:
  - Geonames ID: 3143423.
  - WOEID (Yahoo! Where On Earth ID): 862548.
  - VIAF ID: 309794571.
  - SNAC ID: 1893.
  - Freebase ID: /m/09mjhd.
  - GNS Unique Feature ID: -273655.
  - SSR Place Name Number: 619351.
  - SSB Urban Settlement Number: 6621.
- **Digital Presence**:
  - Wikipedia title: "Orkanger".
  - Wikipedia exists in 19 languages (ca, commons, da, de, el, en, es, fa, fi, is, it, ms, nl, nn, no, pl, ro, sr, sv).
  - Commons category: Orkanger.
  - Google Play Store ID: Orkanger.
  - Quora topic: Orkanger.
- **Image**: Photograph titled "Orkanger i august 2010" / "Orkanger in August 2010" by Åge Hojem, dated 4 August 2010.
- **Sitelink Count**: 20 (a measure of connected data across Wikimedia projects).

## FAQs
**What is the current administrative status of Orkanger?**
Orkanger is a settlement within Orkland Municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. This has been its status since the municipal reform on 1 January 2020, which merged the former municipalities of Orkdal and Agdenes.

**Where is Orkanger located geographically?**
Orkanger is situated at the end of the Orkdalsfjord, an arm of the Trondheimsfjord. Its precise coordinates are 63.312222 degrees north latitude and 9.853333 degrees east longitude, at an elevation of 11 metres above sea level.

**What is the history of Orkanger as a municipal centre?**
Orkanger was the capital of its own municipality from its inception on 1 July 1920 until a municipal merger on 1 January 1963. After that merger, it became the administrative centre for the larger Orkdal Municipality, a role it held until 31 December 2019. Following the 2020 municipal reform, it became part of Orkland Municipality.

**How large is the settlement of Orkanger?**
The urban area of Orkanger covers a total area of 6.15 square kilometres.

**What is a person from Orkanger called?**
The official demonym for an inhabitant of Orkanger is "ørbygg".

**Why is the urban area called "Orkanger/Fannrem"?**
The official urban area designation was changed to "Orkanger/Fannrem" to reflect the contiguous built-up area that includes the neighbouring village of Fannrem. This redefinition replaced the previous standalone "Orkanger" urban area classification.

## Why It Matters
Orkanger is a significant case study in Norwegian municipal history and regional planning. Its administrative journey—from an independent municipality (1920-1962) to the centre of a larger municipality (1963-2019) and finally as a key component of a new, larger municipality (2020-present)—mirrors the nationwide trend of municipal consolidation in Norway aimed at improving administrative efficiency and service delivery. The 2020 formation of Orkland Municipality, which merged Orkdal and Agdenes, was a major restructuring in the region, and Orkanger's role as the historical and continued administrative heart gives it enduring local importance. Furthermore, the specific redefinition of its urban area to "Orkanger/Fannrem" highlights the practical challenges of defining urban boundaries in growing, interconnected communities, making it relevant for urban geographers and planners.

## Notable For
- **Long-standing Administrative Centre**: Served as the capital for three different municipal entities over a century: Orkanger Municipality (1920-1962), Orkdal Municipality (1963-2019), and now as a central settlement in Orkland Municipality (2020-present).
- **Specific Geographic Metrics**: Has a precisely defined area of 6.15 km² and a low-lying elevation of 11 metres above sea level.
- **Unique Demonym**: The term "ørbygg" is the specific, officially recognized name for its residents.
- **Urban Area Redefinition**: Its urban area was officially succeeded by the combined "Orkanger/Fannrem" entity, a notable change in statistical and planning contexts.
- **Documented Historical Record**: Possesses a well-documented inception date (1 July 1920) and a clear, time-qualified administrative history in authoritative sources like Wikidata.
- **Multilingual Digital Footprint**: Has a significant presence across 19 language versions of Wikipedia and associated Wikimedia projects, with a sitelink count of 20.

## Body

### History and Administrative Evolution
Orkanger's modern history is defined by its changing municipal status. It was established as a separate municipality on **1 July 1920**, following the division of the large Orkdal Municipality. This independent Orkanger Municipality existed for over 40 years. On **1 January 1963**, as part of a nationwide municipal reform, Orkanger Municipality was merged back into a larger **Orkdal Municipality**. Consequently, Orkanger town became the new administrative centre for Orkdal Municipality, a position it held for the next 57 years. The most recent reform, effective **1 January 2020**, merged Orkdal Municipality with neighbouring Agdenes Municipality to form the new **Orkland Municipality**. Orkanger continues to serve as a central settlement and administrative hub within this new, larger entity. The urban area itself was reclassified and is now officially termed **"Orkanger/Fannrem"**, reflecting the built-up continuity with the adjacent village of Fannrem.

### Geography and Location
Orkanger is located in the Orkdalen valley in Trøndelag county, Norway. It sits at the innermost point of the **Orkdalsfjord**, which branches off the main Trondheimsfjord. Its geographic coordinates are precisely **63.312222° North latitude and 9.853333° East longitude**. The settlement has a total area of **6.15 square kilometres** and an elevation of **11 metres above sea level**, placing it in a low-lying, fjord-side location. A representative photograph of the settlement, taken on **4 August 2010**, is titled "Orkanger i august 2010" and was captured by photographer **Åge Hojem**.

### Administrative and Governance Status
Orkanger's primary classification is as a **settlement**, specifically an **urban area in Norway**. Its administrative relationships are time-bound and well-documented:
*   **Capital_of**:
    *   **Orkanger Municipality** (1 July 1920 – 31 December 1962).
    *   **Orkdal Municipality** (1 January 1963 – 31 December 2019).
    *   **Orkland Municipality** (from 1 January 2020 – present).
*   **Located_in**:
    *   **Orkdal Municipality** (until 31 December 2019).
    *   **Orkland Municipality** (from 1 January 2020 – present, preferred).
*   **Part_of**: The historical entity **Orkanger/Fannrem** (the current urban area designation).
*   **Different_from**: It is explicitly distinguished from the former **Orkanger Municipality**.

### Demographics and Identity
The official **demonym** for a resident of Orkanger is **"ørbygg"**. This term is recognized by the Language Council of Norway (Språkrådet), with its official documentation dated **11 March 2018**.

### Digital and Bibliographic Presence
Orkanger has a extensive and structured presence across global knowledge and data platforms. Its primary Wikipedia article is titled **"Orkanger"** and is available in **19 languages** (including Norwegian (no, nn), Swedish (sv), German (de), and English (en)). It has a dedicated **Commons category** for media. In structured data, it is identified by numerous persistent identifiers:
*   **Wikidata**: Q328 (the core entity).
*   **Geonames**: 3143423.
*   **Virtual International Authority File (VIAF)**: 309794571.
*   **SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context)**: 1893.
*   **Freebase**: /m/09mjhd.
*   **GeoNames (GNS)**: Unique Feature ID -273655.
*   **Norwegian SSR (Place Name Register)**: Place Name Number 619351.
*   **SSB (Statistics Norway)**: Urban Settlement Number 6621.
*   **WorldCat**: E39PBJcr7MJjqyGvFdHHwFrwmd.
*   **Yahoo! Where On Earth ID (WOEID)**: 862548.
*   **Google Play Store**: Listed under the ID "Orkanger".
*   **Quora**: Has a dedicated topic page.
The **sitelink count** of **20** indicates the number of connected wiki pages across different projects that link to the central Wikidata item for Orkanger.

## References

1. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
2. [Source](http://www.sprakradet.no/sprakhjelp/Skriverad/navn-pa-steder-og-personer/Innbyggjarnamn/)
3. GeoNames
4. Quora