The 1,130.6-square-kilometre (436.5sqmi) municipality is the 98th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Åmli Municipality is the 295th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,805. The municipality's population density is 1.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (4.4/sqmi) and its population has decreased by 2.3% over the previous 10-year period.
General information
View of the river NidelvaOld Stolpehus in the Tovdal valleyÅmli Church beneath a large mountainside
Administrative history
The parish of Omlid (later spelled "Aamli" or "Åmli") was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In 1876, Omlid Municipality was divided as follows: the southern district (population: 663) became the new Mykland Municipality and the northern district (population: 2,564) continued as a smaller Omlid Municipality.
On 1 January 1908, Aamli Municipality was divided into three municipalities as follows:
the northern district surrounding the Gjøv river valley (population: 590) became the new Gjevedal Municipality
the eastern district (population: 2,024) continued as a much smaller Aamli Municipality
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1960, Åmli Municipality (population: 1,947) and Gjøvdal Municipality (population: 362) were merged to form an enlarged Åmli Municipality.
On 1 January 1962, the Espestølsgrenda area (pop: 7) was transferred from Åmli Municipality (and Aust-Agder county) to the neighboring Nissedal Municipality (in Telemark county). On 1 January 1965, several uninhabited areas (the Espestøl, Reinefoss, and Espestølstykket farms) were also transferred Åmli Municipality (and Aust-Agder county) to the neighboring Nissedal Municipality (in Telemark county).
On 1 January 1967, Åmli Municipality (population: 2,050) and Tovdal Municipality (population: 161) were merged to form an enlarged Åmli Municipality. On 1 January 1968, the Flateland farm (population: 6) was transferred from Åmli Municipality to the neighboring Froland Municipality.
In 2020, there were many municipal and county mergers across Norway due to the work of the Solberg cabinet. Historically, this municipality was part of the old Aust-Agder county. On 1 January 2020, the municipality became a part of the newly-formed Agder county (after Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder counties were merged).
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Åmli farm (Old Norse: Almlíð) since the first Åmli Church was built there. The first element is almr which means "elm tree" or "elm wood". The last element is hlíð which means "slope" or "hillside". Historically, the name was historically spelled Omlid before being changed to Aamli.
On 21 December 1917, a royal resolution enacted the 1917 Norwegian language reforms. Prior to this change, the name was spelled Aamli with the digraph "Aa", and after this reform, the name was spelled Åmli, using the letter Å instead.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 23 October 1987. The official blazon is "Azure, a beaver rampantregardantargent" (Norwegian: På blå grunn ein oppreist sølv bever med hovudet vendt bakover). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a beaver. The beaver has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white or gray, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The beaver was chosen because the Åmli area was one of the few remaining beaver habitats in Europe. By the late 19th century, only about 100 beavers were left in Europe, mostly in the Åmli area. They were protected and after World War I, the beavers from this area have been used to help re-populate other areas in Europe where the beaver had gone extinct in the wild. The arms were designed by Odd Einar Ufsvatn who won a competition for designing the arms. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.
The most densely populated area is around the municipal center of Åmli, which lies on the banks of the river Nidelva. The village has about 682 residents (in 2017). Side valleys which join the main valley include Gjøvdal and Tovdal. The rivers Nidelva and Tovdalselva flow through the valleys.
In the southern part of the municipality the Sørlandsbanen railway line passes through the area, stopping at the Nelaug Station. The largest villages in Åmli include Dølemo, Nelaug, Hillestad, and Askland. The rest of the population is scattered among the valleys.
The Åmli hills are wooded and typically range from 700 to 800 metres (2,300 to 2,600ft) above sea level. The highest point in the municipality is the 929.27-metre (3,048.8ft) tall mountain Trongedalsnuten which lies between the Tovdal and Gjøvdal valleys. Several lakes are located in Åmli including Måvatn, Nasvatn, and Nelaug.
There are several protected areas, for instance, the Årdalen nature reserve, bordering on the Rukkevatn nature reserve, and the Furubuhei marsh reserve, provide approximately 43 square kilometres (17sqmi) of nature reserves.
Climate
Situated inland in Agder county, Nelaug has a humid continental climate or temperate oceanic climate, depending on winter threshold used (0°C (32°F) or −3°C (27°F). The all-time high is 32°C (90°F) set 10 August 1975, a month with 8 days above 30°C (86°F). The warmest month on record is July 2018 with mean 20.8°C (69.4°F). The all-time low is −35°C (−31°F) recorded 10 February 1966.
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Åmli Municipality is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.
Note: Originally, after the election, there were 2 members from Høgre and 8 members of the Senterpartiet. In 2021, one member switched parties from Høgre to the Arbeidarpartiet. In 2022, another member switched parties from Arbeidarpartiet to Senterpartiet.
The mayor (Nynorsk: ordførar) of Åmli Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
Lumber production in Åmli provides for about 12% of the old Aust-Agder county's total timber production making it the third most import source of timber in Aust-Adger (after Froland and Birkenes). Agriculture, including sheep husbandry, provides a minor contribution to the economy.
Electrical power is generated by a hydroelectric plant at Flatefoss, which regulates the level of the lake, Nelaug.
The newspaper Åmliavisa has been published in Åmli since 2008.
↑Thorsnæs, Geir; Lauritzen, Per Roger, eds. (5 March 2026). "Åmli". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
↑Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
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