[7] On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly formed Troms og Finnmark county.

[9] The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the local Salangen fjord (Old Norse: Selangr).

The official blazon is "Azure, a seal hauriant argent" (Norwegian: I blått en skråstilt sølv sel).

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

They are canting arms since the name of the municipality is derived from the old word "Sellanger", meaning "fjord of seals".

The municipality is located in the southern part of Troms county, at the northeastern end of the Astafjorden.

These nappes were metamorphosed as a result of partial subduction beneath Laurentia during the early to middle Paleozoic.

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Salangen is made up of 19 representatives that are elected to four year terms.

The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.