Lofoten Islands

Area: 1308sq.km/505sq.mi

Population: 27,000

Telephone code: 088

The Lofotens - the Norwegian name Lofoten is singular (Lofot + the definite article -en) - are a chain of hilly islands strung out from northeast to southwest and separated from the mainland by the Vestfjord. The four main islands of Austvågøy, Vestvågøy, Moskenesøy and Flakstadøy, together with a number of medium-sized islands, lie so close together that they appear from a distance to be a single long jagged range of mountains. The main islands are surrounded by a swarm of stacks and skerries, and are indented by numerous inlets and fjords with rock walls up to 1,000m/3,300ft high. The mountains are of Alpine type with characteristic steep-sided summits (highest point 1,266m/4,154ft), bare and often snow-capped. Fauna and flora; climate

At numerous points on the islands there are cliffs and crags on which large numbers of seabirds nest. There are few trees. Near the coasts of the islands are bogs, lakes, pastureland and some areas of arable land. The climate is wet, but mild in winter.

Economy

The main sources of income are fishing and its associated industries. There is also a certain amount of sheep-farming, and mink-farming has been introduced in recent years. Tourism also makes a significant contribution to the economy at all times of year; holiday accommodation can be rented in fishermen's huts (rorbuer), either old-style (with very limited amenities) or modernized.

Fishing and fish-processing

The fishing season in the Lofotens, for which thousands of fishermen gather with their boats, is from the beginning of February to the middle of April. The main catch is cod (Norwegian torsk). From the beginning of January the cod - predatory fish which normally live deep in the Atlantic - head for coastal waters in long shoals many feet deep to spawn. The depth at which they swim depends on the temperature of the water, ranging between 100m/330ft and 300m/990ft.

Once landed, the cod are cut into sections (rundfisk) or split lengthwise (klippet), and the head and guts are removed. They are then hung up on timber racks (hjeller) to dry, remaining on the racks until June (tørrfisk, stockfish), or they are salted and laid out on the rocks (klippfisk), and then piled up in heaps, which are covered to protect them from rain. Some of the fish are not dried but are salted in barrels (laberdan). The heads are used to make fertilizers, the roes are canned and the livers are used to make codliver oil.