Gamvik (village)

Gamvik
Village
View of the village (looking north)
View of the village (looking north)
Map
Gamvik is located in Finnmark
Gamvik
Gamvik
Gamvik is located in Norway
Gamvik
Gamvik
Coordinates: 71°03′49″N 28°14′48″E / 71.06361°N 28.24667°E / 71.06361; 28.24667
CountryNorway
RegionNorthern Norway
CountyFinnmark
DistrictØst-Finnmark
MunicipalityGamvik Municipality
Area
 • Total0.24 km2 (0.09 sq mi)
Elevation5 m (16 ft)
Population
 (2023)[1]
 • Total218
 • Density908/km2 (2,350/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Post Code
9775 Gamvik

Gamvik is a fishing village in Gamvik Municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The village is located on the northern shore of the Nordkinn Peninsula, along the Barents Sea. The village is the second largest settlement in Gamvik municipality, after the municipal centre of Mehamn which is located about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) to the west. Gamvik is home to the Gamvik Museum and Gamvik Church. The village is an old church site with churches located here since at least the 1850s.[3] The 0.24-square-kilometre (59-acre) village has a population (2023) of 218 and a population density of 908 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,350/sq mi).[1]

The village was historically only accessible by boat, but due to the poor harbor conditions, the daily Hurtigruten steamers had to drop anchor a little way out from the shore and then smaller boats had to ferry people into the village. In the 1970s, Gamvik Airport was built and in the 1980s, Norwegian County Road 888 was built from Lebesby through Mehamn and on to Gamvik.

While Grense Jakobselv is the settlement farthest away from the capital Oslo, if international routes (through Sweden and Finland) are included, Gamvik is the place in Norway with longest road distance from Oslo: 2,040 kilometres (1,270 mi).

Slettnes Lighthouse is located about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north of the village, and it is the northernmost mainland lighthouse in Norway. Slettnes nature reserve is also located north of the village and it is an important breeding ground for a large number of bird species, and it is home to the second largest colony of parasitic jaegers. The remains of the old Gamvik Airport as well as some ruins of World War II fortifications are found to the north of the village.

  1. ^ a b c Statistisk sentralbyrå (2023-12-23). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
  2. ^ "Gamvik" (in Norwegian). yr.no. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
  3. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Gamvik kirke" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2013-02-23.