alta in finnmark in norway

Original
Alta was populated only by the Laps (samene). It is not known from where the Laps came, but the Laps language is vaguely related to Finnish, even though the Laps where living here long before the Finns came.

But there is not just Norwegian's and Laps in Finnmark.
At the end of the 1700 century a large immigration of Finns (or Kvæner as they are called) came to Norway. Famine in Finland resulted in a large emigration towards the fishrich Barent sea. The Finns (Kvænene) maintained their language and their traditions.
There are still people in Finnmark that has Kvænsk as their native language.

About Alta
Anything you would like to know about Alta? How many people lives in Alta? Are there many snowscooters in Alta? Here you may find the answers to some of your questions (if you still have more questions just fill inn the Contact us form and we will get back to you.

Trade and industry
- Close to 65% of the people in Alta are working in public and private services, or in trading and in the hotel Industry.
- The business community in Alta has a turnover at close to 1.5 billions kroner a year. That is more than the cities Hammerfest and Kirkenes has together.
- The city of Alta are the largest employer in the county with more than 1000 man-labour year - 3/4 of these are women.
Each year some 60 000 tourists and other travelers are visiting Alta.

The county
- Alta county had a budget of more than 700 million kroner for the year 2001
- The county has about 200 km with water pipes in Alta,
- There are about 150 km with sewer pipes.
- There are about 6000 road lights in the county.
- The people in Alta is throwing away more than 10 000 tons of garbage each year.

Health
- Alta helsesenter (local hospital) had in 1998:
17 350 medical treatments
13 120 miner services
417 social services
7 500 consultations in school health services
1 571 consultations at the vaccine services
18 769 treatments with physiotherapist and ergotherapist (county and private).

Culture
- Alta Museum has more than 60 000 visitors every year. The museum are the only one in Norway that has won the highest museum reward in Europe, European Museum of the Year (in 1993).
- Alta cinema has about 35 000 visitors each year.
- 65 000 books , videos, CD`s and tapes are being lent out from Alta Library every year.
- The Church of Alta are the oldest standing building in Alta. It was build in 1858. Most of the buildings in Alta was burned during the second world war

Climate
- The average temperature in January is -8,7 Celsius
- The average temperature in July is 13,4° Celsius
- Each year Alta gets about 400 mm rainfall, witch is less than two fall months in Bergen and about the same as in Sahara.

Info from Alta Kommune

Communication
- About 200 000 people are using Alta Airport every year.
- About 500 000 tons of gods are being handled at Alta Port every year.
- About half of this is nefelin Syenitt from the mines at Stjernøya.
- There are about 8000 registrated cars in Alta, and about 2500 snowmobiles (snowscooters)

Population
- On January 1 2001 there was 17 079 living in Alta
- The population has increased with more than 6100 since the 1970`s
- There was 105 fewer women then men in Alta by the year 2001.
- Alta has more children between 0-5 than almost any county in Norway.

More facts about Alta is available at: Statistisk Sentralbyrås faktaark

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