Other villages include Andersskogan, Ansnes, Forsnes, Hestvika, Knarrlaget, Kvenvær, Melandsjøen, Nordbotn, Sandstad, and Ulvan.

[5][6] Hitra Municipality is famous in Norway for its large and dense population of red deer (as symbolised in its coat of arms — see image right).

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the island of Hitra (Old Norse: Hitr).

The name is probably derived from a word meaning "split" or "cleft" (referring to the many inlets of the island).

The official blazon is "Azure, a stag's head couped argent" (Norwegian: I blått et sølv hjortehode).

The stag's head has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used.

The design of the stag's head symbolizes that Hitra is home to one of Northern Europe's largest populations of red deer.

The arms were based on an idea by Ketil Gylland from Fillan and drawn by the designer Einar Skjervold from Trondheim.

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Hitra is made up of 25 representatives that are elected to four year terms.

The 5,610-metre (3.5 mi) long undersea tunnel called the Hitratunnelen connects the island of Hitra to the mainland to the south and the 5,305-metre (3.3 mi) long Frøya Tunnel connects Hitra to the neighboring island of Frøya to the north.