Editing Arendal

{{short description|Municipality in Agder, Norway}}
{{about|the municipality of Arendal|the town/city of Arendal|Arendal (town)}}
{{Infobox kommune
|name                   = Arendal
|native_name            = 
|native_name_lang       = 
|other_name             = 
|former_name            = 
|image_skyline          = Arendal Utsikt 02.JPG
|image_caption          = View of Arendal's city centre in August 2006
|county                 = Agder
|idnumber               = 4203
|district               = Sørlandet
|capital                = [[Arendal (town)|Arendal]]
|established            = 1 Jan 1838
|preceded               = none
|demonym                = Arendalitt
|language               = Bokmål
|webpage                = www.arendal.kommune.no
|mayor                  = Robert Cornels Nordli
|mayor_party            = [[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]]
|mayor_as_of            = 2015
|area_rank              = 273
|area_total_km2         = 270.19
|area_land_km2          = 255.14
|area_water_km2         = 15.05
|area_water_percent     = 5.6
|population_as_of       = 2023
|population_rank        = 24
|population_total       = 45891
|population_density_km2 = 179.9
|population_increase    = 5.9
|coordinates            = {{coord|58|27|39|N|08|45|59|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}}
|utm_zone = 32V |utm_northing = 6482449 |utm_easting = 0487326 | geo_cat = town(39,495)}}

'''Arendal''' ({{IPA|no-NO-03|ˈɑ̂ːɳɖɑːɫ|-|Arendal.ogg}}) is a [[List of municipalities of Norway|municipality]] in [[Agder]] [[counties of Norway|county]] in southeastern [[Norway]]. Arendal belongs to the [[Districts of Norway|region]] of [[Southern Norway|Sørlandet]]. The [[administrative centre]] of the municipality is the [[Arendal (town)|city of Arendal]] (which is also the seat of [[Agder]] county). Some of the notable villages in Arendal include [[Rykene]], [[Eydehavn]], [[Færvik]], [[Strengereid]], [[Kongshavn]], [[Kilsund]], [[Brattekleiv]], Torsbudalen, [[Longum, Aust-Agder|Longum]], [[Saltrød]], [[Staubø]], [[Vrengen, Aust-Agder|Vrengen]], and [[Kolbjørnsvik]]. The offices of [[UNEP/GRID-Arendal]] are also located in the city of Arendal.<ref name="snl">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Arendal |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/Arendal |access-date=2017-12-09 |date=2017-06-21 |editor-last=Thorsnæs |editor-first=Geir |language=no}}</ref>

The {{convert|270|km2|adj=on}} municipality is the 273rd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Arendal is the 24th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 45,891. The municipality's [[population density]] is {{convert|179.9|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>

==General information==
[[File:Arendal from ocean.jpg|thumb|left|Arendal viewed from the harbour]]
[[File:Arendal-Nidelva-a.JPG|thumb|left|River Nidelva in Arendal]]

===Municipal history===
The town of Arendal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see [[formannskapsdistrikt]] law). On 1 January 1875, a small area with 22 inhabitants was transferred from the town to the neighboring municipality of [[Austre Moland|Østre Moland]] and another small area with 52 residents was transferred to the neighboring municipality of [[Øyestad]].<ref name="Dag">{{Cite book |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}</ref>

On 1 January 1902, the rural municipality of [[Barbu, Norway|Barbu]] (population: 6,787) was merged into the town of Arendal. In 1944, a small area of [[Moland]] with a population of 21 inhabitants was transferred to Arendal as well. On 1 January 1992, the town was vastly expanded. The neighboring rural municipalities of [[Hisøy]] (pop: 4,026), [[Moland]] (pop: 8,148), [[Tromøy]] (pop: 4,711), and [[Øyestad]] (pop: 8,679) were all merged with the town of Arendal which had a population of 12,478, bringing the total population of the new municipality of Arendal to 38,042.<ref name="Dag" />

===Origin of the name===
The [[Old Norse]] form of the name was probably {{lang|non|Arnardalr}}. The first element is the [[genitive case]] of {{wikt-lang|non|ǫrn}} which means "[[eagle]]". The last element is {{wikt-lang|non|dalr}} which means "[[valley]]" or "dale", thus meaning the "valley of the eagle".<ref name="snl" />

A link for the name also has been theorized to the [[Vasconic substrate hypothesis]], for similarity to placenames like [[Val d'Aran]] and [[Arundel]].{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

===Coat of arms===
The [[coat of arms]] was granted on 7 November 1924 (based upon an older seal). The [[blazon]] is ''"Per fess, [[Azure (heraldry)|Azure]] with a three-masted ship argent over barry wavy of seven [[argent]] and [[azure (heraldry)|azure]]"''. This means the arms have a blue [[field (heraldry)|field]] (background) and the [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] is an 18th-century, three-masted [[sailing ship]] above seven, thin, wavy stripes. The charge has a [[tincture (heraldry)|tincture]] of [[argent]] which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms usually have a gold [[mural crown]] above the shield. The design was chosen as a symbol for the importance of [[Fishery|fisheries]] and [[sailing]] to the local economy. A ship appeared on the oldest known seal of the town, dating back to the 17th century. In the late 19th and early 20th century the arms showed the [[ship]] in the upper part and a landscape with the [[coat of arms of Norway]] in the base of the [[shield]]. The arms were designed by Miss C. Aubert who based it off a draft by Fred Barth. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Arendal |access-date=2023-07-10 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Arendal, Aust-Agder (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-09-06.html |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Flags of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Byvåpenet |url=https://www.arendal.kommune.no/politikk-og-organisasjon/velkommen-til-arendal-en-sorlandsperle/historie-og-fakta-om-arendal/byvapenet/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220183849/https://www.arendal.kommune.no/politikk-og-organisasjon/velkommen-til-arendal-en-sorlandsperle/historie-og-fakta-om-arendal/byvapenet/ |archive-date=20 December 2019 |access-date=2017-12-09 |publisher=Arendal kommune |language=no}}</ref>

===Churches===
[[File:Arendal Trefoldighetskirke a.jpg|thumb|right|[[Trinity Church (Arendal)]]]]
The [[Church of Norway]] has six parishes ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Arendal. It is part of the [[Arendal prosti]] ([[deanery]]) in the [[Diocese of Agder og Telemark]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Arendal'''''
!Parish ({{lang|no|sokn}})!!Church name!!Location of the church!!Year built
|-
|rowspan="1"|Barbu||[[Barbu Church]]||[[Barbu, Norway|Barbu]]||1880
|-
|rowspan="1"|Hisøy||[[Hisøy Church]]||[[His, Aust-Agder|His]]||1849
|-
|rowspan="3"|Moland||[[Austre Moland Church]]||[[Brekka]]||1673
|-
|[[Flosta Church]]||[[Flostaøya]]||1632
|-
|[[Stokken Church]]||[[Saltrød]]||1878
|-
|rowspan="1"|Trefoldighet||[[Trinity Church (Arendal)|Trinity Church]]||[[Arendal (town)|Arendal]]||1888
|-
|rowspan="2"|Tromøy||[[Færvik Church]]||[[Færvik]]||1884
|-
|[[Tromøy Church]]||[[Brekka, Tromøy|Brekka]]||{{Circa|1150}}
|-
|rowspan="3"|Øyestad||[[Bjorbekk Church]]||[[Bjorbekk]]||1884
|-
|[[Engene Church]]||[[Nedenes]]||1849
|-
|[[Øyestad Church]]||[[Rykene]]||{{Circa|1200}}
|}

==History==
[[File:Kart over Arendal 1897 - No-nb krt 01249.jpg|thumb|right|Map of Arendal from 1897]]
[[File:Parti fra Arendal, 1902 - no-nb digifoto 20160316 00013 bldsa fFA00284.jpg|thumb|right|View of Arendal in 1902]]
The village of Arendal was established in the middle of the 16th century, and was then called ''Arendall''. Initially, it had no formal town status.

When the town of [[Kristiansand|Christianssand]] was founded by King [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]] in 1641, he granted the citizens a monopoly on all trade in [[Aust-Agder|Nedenæs]] and [[Vest-Agder|Lister og Mandal]] counties (including the area of Arendal). This grant, intended to subsidize Christianssand and its fortifications, placed existing towns in a difficult position. Both towns and the peasants in the rural countryside protested the hardships this caused. As a result, Arendal received royal permission in 1622 to continue as a loading-place for timber until a means could be found to transfer its trade to Christianssand.

The town of Arendal was given [[Market town|market city]] privileges in 1723. However the peasants in the surrounding district, who by law were to sell their goods only at Arendal, were smuggling their goods out on cutters and selling them in [[Denmark]], in the [[Baltic region|Baltic]], and in [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]].

This continued until 1735, when Arendal was granted a full town charter. This charter, combined with Danish imposition of a monopoly on grain imports, caused great [[poverty]] and starvation among the peasants in the surrounding districts, leading to several famous rebellions.

As a result of the rebellions, the age of privileges for towns like Christianssand and Arendal came to an apparent end in 1768 by royal [[proclamation]]. But the problems did not end then; a farmer, [[Christian Jensen Lofthuus]], in nearby [[Vestre Moland]] led a rebellion in 1786 which resulted in the government actually remedying some of the most repressive trade policies, but Lofthus died in prison. The charges against Lofthus were that he dealt in grain and other commodities to the detriment to Arendal's privileges.

[[Shipping]], [[shipbuilding]], and [[lumber|timber]] trade as well as [[mining]] and [[ironworks]] were important branches of industry in Nedenæs county for many centuries, especially in the Arendal region. Frequent contacts with the world abroad put their mark on the local culture and traditions. In 1880, it was the country's biggest port in terms of tonnage handled. At the end of the 19th century, Arendal was recognized as a major shipping centre with many wealthy shipowners. However, this came to an end following the 1886 [[Arendal crash]], in which [[Axel Nicolai Herlofson]] had defrauded many bank customers in the city, leading to bankruptcies and extreme unemployment.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Torstveit |first=Johannes G. |year=2012 |title=Storsvindel bankkrakk og nytt politisk parti 1886–88 |work=Arendals Tidende |location=Arendal |language=no}}</ref> At one point in the middle of the 18th century, Arendal was one of Norway's biggest mining towns. The main production consisted of [[iron ore]] and [[magnetite]].

Around the turn of the twentieth century, when thousands of Norwegians sought to take advantage of the more stable economic climate of the [[United States]] by emigrating, many of those from Arendal took their economic traditions with them. In New York City and the surrounding areas, a great deal of Americans who claim Norwegian ancestry can trace their roots to Arendal, as a great deal of Norwegian sailors, trimmers, shipbuilders, and carpenters from Arendal settled in areas of New York such as [[Brooklyn]], [[Port Richmond, Staten Island|Port Richmond]] ([[Staten Island]]), and several industrial centers in northern [[New Jersey]] such as [[Jersey City]], [[Bayonne, New Jersey|Bayonne]], [[Perth Amboy]], and [[Elizabeth, New Jersey|Elizabeth]]. In 1939, Arendal had the 4th largest Norwegian [[tanker (ship)|tanker fleet]]; only [[Oslo]], [[Bergen]], and [[Stavanger]] were larger.

During the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, [[Capture of Arendal|Arendal was captured]] by the German torpedo boat [[German torpedo boat Greif|''Greif'']].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Frøstrup |first=Johan Christian |url=http://www.nb.no/nbsok/nb/aeef5ce785c0fb17bb23de7e6e25a03c?index=0#0 |title=Krigsår: Arendal under okkupasjonen 1940–1945 |publisher=Friluftsforl. |year=1998 |isbn=8291495068 |location=Arendal |page=35 |language=no}}</ref>

Today, the town has small boat manufacturing, mechanical industry, electronics industry, as well as one of the world's largest [[silicon carbide]] refining plants.

The municipality had a prison ([[Arendal Prison]]), however [[Agder Prison]] opened in 2020; Arendal Prison was sold the next year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 September 2020 |title=DN Nyhetsstudio |url=https://direkte.dn.no/nyhetsstudio/#84896}}</ref>

==Government==
Arendal Municipality is responsible for [[primary education]] (through 10th grade), outpatient [[Health care|health services]], [[old age|senior citizen]] services, [[welfare spending|welfare]] and other [[Social work|social services]], [[zoning]], [[economic development]], and municipal [[road]]s and utilities. The municipality is governed by a [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] of [[Direct election|directly elected]] representatives. The [[mayor]] is [[Indirect election|indirectly elected]] by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |language=Norwegian |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene |accessdate=2022-10-14}}</ref> The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the [[Agder District Court]] and the [[Agder Court of Appeal]].

===Municipal council===
The [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] ({{lang|no|Kommunestyre}}) of Arendal is made up of 39 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political [[Political party|party]].
{{div col}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 2023
|end                       = 2027
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Agder |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/agder/arendal#seats |access-date=2024-01-28 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = 
|Total                     = 39
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 13
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 7
|Høyre                     = 7
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Pensjonistpartiet         = 1
|Rødt                      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 5
|Venstre                   = 1
|smallparty                = Healthcare Party
|smallparty_no             = Helsepartiet
|smallparty_number         = 1
|smallparty_color          = #ff9933
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 2019
|end                       = 2023
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2019 – Agder |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/agder/arendal#seats |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 39
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 11
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 5
|Grønne                    = 1
|Høyre                     = 8
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Pensjonistpartiet         = 1
|Rødt                      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|Venstre                   = 1
|smallparty                = [[Health Party (Norway)|Healthcare Party]]
|smallparty_no             = Helsepartiet
|smallparty_number         = 1
|smallparty_color          = orange
|otherparty                = Hove List
|otherparty_no             = Hovelista
|otherparty_number         = 2
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 2015
|end                       = 2019
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg">{{Cite web |title=Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/04813/ |publisher=Statistics Norway |language=no}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 39
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 15
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 6
|Høyre                     = 8
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 2
|Pensjonistpartiet         = 1
|Grønne                    = 1
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 2011
|end                       = 2015
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2011 – Aust-Agder |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/aust-agder/arendal#seats |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=[[Valgdirektoratet]]}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 39
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 6
|Høyre                     = 12
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Pensjonistpartiet         = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|Venstre                   = 3
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 2007
|end                       = 2011
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 39
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 12
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|Senterpartiet             = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 4
|Venstre                   = 2
|Høyre                     = 6
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 8
|Pensjonistpartiet         = 2
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 2003
|end                       = 2007
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 39
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 9
|Høyre                     = 7
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 4
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 6
|Venstre                   = 1
|Pensjonistpartiet         = 2
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1999
|end                       = 2003
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 39
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 12
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 7
|Høyre                     = 7
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 6
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|Venstre                   = 1
|otherparty                = Cross-party list
|otherparty_no             = Tverrpolitisk liste
|otherparty_number         = 2
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1995
|end                       = 1999
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1996 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1995 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 16
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 6
|Høyre                     = 10
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 6
|Senterpartiet             = 4
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 3
|Venstre                   = 3
|Pensjonistpartiet         = 5
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1991
|end                       = 1995
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1991 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 13
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 3
|Høyre                     = 10
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 4
|Pensjonistpartiet         = 9
|Senterpartiet             = 7
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 4
|Venstre                   = 3
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1987
|end                       = 1991
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1988 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1987 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 19
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 5
|Høyre                     = 15
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 6
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 6
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1983
|end                       = 1987
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1984 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1983 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 19
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 2
|Høyre                     = 18
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 7
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 4
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1979
|end                       = 1983
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1979 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1979 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 18
|Fremskrittspartiet        = 1
|Høyre                     = 19
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 8
|DLF/Sp                    = 2
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 4
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1975
|end                       = 1979
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1977 |title=Kommunevalgene 1975 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a769.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 18
|Høyre                     = 16
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 10
|DLF/Sp                    = 6
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 2
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1971
|end                       = 1975
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1973 |title=Kommunevalgene 1972 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a457.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 23
|Høyre                     = 14
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 7
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Venstre                   = 7
|otherparty                = Socialist common list
|otherparty_no             = Venstresosialistiske felleslister
|otherparty_number         = 1
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1967
|end                       = 1971
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1967 |title=Kommunevalgene 1967 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a214.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo |volume=I}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 23
|Høyre                     = 14
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 6
|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti   = 1
|Venstre                   = 9
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|start                     = 1963
|end                       = 1967
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1964 |title=Kommunevalgene 1963 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 25
|Høyre                     = 15
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 6
|Venstre                   = 7
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1959
|end                       = 1963
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 23
|Høyre                     = 16
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 7
|Venstre                   = 7
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1955
|end                       = 1959
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 53
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 24
|NKP                       = 1
|Høyre                     = 15
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 7
|Venstre                   = 6
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1951
|end                       = 1955
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 22
|NKP                       = 1
|Høyre                     = 14
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 7
|Venstre                   = 8
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1947
|end                       = 1951
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 19
|NKP                       = 3
|Høyre                     = 16
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 6
|Venstre                   = 8
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1945
|end                       = 1947
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 24
|NKP                       = 3
|Høyre                     = 12
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 8
|DRF/V                     = 5
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1937
|end                       = 1941* 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Høyre                     = 19
|Venstre                   = 6
|Avholdspartiet            = 8
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 19
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1934
|end                       = 1937 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1935 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1934 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_057.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Høyre                     = 19
|Nasjonal_Samling          = 3
|Venstre                   = 6
|Avholdspartiet            = 6
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 18
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1931
|end                       = 1934 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1932 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1931 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_viii_186.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Høyre                     = 24
|Venstre                   = 6
|Avholdspartiet            = 7
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 14
|NKP                       = 1
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1928
|end                       = 1931 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1929 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1928 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_viii_093.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 26
|Avholdspartiet            = 11
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 15
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1925
|end                       = 1928 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1926 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1925 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_vii_192.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|H/FV                      = 19
|Avholdspartiet            = 12
|SDA                       = 3
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 11
|Local_Lists               = 7
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1922
|end                       = 1925
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1923 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1922 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_vii_078.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 10
|SDA                       = 3
|H/FV                      = 17
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 3
|Avholdspartiet            = 13
|Local_Lists               = 6
}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Arendal
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1919
|end                       = 1922
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1920 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1919 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_vi_189.pdf |access-date=2020-12-12 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 52
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 10
|H/FV                      = 16
|Avholdspartiet            = 18
|Local_Lists               = 8
}}
{{div col end}}

===Mayors===
The [[Mayor#Scandinavia|mayors]] ({{langx|no|ordfører}}) of Arendal:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Scheel |first=Fredrik |url=https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011051004038 |title=Arendal fra fortid til nutid |publisher=Gyldendalske Bokhandel |year=1923 |location=Arendal, Norge |language=no}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1838–1861: [[Morten Smith Dedekam]] 	
* 1861–1861: Wilhelm Foss 	
* 1862–1862: Johannes Westergaard 	
* 1863–1870: Tollef Omholt 	
* 1871–1871: Anders D. Geelmuyden 	
* 1872–1878: Ole Schrøder ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1879–1879: Peter L. Lund 	
* 1880–1884: Ole Schrøder ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1885–1886: Ove S. Andersen 	
* 1887–1895: Thorvald Christian Christensen ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1896–1898: Claus Bomhoff Evensen 	
* 1899–1901: [[Johan Henrik Kintzell Frøstrup]] ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1902–1907: Axel Smith ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1908–1913: Hans Schrøder 	
* 1914–1916: Michael Blom Bakke 	
* 1917–1919: Josef Hammer 	
* 1920–1924: [[Ove Andersen (politician)|Ove Andersen]] ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1925–1925: [[Halvor Løvold]] ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1926–1931: Oscar Lundegaard 	
* 1932–1934: Nicolai B. Herlofson 	
* 1935–1940: Niels Sødring Barth 	
* 1941–1941: Konrad M. Havig 	
* 1941–1942: Sigurd Saxlund ([[Nasjonal Samling|NS]])
* 1943–1944: Eystein Knutzon ([[Nasjonal Samling|NS]])
* 1945–1945: Carl Hansen ([[Nasjonal Samling|NS]])
* 1945–1945: Niels Sødring Barth 	
* 1946–1947: [[Ola Solberg]] ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1948–1967: Jens T. Thommesen ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1968–1971: Stian W. Erichsen ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
* 1972–1987: Ørnulf G. Christensen ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 1988–1991: Ivar Bollmann Pedersen ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 1992–1995: Einar Livolden ([[Centre Party (Norway)|Sp]])
* 1996–1999: Sigurd Ledaal ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 2000–2003: Alf Eivind Ljøstad ([[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|KrF]])
* 2003–2011: Torill Rolstad Larsen ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
* 2011–2015: Einar Halvorsen ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
* 2015–present: Robert Cornels Nordli ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
{{div col end}}

==Geography==
The municipality is bordered to the southwest by [[Grimstad]], to the northwest by [[Froland]], to the northeast by [[Tvedestrand]], and to the southeast by the [[Skaggerak]]. The lake [[Rore (lake)|Rore]] is located on the Grimstad border along with the river [[Nidelva (Agder)|Nidelva]].

Arendal is the geologic [[type locality (geology)|type locality]] of the mineral [[Babingtonite]], which was first described from specimens discovered here in 1824.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Babingtonite |url=http://www.mindat.org/min-478.html |publisher=Mindat.org}}</ref>

The coastal municipality includes several populated islands such as [[Hisøya]], [[Tromøya]], [[Merdø]], [[Flostaøya]], and [[Tverrdalsøya]] as well as many unpopulated or sparsely populated islands such as [[Ærøya]]. The island of [[Merdø]] was a major export port in the 17th and 18th centuries and now has a [[museum]], a kiosk, and several beaches. There is regular boat service from Arendal to the island every day during the summer season.

==Economy==
In 2018 the service sector had 82% of the jobs in the municipality.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 March 2022 |title=Arendal |url=https://snl.no/Arendal}}</ref> As of 2020, part of the site for [[Eyde Energipark]], an [[industrial park]], has been leveled: 100 ''[[:de:Maal (Einheit)|maal]]'' or 100,000 sq.m. has been [[Levelling|leveled]] for the first phase of construction of a [[battery factory]] (for car batteries and ship batteries), scheduled for 2023.<ref>https://www.nrk.no/sorlandet/legger-batterifabrikk-til-eyde-energipark-i-arendal-1.15300917 "Kommunen har allerede ferdig planert en tomt på 100 mål.Tomta kan utvides til ni ganger så stor etter behov. Byggestart er ventet om drøye to år."</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=22 December 2020 |title=Har valgt sted for Gjelstens giga-batterifabrikk |url=https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/gWva4a/har-valgt-sted-for-gjelstens-giga-batterifabrikk?referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vg.no}}</ref>

==Attractions==
[[File:Lille Torungen.jpg|right|thumb|Lille Torungen Lighthouse]]
[[File:Arendal Strømsbu gard.JPG|thumb|right|Strømsbo gård]]
[[File:NGP2009-9.jpg|thumb|right|The annual [[Norwegian Grand Prix]] for [[F1 Powerboat World Championship|F1 Powerboat Racing]] is held at Arendal]]

===Townscape===
In the middle of the [[Arendal (town)|town centre of Arendal]] is an area with wooden houses dating back to the 17th century. This area is called Tyholmen, and is what is left of buildings from before the 19th century. The inner harbour of Arendal is called "Pollen", where the fish market, pubs, and restaurants are located. [[Trinity Church (Arendal)|Trinity Church]] dominates the skyline of this area.

Arendal has grown from a traditional sleepy summer-town (with culture activities just in the summer) to a more "all year" city.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} The building of the new library and the combined [[Arendal Town Hall|city hall/concert house]] has greatly improved culture life.

===Lighthouses===
The [[Store Torungen Lighthouse]] is located on the island of [[Store Torungen]] outside Arendal. It was constructed in 1844 and electrified in 1914. It is {{convert|34.3|m}} high and contains a 2nd order lens. It is reachable by a 55-minute boat trip from the town centre. The lighthouse is still in use.

The [[Lille Torungen Lighthouse]] is situated on the small island of [[Lille Torungen]] outside Arendal. The lighthouse is {{convert|28.9|m}} high. Lille Torungen and Store Torungen were constructed as twin lighthouses, and both are located in the Arendal [[Sea lane|shipping lane]].

The [[Sandvigodden Lighthouse]] is also located in Arendal.

===Strømsbo gård===
Strømsbo gård is a manor house on a historic farm located west of the center of Arendal. The manor dates from the 1760s. From 1804 the manor and farm were owned by members of the Herlofson family. Peter Herlofson took over the farm and gave the building its present form. In 1883, Axel Herlofsen (1845–1910) built the Strømsbo steam sawmill at the head of Strømsbubukt. Nicolai Benjamin Herlofson (1876–1945), former mayor of Arendal, was born and raised at Strømsbo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Strømsbo gård |url=http://www.kulturminnesok.no/Lokaliteter/Aust-Agder/Arendal/STROEMSBO-GAARD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628180804/http://www.kulturminnesok.no/Lokaliteter/Aust-Agder/Arendal/STROEMSBO-GAARD |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |access-date=February 5, 2016 |publisher=kulturminnesok.no}}</ref>

===Music festivals===
* [[Canal Street (Arendal, Norway)|Canal Street]] is Arendals yearly [[jazz]] and [[blues]] festival during the summer. It has been arranged since 1996, at that time by the name of Arendal Jazz and Blues Festival. The popularity of the arrangement has been steadily increasing. 
* From 2007 until 2014, the [[Hove Festival]] was located on the island of [[Tromøy (island)|Tromøy]] just outside Arendal town. It was the largest festival scene in Norway the debut year, and it has an audience capacity of up to 25,000.

==Transport==
The [[European route E18]] highway is a major transportation route through Arendal heading to [[Oslo]] in the northeast and [[Kristiansand]] to the southwest. Other main roads in Arendal include the [[Norwegian County Road 407]], [[Norwegian County Road 408]], and [[Norwegian County Road 410]]. The [[Regional rail|local railway line]] [[Arendal Line|Arendalsbanen]] runs to [[Nelaug]] where it connects with the main [[Sørlandsbanen]] railway line, which runs between the cities of [[Oslo]] and [[Stavanger]].

The ''Setesdal Bilruter'' (on behalf of public transit authority [[Agder Kollektivtrafikk|AKT]]) provides bus connections throughout the Arendal area, the [[Setesdal|Setesdal region]] including [[Froland]], as well as to the neighboring towns of [[Grimstad (town)|Grimstad]], [[Lillesand (town)|Lillesand]] and [[Kristiansand]], and a handful of their suburbs and outlying villages. A few more destinations can be reached with other bus operators (namely [[Agder Buss]], [[Nettbuss]], [[Konkurrenten.no]], and [[Lavprisekspressen]]), including places such as [[Risør]], [[Tvedestrand]], [[Oslo]], and [[Stavanger]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arendalsområdet |url=http://akt.no/info/reise/rutetabeller/arendalsomraadet/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210175811/http://akt.no/info/reise/rutetabeller/arendalsomraadet/ |archive-date=10 December 2017 |access-date=2017-12-09 |publisher=AKT |language=no}}</ref> There is also a bus connection to [[Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik|Kristiansand Airport]] operated by [[Agder Flyekspress]] and [[Nettbuss express]] (the latter on behalf of [[Flybussen.no]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flybuss |url=http://akt.no/info/reise/flybuss/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210175832/http://akt.no/info/reise/flybuss/ |archive-date=10 December 2017 |access-date=2017-12-09 |publisher=AKT |language=no}}</ref> Ferries run between the city center and the islands of [[Hisøya]] and [[Tromøya]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ferry Tromøy-Arendal-Hisøy |url=https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/southern-norway/arendal/listings-arendal/ferry-trom%C3%B8y-arendal-his%C3%B8y/5415/ |access-date=2017-12-09 |publisher=VisitNorway.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=M/F Kolbjørn III – M/F Kolbjørn III |url=http://www.mfkolbjoern.no/v3/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910171418/http://www.mfkolbjoern.no/v3/ |archive-date=2016-09-10 |access-date=2013-06-27}}</ref> Arendal does also have an airport, [[Arendal Airport, Gullknapp]], although it does not have any commercial airlines regularly stopping here.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arendal lufthavn Gullknapp |url=http://www.gullknapp.no/web.aspx?page=112376 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111044059/http://www.gullknapp.no/web.aspx?page=112376 |archive-date=2019-11-11 |access-date=2017-12-09 |language=no}}</ref>

==Healthcare==
The municipality organises general practitioner services, such as the primary doctor scheme, accident and emergency departments, physiotherapy, public health centers and school medical services, home nursing care, midwifery services and nursing homes or living arrangements for around-the-clock nursing and care. Sørlandet Hospital has a visiting location in Arendal and offers specialist health services in somatics, psychiatry and addiction treatment.

==Climate==
The climate along the southern coast is temperate. Arendal has a significant amount of rainfall during the year. This is true, even for the driest month. The climate here is classified as temperate oceanic (Cfb by the [[Köppen climate classification|Köppen-Geiger system]]). The all-time low is from January 1942, and the all-time high is from June 1995. The average date for the last overnight freeze (low below {{convert|0|°C|1|abbr=on}}) in spring is 11 April<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 May 2012 |title=Siste frostnatt om våren |url=https://www.yr.no/artikkel/siste-frostnatt-om-varen-1.8119060}}</ref> and average date for first freeze in autumn is 17 November<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 September 2013 |title=Første frostnatt |url=https://www.yr.no/artikkel/forste-frostnatt-1.11261900}}</ref> giving a frost-free season of 219 days (1981-2010 average for Torungen). The data is from Torungen, a coastal station. Only slightly further inland, the winters get colder and the summer days get warmer. With southeasterly airflow in winter, the area can get heavy snowfall,<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 February 2007 |title=Sørlandet begravd i snø |url=https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/i/k6KOX/soerlandet-begravd-i-snoe}}</ref> which can interrupt traffic. However, the snow rarely lasts long along the coast. 
{{Weather box
|metric first= yes
|single line = yes
|location = Arendal 1991-2020 (12 m, Torungen lighthouse, precipitation days 1961-90, extremes 1877-2020)
|Jan record high C = 12.2 | Jan record low C = -21.6
|Feb record high C = 15.8 | Feb record low C = -20.9
|Mar record high C = 20.5 | Mar record low C = -18.1
|Apr record high C = 20.9 | Apr record low C = -10.2
|May record high C = 24.6 | May record low C = -2.3
|Jun record high C = 29.2 | Jun record low C = 2.6
|Jul record high C = 28.7 | Jul record low C = 7.5
|Aug record high C = 29 | Aug record low C = 6.1
|Sep record high C = 26.4 | Sep record low C = 1.9
|Oct record high C = 20.3 | Oct record low C = -6.8
|Nov record high C = 16.3 | Nov record low C = -12
|Dec record high C = 13.4 | Dec record low C = -17.4
|Jan high C = 3.7
|Feb high C = 3.2
|Mar high C = 5.2
|Apr high C = 8.4
|May high C = 13.1
|Jun high C = 17.1
|Jul high C = 19.3
|Aug high C = 19.2
|Sep high C = 15.9
|Oct high C = 11.3
|Nov high C = 7.4
|Dec high C = 4.6
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
|Jan mean C=1.6
|Feb mean C=1.1
|Mar mean C=2.7
|Apr mean C=5.8
|May mean C=10.4
|Jun mean C=14.2
|Jul mean C=16.6
|Aug mean C=16.6
|Sep mean C=13.5
|Oct mean C=9.2
|Nov mean C=5.4
|Dec mean C=2.6
|year mean C=
|Jan low C = -0.3
|Feb low C = -0.8
|Mar low C = 0.6
|Apr low C = 3.7
|May low C = 8
|Jun low C = 11.9
|Jul low C = 14.3
|Aug low C = 14.2
|Sep low C = 11.4
|Oct low C = 7.2
|Nov low C = 3.6
|Dec low C = 0.7
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
|precipitation colour= green<!-- Enter "green" for green precipitation colours, remove this line for blue colouring. -->
|Jan precipitation mm=86.5
|Feb precipitation mm=60.6
|Mar precipitation mm=56.5
|Apr precipitation mm=48.1
|May precipitation mm=59.5
|Jun precipitation mm=68.2
|Jul precipitation mm=61
|Aug precipitation mm=87.9
|Sep precipitation mm=88.2
|Oct precipitation mm=116.9
|Nov precipitation mm=113.1
|Dec precipitation mm=93.2
|year precipitation mm=
|unit precipitation days = 1.0&nbsp;mm
|Jan precipitation days= 10
|Feb precipitation days= 7
|Mar precipitation days= 9
|Apr precipitation days= 7
|May precipitation days= 9
|Jun precipitation days= 8
|Jul precipitation days= 8
|Aug precipitation days= 9
|Sep precipitation days= 11
|Oct precipitation days= 12
|Nov precipitation days= 13
|Dec precipitation days= 10
<!-- Mandatory fields, source -->
|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute<ref>{{Cite web |title=EKlima |url=http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128080558/http://sharki.oslo.dnmi.no/portal/page?_pageid=73,39035,73_39080&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-date=28 January 2021 |access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref>
|source 2=Meteostat 1991-2020 <ref>{{Cite web |title=Meteostat Torungen 1991-2020 (average high and low) |url=https://meteostat.net/en/station/01465/climate}}</ref>|date=February 2022
}}
<br>
{{Weather box
|collapsed=yes
|location = Arendal 1961-1990
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan high C = 1.8
|Feb high C = 1.4
|Mar high C = 3.4
|Apr high C = 7.7
|May high C = 13.0
|Jun high C = 16.8
|Jul high C = 19.2
|Aug high C = 19.0
|Sep high C = 15.3
|Oct high C = 11.0
|Nov high C = 6.7
|Dec high C = 3.8
|year high C = 9.9
|Jan mean C = -0.4
|Feb mean C = -1.0
|Mar mean C =  0.9
|Apr mean C =  4.7
|May mean C =  9.6
|Jun mean C = 13.3
|Jul mean C = 15.9
|Aug mean C = 15.8
|Sep mean C = 12.5
|Oct mean C = 8.7
|Nov mean C = 4.5
|Dec mean C = 1.7
|year mean C = 7.2
|Jan low C = -2.5
|Feb low C = -3.4
|Mar low C = -1.6
|Apr low C =  1.7
|May low C =  6.3
|Jun low C =  9.9
|Jul low C = 12.6
|Aug low C = 12.6
|Sep low C =  9.8
|Oct low C =  6.4
|Nov low C =  2.3
|Dec low C = -0.3
|year low C = 4.5
|Jan precipitation mm = 85
|Feb precipitation mm = 60
|Mar precipitation mm = 67
|Apr precipitation mm = 49
|May precipitation mm = 61
|Jun precipitation mm = 64
|Jul precipitation mm = 78
|Aug precipitation mm = 105
|Sep precipitation mm = 107
|Oct precipitation mm = 122
|Nov precipitation mm = 120
|Dec precipitation mm = 92
|year precipitation mm =
|source 1 = Climate-Data.org<ref name="Climate-Data.org">{{Cite web |title=Climate: Arendal |url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/9876/ |access-date=18 April 2014 |publisher=Climate-Data.org}}</ref>
}}

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Norway}}

===Twin towns — sister cities===
Arendal has [[Twin towns and sister cities|sister city]] agreements with the following places:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vennskapsbyer |url=http://www.arendal.kommune.no/austagder/arendal/arendalk.nsf/id/33D5EFB08753A3D7C12571E70040BAE8?OpenDocument&cat=m1_3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211140007/http://arendal.kommune.no/austagder/arendal/arendalk.nsf/id/33D5EFB08753A3D7C12571E70040BAE8?OpenDocument&cat=m1_3 |archive-date=11 February 2009 |access-date=2009-01-18 |publisher=Arendal kommune |language=no}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! City!! Region!! Country
|-
| [[Árborg]]<ref name="Iceland">{{Cite web |title=Twin municipalities Norway-Iceland |url=http://www.noregur.is/Norsk/friendship/twincities/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404192738/http://noregur.is/norsk/friendship/twincities/ |archive-date=4 April 2016 |access-date=24 April 2012 |publisher=Norwegian government |language=no}}</ref>
| {{flagicon|ISL}} [[Southern Region (Iceland)|Southern Region]]
| {{flag|Iceland}}
|-
| [[File:Kalmarvapen 1a.svg|20px]] [[Kalmar Municipality|Kalmar]]
| [[File:Kalmar länsvapen - Riksarkivet Sverige.png|20px]] [[Kalmar County]]
| {{flag|Sweden}}
|-
| [[Mwanza]]
| {{flagicon|TAN}} [[Mwanza Region]]
| {{flag|Tanzania}}
|-
| [[File:Portland, Maine Seal.png|20px]] [[Portland, Maine|Portland]]
| [[File:Seal of Maine.svg|20px]] [[Maine]]
| {{flag|United States}}
|-
| [[File:Coat of Arms of Rēzekne.svg|20px]] [[Rēzekne]]
| [[File:Coat of Arms of Latgale.svg|20px]] [[Latgalia]]
| {{flag|Latvia}}
|-
| [[File:Savonlinna.vaakuna.svg|20px]] [[Savonlinna]]
| [[File:Etelä-Savo.vaakuna.svg|20px]] [[Southern Savonia]]
| {{flag|Finland}}
|-
| [[File:Coat of arms of Silkeborg.svg|20px]] [[Silkeborg Municipality|Silkeborg]]
| [[File:Region Midtjylland logo.jpg|20px]] [[Central Denmark Region]]
| {{flag|Denmark}}
|}
{{clear}}

==In fiction==
The area around Arendal was the location for the 1997 ''[[Lille Lørdag]]'' series "[[Min drømmeserie]]" starring [[Harald Eia]] and [[Bård Tufte Johansen]].
The 2013 Disney film ''[[Frozen (2013 film)|Frozen]]'' is set in a fictional kingdom named Arendelle, which is derived from and loosely based on the city of Arendal.

==Notable people==
{{main category|People from Arendal}}
[[File:Lilly Bølviken.jpg|135px|thumb|Lilly Bølviken, 1971]]
[[File:Hege Storhaug 2017.jpg|135px|thumb|Hege Storhaug, 2017]]

=== Public service and public thinking ===
* [[Jens Munk]] (1579–1628), a Dano-Norwegian navigator and explorer who searched for the [[Northwest Passage]] to India
* [[Andreas Frederik Krieger]] (1817–1893), a politician, government minister, and supreme court judge
* [[Anton Christian Houen]] (1823–1894), a teacher, philanthropist, and businessman
* [[Yngvar Nielsen]] (1843–1916), a historian, politician, and geographer
* [[Sam Eyde]] (1866–1940), an engineer and industrialist who founded [[Norsk Hydro]]
* [[Magnus Olsen]] (1878–1963), a philologist who specialized in [[Scandinavian studies|Old Norse studies]]
* [[Lucy Pedersen]], a climate change activist 
* [[Alf Dannevig]] (1886–1960), a marine biologist and mayor of [[Hisøy]] from 1948 to 1960
* [[Sigrid Stray]] (1893–1978), a barrister and proponent of women's rights
* [[Sigurd Anderson]] (1904–1990), the 19th [[List of governors of South Dakota|Governor of South Dakota]] (1951 to 1955)
* [[Ebba Lodden]] (1913–1997), a civil servant and politician who was the first female [[County governor (Norway)|county governor in Norway]] 
* [[Lilly Bølviken]] (1914–2011), a judge, women's rights advocate, and first woman [[Supreme Court of Norway|Norwegian Supreme Court Justice]] from 1968 to 1984
* [[Aksel Lydersen]] (1919–1995), an engineer and professor of [[chemical engineering]]
* [[Svenn Stray]] (1922–2012), a politician who served twice as [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Norway)|Foreign Minister of Norway]]
* [[Magnhild Lien]] (born ca.1955), a mathematician specializing in [[knot theory]] 
* [[Grete Faremo]] (born 1955), a politician, lawyer, and business leader
* [[Hege Storhaug]] (born 1962), a political and human rights activist, journalist, and author

=== Arts ===
[[File:Karl Ove Knausgård.jpg|135px|thumb|Karl Ove Knausgård, 2011]]
* [[Ole Nilsen Weierholt]] (1718–1792), a wood carver and pattern maker for [[ironworks]]
* [[Sophie Dedekam]] (1820–1894), a composer and diarist
* [[Louis Moe]] (1857–1945), a painter, illustrator, and writer
* [[Tillie Baldwin]] (1888–1958), an American [[rodeo]] contestant and performer in [[Wild West shows]]
* [[Trygve Thorsen]] (1892–1965), a sculptor of busts and reliefs
* [[Bård Torstensen]] (born 1961), a guitarist for [[rap metal]] band [[Clawfinger]]
* [[Karl Ove Knausgård]] (born 1968), a writer who was raised on [[Tromøya]] in Arendal
* [[Finn Iunker]] (born 1969), a playwright
* [[Kristin Danielsen (dancer)|Kristin Danielsen]] (born 1972), a dancer, choreographer, and cultural administrator
* [[Øyvind Sauvik]] (born 1976), a hip hop musician

=== Sport ===
[[File:Marte Olsbu 2016.jpg|135px|thumb|Marte Olsbu, 2016]]
* [[Dan Evensen]] (born 1974), a [[mixed martial arts]] fighter
* [[Monica Knudsen]] (born 1975), a former footballer with 87 caps with [[Norway women's national football team|Norway women]] and team gold medallist at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] 
* [[Øystein Grødum]] (born 1977), a speedskater who competed in the [[2006 Winter Olympics]]
* Sisters [[Annette Bjelkevik]] (born 1978) and [[Hedvig Bjelkevik]] (born 1981), speed skaters who competed at the [[2006 Winter Olympics]]
* Twins [[Roger Risholt]] and [[Kai Risholt]] (born 1979), retired footballers 
* [[Marit Fiane Christensen]] (born 1980), a footballer with 86 caps with the [[Norway women's national football team|Norwegian women's national football team]] 
* [[Glenn Andersen]] (born 1980), a retired footballer with 437 club caps
* [[Jan Gunnar Solli]] (born 1981), a footballer with 350 club caps and 40 for the [[Norway national football team|Norwegian men's national football team]]
* [[Håvard Vad Petersson]] (born 1984), a curler who was a team silver medallist at the [[2010 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Marte Olsbu Røiseland]] (born 1990), a biathlete and silver medallist at the [[2018 Winter Olympics]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Arendal, Norway}}
{{EB1911 poster|Arendal}}
*{{wiktionary-inline|Arendal}}
* [http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/arendal Municipal fact sheet] from [[Statistics Norway]] {{in lang|no}}
* {{Wikivoyage inline|Arendal}} {{in lang|en}}
* [http://www.arendal.com/en/ Arendal official tourist information] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103182018/http://www.arendal.com/en/ |date=3 November 2009 }} {{in lang|en}}
* [http://rlb.no/tourist/kommune/0906/info/ Arendal tourist information from Reiselivsbasen] {{in lang|en}}
* [http://www.grida.no/ UNEP/GRID-Arendal, UN Environment Programme office in Arendal] {{in lang|en}}
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=58.456714,8.777561&spn=0.062324,0.159645 Arendal on Google Maps]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406055419/http://www.reuber-norwegen.de/AustAgder/FramesAustAgderKarte.html Map of Aust-Agder including Arendal municipality]  {{in lang|de}}
* [http://www.arendal.kommune.no/ Municipality of Arendal] {{in lang|no}}
* [http://www.agderposten.no/ Agderposten] — The leading newspaper covering Aust-Agder, with base in Arendal {{in lang|no}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160604100304/http://www.aaks.no/ County museum & archive: Aust-Agder kulturhistoriske center] {{in lang|no}}
* [http://www.noregur.is/misc/webcams.aspx?wid=58&id=-1&lang= Webcam of Arendal centre] {{in lang|no}}
* [http://www.canalstreet.no/ Canal Street – Arendal Jazz and Blues festival] {{in lang|no}}

{{Agder}}
{{25 largest municipalities of Norway}}
{{Authority control}}
{{use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

[[Category:Arendal| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Agder]]
[[Category:1838 establishments in Norway]]