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Vest-Agder (; "West Agder") was one of 18 counties (''fylker'') 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 t ...
up until 1 January 2020, when it was merged with
Aust-Agder Aust-Agder (, en, "East Agder") was a county (''fylke'') in Norway until 1 January 2020, when it was merged with Vest-Agder to form Agder county. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which was 2.2% of Norway's population. Its area was . The ...
to form Agder county. In 2016, there were 182,701 inhabitants, around 3.5% of the total population of Norway. Its area was about . The county administration was located in its largest city,
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 incorporation ...
. Vest-Agder was a major source of timber for Dutch and later
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
shipping from the 16th century onwards. Historically, the area exported timber, wooden products,
salmon Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...
,
herring Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae. Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, i ...
, ships, and later nickel, paper, and ferrous and silica alloys. Compared to other
counties of Norway Norway is divided into 11  administrative regions, called counties (singular no, fylke, plural nb, fylker; nn, fylke from Old Norse: ''fylki'' from the word "folk", sme, fylka, sma, fylhke, smj, fylkka, fkv, fylkki) which until 1918 ...
, today's exports-intensive industry produces shipping and offshore equipment ( National Oilwell Varco), cranes ( Cargotec), ships (
Umoe Mandal Umoe Mandal AS is a shipbuilding company in the Ulltveit-Moe Group. Their shipyards are based at Mandal in Norway. Founded in 1989 as Kværner Båtservice, later Kværner Mandal, and known as Umoe Mandal since 2000, the company specialises in hig ...
, Flekkefjord Slip), wind turbine equipment, nickel (
Glencore Glencore plc is a Swiss multinational commodity trading and mining company with headquarters in Baar, Switzerland. Glencore's oil and gas head office is in London and its registered office is in Saint Helier, Jersey. The current company was c ...
), and solar industry
microsilica Silica fume, also known as microsilica, (CAS number 69012-64-2, EINECS number 273-761-1) is an amorphous (non-crystalline) polymorph of silicon dioxide, silica. It is an ultrafine powder collected as a by-product of the silicon and ferrosilicon a ...
(
Elkem Elkem is a company that produces silicones, silicon, alloys for the foundry industry, carbon and microsilica, and other materials. Elkem was founded in 1904, has more than 7,000 employees and fields 30 production sites worldwide. Elkem has an oper ...
). A major tourist attraction is
Kristiansand Dyrepark The Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Park ( no, Kristiansand Dyrepark) is a zoological garden and amusement park situated in of Kristiansand, Norway. It is Norway's most frequently visited attraction, covering an area of . Established in 1966, it ha ...
. Vest-Agder grew to political prominence with the decision of King Christian IV to establish Kristiansand as a key naval base, trading centre, and bishopric in
1641 Events January–March * January 4 – The stratovolcano Mount Parker in the Philippines) has a major eruption. * January 18 – Pau Claris proclaims the Catalan Republic. * February 16 – King Charles I of England giv ...
, forcing urban citizens and merchants from all over Agder to settle in the city. The county had large-scale emigration to North America from the
1850s The 1850s (pronounced "eighteen-fifties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1850, and ended on December 31, 1859. It was a very turbulent decade, as wars such as the Crimean War, shifted and shook European politic ...
onwards.


General information


Name

The meaning of the name is "(the) western (part of) Agder". ''Lister og Mandal
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 ...
'' was created on 1 January 1662 and it consisted of the two old
len Len or LEN may refer to: People and fictional characters * Len (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Lén, a character from Irish mythology * Alex Len (born 1993), Ukrainian basketball player * Mr. Len, American hip hop DJ *Le ...
s of '' Lister'' and
Mandal A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
. This name continued until 1 January 1919, when the name was changed to Vest-Agder.


Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 12 December 1958. They show an
oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
tree in yellow on a green background, representing the historic rich nature and oak woods in the area.


Geography

Vest-Agder is the western and southernmost part of the current county of Agder, extending inland from the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
and its arm, the Skagerrak, to the southern fringes of
Setesdal Setesdal (; older name: Sætersdal) is a valley and a traditional district in Agder County in southern Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Bykle, Valle, Bygland, Iveland, and Evje og Hornnes. The Otra river flows through the valley of ...
en, surrounded by the mountain range
Setesdalsheiene Setesdalsheiene () is the collective term for the mountains to the west and east of the Setesdalen valley in Agder county in Southern Norway. The river Otra flows through the valley between the mountains. This area is primarily located in the mu ...
. It includes the southernmost point of the entire country, Pysen island south of
Mandal A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
, and the southernmost part of continental Norway, Lindesnes. It has a very broken and hilly surface. From the coast there are six
valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...
s that stretch north into the county: Audnedalen,
Lyngdalen Lyngdalen is a valley in Agder county, Norway. The long valley runs north-south through the municipalities of Hægebostad and Lyngdal. The valley follows the river Lygna from the mountain plateaus in northern Hægebostad to the Lyngdalsfjorden, ...
, Kvinesdalen,
Mandalen Mandalen is a river valley in Agder county, Norway. The long valley runs from the lake Øre in Åseral municipality south through the municipality of Lindesnes and it ends at the sea at the town of Mandal in the south. The river Mandalselva ...
, Sirdalen, and Otradalen (which continues into Aust-Agder where it is called
Setesdal Setesdal (; older name: Sætersdal) is a valley and a traditional district in Agder County in southern Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Bykle, Valle, Bygland, Iveland, and Evje og Hornnes. The Otra river flows through the valley of ...
en). Most of the habitation lies along the coast, including the towns
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 incorporation ...
,
Mandal A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
, Flekkefjord, and Farsund. About 31
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, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Ice ...
s are located there. The northern portion is mountainous and sparsely settled, while the central upland
moors The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or ...
are used for pasturing of
cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...
and
sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus ''Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated s ...
. Since the
Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Current, North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida a ...
touches the coast of Vest-Agder, it is also called "the Norwegian Riviera", and Agder as a whole is also called "The California of Norway".


History

The oldest ever remains of a 8,000+ year old human in Norway has been found at Søgne, she endured an almost exclusively marine diet. In Kristiansand, a ''Sarup''-style
Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
funeral site from 3,400 BC has been excavated. Just before and after the onset of the
common era Common Era (CE) and Before the Common Era (BCE) are year notations for the Gregorian calendar (and its predecessor, the Julian calendar), the world's most widely used calendar era. Common Era and Before the Common Era are alternatives to the or ...
, the region was uniquely rich in sites dedicated to the God Ull (Ullr), and also had a semi-urban settlement at Oddernes (Kristiansand). Norway's first possible all-national king, Halvdan Svarte, was raised probably in the Kvinesdal valley at a matrimonial manor, his mother was presumably the daughter of King Harald of Agder. He was followed by his son King
Harald Fairhair Harald Fairhair no, Harald hÃ¥rfagre Modern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from  872 to 930 and was the first King of Nor ...
, who had his easternmost manor at Kongsgård near Kristiansand. Churches are known since Viking ages. Vest-Agder was not particularly preeminent in the later Viking and Medieval Ages.
Mandal A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
(Vesterrisør) and Kristiansand (Ottrunes) had semi-urban trading centers from the 1300s onwards, but did not enjoy urban economic privileges until the 1632 (Mandal) and 1641 (Kristiansand). A general lack of agricultural fertility made the region remaining a relatively poor part of Norway through the centuries. In the 16th century, Dutch
merchant vessel A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are us ...
s began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase
salmon Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...
and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
began, as
oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...
. As the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
developed in the 17th century, it began to suffer from a severe labor shortage, and many families from Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder emigrated to the Netherlands, especially the coastal areas. In the 19th century, emigration to the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
started. One of the most important causes of this emigration was the emergence of
steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...
s. While Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder historically had very strong positions in the manufacture and repair of
sailing ship A sailing ship is a sea-going vessel that uses sails mounted on masts to harness the power of wind and propel the vessel. There is a variety of sail plans that propel sailing ships, employing square-rigged or fore-and-aft sails. Some ships c ...
s, the shift to steamships was poorly utilised and resulted in a cyclical slope for the shipbuilding and shipping industries. Emigration to the United States was a means of escaping from the high unemployment that followed. Many
Americans Americans are the Citizenship of the United States, citizens and United States nationality law, nationals of the United States, United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many Multi ...
returning to the county after
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 t ...
became prosperous. This feature is particularly predominant in Kvinesdal and Farsund in the west, which maintains strong cultural links with the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the area had substantial fortifications and German personnel, with major bases and airfields in Lista, Mandal and Kristiansand. Batterie Vara near Kristiansand was constructed as one out of two 40 cm coastal artillery forts covering the Skagerrak Sea in conjunction with a similar fort in northern Denmark. After the war, Kristiansand grew considerably whereas other cities lost much of their relative economic and demographic importance.


Municipalities

On 1 January 1838, all the counties were divided into local administrative units each with their own governments (see
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 January ...
). The number and borders of these
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
were based on the
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
es of the
Church of Norway The Church of Norway ( nb, Den norske kirke, nn, Den norske kyrkja, se, Norgga girku, sma, Nöörjen gærhkoe) is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. The church b ...
. Over time the number and locations of these have changed, and at present there are 15 municipalities in Vest-Agder. The municipality of Ã…seral was part of the neighboring county of
Nedenes Nedenes is a village in Arendal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the southern part of Arendal, just north of the municipal border with Grimstad. The Norwegian County Road 420 runs through the village heading north ...
until 1880, when it was moved to Vest-Agder.


Municipalities before 2020


Cities

*
Alleen Alleen or Lyngdal is a town which is the administrative centre of the municipality of Lyngdal in Agder county, Norway. It lies along the east side of the river Lygna, just north of the head of the Rosfjorden and northeast of the head of the Lyngd ...
* Farsund * Flekkefjord *
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 incorporation ...
*
Lyngdal is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Lister. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Alleen. Some of the main villages in Lyngdal include Austad, Byremo, Fleseland, Hæà ...
*
Mandal A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...


Parishes

* Austad * Bakke *
Bjelland Bjelland is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the river Mandalselva, about southeast of the village of Byremo (in Lyngdal) and about west of the village of Hægeland (in Vennesla). The vil ...
* Eiken (Egen) * Farsund *
Feda Feda is a village in Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the north side of the Fedafjorden, about southwest of the village of Liknes and about east of the town of Flekkefjord. The village has a population ...
*
Finsland Finsland or Finnsland is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about northwest of Nodeland and about southeast of the village of Bjelland. The village is very small and it is located in a very ru ...
*
Fjotland Fjotland is a village in Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the northern part of the Kvinesdalen valley on the northeast side of the lake Fjotlandsvatnet. Fjotland is about southeast of the village of Ha ...
* Flekkefjord * Flekkerøy * Frelseren *
Greipstad Greipstad is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1913 until its dissolution in 1964 when it became part of Songdalen municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the vi ...
* Grim * Grindheim (Grindum) *
Gyland Gyland is a village in the municipality of Flekkefjord in Agder county in Norway. It is located in the northeastern part of Flekkefjord along the river Gylandselva, just a short distance north of the lake Kumlevollvatnet. The Sørlandet Line runs ...
* Halse (Halsaa) * Harkmark * Haughom * Hellemyr * Herad (Herred) * Hidra (Hitterø) * Holum (Holme) * Hægebostad (Øvre Kvinesdal) * Hægeland (Heggeland) *
Hånes Hånes is a district in the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. It has a population of about 4,000 (2014). Hånes is a part of the borough of Oddernes and it borders the districts of Søm and Randesund to south, the district of Tveit to ...
* Justvik * Konsmo * Korshamn *
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 incorporation ...
* * Kvinesdal * Kvævemoen * Kvås (Qvås) *
Laudal Laudal is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the western shore of the Mandalselva river, about south of the village of Bjelland and about north of the village of Øyslebø. The village of Lau ...
* Liknes, see Kvinesdal * Lista (Vanse) * Ljosland *
Lund Lund (, , ) is a city in the southern Swedish provinces of Sweden, province of Scania, across the Øresund, Öresund strait from Copenhagen. The town had 91,940 inhabitants out of a municipal total of 121,510 . It is the seat of Lund Municipali ...
*
Lunde Lunde may refer to: People Politics * Gulbrand Lunde (1901–1942), Norwegian councillor of state in the Nasjonal Samling government * Heidi Nordby Lunde (born 1973), Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party * Jens Lunde (1884–1974), Nor ...
*
Lyngdal is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Lister. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Alleen. Some of the main villages in Lyngdal include Austad, Byremo, Fleseland, Hæà ...
*
Mandal A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
* Nes * Nord-Audnedal * Netlandsnes *
Oddernes Oddernes is a borough in the city of Kristiansand which lies in the municipality of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The borough covers eastern Kristiansand on the east side of the Topdalsfjorden and the Varodd Bridge. The borough include ...
*
Randesund Randesund is a village and district within the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The district is located within the borough of Oddernes along the southern coastline between the two fjords Kvåsefjorden and Topdalsfjorden and south of ...
* Sirdal * Spangereid *
Spind Spind is a former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1893 until 1965. It was located on the Spind peninsula in the western part of the present-day municipality of Farsund in Agder ...
* Søgne * Old Søgne *
Søm Søm is a district in the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. With a population of about 9,500 (2022), it is the third largest district in Kristiansand. The district is a part of the borough of Oddernes. Søm has borders with the distri ...
* Sør-Audnedal *
Tonstad Tonstad is the administrative centre of the municipality of Sirdal in Agder county, Norway. The village is located at the northern end of the lake Sirdalsvatnet in the Sirdalen valley. The village has a population (2015) of 874, giving the vill ...
*
Torridal Torridal is a V-shaped valley in Agder county, Norway. The valley passes through portions of the municipalities of Kristiansand and Vennesla in an area that was historically a part of the former Oddernes municipality. Today it includes areas north ...
*
Tveit Tveit is a village and surrounding district in Oddernes borough in the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The Tveit district is located in the northeastern part of Kristiansand, northeast of the Topdalsfjorden along the lower part of t ...
*
Valle Valle may refer to: * Valle (surname) Geography *"Valle", the cultural and climatic zone of the dry subtropical Interandean Valles of the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and northwest Argentina *University of Valle, a public university in Cali, Colombia ...
* Vanse * Vennesla * Vestbygda *
Vigmostad Vigmostad is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the Audna river in the Audnedalen valley. The village of Konsmo lies about to the north and about north of the village of Vigeland. Vigmosta ...
*
Voie Voie is a neighbourhood in the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The neighborhood is located in the borough of VÃ¥gsbygd and in the district of Voiebyen. Voie lies along Norwegian County Road 456 and County Road 457. The only road to t ...
*
VÃ¥gsbygd VÃ¥gsbygd is a borough and disrict in the city of Kristiansand which lies in the municipality of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. It is the largest borough and district in Kristiansand. Until 1965, VÃ¥gsbygd was a part of Oddernes municipal ...
*
Øvrebø Øvrebø is a rural district and village in Vennesla municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about north-northwest of the city of Kristiansand. The village of Skarpengland lies about east of Øvrebø. The district of Øvre ...
* Øvre Sirdal *
Øyslebø Øyslebø is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the Mandalen valley along the Mandalselva river, about north of the town of Mandal. The Sørlandet Line passes the village to the north, stoppin ...
* Åknes * Åseral * Flekkefjord Branch (LDS, 1899–1904) * Kristiansand Branch (LDS, 1856–1912) * Kristiansand (Katolske Apostoliske, 1896–1925)


Villages

*
Alleen Alleen or Lyngdal is a town which is the administrative centre of the municipality of Lyngdal in Agder county, Norway. It lies along the east side of the river Lygna, just north of the head of the Rosfjorden and northeast of the head of the Lyngd ...
* Andabeløy * Aukland * Austad * Ausvika *
Birkeland Birkeland may refer to: Places *Birkeland, Agder, the administrative centre of Birkenes municipality in Agder county, Norway *Birkeland Church, a church in the city of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway * Birkeland, Vestland, a village in Austevoll ...
*
Bjelland Bjelland is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the river Mandalselva, about southeast of the village of Byremo (in Lyngdal) and about west of the village of Hægeland (in Vennesla). The vil ...
*
Bjørnestad Bjørnestad is a village in Sirdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about west of the village of Tonstad, just west of the lake Bjørnestadvatnet. The village is known for the ''Bjørnestad Skisenter'' skiing resort. ...
*
Breland Breland is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located just over the border from the neighboring Kristiansand municipality. The village of Øyslebø lies about to the southwest of Breland. There are about ...
*
Brennåsen Brennåsen is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the river Songdalselva, about southeast of the village of Nodeland and about north of the village of Volleberg. The European route E39 ...
* Eik *
Eiken Eiken may refer to: Places Norway * Eiken, Norway, a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county * Eiken, Agder, a village in Hægebostad municipality in Agder county ** Eiken Church, a church in Hægebostad municipality in Agder county Swi ...
*
Eikerapen Eikerapen or Eikjerapen is a village in Åseral municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the southwestern shore of the lake Øre (lake), about south of the municipal centre of Kyrkjebygda. Eikerapen has a popular ski resor ...
*
Feda Feda is a village in Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the north side of the Fedafjorden, about southwest of the village of Liknes and about east of the town of Flekkefjord. The village has a population ...
*
Finsland Finsland or Finnsland is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about northwest of Nodeland and about southeast of the village of Bjelland. The village is very small and it is located in a very ru ...
*
Fjotland Fjotland is a village in Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the northern part of the Kvinesdalen valley on the northeast side of the lake Fjotlandsvatnet. Fjotland is about southeast of the village of Ha ...
* Fleseland *
Grindheim Grindheim is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The administrative centre was the village of Byremo where Grindheim Church is located. The municipality existed from 1902 until its dissolution in 1964. It was general ...
*
Grovane Grovane is a village in Vennesla municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the shores of the river Otra, about north of the large village of Vennesla. Railway The Sørlandsbanen railway line runs through the village sto ...
*
Gyland Gyland is a village in the municipality of Flekkefjord in Agder county in Norway. It is located in the northeastern part of Flekkefjord along the river Gylandselva, just a short distance north of the lake Kumlevollvatnet. The Sørlandet Line runs ...
* Haddeland * Harkmark *
Heddeland Heddeland is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about northeast of the village of Øyslebø along the river Mandalselva. The Sørlandet Line The Sørlandet Line ( no, Sørlandsbanen) is a railwa ...
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Homstean Homstean or Slettebrotane is a village in Vennesla municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the Norwegian National Road 9, about south of the village of Skarpengland, just about north of the border with Kristiansand mun ...
* Hægeland *
Hæåk Hæåk is a very small farming village in Lyngdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about northwest of the town of Lyngdal. Originally, the farm was not accessible by road, and only a few farmers lived there. However, i ...
* Høllen * Høllen *
Hånes Hånes is a district in the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. It has a population of about 4,000 (2014). Hånes is a part of the borough of Oddernes and it borders the districts of Søm and Randesund to south, the district of Tveit to ...
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Ime Ime is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the river Mandalselva, along the European route E39 highway. Ime is an eastern suburb of the town of Mandal. Ime might be considered ...
* Justvik (Gjusvik) * Kilen *
Kirkehavn Kirkehamn or Kirkehavn (literally: ''Church harbour'') is a fishing village in Flekkefjord municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is one of two harbours on the Norwegian island Hidra. Kirkehamn lies on the west end of the island, whi ...
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Knaben Knaben is an old mining village in the northern part of Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. Currently, the mine is no longer in use, but the area has become a popular ski resort. The village lies at an elevation of above sea level, ab ...
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Koland Koland is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located between the villages of Bjelland and Hægeland Hægeland or Hægelandskrossen is a village in Vennesla municipality in Agder county, Norway. The villa ...
* Konsmo * Korshamn *
Krossen Krossen is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the Mandalen valley, on the western shore of the river Mandalselva, about north of the town of Mandal and about south of the village of Øyslebà ...
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Kvås Kvås is a village in Lyngdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the Lyngdalen valley, along the river Lygna, about northeast of the municipal centre of Alleen and about west of the village of Konsmo. The Kvås Chu ...
* Kyrkjebygda * Langenes *
Laudal Laudal is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the western shore of the Mandalselva river, about south of the village of Bjelland and about north of the village of Øyslebø. The village of Lau ...
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Liknes Liknes is the administrative centre of Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the river Kvina, about north of the mouth where it empties into the Fedafjorden. The village of Storekvina lies about to the nor ...
* Ljosland * Lohne *
Loshavn Loshavn is a small port village in Farsund municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located at the mouth of the Lyngdalsfjorden, about south of the town of Farsund. In 1865, there were over 200 residents, but today there are only a ha ...
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Lunde, Sirdal Lunde is a small farming village in Sirdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the river Sira in the upper part of the Sirdalen valley. The village was the administrative centre of the old municipality of Øvre Sir ...
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Lunde Lunde may refer to: People Politics * Gulbrand Lunde (1901–1942), Norwegian councillor of state in the Nasjonal Samling government * Heidi Nordby Lunde (born 1973), Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party * Jens Lunde (1884–1974), Nor ...
* Mosby * Mushom *
Nodeland Nodeland is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. Nodeland was the administrative centre of former Songdalen municipality which was merged into Kristiansand in 2020. The village is located about northwest of the city ce ...
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Nodelandsheia Nodelandsheia is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the hills a short distance to the northeast of the former municipal centre of Nodeland in former Songdalen municipality. The village is pr ...
* Ny-Hellesund *
Ore Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 April 2 ...
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Randesund Randesund is a village and district within the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The district is located within the borough of Oddernes along the southern coastline between the two fjords Kvåsefjorden and Topdalsfjorden and south of ...
* Rasvåg *
Røyknes Røyknes is a village in Vennesla municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the west side of the river Otra, about northeast of the village of Skarpengland. The municipal border between Vennesla and Iveland is the river w ...
* Sande * Skarpengland *
Skofteland Skofteland is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the river Audna, about northeast of the municipal centre of Vigeland. From Skofteland, there is a road which runs to the northeast to Fuskela ...
* Skomrak * Sira * Sirnes * Skålevik *
Snartemo Snartemo is a village in Hægebostad municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in a fairly narrow valley along the river Lygna, about south of the municipal centre of Tingvatn. Snartemo has a population of 118 in 2015. There a ...
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Storekvina Storekvina is a village in Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the shore of the river Kvina, about north of the village of Liknes. The village had a population of 323 in 2015. The Sørlandet Line The Sør ...
* Strai *
Svenevig Svenevig or Svennevik is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the southern coastline, about east of the village of Høllen, Lindesnes, Høllen and about the same distance northwest of the village ...
* Svenevik * Tangvall *
Tingvatn Tingvatn is the administrative centre of Hægebostad municipality in Agder county, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and nort ...
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Tonstad Tonstad is the administrative centre of the municipality of Sirdal in Agder county, Norway. The village is located at the northern end of the lake Sirdalsvatnet in the Sirdalen valley. The village has a population (2015) of 874, giving the vill ...
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Trysnes Trysnes is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the Trysfjorden, about east of the small village of Ã…lo on the opposite side of the fjord. The villages of Tangvall, Lunde Lunde may refer ...
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Tveit Tveit is a village and surrounding district in Oddernes borough in the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The Tveit district is located in the northeastern part of Kristiansand, northeast of the Topdalsfjorden along the lower part of t ...
* Vanse * Ve *
Vedderheia Vedderheia is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about north of the village of Lunde Lunde may refer to: People Politics * Gulbrand Lunde (1901–1942), Norwegian councillor of state in the ...
* Vennesla * Vestbygd * Vigeland *
Vigmostad Vigmostad is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the Audna river in the Audnedalen valley. The village of Konsmo lies about to the north and about north of the village of Vigeland. Vigmosta ...
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Volleberg Volleberg is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the river Songdalselva, in former Songdalen municipality, right on the border with former Søgne municipality (pre 2020). The European rout ...
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Øvre Eikeland Øvre Eikeland or simply Eikeland is a village in Vennesla municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the south side of the Norwegian National Road 9, about southeast of the village of Hægeland Hægeland or Hægelandskros ...
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Øvrebø Øvrebø is a rural district and village in Vennesla municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about north-northwest of the city of Kristiansand. The village of Skarpengland lies about east of Øvrebø. The district of Øvre ...
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Øyslebø Øyslebø is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the Mandalen valley along the Mandalselva river, about north of the town of Mandal. The Sørlandet Line passes the village to the north, stoppin ...
* Ã…knes *
Ålefjær Ålefjær is a village and district in the municipality of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The village and district lies in the far northern part of the municipality within the borough of Lund. The population of the district in 2014 was 410 ...
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Ã…lo Ã…lo is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the west side of the mouth of the Trysfjorden, about southwest of the village of Trysnes and about east of the village of Harkmark in neighbor ...
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Ã…na-Sira Ã…na-Sira is a village in southwestern Norway, sitting mostly in Sokndal municipality in Rogaland county, but a small portion lies in Flekkefjord municipality in Agder county. The village is located at the mouth of the river Sira where it flows ...
* Ã…ros *
Ã…vik Ã…vik is a small seaport village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is on the coast near the southernmost part of Norway, about to the southeast of the village of Svenevig. Ã…vik sits on the mainland, about north of t ...


Former Municipalities

* Austad * Bakke *
Bjelland Bjelland is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the river Mandalselva, about southeast of the village of Byremo (in Lyngdal) and about west of the village of Hægeland (in Vennesla). The vil ...
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Bjelland og Grindum Bjelland og Grindum or Bjelland og Grindheim is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Bjelland where Bjelland Church is located. The municipality existed f ...
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Eiken Eiken may refer to: Places Norway * Eiken, Norway, a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county * Eiken, Agder, a village in Hægebostad municipality in Agder county ** Eiken Church, a church in Hægebostad municipality in Agder county Swi ...
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Feda Feda is a village in Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the north side of the Fedafjorden, about southwest of the village of Liknes and about east of the town of Flekkefjord. The village has a population ...
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Finsland Finsland or Finnsland is a village in Kristiansand municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about northwest of Nodeland and about southeast of the village of Bjelland. The village is very small and it is located in a very ru ...
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Fjotland Fjotland is a village in Kvinesdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the northern part of the Kvinesdalen valley on the northeast side of the lake Fjotlandsvatnet. Fjotland is about southeast of the village of Ha ...
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Greipstad Greipstad is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1913 until its dissolution in 1964 when it became part of Songdalen municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the vi ...
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Grindheim Grindheim is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The administrative centre was the village of Byremo where Grindheim Church is located. The municipality existed from 1902 until its dissolution in 1964. It was general ...
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Gyland Gyland is a village in the municipality of Flekkefjord in Agder county in Norway. It is located in the northeastern part of Flekkefjord along the river Gylandselva, just a short distance north of the lake Kumlevollvatnet. The Sørlandet Line runs ...
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Halse og Harkmark Halse og Harkmark is a former municipality in the old Vest-Agder county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Halse, which at that time was ...
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Herad Herad is a former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1965. The municipality encompassed the area northeast of the lake Framvaren inside the present-d ...
* Hidra *
Holum Holum is a former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The administrative centre was the village of Krossen where Holum Church is located. The ...
* Hægeland * Konsmo *
Kvås Kvås is a village in Lyngdal municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the Lyngdalen valley, along the river Lygna, about northeast of the municipal centre of Alleen and about west of the village of Konsmo. The Kvås Chu ...
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Laudal Laudal is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located on the western shore of the Mandalselva river, about south of the village of Bjelland and about north of the village of Øyslebø. The village of Lau ...
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Lista Lista is a former municipality located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1965. The administrative centre was the village of Vanse where Vanse Church is located. Lista municipa ...
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Nes The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...
* Nes og Hitterø *
Nord-Audnedal Nord-Audnedal (historic: ''Nordre Undal'') is a former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1845 until its dissolution in 1911. It was located along the river Audna in the Audnedale ...
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Oddernes Oddernes is a borough in the city of Kristiansand which lies in the municipality of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The borough covers eastern Kristiansand on the east side of the Topdalsfjorden and the Varodd Bridge. The borough include ...
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Randesund Randesund is a village and district within the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The district is located within the borough of Oddernes along the southern coastline between the two fjords Kvåsefjorden and Topdalsfjorden and south of ...
* Spangereid *
Spind Spind is a former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1893 until 1965. It was located on the Spind peninsula in the western part of the present-day municipality of Farsund in Agder ...
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Sør-Audnedal Sør-Audnedal (former name: Søndre Undal or Sør-Undal) is a List of former municipalities of Norway, former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1845 until its dissolution in 1964. ...
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Tonstad Tonstad is the administrative centre of the municipality of Sirdal in Agder county, Norway. The village is located at the northern end of the lake Sirdalsvatnet in the Sirdalen valley. The village has a population (2015) of 874, giving the vill ...
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Tveit Tveit is a village and surrounding district in Oddernes borough in the city of Kristiansand in Agder county, Norway. The Tveit district is located in the northeastern part of Kristiansand, northeast of the Topdalsfjorden along the lower part of t ...
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Undal Undal is a Former municipalities of Norway, former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1845. It encompassed parts of the present-day municipalities of ...
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Vigmostad Vigmostad is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located along the Audna river in the Audnedalen valley. The village of Konsmo lies about to the north and about north of the village of Vigeland. Vigmosta ...
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Øvre Sirdal Øvre Sirdal is a former municipality that was located in the old Vest-Agder county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1905 until its dissolution in 1960. It was located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Sirdal in A ...
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Øvrebø Øvrebø is a rural district and village in Vennesla municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located about north-northwest of the city of Kristiansand. The village of Skarpengland lies about east of Øvrebø. The district of Øvre ...
* Øvrebø og Hægeland *
Øyslebø Øyslebø is a village in Lindesnes municipality in Agder county, Norway. The village is located in the Mandalen valley along the Mandalselva river, about north of the town of Mandal. The Sørlandet Line passes the village to the north, stoppin ...
* Øyslebø og Laudal


Notable residents

:People from Vest-Agder *
Sofus Arctander Sofus Anton Birger Arctander (22 January 1845 - 20 August 1924) was a politician with the Liberal Party who served as acting Prime Minister of Norway during 1905. Background Sofus Arctander was born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. He was the ...
(1845-1924), Liberal politician, Prime Minister for a brief period in 1905. *
Bernt Balchen Bernt Balchen (23 October 1899 – 17 October 1973) was a Norwegian pioneer polar aviator, navigator, aircraft mechanical engineer and military leader. A Norwegian native, he later became an American citizen and was a recipient of the Distingu ...
(1899-1973), aeronaut, WWII pilot, polar navigator, military officer. * Jens Bjørneboe (1920-1976), author and playwright. *
Camilla Collett Jacobine Camilla Collett (née Wergeland; 23 January 1813 – 6 March 1895) was a Norwegian writer, often referred to as the first Norwegian feminist. She was also the younger sister of Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland, and is recognized as bein ...
(Wergeland) (1813-1895), author, writer, feminist, emancipator. *
Bjøro Håland Bjøro Håland (born 6 October 1943) is a Norwegian country singer. He was born on Håland in Audnedal, Norway, and grew up with five siblings. In 1960, he emigrated Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence wit ...
, country & western musician. *
Bjarne Ling̴s Bjarne Ling̴s (7 January 1933 Р19 November 2011) was a Norwegian boxer. He became the Norwegian Champion six times in heavyweight and light heavyweight. He became the Nordic Champion in 1955. In 1954 he was on the Europe Team in the Gol ...
(1933-2011), heavyweight boxer, amateur (198, 14 losses) and professional (14, 2 losses). *
Rolf Løvland Rolf Undsæt Løvland (born 19 April 1955) is a Norwegian composer, lyricist, arranger, and pianist. Together with Fionnuala Sherry, he formed the Celtic-Nordic group Secret Garden, in which he was the composer, producer, and keyboardist. He beg ...
, musician, composer, director, twice winning
European Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pri ...
. *
Herman Wedel Major Herman Wedel Major (23 February 1814 – 26 September 1854) was a Norwegian psychiatrist. He is regarded as the father of the first Norwegian psychiatric hospital, Gaustad Hospital (''Gaustad sykehus'') and of the Norwegian Mental Health Act ...
(1814-1854, born in Ireland), regarded as the founder of modern psychiatry in Norway. *
Svein Mathisen Svein Erling "Matta" Mathisen (30 September 1952 – 27 January 2011) was a footballer from Norway. With the exception of a short spell with Scottish club Hibernian in 1978, "Matta" played for IK Start throughout his career, where he won the N ...
(1952-2011), football player for
IK Start Idrettsklubben Start (or simply IK Start, translates to The sports club Start ) is a Norwegian football club from the city of Kristiansand that currently plays in the 1. divisjon, the second tier of the Norwegian football league system. The clu ...
, Hibernian, and Norway. * Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway (1973-), Crown Princess of Norway. * Jørgen Moe (1813-1882), writer, folklorist ( Asbjørnsen og Moe), poet, bishop of Kristiansand. *
Nicolai Tangen Nicolai Tangen (born 10 August 1966) is a Norwegian hedge fund manager. He is credited with holding the biggest private collection of modernist Nordic art in the world. He has since September 2020 been CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, t ...
(1966), hedgefund investor, CEO of the Norwegian Soveregin Wealth Fund (NBIM) since 2020. *
Christian Rynning-Tønnesen Christian Wilhelm Rynning-Tønnesen (born 18 June 1959) is a Norwegian businessperson. He has spent most of his career in Statkraft, first holding various positions from 1992 to 2005, and then as CEO since 2010. He was CEO of Norske Skog from ...
(1959-), business leader, CEO of Norske Skog,
Statkraft Statkraft AS is a hydropower company, fully owned by the Norwegian state. The Statkraft Group is a generator of renewable energy, as well as Norway’s largest and the Nordic region's third largest energy producer. Statkraft develops and generates ...
. *
Emanuel Vigeland Emanuel Vigeland (2 December 1875 â€“ 22 December 1948) was a multitalented Norwegian artist. He is known for a variety of decorations of Scandinavian churches and for ''Tomba Emmanuelle'', his mausoleum at Slemdal in Oslo. His elder brother ...
(1875-1948), artist, sculptor, painter, creator of Vigeland Park in Oslo. *
Gustav Vigeland Gustav Vigeland (11 April 1869 – 12 March 1943), born as Adolf Gustav Thorsen, was a Norwegian sculptor. Gustav Vigeland occupies a special position among Norwegian sculptors, both in the power of his creative imagination and in his product ...
(1869-1945), artist, sculptor, painter. *
Henrik Wergeland Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland (17 June 1808 – 12 July 1845) was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist. He is often described as a leading pioneer in the develop ...
(1808-1845), author, writer, playwright, educator, national archivar, bureaucrat, emancipator.


See also

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Aust-Agder Aust-Agder (, en, "East Agder") was a county (''fylke'') in Norway until 1 January 2020, when it was merged with Vest-Agder to form Agder county. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which was 2.2% of Norway's population. Its area was . The ...
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Sørlandet Southern Norway ( no, Sørlandet; lit. "The Southland") is the geographical List of regions of Norway, region (''landsdel'') along the Skagerrak coast of southern Norway. The region is an informal description since it does not have any govern ...
* Agder * Former municipalities of Vest-Agder


References


External links

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Vest-Agder fylkeskommune

Vest-Agder: Norway's southernmost county
{{Authority control Former counties of Norway 2020 disestablishments in Norway States and territories disestablished in 2020