Editing Larvik (section)

{{short description|Municipality in Vestfold, Norway}}
{{about|the municipality in Norway|the town within this municipality|Larvik (town)|other uses|Larvik (disambiguation)}}
{{distinguish|text=[[Lerwick]], chief port in Shetland also called Larvik}}
{{Infobox kommune
|name                   = Larvik
|nickname               = Bakkebyen, The Hilly City
|native_name            = 
|native_name_lang       = 
|other_name             = 
|former_name            = 
|image_skyline          = Larvik torg sett mot gaten Larvik torg.jpg
|image_caption          = Larvik town square, 2008
|idnumber               = 3909
|county                 = Vestfold
|district               = 
|capital                = [[Larvik (town)|Larvik]]
|established            = 1 Jan 1838
|preceded               = none
|demonyms               = Larviking<br />Larviker<br />Larvikar
|language               = Neutral
|coatofarms             = Larvik komm 2018.svg
|flag                   = none
|webpage                = www.larvik.kommune.no
|mayor                  = Birgitte Gulla Løken
|mayor_party            = [[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]]
|mayor_as_of            = 2023
|area_rank              = 140
|area_total_km2         = 812.88
|area_land_km2          = 771.41
|area_water_km2         = 41.47
|area_water_percent     = 5.1
|population_as_of       = 2023
|population_rank        = 21
|population_total       = 48,246
|population_density_km2 = 62.5
|population_increase    = 5.9
|coordinates            = {{coord|59|4|52|N|10|0|59|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}}
|utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6549532 | utm_easting = 0558263 | geo_cat = adm2nd
}}

'''Larvik''' ({{IPA|no-NO-03|ˈlɑ̂rviːk|lang|Larvik.ogg}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Berulfsen |first=Bjarne |title=Norsk Uttaleordbok |publisher=[[Aschehoug|H. Aschehoug & Co (W Nygaard)]] |year=1969 |location=Oslo |page=194 |language=no}}</ref> is a [[List of municipalities of Norway|municipality]] in [[Vestfold]] county, [[Norway]]. It is located in the [[Traditional districts of Norway|traditional district]] of [[Vestfold]]. The [[administrative centre]] of the municipality is the [[Larvik (town)|city of Larvik]]. Other main population centres in the municipality include the town of [[Stavern]] and the villages of [[Gjone]], [[Helgeroa]], [[Hem, Norway|Hem]], [[Kjose]], [[Kvelde]], [[Nevlunghavn]], [[Skinmo]], [[Svarstad]], [[Ula, Norway|Ula]], [[Verningen]], and [[Tjøllingvollen]].<ref name="snl">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Larvik |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/Larvik |date=2023-08-15 |editor-last=Thorsnæs |editor-first=Geir |language=no |editor2-last=Lundbo |editor2-first=Sten |editor3-last=Mæhlum |editor3-first=Lars |accessdate=2023-11-11}}</ref>

The {{convert|813|km2|adj=on}} municipality is the 140th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Larvik is the 21st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 48,246. The municipality's [[population density]] is {{convert|62.5|PD/km2}} and its population has increased by 5.9% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb pop">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/ |language=Norwegian}}</ref><ref name="ssb area">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/09280/ |language=Norwegian}}</ref>

The [[Larvik (town)|city of Larvik]] achieved [[Kjøpstad|market town status]] in 1671, but it did not become a self-governing municipality until 1 January 1838 when the [[formannskapsdistrikt]] law went into effect.<ref name="DK">{{Cite book |last=Evensberget |first=Snorre |title=DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Norway |publisher=Penguin |year=2014 |isbn=9781465432469 |page=129}}</ref>

Larvik is known as the hometown of [[Thor Heyerdahl]].<ref name="Cap">{{Cite book |last1=Lund |first1=Arild |title=Larvik |last2=Jørgensen |first2=Charlotte |publisher=Capella Media |year=2001 |isbn=9788299606912}}</ref>{{rp|30}} It is also home to ''[[Bøkeskogen]]'', the northernmost beech tree forest in the world. Larvik is the home of Norway's only natural mineral water spring, Farriskilden.<ref name="DK" /><ref name="HKB">{{Cite book |last=Bertelsen |first=Hans Kristian |title=Bli kjent med Vestfold / Become acquainted with Vestfold |publisher=Stavanger Offset AS |year=1998 |isbn=9788290636017 |pages=63–65}}</ref> ''Farris Bad'', located in Larvik, has been described as one of the best spas in [[Europe]].<ref name="LPN">{{Cite book |last1=Ham |first1=Anthony |title=Lonely Planet Norway |last2=Butler |first2=Stuart |publisher=Lonely Planet |year=2015 |isbn=9781742202075 |page=91}}</ref> It has the largest spa department in Scandinavia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Farris Bad |url=https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/farris-bad/186601/ |website=VisitNorway.com}}</ref>