HORDALAND

is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is in Bergen. Before 1972 Bergen was a separate entity from Hordaland.

Contents
The name
Coat-of-arms
Geography
Famous people from Hordaland
Districts
Municipalities
External links

The name


'Hordaland' (Norse ''Hörðaland'') (Frisian ''Hörnaland'') is the old name of the region - revived in modern times. The first element is the plural genitive case of ''hörðar'', the name of an old Germanic tribe (see Charudes). The last element is ''land'' as in 'land, region'.
Until 1919 the name of the county was ''Søndre Bergenhus amt'' - with the meaning '(the) southern (part of) Bergenhus amt'. (The old ''Bergenhus amt'', created in 1662, was divided in 1763.)
(See also Rogaland and Sogn og Fjordane.)

Coat-of-arms


The coat-of-arms was made official for Hordaland in 1961 - but originally it was used by the region Sunnhordland in the 14th Century.

Geography


Hordaland is semi-circular in shape. It is located on the western coast of the country, split from southwest to northeast by the long, deep Hardangerfjorden, one of Norway's main fjords and a great tourist attraction. About half of the National park of Hardangervidda is in the county. The county also includes many well-known waterfalls of Norway, like Vøringsfossen and Stykkjedalsfossen. It also includes the glaciers Folgefonna and Hardangerjøkulen.
More than 60% of the inhabitants live in Bergen and the surrounding area. Other urban or semi-urban centres include Leirvik, Voss and Odda.

Famous people from Hordaland



Ole Bull, composer from Bergen

Edvard Grieg, composer from Bergen

Ludvig Holberg, playwright and author from Bergen

Roald "Kniksen" Jensen, soccer player from Bergen

Leif Andreas Larsen, naval officer from Bergen

Christian Michelsen, politician from Bergen, Norway's first Prime Minister

Kari Traa, skier from Voss

Varg Vikernes, black metal musician

Districts


Location of Hordaland Districts: green is Hardanger, purple Voss, blue Sunnhordland, red Midhordland, yellow Nordhordland.

The county is conventionally divided into traditional districts. The inland districts are Hardanger and Voss and the coastal districts are Sunnhordland, Midhordland and Nordhordland [''sic'']. ''Strilelandet'' is the name of a more informal region commonly held to encompass Midhordland and Nordhordland.

Municipalities


Location of Hordaland Municipalities

Hordaland has a total of 33 municipalities:

  1. Askøy
  2. Austevoll
  3. Austrheim
  4. Bergen
  5. Bømlo
  6. Eidfjord
  7. Etne
  8. Fedje
  9. Fitjar
  10. Fjell
  11. Fusa
  12. Granvin
  13. Jondal
  14. Kvam
  15. Kvinnherad
  16. Lindås
  17. Masfjorden

  1. Meland
  2. Modalen
  3. Odda
  4. Os
  5. Osterøy
  6. Øygarden
  7. Radøy
  8. Samnanger
  9. Stord
  10. Sund
  11. Sveio
  12. Tysnes
  13. Ullensvang
  14. Ulvik
  15. Vaksdal
  16. Voss

External links



County web site

Map of Hordaland

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