Malangen ( or ) is a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1871 until its dissolution in 1964. The old municipality surrounded the Malangen fjord and today that area is divided between several municipalities: Balsfjord, Lenvik, Tromsø, and MÃÂ¥lselv. The administrative centre was the village of Mortenhals where the main church for the municipality, Malangen Church, is located.
Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the municipality was the 244th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Malangen Municipality was the 421st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 2,090. The municipality's population density was and its population had decreased by 7.2% over the previous 10-year period.
The parish of Malangen was established as a municipality on 1 January 1871 when the northern district of Balsfjord Municipality and a small peninsula along the Malangen fjord that belonged to Lenvik Municipality were separated to form the new municipality of Malangen. The initial population of Malangen was 1,425. On 1 January 1873, an area in the northern part of Malangen Municipality (population: 287) was transferred to the neighboring Tromsøysund Municipality. In 1891, a small area around the village of MÃÂ¥lsnes in MÃÂ¥lselv Municipality (population: 30) was transferred to Malangen Municipality.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Malangen Municipality ceased to exist. The peninsula including the Navaren and MÃÂ¥lsnes areas (population: 118) were transferred to the neighboring MÃÂ¥lselv Municipality. The remaining areas of Malangen (population: 1,940) were transferred back into Balsfjord Municipality.
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the local Malangen fjord (). The first element is which comes from the Old High German word which means "bag" or "leather bag" which may refer to the baggy shape of the fjord. The same word mál is probably also the origin of the name of the MÃÂ¥lselva, the big river that enters the fjord from the MÃÂ¥lselvdalen and Bardudalen valleys (the neighboring MÃÂ¥lselv Municipality has a similar etymology). The last element of the name is which means "inlet" or "narrow fjord".
The Church of Norway had one parish () within Malangen Municipality. It was part of the Balsfjord prestegjeld and the Indre Troms prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nord-HÃÂ¥logaland.
The Saga of Haakon Haakonarson mentions that in 1242 the king allowed refugees from Bjarmaland (since they were attacked by the Tatars - ) to settle in the area of Malangen.
The highest point in the municipality was the tall mountain MÃÂ¥rfjellet on the border with Balsfjord Municipality and MÃÂ¥lselv Municipality.
While it existed, Malangen Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the HÃÂ¥logaland Court of Appeal.
The municipal council of Malangen Municipality was made up of 19 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
The mayor () of Malangen Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position: