The 28-square-kilometre (11 sq mi) municipality encompassed the rural areas surrounding the coastal city of Kopervik on the island of Karmøy.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee.

The first element is the plural genitive case of stǫng which means "staff" or "pole".

The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.

[7] The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Stangaland was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms.