What is Lofoten?
[[Image:Map-of-Lofoten-and-Vesteraalen.svg|thumb|right|Lofoten and [[Vesterålen]]]] [[File:Gimsøystraumen.jpg|thumb|Gimsøystraumen]] '''Lofoten''' is an [[archipelago]] and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, [[Norway]]. Though lying within the [[Arctic Circle]], Lofoten has one of the world's largest higher temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude. Lofoten is well known for its natural beauty within Norway. Lofoten includes the municipalities of {{lang|no|Vågan, Vestvågøy, Flakstad, Moskenes, Værøy and Røst}}. The main islands, running from north to south, are *Southern tip of Hinnøya. *Southern 60% (approx.) of Austvågøy (526.7&nbsp;km² in total {{Coord|68|20|N|14|40|E|}}), *Gimsøy (46.4&nbsp;km² {{Coord|68|18|N|14|11|E|}}), *Vestvågøy (411.1&nbsp;km² {{Coord|68|10|N|13|45|E|}}), *Flakstadøya (109.8&nbsp;km² {{Coord|68|5|N|13|20|E|}}), *Moskenesøya (185.9&nbsp;km² {{Coord|67|55|N|13|0|E|}}), whilst further to the south are the small and isolated islands of Værøy and Røst. The total land area amounts to 1,227&nbsp;km², and the population totals 24,500. Between the mainland and the Lofoten archipelago is the vast, open [[Vestfjord]], and to the north is [[Vesterålen]]. The main towns in Lofoten are Leknes in Vestvågøy and Svolvær in Vågan. The islands have for more than 1,000 years been the centre of great [[cod]] [[fisheries]], especially in winter, when the cod migrate south from the [[Barents Sea]] and gather in Lofoten to spawn. In the lowland areas, particularly Vestvågøy, [[agriculture]] is important and has been so since the [[Bronze Age]]. == Other websites == {{commonscat}} * [http://www.lofotradet.no/ Lofotrådet] (in Norwegian) * [http://lofoten.info Turisme- og begivenhetsinformasjon om Lofoten] (in Norwegian) * [http://www.miljostatus.no/Tema/Vannforurensning/Hav-og-kyst/Lofoten---Barentshavet/ Miljøstatus i Norge: Lofoten og Barentshavet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210000517/http://www.miljostatus.no/Tema/Vannforurensning/Hav-og-kyst/Lofoten---Baren