Frei Municipality

Frei Municipality
Frei kommune
Fredø herred  (historic name)
Møre og Romsdal within Norway
Frei within Møre og Romsdal
Coordinates: 63°03′45″N 07°48′11″E / 63.06250°N 7.80306°E / 63.06250; 7.80306
CountryNorway
CountyMøre og Romsdal
DistrictNordmøre
Established1 Jan 1838
  Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Disestablished1 Jan 2008
  Succeeded byKristiansund Municipality
Administrative centreRensvik
Government
  Mayor (1999–2007)Maritta B. Ohrstrand (Sp)
Area
 (upon dissolution)
  Total
64.80 km2 (25.02 sq mi)
  Land63.69 km2 (24.59 sq mi)
  Water1.11 km2 (0.43 sq mi)  1.7%
  Rank#410 in Norway
Highest elevation
629.23 m (2,064.40 ft)
Population
 (2007)
  Total
5,428
  Rank#184 in Norway
  Density83.8/km2 (217/sq mi)
  Change (10 years)
 +6.8%
DemonymFreiøying
Official language
  Norwegian formNeutral
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1556

Frei is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The 65-square-kilometre (25 sq mi) municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2008 when it was incorporated into Kristiansund Municipality. It was located between the Kvernesfjorden and Freifjorden, primarily including the island of Frei and the smaller surrounding islands.

The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Rensvik, the largest village on the island, located on the northern end of the island. Other main villages that were in Frei Municipality included the villages of Nedre Frei and Storbakken, both located on the southern end of the island and the village of Kvalvåg, located on the eastern side of the island. The main church for the municipality was Frei Church, located in the village of Nedre Frei.

Prior to its dissolution in 2008, the 64.8-square-kilometre (25.0 sq mi) municipality was the 410th largest by area out of the 431F municipalities in Norway. Frei Municipality was the 184th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 5,428. The municipality's population density was 83.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (217/sq mi) and its population had increased by 6.8% over the previous 10-year period.