# Tromsø

> city in Tromsø municipality, Norway

**Wikidata**: [Q42328401](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q42328401)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tromsø)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/troms

## Summary
Tromsø is a city and the administrative capital of Tromsø Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Located above the Arctic Circle, it serves as a major urban center, port, and gateway to the Arctic with a population of 38,980 as of 2017.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** City and port city, with the city status dating from 1794.
- **Location:** Coordinates 69.65166666666667°N, 18.955555555555556°E; elevation 6 meters above sea level.
- **Area:** 21.25 square kilometres.
- **Population:** 38,980 (point in time: 2017).
- **Administrative Role:** Capital of Tromsø Municipality since 1838; also historically capital of Troms county.
- **Country:** Norway.
- **Native Names:** Tromsø (Norwegian), Tromssa (Sami).
- **Aliases:** Tromsö, Tromso, 特罗姆瑟市, 特罗姆瑟城, Tromsø (cidade).
- **Official Website:** https://tromso.kommune.no/ (in Norwegian).
- **Key Identifiers:**
    - GND ID: 4060994-7 (with qualifier: Tromsø Municipality).
    - FAST ID: 1204408.
    - VIAF ID: 159956924.
    - Geonames ID: 3133895.
    - Library of Congress Authority ID: n79013821.
    - Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID: 1048804.
    - OpenStreetMap Node ID: 3554636995.
- **Wikipedia:** Article title "Tromsø" exists in 16 languages including Norwegian (no), English (en), Swedish (sv), and Russian (ru).
- **Distinction:** A separate entity from the larger Tromsø Municipality.

## FAQs
**What is the administrative status of Tromsø?**
Tromsø is a city that serves as the administrative capital of Tromsø Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. It has held this capital status for the municipality since 1838 and was also the historic capital of the former Troms county.

**Where is Tromsø located and what is its environment?**
Tromsø is located at 69.65°N latitude, 18.96°E longitude, with an elevation of 6 meters. It is situated well north of the Arctic Circle on the island of Tromsøya, making it a significant Arctic coastal city and port.

**How large is Tromsø and how many people live there?**
The city of Tromsø covers an area of 21.25 square kilometres. Its recorded population was 38,980 people as of the year 2017.

**What are the primary names and identifiers for Tromsø?**
The city's official Norwegian name is Tromsø, with the Sami name Tromssa also used. It is known by various aliases like Tromsö and Tromso. It is uniquely identified in global systems by codes such as its GND ID (4060994-7), VIAF ID (159956924), and Geonames ID (3133895).

**Is Tromsø the same as Tromsø Municipality?**
No, Tromsø is a specific city within the larger Tromsø Municipality. The knowledge base explicitly distinguishes the city from the municipality, noting the city is "different_from" the municipal entity.

## Why It Matters
Tromsø is a critical Arctic hub, often called the "Gateway to the Arctic." Its location makes it a central point for Arctic research, diplomacy, tourism, and shipping, particularly as climate change opens new northern sea routes. As the largest city in Northern Norway, it hosts significant institutions like the University of Tromsø (The Arctic University of Norway) and the Norwegian Polar Institute, cementing its role as a global center for studying polar and climate sciences. Its existence as a sizable, modern city so far north challenges perceptions of habitability and drives economic and cultural development in the Arctic region.

## Notable For
*   **Arctic Location:** One of the world's largest cities north of the Arctic Circle.
*   **Administrative Center:** Long-standing capital for both its municipality and the historic Troms county.
*   **Cultural & Scientific Hub:** A primary center for Arctic research, education, and culture in Northern Norway.
*   **Port City:** A historically and economically important ice-free port on the Norwegian coast.
*   **Multilingual Identity:** Recognized with names and identifiers in Norwegian, Sami, and numerous global languages and databases.

## Body

### Geography & Location
Tromsø is situated on the island of Tromsøya in Tromsø Municipality, Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Its precise geographic coordinates are latitude 69.65166666666667 and longitude 18.955555555555556. The city's terrain has an elevation of 6 metres above sea level. The total area of the city is 21.25 square kilometres. It is a coastal city and functions as a significant port.

### Administrative & Political Role
Tromsø holds the status of a city (*instance_of*) with this designation dating from 1794. Its most critical administrative role is as the **capital of Tromsø Municipality**, a position it has held since 1838. Historically, it also served as the capital of the former Troms county. The city is explicitly distinguished from the broader Tromsø Municipality in the data. It is located within the modern Troms og Finnmark county.

### Demographics & Scale
The population of the city of Tromsø was recorded as **38,980** people. This figure is associated with the specific point in time of the year 2017. The city is classified as a "large human settlement" based on its sitelink count of 252 across knowledge bases.

### Identity & Naming
The primary and native label for the city is **"Tromsø"** in Norwegian. A Sami language variant, **"Tromssa"**, is also listed as a native label. The city has numerous international aliases and transliterations, including **Tromsö, Tromso, 特罗姆瑟市, 特罗姆瑟城, and Tromsø (cidade)**. Its official municipal website is provided in Norwegian: https://tromso.kommune.no/.

### Global Identifiers & Data Presence
Tromsø is extensively catalogued in global authority files and geographic databases. Key identifiers include:
*   **GND ID:** 4060994-7 (with a qualifier linking it to Tromsø Municipality).
*   **FAST ID:** 1204408.
*   **VIAF ID:** 159956924.
*   **Geonames ID:** 3133895.
*   **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n79013821.
*   **Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID:** 1048804.
*   **OpenStreetMap Node ID:** 3554636995.
*   **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/11dylqpf8.
*   **WorldCat Entities ID:** E39PBJbRk4cvThMyB8qhJvCCwC.
*   **Who's On First ID:** 101751929.
*   **SSR Place Name Number:** 503295.

Its Wikipedia article, titled "Tromsø," exists across 16 language editions, including Norwegian (no), English (en), Swedish (sv), Russian (ru), and Chinese (zh). The city has a dedicated Commons category: "Tromsø (city)" and associated panoramic imagery.

### Historical Context
The data provides two key temporal anchors for the city's institutional status:
1.  **1794:** The start time for its classification as a *city*.
2.  **1838:** The start time for its role as the *capital of Tromsø Municipality* (following the establishment of formannskapsdistrikter in Norway).

### Visual & Media Representation
The knowledge base includes several referenced images of the city:
*   A central cityscape: `Tromsø_sentrum_(5835702754).jpg`.
*   A view of the cathedral: `Catedral,_Tromsø,_Noruega,_2019-09-04,_DD_45.jpg`.
*   A panoramic view from Telegrafbukta: `Panorama_Telegrafbukta_(17332697475).jpg`.

### Related Entities & Distinctions
*   **Different From:** The entry is explicitly marked as "different_from" **Tromsø Municipality**, clarifying the city-municipality distinction.
*   **Located In:** The city is located within **Tromsø Municipality**.
*   **Capital Of:** The city is the capital of **Tromsø Municipality** and historically of **Troms** and the current **Troms og Finnmark** county.
*   **Category for People:** The category "Category:Births in Tromsø" is associated with the city for notable people born there.
*   **Topic's Main Category:** "Category:Tromsø (city)" is its primary categorization.
*   **ArchInform Location ID:** 54208, linking it to architectural records.

### Data Provenance & References
The structured properties cite specific references for verification:
*   **Area and Elevation:** Referenced to a specific Wikipedia oldid (`859556856`) for the Tromsø (city) article.
*   **Coordinates and Location:** Referenced with a date of `2020-01-02` and an SSR place name number `503295`.
*   **Population:** Referenced to a source with ID `Q2349453`.
*   **Various IDs (FAST, BIBsys, etc.):** Commonly reference a source `Q54919` with a validity date of `2024-01-05` and a linked VIAF ID `159956924`.
*   **Getty TGN ID:** References the direct Getty URI.
*   **ArchInform ID:** References a specific service URL with a validity date of `2025-09-19`.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. BBC Things
3. [Source](http://vocab.getty.edu/tgn/1048804)
4. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)