Runavíkar expands through mergers as Oyndarfjørður officially joins municipality in 2005

On January 1, 2005, Oyndarfjørður officially became part of the municipality of Runavíkar. On the same day, the municipalities of Elduvík and Skála also merged with Runavíkar, and four years later, Funnings municipality joined as well. This made Runavíkar the fifth-largest municipality in the country, spanning a considerable area with a distance of about 33 kilometers from north Funning to south Æðuvík.

Oyndarfjørður had been an independent municipality since 1918, but locals had to choose between merging with Runavíkar or Fuglafjørður. Given that the neighboring village across the fjord belongs to Fuglafjørður, there was speculation that Oyndarfjørð residents might lean in that direction. Ultimately, they chose Runavíkar, and Oyndarfjørðar municipality became history in 2005.

Ólavur Klein Olsen, who grew up in Oyndarfjørður and moved away in 2003, returned in 2017, only to find that much had changed in the fourteen years he was absent. Notably, he observed a lack of opportunities for new housing in Oyndarfjørður, with no plots available for development in nearly two decades.

A recent municipal survey found that residents in Runavíkar are generally dissatisfied with housing options. Mayor Tórbjørn Jacobsen mentioned that it was difficult to find land for sale several years ago, although it has improved in some areas recently but not universally.

In Funnings, which merged with Runavíkar in 2009, local resident Jóannes Johannesen admitted he initially opposed the merger but has since acknowledged the positive developments resulting from it. Both he and others have pointed out that the necessity of larger municipalities was driven by financial burdens, particularly in elder care, prompting amalgamation discussions among smaller communities.

Runavíkar currently has a population of approximately 4,400, encompassing 15 villages including Oyndarfjørður and Funningur.