Sandsøya or Sandsøy is an island in Harstad Municipality in Troms county, Norway. The 10.8-square-kilometre (4.2 sq mi) island lies east of the island of Grytøya and southeast of the island of Bjarkøya. The highest point on the island is the 212-metre (696 ft) mountain Veten. In 2017, Sandsøya had 91 inhabitants.[1]

Sandsøya
View of the village harbour in Sandsøy
Sandsøya is located in Troms
Sandsøya
Sandsøya
Location of the island
Sandsøya is located in Norway
Sandsøya
Sandsøya
Sandsøya (Norway)
Geography
LocationTroms, Norway
Coordinates68°57′17″N 16°41′45″E / 68.9548°N 16.6958°E / 68.9548; 16.6958
Area10.8 km2 (4.2 sq mi)
Length5 km (3.1 mi)
Width4.5 km (2.8 mi)
Highest elevation212 m (696 ft)
Highest pointVeten
Administration
Norway
CountyTroms
MunicipalityHarstad Municipality
Demographics
Population91 (2017)
Pop. density8.4/km2 (21.8/sq mi)

The island settlement is a very old trading post and church village, a part of the former municipality of Bjarkøy which existed until 2013. Sandsøy Church is located on the western side of the island in the village of Sandsøy. The other village on the island is Slakstad on the eastern part of the island.

There was a ferry link that formerly went between Altevik on Sandsøya, Fenes on Grytøya, and Austnes on Bjarkøya. The Bjarkøy Fixed Link replaced the ferry routes linked Sandsøya and Grytøya with a bridge and linked Grytøya and Bjarkøya with an undersea tunnel. The bridge and tunnel will open in late 2018.[1][2] There is also a connection by the Hurtigruten boat from Sandsøya to Harstad, Austnes, and Senja.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (2018-02-21). "Sandsøya". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2018-09-01.
  2. ^ "Fv. 867 / Fv. 125 Bjarkøyforbindelsene" (in Norwegian). Statens Vegvesen. Retrieved 17 August 2012.