Tromso

The city of Tromsø is named after the island of Tromsøya, on which it stands. The last element of the city's name comes from "island" (Norwegian: øy, Danish: ø), but the etymology of the first element is uncertain. Several theories exist. One theory holds "Troms-" is derived from the old (uncompounded) name of the island (Old Norse: Trums). Several islands and rivers in Norway have the name Tromsa, and the names of these are probably derived from the word straumr, which means "(strong) current". (The original form must then have been Strums, for the missing s, see Indo-European s-mobile.) The Sámi name of the island, Romsa, is assumed to be a loan from Norse; in Sámi, word-initial consonant clusters are dispreferred. However, an alternative form with the consonant cluster, Tromsa, is in informal use. …

The area has been inhabited since the end of the last ice age. Archeological excavations in Tønsvika, have turned up artefacts and remains of buildings estimated to be 9,000 to 10,000 years old. The area's rich Norse and Sámi heritage is well documented. The Norse chieftain Ohthere, who lived during the 890s, is assumed to have inhabited the southernmost reaches of today's Tromsø municipality. He described himself as living "furthest to the North of all Norwegians" with areas north of this being populated by Sámi. An Icelandic source (Rimbegla) from the 12th century also describes the fjord Malangen in the south of today's Tromsø municipality as a border between Norse and Sámi coastal settlements during that part of the Middle Ages. However, archaeological finds show that the Vikings have been present on the main island itself. …

Tromsø is the 12th largest municipality in Norway with a population of 78,745. The city is home to the world's northernmost university and also houses the northernmost botanical garden and planetarium. The city centre is located on the east side of the Tromsøya island − over 300 kilometres (190 mi) north of the Arctic Circle at 69°40′33″N 18°55′10″E. Suburban areas include Kroken, Tromsdalen (on the mainland, east of Tromsøya), the rest of the Tromsøya island, and the eastern part of the large Kvaløya, west of the Tromsøya island. The Tromsø Bridge and Tromsøysund Tunnel both cross the Tromsøysundet strait connecting the mainland with Tromsøya by road. On the western side of the city, the Sandnessund Bridge connects Tromsøya island with Kvaløya island. The highest point in the municipality is the 1,830.7-metre (6,006 ft) tall mountain Jiehkkevárri. …