(also known as Skudeneshamn or simply Skudenes) is a town in Karmøy municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located on the southernmost tip of the island of Karmøy at the entrance to the Boknafjorden and Karmsundet strait. The town is part of the traditional district of Haugaland. The town was an independent municipality due to its status as a ladested from 1858 until 1965. The town has a population (2019) of 3,334 and a population density of . This makes Skudeneshavn one of the smallest towns in Norway (Kolvereid, with 1,470 inhabitants is the smallest). In 1990, it won second prize in NORTRA's competition for Norway's Best Preserved Small Town. History The village of Skudeneshavn was declared to be a ladested (port town) on 10 February 1858. Since towns were not allowed to be part of a rural municipality, Skudeneshavn was removed from the municipality of Skudenes, and it was established as its own urban municipality. Initially, Skudeneshavn municipality had 1,209 residents. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, the town-municipality of Skudeneshavn was merged into the newly formed municipality of Karmøy (along with Skudenes, Avaldsnes, Stangaland, Kopervik, and Torvastad). Prior to the merger, Skudeneshavn had 1,275 residents. At the time of the merger, Skudeneshavn lost its status as a town (ladested). In 1996, after the law on towns had been changed, the municipality of Karmøy declared Skudeneshavn to be a town once again. Government From 1858 through 1964, Skudeneshavn was a municipality which was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality was governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elects a mayor. Municipal council The municipal council of Skudeneshavn was made up of 21 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows: Attractions Skudeneshavn's old town (Gamle Skudeneshavn), consisting of 225 wooden houses/boathouses, is regarded as one of the best preserved in Europe. In 2004, it was voted Norway's "Summer Town" by listeners to NRK Radio's Reiseradioen programme. Each year the "Skudeneshavn International Literature and Culture festival" () (SILK festival) is held on the first weekend of November. Skudefestival Every year, Skudeneshavn hosts a "boating" festival known as Skudefestivalen.