Hammerfest claims to be the northernmost city in the world, although the title is disputed by Honningsv�g, Norway (achieved town status 1996). The validity of the claim depends upon one's definition of a city; although Hammerfest is further south than Honningsv�g it has a population over 5,000, which is required by Norwegian law to achieve town status (law from 1997). In retrospect, Parliament ruled that a city should be located in a municipality with at least 5,000 inhabitants. But the provision has not retroactive. Honningsv�g is the northernmost town today, in Norway. Barrow, Alaska, population c. 4,000, is further north than both the Norwegian towns, but does not lay claim to the title of northernmost town. Some foreigners may find it strange that either Hammerfest or Honningsv�g claims to be cities, given the small size of both places and it may help to know that the Norwegian language does not distinguish between city and town. The closest translation for either term is the word by, meaning the translation from Norwegian to English is ambiguous. If both Hammerfest and Honningsv�g were to be defined according to old British tradition, neither of them would be considered cities, as neither has a cathedral. Both of them may, however, be considered towns, given the status of both settlements as economic hubs of the surrounding areas and the status as municipal centres.
Hammerfest is, together with Vard�, the oldest town in Northern Norway. The town of Hammerfest is situated on the island of Kval�ya, with road connection to the mainland using the Kvalsund Bridge
