Bodø (pronounced [ˈbûːdøː] ⓘ;[5][6] Lule Sami: Bådåddjo, Swedish: Bodö) is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway.

Some of the notable villages in Bodø include Misvær, Skjerstad, Saltstraumen, Løding, Løpsmarka, Kjerringøy, Sørvær, and Fenes.

On 1 January 1938, a part of the neighboring Bodin Municipality (population: 559) was transferred into the town of Bodø.

[11] Due to the acute lack of housing, the Swedish Government helped build 107 apartments in the winter of 1941.

The last element may have been misunderstood as øy which means "island" (and written with the Danish language form ø).

The official blazon is "Gules, a sun Or" (Norwegian: På rød bunn en gull sol).

[13][14][15] The municipality lies just north of the Arctic Circle where the midnight sun is visible from 1 June to 13 July.

Amongst the strongest tidal currents in the world, with water speeds reaching 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph), is Saltstraumen, situated about 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of Bodø.

With its scenic setting and authentic buildings, several movies have been shot at this little port, including Benoni og Rosa (based on Knut Hamsun's novel), I am Dina, and Telegrafisten.

At the same latitude but further east in Scandinavia, some of the coldest and most continental areas in the region are found, making a sharp contrast with Bodø.

The "midnight sun" is above the horizon from 1 June to 14 July (44 days), and the period with continuous daylight lasts a bit longer.

In spite of having midnight sun, Bodø still lacks true polar nights as the sun is barely above the horizon at noon on the darkest days in December due to atmospheric refraction, but being very low it is usually blocked by mountains or stays too weak to register.

Snow cover during winter varies, and is often sparse or lacking in the city center, while being more reliable only slightly inland or at some altitude.

Located on a peninsula in the Norwegian Sea, Bodø is known to be a city with potential for strong winds, both from southwest and east.

About 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the town of Bodø lies the popular recreation area Geitvågen.

Sjunkhatten National Park is partly located in Bodø municipality, and there are also 17 nature reserves.

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Bodø is made up of 39 representatives that are elected to four year terms.

Here is a list of people who have held this position:[54][55] Bodø is heavily connected in the transport network in Norway.

Bodø Station serves as the northern terminus of the Nordland Line that runs south to Trondheim, where it connects to the rest of the Norwegian rail network.

It is serviced by the Ferry Bodø – Røst – Værøya – Moskenes by operator Torghatten Nord.

The Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority is situated in Bodø, as is the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway.

The Norwegian Armed Forces headquarters for North Norway is located at Reitan, east of the city.

The largest shopping centre in Nordland, City Nord, is located in the town of Bodø.

The Norwegian Armed Forces Joint Operational Headquarters are located at Reitan, east of Bodø.

Bodø MAS was a major Norwegian military air base, housing two-thirds of Norway's F-16 fighter force and two of RNoAFs SAR Sea Kings.

In January 2022, the F-16s were retired from service, significantly reducing the importance of Bodø as an air station.

The base was central during the Cold War due to its strategic location and proximity to the Soviet Union.

Now Bodin Leir is a camp to house military personnel for The Norwegian Joint Headquarters and Bodø Main Air Station.

The most well-known sporting arena in Bodø is Aspmyra Stadion, which in addition to being the home of Bodø/Glimt has hosted one international match.

Also, the multi-purpose indoor Bodø Spektrum, contains full-size football and handball courts, as well as several swimming and bathing facilities.