Hordaland () was a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

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 ...

, bordering

Sogn og Fjordane Sogn og Fjordane (; English: "Sogn and Fjordane") was, up to 1 January 2020, a county in western Norway, when it was merged to become part of Vestland county. Bordering previous counties Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland, the cou ...

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 ...

, Telemark, and Rogaland counties. Hordaland was the third largest county, after Akershus and

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 ...

, by population. The county government was the Hordaland County Municipality, which is located in

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 ...

. Before 1972, the city of Bergen was its own separate county, apart from Hordaland. On 1 January 2020, the county was merged with neighbouring

county, to form the new

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.

Name and symbols

Name

Hordaland (

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlemen ...

: ''Hǫrðaland'') is the old name of the region which was revived in 1919. The first element is the plural genitive case of ''hǫrðar'', the name of an old Germanic tribe (see

Charudes The Charudes or Harudes were a Germanic group first mentioned by Julius Caesar as one of the tribes who had followed Ariovistus across the Rhine. While Tacitus' ''Germania'' makes no mention of them, Ptolemy's ''Geographia'' locates the Charu ...

). The last element is ''land'' which means "land" or "region" in the Norwegian language. Until 1919 the name of the county was ''

Søndre Bergenhus amt Hordaland () was a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark, and Rogaland counties. Hordaland was the third largest county, after Akershus and Oslo, by population. The county government was the Hordaland County Municipal ...

'' which meant "(the) southern (part of) Bergenhus amt". (The old ''Bergenhus amt'' was created in 1662 and was divided into Northern and Southern parts in 1763.)

Flag

Hordaland's flag shows two golden axes and a crown in red. The flag is a banner of the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

derived from the old seal of the guild of St. Olav from Onarheim in

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 ...

municipality. This seal was used by the delegates of

Sunnhordland Sunnhordland is a traditional district in the western region of Norway. The district consists of the southern coastal regions of the old Hordaland county (now part of Vestland county). It includes the areas that surround the mouth of the Hardan ...

in 1344 on the document to install king

Haakon V of Norway Haakon V Magnusson (10 April 1270 – 8 May 1319) ( non, Hákon Magnússon; no, Håkon Magnusson, label= Modern Norwegian) was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319. Biography Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, Ki ...

. It was thus the oldest symbol used for the region and adapted as the arms and flag in 1961. The symbols refer to the patron saint of the guild,

Saint Olav Olaf II Haraldsson ( – 29 July 1030), later known as Saint Olaf (and traditionally as St. Olave), was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. Son of Harald Grenske, a petty king in Vestfold, Norway, he was posthumously given the title '' Rex Per ...

, King of Norway, whose symbol is an axe.

Coat of arms

The

coat-of-arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its w ...

were officially granted on 1 December 1961. They were designed by Magnus Hardeland, but the general design had been originally used in the

region during the 14th century. In the early 20th century, leaders of the county began using the old arms as a symbol for the county once again. The arms are on a red background and consist of two golden

axe An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has ma ...

s that are crossed with a golden

crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

above them.

History

Hordaland county had been around for more than one thousand years. In the 7th century, the area was made up of many

petty kingdom A petty kingdom is a kingdom described as minor or "petty" (from the French 'petit' meaning small) by contrast to an empire or unified kingdom that either preceded or succeeded it (e.g. the numerous kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England unified into ...

s under the

Gulating Gulating ( non, Gulaþing) was one of the first Norwegian legislative assemblies, or '' things,'' and also the name of a present-day law court of western Norway. The practice of periodic regional assemblies predates recorded history, and was ...

and was known as ''Hordafylke'' from around the year 900. In the early 16th century, Norway was divided into four ''len''. The Bergenhus len was headquartered in

and encompassed much of western and northern Norway. In 1662, the ''lens'' were replaced by amts. ''Bergenhus amt'' originally consisted of the present-day areas of Hordaland,

, and Sunnmøre and the far northern Nordlandene amt was subordinate to Bergenhus. In the 1680s, Nordlandene and Sunnmøre were split from Bergenhus. In 1763, the ''amt'' was divided into northern and southern parts: ''Nordre Bergenhus amt'' and ''Søndre Bergenhus amt''. When the amt was split, the present day municipality of Gulen was split with the southern part ending up in Søndre Bergenhus amt. In 1773, the border was re-drawn so that all of Gulen was located in the northern part. Søndre Bergenhus amt was renamed ''Hordaland fylke'' in 1919. The city of

was classified as a city-county ''(byamt)'' from 1831 to 1972. During that time in 1915, the municipality of Årstad was annexed into Bergen. In 1972, the neighbouring municipalities of Arna,

Fana Fana is a borough of the city of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. The borough makes up the southeastern part of the municipality of Bergen. The borough was once part of the historic municipality of Fana which was incorporated into Bergen ...

, Laksevåg and

Åsane Åsane is a borough of the city of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. The borough makes up the northern part of the city, north of the city centre. Åsane is connected to downtown Bergen by the E16/ E39 highway. The E16 highway continues on t ...

were annexed into the city of Bergen. Also at that same time, the city of Bergen lost its county status, and became a part of Hordaland county.

Government

A county ''(fylke)'' is the chief local administrative area in

. The whole country is divided into 19 counties. A county is also an election area, with popular votes taking place every 4 years. In Hordaland, the government of the county was the Hordaland County Municipality. It included 57 members elected to form a

county council A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries. Ireland The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irel ...

''(Fylkesting)''. Heading the ''Fylkesting'' was the county mayor ''(fylkesordførar)''. The last county mayor for the Hordaland County Municipality was Anne Gine Hestetun. The county also had a County Governor ''(fylkesmann)'' who was the representative of the

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

and Government of Norway.

Lars Sponheim Lars Sponheim (born 23 May 1957) is a Norwegian politician. He was leader of the Liberal Party from 1996 to 2010. He was a member of the Storting from 1993 to 2009, and a government minister from 1997 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2005. He served as Co ...

was the last County Governor of Hordaland. The municipalities in Hordaland were divided among four district courts ''(tingrett)'':

Nordhordland Nordhordland is a traditional district in the western part of Norway. The district consists of the northern portion of the old Hordaland county (now in Vestland county), north of the city of Bergen. It includes the municipalities Alver, Austr ...

, and

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 ...

. Hordaland was also part of the Gulating Court of Appeal district based in Bergen. :no:Hordaland * Nordhordland District Court:

Askøy Askøy is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island municipality is located in the Midhordland district of the county, sitting in a large group of islands immediately northwest of the city of Bergen. The administrative centre of the ...

Austevoll Austevoll is a municipality and an archipelago in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Midthordland in Western Norway. The administrative centre is the village of Storebø on the island of Huftarøy. Other vill ...

, Austrheim, Fedje,

Fjell Fjell is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Midhordland. The municipality consisted of several islands west of the city of Bergen, the major ones being Litlesotra, the northern ...

, Fusa, Lindås, Masfjorden, Meland, Modalen, Os,

Osterøy Osterøy is an island municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordhordland. The municipality encompasses most of the island of Osterøy. The administrative centre of Osterøy is the village of Lone ...

Radøy Radøy is a former municipality in the Nordhordland district of the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1964 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into the new municipality of Alver in Vestland county. The mun ...

Samnanger Samnanger () is a municipality in the Midhordland region of Vestland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Tysse. Other main villages in the municipality include Haga and Bjørkheim in Nordbygda. The ...

, Sund,

Vaksdal is a municipality in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordhordland. The administrative centre is the village of Dalekvam. Other villages in Vaksdal include Dalegarden, Flatkvål, Helle, Neshe ...

, Voss, Øygarden, and Gulen (Gulen was actually in neighbouring

county) * Sunnhordland District Court:

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 ...

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 ...

Fitjar Fitjar () is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland. Fitjar municipality includes the northern part of the island of Stord and the hundreds of surrounding islands, most ...

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 ...

and

* Bergen District Court: the city of

* Hardanger District Court:

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 ...

Granvin Granvin is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it merged with Voss Municipality. The municipality was located in the traditional district of Hardanger. ...

Jondal Jondal is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1863 until its dissolution in 2020 when it became part of Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county. It was located on the Folgefonna peninsula ...

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 ...

, Odda,

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 ...

and

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 ...

Most of the municipalities in Hordaland were part of the Hordaland

police district Police district is a form of division of a geographical area patrolled by a police force. The 1885 ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' stated: Police forces using this format include: * Chicago Police Department * Baltimore Police Department * York Re ...

. Gulen and

Solund Solund is a municipality in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. Solund is the westernmost island municipality in Norway. Holmebåen on the island of Steinsøy is the westernmost point in all of Nor ...

county were also part of the Hordaland police district.

and

were a part of the ''" Haugaland and

"'' police district, along with eight other municipalities in Rogaland county.

Geography

Hordaland is semi-circular in shape. It is located on the western coast of Norway, split from southwest to northeast by the long, deep

Hardangerfjorden The Hardangerfjord ( en, Hardanger Fjord) is the fifth longest fjord in the world, and the second longest fjord in Norway. It is located in Vestland county in the Hardanger region. The fjord stretches from the Atlantic Ocean into the mountain ...

, one of

's main

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, ...

s and a great tourist attraction. About half of the National park of

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 ...

is in this county. The county also includes many well-known

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...

s, such as Vøringsfossen and Stykkjedalsfossen. It also includes 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 ...

and

Hardangerjøkulen Hardangerjøkulen ( en, Hardanger Glacier) is the sixth largest glacier in mainland Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Eidfjord and Ulvik in Vestland county. It is located about northeast of the village of Eidfjord, about south of ...

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 ...

s. More than 60% of the inhabitants live in

and the surrounding area. Other urban or semi-urban centres include

Leirvik Leirvik is a town and the administrative centre of Stord municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The town lies along the southern coast of the large island of Stord, along the Hardangerfjorden. The town gained "town status" in 1997. The town ...

, Voss and Odda.

Municipalities

# Austrheim #

# Fedje #

# Fusa #

# Lindås # Masfjorden # Meland # Modalen # Odda # Os #

# Øygarden #

# Sund #

# Voss

Districts

* Haugaland *

Mauranger Mauranger is the northernmost district of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The district is centered on the Maurangsfjorden on the western side of the vast Folgefonna glacier. Mauranger consists of the villages of Sundal, Au ...

Midhordland Midhordland or Midthordland is a traditional district in the Vestlandet region of Norway. It consists of the central-west portion of the old Hordaland county (now part of Vestland county), mostly including the islands and coastal fjord areas sur ...

* Stril *

Strilelandet Strilelandet is a loosely defined district in Vestland county, Norway. It is normally defined as Nordhordland and Midhordland except for Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland ...

* Voss

Cities

* Odda

Parishes

* Alversund * Arna * Ask * Askøy *

* Austrheim * Bekkjarvik *

* Bergsdalen * Birkeland * Biskopshavn * Bjoastrand * Blomvåg * Bremnes * Bruvik *

* Old Bømlo * Bønes * Dale * Eid *

* Old Eidfjord * Eidsvåg * Eksingedal *

Emigrant Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...

* Erdal * Etne *

Evanger Evanger is a former municipality in the Voss district of the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1885 until 1964 when it was dissolved and its lands split between two municipalities. The municipality included the eas ...

* Fedje * Finnås *

* Fjelberg *

Fjæra Fjæra (historically called ''Åkrabotn'') is a village in Etne municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the innermost end of the Åkrafjorden, at the mouth of Fjæraelva (Fjæra River). The European route E134 highway ...

* Foldnes *

Førde Førde is a former municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center was the town of Førde which in 2016 had 10,255 inhabitants. Other villages in Førd ...

* Fridalen * Frøyset * Fusa *

Fyllingsdalen Fyllingsdalen () is a borough of the city of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. The borough is located southwest of the city centre in the Fyllingsdalen valley, west of the mountain Løvstakken. The neighbourhoods of Fyllingsdalen mainly consis ...

* Gjerde * Gjerstad *

* Grindheim * Haga * Hamre *

Hatlestrand Hatlestrand is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Hardangerfjorden, northeast of the villages of Husa and Ølve. The village has a ferry port called ''Gjermundshamn'', which has reg ...

* Haus * Herdla (Herlø) * Hjelme * Old Hjelme *

Holdhus Holdhus is a village in Bjørnafjorden municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located about east of the village of Eikelandsosen. The village was the administrative centre of the old municipality of Hålandsdal which existed fr ...

Holmedal Holmedal is a village in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the northern shore of the Dalsfjorden, about east of the village of Askvoll. The village was a part of Fjaler municipality before 1990 when it wa ...

* Holy Cross * Hordabø (Bøe) *

Hosanger Hosanger is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The municipality was located in what is now parts of Alver Municipality and Osterøy Municipality in Vestl ...

* Hundvin * Hundvåkøy * Husnes * Hålandsdal *

* Kausland *

Kinsarvik Kinsarvik is a village in the municipality of Ullensvang in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the end of a small bay at the confluence of the Sørfjorden and the Eid Fjord, where they join to form the main branch of the Hardan ...

* Knarvik * Kvam *

* Laksevåg * Landro *

Landås Landås is a neighbourhood in the city of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. Landås is located by the western side of the Ulriken mountain massif, from southeast of Haukeland University Hospital to the neighborhood of Nattland almost further sou ...

* Lindås * Loddefjord * Lygra *

Lykling Lykling (historically: ''Løkling'') is a village in Bømlo municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southwestern part of the island of Bømlo. The village is about north of the village of Langevåg and it sits a ...

Manger __NOTOC__ A manger or trough is a rack for fodder, or a structure or feeder used to hold food for animals. The word comes from the Old French ''mangier'' (meaning "to eat"), from Latin ''mandere'' (meaning "to chew"). Mangers are mostly used in ...

* Masfjorden * Meland * Mjelde * Mo * Moster * Old Moster * Myking * Møkster * Nesheim * Nore Neset Church *

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 ...

* Nygård *

Nykirken Nykirken (literally: "The new church") is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Bergen Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the Nordnes area of the city of Bergen. It is one of the churches for the Bergen Cathedral paris ...

* Nysæter * Odda * Olsvik * Onarheim * Opdal (Uggdal) * Oppheim * Os * Ostereidet * Raundalen *

Reksteren Reksteren is an island in the municipality of Tysnes in Vestland county, Norway. The island covers an area of . Its highest point is the tall Bjørnkletten. The island lies northwest of the larger island of Tysnesøy. The small Bårdsundet s ...

* Røldal (before 1848 in Rogaland) * Salhus *

Sandnes Sandnes () is a city and municipality in Rogaland, Norway. It lies immediately south of Stavanger, the 4th largest city in Norway and together, the Stavanger/Sandnes area is the third-largest urban area in Norway. The urban city of Sandnes lies ...

* Sandvik * Seim * Skare * Skjold * Skånevik *

Slettebakken Slettebakken is a neighborhood in the borough of Årstad in Bergen. It has approximately 7,514 residents and covers 112 km² of land and 0.04 km² of freshwater. The neighborhood is bordered by Minde to the west, Kronstad to the north, Landå ...

* Solheim, Bergen * Solheim, Masfjorden *

St James's St James's is a central district in the City of Westminster, London, forming part of the West End. In the 17th century the area developed as a residential location for the British aristocracy, and around the 19th century was the focus of the d ...

* St George's * St John's * St Mark's * St Mary's * Stamnes *

* Store-Kalsøy * Storetveit * Strandebarm * Strandvik * Strudshavn * Strusshamn * Stødle * Støle (Strødle) * Sund * Sundvor *

* Sæbø * Sælen * Søreide * Takvam * Tveit *

Tyssedal Tyssedal is a village in Ullensvang municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the shore of the Sørfjorden about north of the town of Odda. Tyssedal is located in an environment in a valley between the fjord to the wes ...

* Uggdal *

* Uppheim * Uskedalen *

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 ...

* Valen * Valen * Valestrand *

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 ...

* Vikw * Vikebygd * Vikøy *

Vinje Vinje is a Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Telemark in the Counties of Norway, county of Vestfold og Telemark in Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional regions of Upper Telemark and Vest-Telemark. The administrative ...

* Voss * Vossestrand *

Ytre Arna Ytre Arna is a settlement in the borough of Arna in the municipality of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. Ytre Arna is principally associated with ''A/S Arne Fabrikker'', the country's first mechanised cotton mill. Ytre Arna Church Ytre Arna ...

Ytrebygda Ytrebygda is a borough of the city of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. The borough is the site of Bergen Flesland Airport. Location Ytrebygda is located southwest of the city center, south of the Grimstadfjorden and the lake Nordåsvannet. I ...

* Ænes * Ølen * Ølve * Øystese * Åkra (Åkre) * Ålvik * Årstad *

Villages

Abbedisso Abbedisso is a small village in the municipality of Askøy in Vestland county, Norway. It is located along the Herdlefjorden near the northwestern tip of the island of Askøy. The village of Io lies directly to the north on the island of Holsn� ...

* Algrøyna *

Alsåker Alsåker is a village in the municipality of Ullensvang, in Vestland county, Norway. The village lies on the Folgefonn Peninsula, along the shore of the Hardangerfjorden. The village lies about southwest of the village of Utne and about northea ...

* Alveim * Alver * Alverstraumen * Ask * Askeland, Lindås * Askeland, Radøy * Auklandshamn (Økland) * Austbygdi * Austevollhella * Austmarka * Austrepollen * Austrheim * Bakkasund * Bekkjarvik * Birkeland * Blomvåg *

Bolstadøyri Bolstadøyri is a village in Voss municipality, Vestland county, Norway. The village lies at the mouth of the river Bolstadelvi, where it meets the Bolstadfjorden. The village lies about west of the village of Evanger and about northeast of t ...

Borstrondi Borstrondi or Skulestadmoen is a village in Voss municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located about north of the municipal centre, Vossevangen. The village has a population (2019) of 1,456 and a population density Population density ...

* Botnen *

Breistein Breistein is a village in the borough of Åsane in Bergen municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village lies along the Sørfjorden on the eastern part of the municipality, across the fjord from the village of Valestrandsfossen. The Europ ...

* Bru (Strandebarm) * Bruvik * Bøvågen * Dale (Dalekvam) * Dalegarden *

Dimmelsvik Dimmelsvik is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the south shore of the Hardangerfjorden, about south of the municipal centre of Rosendal and about northeast of the village of Uskedal. T ...

* Djønno *

* Eidsvik * Eikelandsosen * Eitrheim * Erdal * Espeland * Etnesjøen (Etne) *

* Fanahammeren (Fana) * Fedje *

Finse Finse is a mountain village area on the shore of the lake Finsevatnet in Ulvik municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is centered on Finse Station, a railway station on the Bergen Line. The village sits at an elevation of above s ...

* Fjelberg *

* Flatkvål * Flesland * Foldnes * Fotlandsvåg * Frekhaug * Fusa *

* Førde i Hordaland * Gjermundshamn Ferry Port * Gjetingsdalen *

* Grov * Haga *

Hagavik Hagavik is a village in Bjørnafjorden (municipality), Bjørnafjorden municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village lies immediately to the west of the municipal centre of Osøyro on the shore of the Skeisosen, an arm off the main Bjørnaf ...

Haljem Halhjem is a village in Bjørnafjorden municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is a suburb of the municipal centre of Osøyro, located immediately to the north. The village is the site of an important ferry quay along the European r ...

* Hammarsland * Hamre * Hanevik *

* Haugland * Haukanes * Haus * Havrå * Helle * Hernar * Herøysund * Hjartås *

Hjellestad Hjellestad is a neighborhood of Bergen, Norway, situated in the borough of Ytrebygda. It is located on Mildehalvøyen, about from the city center. From Hjellestad there is a ferry to Bjelkarøy, Lerøy Lerøy Seafood Group ASA is a seafood prod ...

* Holme *

Holmefjord Holmefjord is a village in the municipality of Bjørnafjorden in Vestland county, Norway. It is located near the shore along the Samnangerfjorden about northwest of the village of Eikelandsosen. Holmefjord is a small typical western Norwegian v ...

* Horda *

* Hundvin *

Husa Husa is a village in the Ølve district of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the end of a small bay off the main Hardangerfjorden. The village lies about north of the village of Ølve Ølve is a vi ...

* Husavik * Husnes * Hylkje * Høylandsbygda *

Indre Arna Indre Arna is a suburban village in the borough of Arna, Norway, Arna in the municipality of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. While Indre Arna is relatively far from most of the city centre by road, there is an 8-minute train journey through the ...

* Indre Ålvik * Io * Isdalstø *

* Kaland * Kausland *

Kjøkkelvik Kjøkkelvik is a mostly residential neighborhood of the city of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. The neighborhood is located on the west side of the large mountain Lyderhorn in the borough of Laksevåg, along the coast of the Byfjorden. The ...

Kleppestø Kleppestø is the administrative centre of the municipality of Askøy in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern coast of the island of Askøy. The village of Florvåg lies just north of Kleppestø and the village of S ...

* Klokkarvik * Knappskog * Knarrevik * Knarrevik (Knarvrika) *

Kolbeinsvik Kolbeinsvik is a village in Austevoll municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the western shores of the island of Huftarøy, about northwest of the villages of Vinnes Vinnes is a village in Austevoll municipality in ...

* Kolltveit * Krokeidet * Krossneset *

Kvitheim Kvitheim is a small, rural village in Voss municipality, Norway. Kvitheim is located north of the municipal centre, Vossevangen. The village of Borstrondi lies just across the lake Melsvatnet to the west. Norwegian County Road 309 runs through th ...

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 ...

* Laksevåg * Landro *

Langevåg Langevåg or Langevågen is the administrative center of Sula Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is situated at the end of the road on the north side of the island of Sula, about northwest of the village of Mauseidv� ...

* Lindås *

Litlabø Litlabø is a village and former mining community in the municipality of Stord in Vestland county, Norway. It is located at the northern side of the lake of Storavatnet, just northeast of the village of Sagvåg. The village had about 450 inhabita ...

* Loddefjord * Lofthus * Lonevåg * Luro *

* Masfjordnes * Mathopen * Meland * Milde * Misje * Mo (Modalen) * Mongstad * Moster * Mosterhamn * Møvik * Mundheim * Møkster * Nedre Vinjo * Nesheim *

Nesttun Nesttun is an urban settlement in the borough of Fana in the municipality of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. It is located approximately south of the city centre. It was the centre of the old Fana municipality, which merged with Bergen in 1972 ...

* Nord-Huglo * Nordrepollen *

Nordvik Nordvik is a former municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1917 until its dissolution in 1962. The island municipality encompassed the central part of the island of Dønna as well as the smaller surrounding is ...

* Onarheim * Osa * Ostereidet * Osøyro *

Ringøy Ringøy is a small village in the municipality of Eidfjord in Hordaland county, Norway. The settlement lies on the south side of the Eid Fjord, an inner branch of the Hardanger Fjord. The ferry quay at Ringøy served the ferry connection to Ulv ...

* Rong * Rosendal * Rossland * Rostøy * Rubbestadneset *

Røldal Røldal is a village in the municipality of Ullensvang in Vestland county, Norway. The village lies in the Røldal valley along the Storelva river on the north end of the lake Røldalsvatnet. Røldal is located about southeast of the town of ...

Sagvåg Sagvåg is a village in Stord municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southwest coast of the island of Stord, about west of the town of Leirvik. The Stord Airport, Sørstokken lies about northwest of Sagvåg. ...

* Salhus * Seim * Sekkingstad * Seljestad * Skare (Skarde) * Skjelviki * Skogsvåg * Skånevik * Sletta * Stalheim * Stamneshella * Stanghelle * Steine * Storebø * Strandvik * Straume * Strusshamn *

Sundal Sundal or Sunndal is the largest village in the Mauranger district of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Maurangsfjorden, south of Nordrepollen and Gjetingsdalen. The villa ...

* Sunde i Sunnhordland *

* Svortland *

Sylta Sylta is a village situated in Upplands-Bro Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of S ...

* Sæbø (Sæbøvågen) * Sæbøvik * Søfteland * Søre Øyane * Sør-Huglo * Søvik * Toska * Trengereid * Tunes * Turøyna * Tveitevåg * Tysse *

* Tælavåg *

Tørvikbygd Tørvikbygd (coord ) is a village in Kvam municipality Hardanger, Vestland, Norway. The village is located on the west side of Hardanger Fjord, around 13 km south of the community center Norheimsund. The name comes from a farm name: «Tørvikj ...

* Uggdal * Uggdalseidet *

* Uskedal *

* Utsylta *

Utåker Utåker is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located where the Skåneviksfjorden splits into the Matersfjorden and Åkrafjorden. The village of Skånevik lies to the south, across the fjord. The vil ...

* Valen * Valestrand *

Valestrandfossen Valestrandfossen or ValestrandsfossenAccording to Statens kartverkSK Website/ref> is a village in the municipality of Osterøy, adjacent to Norway's second-largest city and municipality Bergen, Vestland county. It lies at Sørfjorden to the wes ...

* Valevåg *

* Vikadal * Vikavågen * Vikebygd * Vikøy * Vinnes *

Vossevangen Vossevangen or Voss is the administrative centre of Voss municipality in Vestland county, Norway. Location The village lies on the northeastern shore of the lake Vangsvatnet in the central part of the municipality, about east of the city of Ber ...

* Våga * Våge * Våge *

* Ytre Ålvik * Ænes * Ølve *

Øvre Eidfjord Øvre Eidfjord is a village in Eidfjord municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the southern end of the lake Eidfjordvatnet, about south of the municipal centre of Eidfjord. Øvre Eidfjord sits along the Bjoreio River, ...

* Øystese * Ågotnes * Åkra * Årland * Årland * Årås

Former municipalities

* Alversund * Arna * Bergen landdistrikt * Bremnes * Bruvik * Eid *

* Finnås * Fjelberg * Hamre * Haus * Herdla * Hjelme * Hordabø *

* Hålandsdal *

* Laksevåg *

* Moster * Mosterøy *

* Skånevik * Strandebarm * Strandvik * Sæbø * Valestrand *

* Vikebygd *

Vossestrand Vossestrand is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1868 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Voss. The municipality was cen ...

Ølen Ølen is a former municipality in the Vestlandet region of Norway. The municipality existed from 1916 until 2006, and originally it was a part of Hordaland county, but in 2002 it was transferred to Rogaland county prior to its dissolution in 20 ...

* Årstad *

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Hordaland county is twinned with: *

Lower Normandy Lower Normandy (french: Basse-Normandie, ; nrf, Basse-Normaundie) is a former administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, Lower and Upper Normandy merged becoming one region called Normandy. Geography The region included three departme ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

* Kaunas, Lithuania *

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

* Orkney Islands,

Northern Isles The Northern Isles ( sco, Northren Isles; gd, Na h-Eileanan a Tuath; non, Norðreyjar; nrn, Nordøjar) are a pair of archipelagos off the north coast of mainland Scotland, comprising Orkney and Shetland. They are part of Scotland, as are th ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

Christmas Tree

Since 1949 Hordaland has given a Christmas tree to the Scottish Capital city of

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

this is to remember the help given to

Norwegians Norwegians ( no, nordmenn) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nation native to Norway, where they form the vast majority of the population. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegians are descended from the N ...

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 opposing ...

by Scots however since 2008 the tree has been sourced in

but has remained a gift from the people of Hordaland.

Notable residents

* Ole Bull (1810–1880), composer, violinist * Tore Eikeland (1990–2011), politician *

Edvard Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the foremost Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use of ...

(1843–1907), composer *

Nordahl Grieg Johan Nordahl Brun Grieg (1 November 1902 – 2 December 1943) was a Norwegian poet, novelist, dramatist, journalist and activism, political activist. He was a popular author and a controversial public figure. He served in World War II as a war c ...

(1902–1943), writer * C. J. Hambro (1885–1964), politician * Julius Christopher Hammer (1798–1877). priest and politician *

Ludvig Holberg Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg (3 December 1684 – 28 January 1754) was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian dual monarchy. He was influenced by Humanism, ...

(1684–1754), writer * Leif Andreas Larsen ("Shetlands-Larsen") (1906–1990), military officer in World War II * Christian Michelsen (1857–1925), politician *

Johan Sebastian Welhaven Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven (22 December 1807 – 21 October 1873) was a Norwegian author, poet, critic, and art theorist. He has been considered "one of the greatest figures in Norwegian literature." Background Johan Welhaven was born ...

(1807–1873), writer * Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll (1991-presents), DJ, musician * Alan Olav Walker (1997- presents), DJ, musician

References

External links

County web site

Map of Hordaland
{{Authority control Former counties of Norway History of Vestland 2020 disestablishments in Norway States and territories disestablished in 2020