Balsfjord

5561 ( March 31, 2013 )

Balsfiord ( Northern Sami: Báhccavuona, kvenisch: Paatsivuonon ) is a commune in the Norwegian province (county ) Troms.

The municipality comprises the area around the fjords Malangen and Balsfiord, and landward limits of the peaks of the Lyngen Mountains. The originally settled here seeds were displaced by Norwegians and Finns since the 18th century.

Today, agriculture is still the dominant economic factor. The dairy of the settlement Storsteinnes is one of the largest producers of Geitost ects, the Norwegian goat cheese. In place Nordkjosbotn the European road crossing 6 and 8; it is thus an important travel hub of Northern Norway.

Malangen was the northern boundary of grain cultivation in the Middle Ages.

Local attractions include some 6,000 year old rock carvings near the village of Tennessee, the old Market House of Nordby and a saw mill from the 18th century in Aursfjord.