▁surrounding ▁rural ▁district ▁were ▁established ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁municipality ▁of ▁V ard ø ▁by ▁og ▁land dist rikt , ▁meaning ▁" V ard ø ▁town ▁and ▁rural ▁district " ▁( see ▁Form ann sk aps dist rikt ). ▁ ▁This ▁arrangement ▁did ▁not ▁entirely ▁satisfy ▁the ▁new ▁form ann sk aps dist rikt ▁law , ▁so ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 9 , ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁separated ▁from ▁the ▁rural ▁district ▁to ▁form ▁its ▁own ▁town - m unicip ality . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁V ard ø ▁land dist rikt ▁outside ▁the ▁town ▁had ▁too ▁few ▁residents ▁( acc ording ▁to ▁the ▁law ), ▁one ▁municipal ▁government ▁was ▁shared ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁until ▁ 2 2 ▁May ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁when ▁a ▁royal ▁resolution ▁was ▁passed ▁making ▁them ▁completely ▁separate ▁and ▁self - g over ning . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁a ▁small ▁area ▁of ▁V ard ø ▁land dist rikt ▁( pop ulation : ▁ 4 8 ) ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁V ard ø . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁the ▁eastern ▁part ▁of ▁B å ts f j ord ▁( pop ulation : ▁ 6 2 1 ) ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁V ard ø , ▁forming ▁the ▁new ▁( present - day ) ▁V ard ø ▁Municip ality . ▁ ▁Name ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁island ▁on ▁which ▁it ▁is ▁located : ▁V ard ø ya .