Molde Municipality

Molde Municipality (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈmɔ̂ɫdə] ) is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Molde which is also the administrative centre of Møre og Romsdal county, the commercial hub of the Romsdal region, and the seat of the Diocese of Møre. Other main population centres in the municipality include the villages of Hjelset, Kleive, Nesjestranda, Midsund, Nord-Heggdal, Eidsvåg, Raudsand, Boggestranda, Myklebostad, Eresfjord, and Eikesdalen. The 1,503-square-kilometre (580 sq mi) municipality is the 56th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Molde is the 32nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 32,816. The municipality's population density is 21.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (56/sq mi) and its population has increased by 5.6% over the previous 10-year period. Molde has a maritime, temperate climate, with cool-to-warm summers, and relatively mild winters. The city of Molde is nicknamed The City of Roses. Molde is a centre for Norwegian textile and garment industry as well as a major tourist destination. Molde was originally the name of a farm by a natural harbour, which grew into a timber trading port in the late 16th century. Formal trading rights were introduced before 1604, and the town was incorporated as a kjøpstad through a royal charter in 1742. The town of Molde was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law) and over the years, the municipality has grown significantly in area such that the municipality is now vastly larger than the urban city of Molde.