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Rana, Nordland

Municipal Arms
by Marius Helga

Flag and Arms
Blazon

See also:

Norland

Flag and Arms

Rana is Norway's fourth largest "kommune" (municipality) with around 4400 square kilometers inhabited by some 26000 people. Most of the people live in the city Mo i Rana.

Until the 1950's, the area had very few inhabitants, with a economy based on small mines, and some use of the forest resources, but the Norwegian parliament's decision to place a national iron and steel mill in Mo changed all this, making the city grow by several hundred percent in only a few years.

Rana's municipality arms were drawn by Gunnar Alm. Its colours are greeen and gold, symbolizing the forest (green) on the ground and the minerals (gold) below it.

Mo city council made a decision in 1960 that Gunnar Alm's proposal "The forest and the minerals" should be the city arms (and flag) for Mo town. After the areas surrounding Mo was turned into a larger municipality in 1964, there was made a decision that the same symbol should be the arms and flag for Rana.
Marius Helga, 7 July 2004

The royal resolution of 5 March 1965 approved the design. However, it was previously approved by royal resolution of 29 April 1960 as the COA of the city of Mo. Mo was joined with Nord-Rana and parts of communities of Nesna and So/r-Rana into the new community Rana that "suceeded" the COA.
Željko Heimer, 9 July 2004

Blazon

Official blazon in Norwegian: span lang="no">"Venstre skrådelt av grønt og gull."

English blazon: "Per bend sinister ver and or"
English blzaon by Željko Heimer