Oppland is a
former county in
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, 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 ...
which existed from 1781 until its dissolution on 1 January 2020. The old Oppland county bordered the counties of
Trøndelag
Trøndelag (; sma, Trööndelage) is a county in the central part of Norway. It was created in 1687, then named Trondhjem County ( no, Trondhjems Amt); in 1804 the county was split into Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag by the King of Denma ...
,
Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal (; en, Møre and Romsdal) is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Trøndelag, Innlandet, and Vestland. The county administration is located in the town of Molde, while Ålesund is t ...
,
Sogn og Fjordane,
Buskerud
Buskerud () is a former county and a current electoral district in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark and Vestfold. The region extends from the Oslofjord and Drammensfjorden in the southeast to Ha ...
,
Akershus
Akershus () is a traditional region and current electoral district in Norway, with Oslo as its main city and traditional capital. It is named after the Akershus Fortress in Oslo. From the middle ages to 1919, Akershus was a fief and main cou ...
,
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
and
Hedmark. The county administration was located in the
town of Lillehammer.
Merger
On 1 January 2020, the neighboring counties of Oppland and
Hedmark were merged to form the new
Innlandet
Innlandet is a county in Norway. It was created on 1 January 2020 with the merger of the old counties of Oppland and Hedmark (the municipalities of Jevnaker and Lunner were transferred to the neighboring county of Viken on the same date). ...
county. Both Oppland and Hedmark were the only landlocked counties of
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, 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 ...
, and the new Innlandet county is the only landlocked county in Norway. The two counties had historically been one county that was divided in 1781. Historically, the region was commonly known as "
Opplandene
The Uplands ( Old Norse: ''Upplǫnd'', Norwegian: ''Opplanda''), is an ancient name for the agricultural lands and forest regions to the north of Oslo in Norway. The term generally included the districts Romerike, Ringerike, Hedmarken, Toten, ...
". In 1781, the government split the area into two:
Hedemarkens amt and
Kristians amt (later renamed
Hedmark and Oppland. In 2017, the government approved the merger of the two counties. There were several names debated, but the government settled on ''
Innlandet
Innlandet is a county in Norway. It was created on 1 January 2020 with the merger of the old counties of Oppland and Hedmark (the municipalities of Jevnaker and Lunner were transferred to the neighboring county of Viken on the same date). ...
''.
Geography
Oppland extended from the lakes
Mjøsa
Mjøsa is Norway's largest lake, as well as one of the deepest lakes in Norway and in Europe. It is the fourth-deepest lake in Norway. It is located in the southern part of Norway, about north of the city of Oslo. Its main tributary is the rive ...
and
Randsfjorden to the mountains
Dovrefjell,
Jotunheimen and
Rondane.
Gråhøe is a mountain on the border between the municipalities of
Sel and
Dovre in Oppland.
The county was conventionally divided into traditional districts. These are the
Gudbrandsdalen
Gudbrandsdalen (; en, Gudbrand Valley) is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Innlandet (formerly Oppland). The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer and the lake of Mjøsa, extending tow ...
,
Valdres,
Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Innlandet county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten and Vestre Toten.
The combined population of Toten is approximately 27,000. The largest town is Raufoss with appro ...
,
Hadeland
Hadeland () is a traditional district in the southeastern part of Norway. It is centered on the southern part of the large lake Randsfjorden in Innlandet and Viken counties. The district consists of the municipalities Gran in Innlandet county ...
and
Land. Oppland included the towns
Lillehammer
Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the munic ...
,
Gjøvik
is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Innlandet county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten and Vestre ...
,
Otta, and
Fagernes, and Norway's two highest mountains,
Glittertind and
Galdhøpiggen,
Valdres and the
Gudbrand Valley
Gudbrandsdalen (; en, Gudbrand Valley) is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Innlandet (formerly Oppland). The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer and the lake of Mjøsa, extending towa ...
being popular attractions. The Gudbrand Valley surrounds the river
Gudbrandsdalslågen, and includes the area extending from Jotunheimen down to
Bagn
Bagn is the administrative centre of Sør-Aurdal Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located in the Begnadalen valley, about to the southeast of the town of Fagernes. The river Begna runs through the village on its way thro ...
at
Begna River. It is a well known place for
skiing
Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...
and winter sports. The main population centres in this area were
Beitostølen and
Fagernes. Eight of the ten
highest mountains in Norway are located in the western part of Oppland.
Etymology
In
Norse times the inner parts of Norway were called ''
Upplǫnd'' which means 'the upper countries'. The first element is ''upp'' which means 'upper'. The last element is ''lǫnd'' which is the plural form of 'land'.
In 1757 the inner parts of the great
Akershus
Akershus () is a traditional region and current electoral district in Norway, with Oslo as its main city and traditional capital. It is named after the Akershus Fortress in Oslo. From the middle ages to 1919, Akershus was a fief and main cou ...
amt
Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to ...
were separated, and given the name ''Oplandenes Amt''. This was divided in 1781 into ''Christians Amt'' (named after the king
Christian VII) and ''
Hedemarkens Amt''. The name/form was changed to ''Kristians Amt'' in 1877 after an official spelling reform that changed ch to k (see also
Kristiania
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population o ...
,
Kristiansand
Kristiansand is a seaside resort city and municipality in Agder county, Norway. The city is the fifth-largest and the municipality the sixth-largest in Norway, with a population of around 112,000 as of January 2020, following the incorporati ...
and
Kristiansund). In 1919, the name ''Kristians Amt'' was changed (back) to ''Opland
fylke'', and the spelling ''Oppland'' was approved in 1950.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted in 1989, and it showed two ''
Pulsatilla vernalis
''Pulsatilla vernalis'' (spring pasqueflower, arctic violet, lady of the snows) is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to mountainous habitats in Europe. Growing to high and wide, it is a semi-evergreen perennial wi ...
''.
Municipalities
Oppland County (Christians Amt)
Formannskapsdistrikt
() is the name for Norwegian local self-government districts that were legally enacted on 1 January 1838. This system of municipalities was created in a bill approved by the Parliament of Norway and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 Janu ...
Original spellings of counties and municipalities in parentheses. had a total of 26 municipalities:
Districts
*
Begnadalen
*
Espedalen
*
Gudbrandsdalen
Gudbrandsdalen (; en, Gudbrand Valley) is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Innlandet (formerly Oppland). The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer and the lake of Mjøsa, extending tow ...
*
Hadeland
Hadeland () is a traditional district in the southeastern part of Norway. It is centered on the southern part of the large lake Randsfjorden in Innlandet and Viken counties. The district consists of the municipalities Gran in Innlandet county ...
*
Heidal
*
Hunndalen
*
Land
*
Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Innlandet county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten and Vestre Toten.
The combined population of Toten is approximately 27,000. The largest town is Raufoss with appro ...
*
Valdres
*
Vestoppland
Vestoppland is a traditional district in Innlandet, Norway.
The name, Western Uplands, stems from a time when the district was the western part of the Uplands. It now consists of the districts Land, Hadeland, Toten and Gjøvik (which itself con ...
Cities
*
Gjøvik
is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Innlandet county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten and Vestre ...
*
Lillehammer
Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the munic ...
*
Fagernes
*
Otta
*
Vinstra
Vinstra is a town in Nord-Fron Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The town is the administrative centre of the municipality. The town is located in the Gudbrandsdalen valley, at the confluence of the Gudbrandsdalslågen river and the Vi ...
Parishes
*
Aulstad
* Aurdal
* Austsinni
* Bagn
* Balke
* Begndal
* Biri
* Brandbu (Nes)
* Bruflat
* Bøverdal
*
Dovre
* Eina
* Etnedal
* Fluberg
*
Follebu (Folleboe)
*
Fåberg
*
Fåvang (Fodevang)
*
Garmo
* Gausdal
* Gjøvik
* Gran
*
Hedal
*
Hegge
*
Heidal
*
Hoff
* Hunn
* Hurum
*
Høre
* Jevnaker
* Kolbu
*
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 ...
*
Kvikne (Quiekne)
* Land
*
Lesja (Læssø)
* Lesjaskog
* Lillehammer
*
Lom
*
Lomen (Røn, Røen)
*
Lunner
* Mesna
* Nes (Brandbu)
* Nord-Aurdal
* Nord-Fron
* Nordberg
* Nordre Etnedal
* Nordre Land
* Nordsinni (Hogner)
* Nykirke
*
Reinli
*
Ringebu
is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vålebru (the village is also known as ''Ringebu'').
The municipality ...
* Rogne
* Røn (Røen)
* Saksumdal
* Sel
*
Sister
* Skiåker
* Skjåk
* Skrautvål
*
Slidredomen
Vestre Slidre Church ( no, Vestre Slidre kirke or ) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Vestre Slidre Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located on a hill in the village of Slidre at the northern end of Slidrefjord. It is ...
* Snertingdal
*
St. Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
*
St. Thomas
* Strand
*
Svatsum
* Svenes
* Sødorp (Søthorp)
* Søndre Land
* Sør-Aurdal
*
Sør-Fron
Sør-Fron is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hundorp. Other villages in the municipality include Gålå, H ...
*
Tingelstad
Tingelstad is a village in Gran Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located about to the southwest of the village of Brandbu and about east of the large lake Randsfjorden.
Tingelstad is the location of the Hadeland Fol ...
* Torpa
* Tretten (Trøtten)
*
Ulnes
* Vang
* Vardal
* Venabygd
* Vestre Gausdal
* Vestre Slidre
* Vestre Toten
* Volbu
*
Vågå
* Østre Gausdal
* Østre Slidre
* Østre Toten
* Østsinni (Gårder)
*
Øye (Øie)
* Øyer
* Åmot
* Ås
Villages
*
Aurdal
*
Bagn
Bagn is the administrative centre of Sør-Aurdal Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located in the Begnadalen valley, about to the southeast of the town of Fagernes. The river Begna runs through the village on its way thro ...
*
Begna
*
Beitostølen
*
Bismo
*
Biri
*
Bjoneroa
*
Bjorli
Bjorli (or ''Bjørli'') is a village in Lesja Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It lies along the Rauma river near the municipal border with Rauma Municipality.
Bjorli is served by the Bjorli Station on the Raumabanen railway line pro ...
*
Bjølstad
*
Bjørgo
*
Brandbu
Brandbu is a village in Gran Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located in Hadeland, along the eastern shore of the large lake Randsfjorden, about to the northwest of the capital city of Oslo.
Brandbu and its neighbori ...
*
Brekkom
*
Bruflat
Bruflat is the administrative centre of Etnedal Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located along the river Etna, about to the northest of the village of Bagn and about to the northwest of the village of Dokka.
The vil ...
*
Bybrua
*
Bøverbru
*
Dale
Dale or dales may refer to:
Locations
* Dale (landform), an open valley
* Dale (place name element)
Geography
;Australia
* The Dales (Christmas Island), in the Indian Ocean
;Canada
* Dale, Ontario
;Ethiopia
* Dale (woreda), district
;Norway
* ...
*
Dokka
*
Dombås
*
Dovre
*
Egge
*
Eina
Eina is a village in Vestre Toten Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located along the Gjøvikbanen railway line, between the villages of Jaren and Raufoss. The village of Eina is located south of the municipal centre of ...
*
Fagernes
*
Fluberg
*
Follebu
*
Forset
*
Fåberg
*
Fåvang
*
Grotli
*
Grua
*
Harestua
*
Harpefoss
*
Hjerkinn
Hjerkinn is a village in the municipality of Dovre in Innlandet county in Norway. The village is located in the Dovrefjell mountains, about northeast of Dombås and about northwest of the village of Folldal. It is one of the driest places in th ...
*
Hov
*
Høvringen
Høvringen is a village in Sel Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located in the northern part of the municipality, high up in the mountains along the Gudbrandsdalen valley. The village area sits at an elevation of about a ...
*
Jaren
*
Jevnaker
*
Kapp
*
Kolbu
*
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 ...
*
Lalm
*
Leira
*
Lena
Lena or LENA may refer to:
Places
* Léna Department, a department of Houet Province in Burkina Faso
* Lena, Manitoba, an unincorporated community located in Killarney-Turtle Mountain municipality in Manitoba, Canada
* Lena, Norway, a village in ...
*
Lensbygda
*
Lesjaskog
Lesjaskog is a village in Lesja Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located at the west end of the lake Lesjaskogsvatnet about west of the village of Lesjaverk and about east of the village of Bjorli. The European route E1 ...
*
Lesjaverk
Lesjaverk is a village in Lesja Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It lies in the upper Gudbrandsdal valley approximately northwest of Dombås and about east of the village of Lesjaskog. The village lies along the European route E136 h ...
*
Lora
*
Moane
*
Nordlia
*
Odnes
*
Raufoss
*
Reinsvoll
Reinsvoll is a village in Vestre Toten Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located along the Norwegian National Road 4 between the villages of Eina and Raufoss. Reinsvoll has a train station that is located along the Gj� ...
*
Ringstad
*
Røn
Røn is a village in Vestre Slidre Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located where the Slidrefjorden and the Strondafjorden meet, about south of the village of Slidre. The European route E16 highway runs through the vi ...
*
Sandbumoen
*
Segalstad bru
*
Skogbygda
*
Skrautvål
*
Skreia
*
Skåbu
*
Sletta
*
Slidre
Slidre is the administrative centre of Vestre Slidre Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located along the Slidrefjorden in the Valdres district. The village is located along the European route E16 highway, about northwest ...
*
Snertingdal
Snertingdal is a former municipality in the old Oppland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1910 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Gjøvik Municipality in the traditional district of Vestoppland. The administrat ...
*
Svingvoll
*
Tretten
Tretten is a village in Øyer Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located on the Losna lake, which is part of the Gudbrandsdalslågen river. Tretten is located in the Gudbrandsdal valley, along the Gudbrandsdalslågen river ...
*
Tyinkrysset
*
Vang i Valdres
Vang i Valdres or Grindaheim is the administrative centre of Vang Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located on the south shore of the lake Vangsmjøse, about west of the village of Ryfoss and about southeast of the villag ...
*
Vinstra
Vinstra is a town in Nord-Fron Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The town is the administrative centre of the municipality. The town is located in the Gudbrandsdalen valley, at the confluence of the Gudbrandsdalslågen river and the Vi ...
*
Vågåmo
Former municipalities
*
Biri (Birid)
*
Brandbu
Brandbu is a village in Gran Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located in Hadeland, along the eastern shore of the large lake Randsfjorden, about to the northwest of the capital city of Oslo.
Brandbu and its neighbori ...
*
Eina
Eina is a village in Vestre Toten Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located along the Gjøvikbanen railway line, between the villages of Jaren and Raufoss. The village of Eina is located south of the municipal centre of ...
*
Fluberg
*
Fron
*
Fåberg (Faabeg)
*
Heidal
*
Kolbu
*
Land
*
Slidre
Slidre is the administrative centre of Vestre Slidre Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located along the Slidrefjorden in the Valdres district. The village is located along the European route E16 highway, about northwest ...
*
Snertingdal
Snertingdal is a former municipality in the old Oppland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1910 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Gjøvik Municipality in the traditional district of Vestoppland. The administrat ...
*
Torpa
*
Vardal
Vardal is a former municipality in the old Oppland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now divided between Gjøvik Municipality and Vestre Toten Municipality in the traditional distric ...
*
Vestre Gausdal
*
Østre Gausdal
See also
*
Høgbrothøgdi
*
Røykeskardhøi
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Former counties of Norway
History of Innlandet
2020 disestablishments in Norway
Petty kingdoms of Norway
Populated places disestablished in 2020
States and territories disestablished in 2020