Hardangerfjord
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The Hardangerfjord ( en, Hardanger Fjord) is the fifth longest
fjord In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Förden and East Jutland Fjorde, Germany, ...
in the world, and the second longest fjord in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
. It is located in
Vestland Vestland is a county in Norway established on 1 January 2020. The county is located in Western Norway and it is centred around the city of Bergen, Norway's second largest city. The administrative centre of the county is the city of Bergen, where t ...
county in the
Hardanger Hardanger is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, dominated by the Hardangerfjord and its inner branches of the Sørfjorden and the Eid Fjord. It consists of the municipalities of Ullensvang, Eidfjord, Ulvik and Kvam, and is ...
region. The fjord stretches from the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
into the mountainous interior of Norway along the
Hardangervidda Hardangervidda ( en, Hardanger Plateau) is a mountain plateau (Norwegian: ''vidde'') in central southern Norway, covering parts of Vestland, Vestfold og Telemark, and Viken counties. It is the largest plateau of its kind in Europe, with a cold ye ...
plateau. The innermost point of the fjord reaches the town of
Odda Odda () is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1913 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county. It was located in southeastern Hordaland c ...
.


Location

The Hardangerfjord starts at the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
about south of the city of
Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...
. Here the fjord heads in a northeasterly direction between the island of
Bømlo Bømlo is a municipality in the southwestern part of Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Svortland. Other villages in Bømlo includ ...
and the mainland. It passes by the larger islands of
Stord Stord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" since it has such a variety of landscapes: coastline, fjords, forests, agricultural ...
, Tysnesøya, and
Varaldsøy Varaldsøy is an island (and village) in the municipality of Kvinnherad in Vestland county, Norway. The island is the largest island in the Hardangerfjorden. Most of the inhabitants live on the southern tip of the island in the village of Vara ...
on the north/west side and the
Folgefonna Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glaciers in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. They are located on the Folgefonna peninsula in the municipalities of Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne. The three glaciers are: * Nord ...
peninsula on the south/east side. Once it is surrounded by the mainland, it begins to branch off into smaller fjords that reach inwards towards the grand
Hardangervidda Hardangervidda ( en, Hardanger Plateau) is a mountain plateau (Norwegian: ''vidde'') in central southern Norway, covering parts of Vestland, Vestfold og Telemark, and Viken counties. It is the largest plateau of its kind in Europe, with a cold ye ...
mountain plateau. The longest branch of the Hardangerfjord is Sørfjorden which cuts south about from the main fjord. Its maximum depth is more than just outside the village of
Norheimsund Norheimsund is the administrative centre of the municipality of Kvam in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the northern side of the Hardangerfjord, about from the city of Bergen. The village of Øystese lies about to the northeas ...
in the middle of the fjord. Norway's third largest
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...
is found on the Folgefonna peninsula, along of the Hardangerfjord. With its three parts, the
Folgefonna Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glaciers in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. They are located on the Folgefonna peninsula in the municipalities of Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne. The three glaciers are: * Nord ...
glacier covers an area of , and in 2005 it became protected as
Folgefonna National Park Folgefonna National Park ( no, Folgefonna nasjonalpark) is a national park in Vestland county, Norway. The park is located on the Folgefonna peninsula and it spans the municipalities of Kvinnherad, Etne, and Ullensvang. The national park was ope ...
. The area of the fjord is divided among several municipalities in
Vestland Vestland is a county in Norway established on 1 January 2020. The county is located in Western Norway and it is centred around the city of Bergen, Norway's second largest city. The administrative centre of the county is the city of Bergen, where t ...
county:
Bømlo Bømlo is a municipality in the southwestern part of Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Svortland. Other villages in Bømlo includ ...
,
Eidfjord Eidfjord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Eidfjord, where the majority of the municipal popula ...
,
Etne Etne is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland, although it is also sometimes considered to be part of the district of Haugaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the ...
,
Kvam Kvam is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located along the Hardangerfjorden in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Norheimsund. Other larger set ...
,
Kvinnherad Kvinnherad is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland, along the Hardangerfjorden. The municipality was the 5th in size in former Hordaland county. The administrative centre of the mu ...
,
Stord Stord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland. Stord is sometimes called "Norway in miniature" since it has such a variety of landscapes: coastline, fjords, forests, agricultural ...
,
Sveio Sveio is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. Sveio is a border district that is sometimes considered to be located in the traditional district of Haugalandet since it is located on the Haugalandet peninsula, but it is also considered to ...
,
Tysnes Tysnes () is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland. The administrative centre is the village of Uggdal. Other population centres in Tysnes include the villages of Våge and Onarhei ...
,
Ullensvang Ullensvang is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre is the town of Odda. Some of the notable villages in the municipality include Lofthus, Utne, Vikebygd ...
,
Ulvik Ulvik is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality stretches from the Hardangerfjord to the mountains that reach above sea level. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ulvik. The villages of Osa and ...
, and
Voss Voss () is a municipality and a traditional district in Vestland county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen. Other villages include Bolstadøyri, Borstrondi, Evanger, Kvitheim, Mjølfjell, ...
. The total number of inhabitants living in all these municipalities along the fjord is only slightly more than 70,000 - on a total area of .


History

About 8,000 BC, the
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
n land mass started to rise up as enormous
glacial A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betwe ...
ice started to melt. The lower parts of the valleys became flooded, and so created what we today know as the Hardangerfjord. The valley was originally not only made through glacial erosion but by the high pressure melting water which pushed its way beneath the ice. The history of the fjord goes far beyond its
Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
history, back to the time of hunters on the surrounding mountains, and later on, farming along this fertile area which today is considered the "fruit orchard of Norway". Later the fjord became the birthplace for a large
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...
influx to Norway, and in 1875
Thomas Cook Thomas Cook (22 November 1808 – 18 July 1892) was an English businessman. He is best known for founding the travel agency Thomas Cook & Son. He was also one of the initial developers of the "package tour" including travel, accommodatio ...
started weekly cruise departures from London to the Hardangerfjord, due to its spectacular nature, glaciers, and grand waterfalls. Soon after this, many of the major waterfalls became the power source for large industries in fjord settlements such as the town of
Odda Odda () is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1913 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county. It was located in southeastern Hordaland c ...
.


Economy

Hardangerfjord has recently seen an increase in
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...
. New infrastructure was built for travelers and the location has once again become an industry for the local communities along the fjord. The fjord has good conditions for
fish farming upright=1.3, Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye">mariculture.html" ;"title="Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture">Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye, Scotland Fish farming or ...
. Fish farms yearly produce more than 40,000 tons of
salmon Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus ''Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Oncorhy ...
and rainbow trout which makes the Hardangerfjord one of four major fish farming regions in the world. Hardangerfjord's melt-water is also bottled at source to form the product Isklar, sold worldwide.


Geography

There are many fjord arms that branch off of the main Hardangerfjord. There are also certain sections of the main fjord that have special names. Below is a list of the sections of the fjord and the arms that branch off them. From west to east: ;
Bømlafjorden Bømlafjorden ( en, Bømla Fjord) is a fjord in Vestland county, Norway. The fjord is the outer-most part of the Hardangerfjord, running between the island of Bømlo (in Bømlo Municipality) and the mainland ( Sveio Municipality). The Bømlafjord ...
(west entrance to the fjord) * Børøyfjorden (branches to the north) * Stokksundet (branches to the north) * Bjøafjorden (branches to the south) ;Husnesfjorden (around the
Husnes Husnes is the largest village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden on the Folgefonna peninsula, about south of the village of Herøysund and immediately nort ...
area) ;Onarheimsfjorden (around the
Onarheim Onarheim is a village in Tysnes municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southeastern shores of the island of Tysnesøya, along the Hardangerfjorden The Hardangerfjord ( en, Hardanger Fjord) is the fifth longest ...
area) * Lukksundet (branches to the north) ;Kvinnheradsfjorden (around the Rosendal area) * Øynefjorden (branches to the north) ;Sildefjorden (around the island of
Varaldsøy Varaldsøy is an island (and village) in the municipality of Kvinnherad in Vestland county, Norway. The island is the largest island in the Hardangerfjorden. Most of the inhabitants live on the southern tip of the island in the village of Vara ...
) *
Maurangsfjorden Maurangerfjord or Maurangsfjorden is a fjord in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The long fjord is a small branch off of the main Hardangerfjorden. The inner end of the Maurangsfjorden branches into the ''Nordrepollen'' and ...
(branches to the east) ;Hissfjorden (around the
Kysnesstranda Kysnesstranda is a village in the Ullensvang municipality, Vestland county, Norway. The village lies along the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden. The village lies about south of the village of Jondal. History Kysnesstranda was historicall ...
area) * Strandebarmsbukta (bay to the north) ;Ytre Samlafjorden (around the
Norheimsund Norheimsund is the administrative centre of the municipality of Kvam in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the northern side of the Hardangerfjord, about from the city of Bergen. The village of Øystese lies about to the northeas ...
area) *
Fyksesundet Fyksesund ( en, Fykse Sound)''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. 2003. Vol. 5. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, p. 696. is a fjord in the municipality of Kvam in Vestland county, Norway. The long fjord is a branch of the main Hardangerfjorde ...
(branches to the north) ;Indre Samlafjorden (around the
Ålvik Ålvik is a village in the municipality of Kvam in Vestland county, Norway. The village "urban area" consists of the settlements of Ytre Ålvik og Indre Ålvik (outer and inner Ålvik) and Vikadal. The settlements are located on either side of a ...
area) ;Utnefjorden (around the
Utne Utne is a village in Ullensvang municipality in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the northern end of the Folgefonn Peninsula, at the confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs ...
area) *
Granvin Fjord The Granvin Fjord ( no, Granvinsfjorden) is an arm of the Hardanger Fjord in the municipalities of Granvin and Ullensvang in Vestland county, Norway. The fjord is about long and its width is mostly less than . It has its inlet at the part of the ...
(branches to the north) * Sørfjorden (branches to the south) ;
Eid Fjord The Eid Fjord ( no, Eidfjorden) is the innermost part of the Hardanger Fjord in Norway. It extends eastwards from the Utne Fjord and Sørfjorden. The Eid Fjord lies in the municipalities of Ullensvang, Ulvik, and Eidfjord in Vestland county. ...
(around the
Eidfjord Eidfjord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Eidfjord, where the majority of the municipal popula ...
area) *
Osa Fjord The Osa Fjord ( no, Osafjorden) is a branch of the Eid Fjord and the Hardanger Fjord fully located within the municipality of Ulvik in Vestland county, Norway. The fjord is long, with a maximum depth of at its mouth, and it runs northeast from i ...
(branches to the north) ** Ulvikafjorden (branches off the Osa Fjord to the northwest) * Simadal Fjord (branches to the northeast)


See also

* List of Norwegian fjords


References


External links

*
Svein Ulvund's photo collection
(Use the search feature: ''Hardanger'') {{Authority control Fjords of Vestland Eidfjord Ullensvang Kvam Kvinnherad Sveio Tysnes Stord Bømlo Etne Voss Ulvik