Sogn og Fjordane
Encyclopedia
is a county
in Norway
, bordering Møre og Romsdal
, Oppland
, Buskerud
, and Hordaland
. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality
while the largest town is Førde
.
Although Sogn og Fjordane has some industry, predominantly hydroelectricity
and aluminium
, it is predominantly agricultural
. Sogn og Fjordane is also home to the Urnes stave church
and Nærøyfjord
, which is listed by UNESCO
as world heritage site
s.
The Høgskulen i Sogn og Fjordane (Sogn og Fjordane University College) has campuses in Sogndal
, Sandane
, and Førde
.
. The last element is the plural definite form of fjord, which refers to the two regions in the county called Nordfjord
and Sunnfjord
.
Prior to 1919, the name of the county was Nordre Bergenhus amt
which meant "(the) northern (part of) Bergenhus amt
". (The old Bergenhus amt, created in 1662, was divided in 1763.)
were granted on 23 September 1983. The arms show the geographical layout of the county: three large fjord
s protruding into the land. The three fjords are the Nordfjord
, Sunnfjord
and Sognefjord
. Nearly all villages and towns are situated on one of these fjords and the name of the county is based on the fjords.
. These are Sogn
(in the south), Sunnfjord
(in the center), and Nordfjord
(in the north). Sogn surrounds the Sognefjord
from Solund
on the offshore island of Sula
in the North Sea
to the village of Skjolden
in Luster
along the Lustrafjord, a branch of the Sognefjord. The total length is 204 kilometres (126.8 mi).
have declared Nynorsk
to be their official written form
of the Norwegian language
.
region). These both were formed in the Middle Ages
under the Gulating
government. They were merged with Hordafylke (now Hordaland
) and Sunnmørafylke (now Sunnmøre
) to form the Bergenhus len
in the late Middle Ages. The Bergenhus len was one of four len in Norway. It was administered from the Bergenhus Fortress
in Bergen
.
On 19 February 1662, a royal decree changed the name to Bergenhus amt. The Sunnmøre
region was moved to Romsdal
county in 1689. Later, in 1763, the amt was divided in half creating: Nordre Bergenhus and Søndre Bergenhus. Later, on 1 January 1919, Nordre Bergenhus amt was re-named Sogn og Fjordane fylke during a period of time when many location names were changed.
. The whole country is divided into 19 counties. A county is also an election area, with popular votes taking place every 4 years. In Sogn og Fjordane, 39 members are elected to form a county council
(Fylkesting). Heading the Fylkesting is the county mayor (fylkesordførar). Since 2003, the Sogn og Fjordane county municipality has been led by Nils R. Sandal
, the county mayor.
The county also has a County Governor
(fylkesmann) who is the representative of the King and Government of Norway
. Oddvar Flæte
has been the County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane since 1994.
The municipalities of Sogn og Fjordane are divided among three district courts (tingrett): Sogn, Fjordane, and Nordhordland
. Sogn og Fjordane is also part of the Gulating Court of Appeal
district based in Bergen
.
All of the municipalities of Sogn og Fjordane except Gulen and Solund are part of the Sogn og Fjordane police district. Gulen and Solund are part of the Hordaland police district.
in mainland Norway, Jostedalsbreen
, in the Breheimen
mountain range, and the deepest lake, Hornindalsvatnet
. There are also many famous waterfall
s located in the area. Ramnefjellsfossen
(previously called Utigardfossen) is the tallest in Norway and third tallest in the world and Vettisfossen
is one of Norway's highest waterfalls with a vertical drop of 275 metres (902.2 ft). Both are located in the Jotunheim mountains. Cruise ships visit Sogn og Fjordane all summer because of the unique vistas of high mountains and deep blue fjords.
The famous Nærøyfjord
is located in the south of the county. This is a UNESCO listed fjord area. There are several archipelagos, including Bulandet
, Bremanger
and islands around Florø. The westernmost point in Norway proper is Holmebåen in Solund municipality. The island of Unst, part of Shetland Islands is around 300 kilometres (186.4 mi) west of Holmebåen.
The terrain changes quite rapidly with mostly smaller mountains on the coastline, gradually increasing to mountains reaching more than 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft). Because of the steep rise in elevation and fjord
s cutting through the terrain, the amount of precipitation
is very high. Low pressure systems come in from the west and meet the mountains (a phenomenon known as orographic lift
ing) and cause rain and snowfall.
have changed over time, and at present there are 26 municipalities in Sogn og Fjordane.
County municipality (Norway)
A county municipality is a Norwegian public elected body that is responsible for certain public administrative and service tasks within a county. Each county consists of county municipality, with the exception of Oslo, which is both a municipality and a county municipality...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, bordering Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
, Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
, Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
, and Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality
Leikanger
is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Leikanger, which is also the administrative center of Sogn og Fjordane county....
while the largest town is Førde
Førde
Førde is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center is the town of Førde which in 2010 had 12,035 inhabitants. The historic village of Bruland is located just east of the town of Førde...
.
Although Sogn og Fjordane has some industry, predominantly hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
and aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
, it is predominantly agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Sogn og Fjordane is also home to the Urnes stave church
Urnes stave church
Urnes Stave Church is a stave church at the Ornes farm, along the Lustrafjord in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway, about east of the village of Hafslo....
and Nærøyfjord
Nærøyfjord
The Nærøyfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists...
, which is listed by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as world heritage site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s.
The Høgskulen i Sogn og Fjordane (Sogn og Fjordane University College) has campuses in Sogndal
Sogndal
Sogndal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Sogndalsfjøra is the administrative center of Sogndal municipality. Other main villages include Kaupanger, Kjørnes, and Fjærland...
, Sandane
Sandane
Sandane is the administrative centre of the municipality of Gloppen in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Gloppefjord, along the highway . Sandane is south of Nordfjordeid and about west of Byrkjelo. Sandane Airport, Anda is located northwest of Sandane along...
, and Førde
Førde
Førde is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center is the town of Førde which in 2010 had 12,035 inhabitants. The historic village of Bruland is located just east of the town of Førde...
.
Name
The name Sogn og Fjordane was created in 1919. The first element is the name of the region SognSogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
. The last element is the plural definite form of fjord, which refers to the two regions in the county called Nordfjord
Nordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
and Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord is a traditional district in Western Norway located in Sogn og Fjordane county. It includes the municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, Flora, Førde, Gaular, Jølster, Naustdal, and the southernmost parts of Bremanger...
.
Prior to 1919, the name of the county was Nordre Bergenhus amt
Bergenhus len
Bergenhus len was a Norwegian administrative division. The "len" was administered from Bergenhus Fortress in Bergen.Formerly the term len in Norway signified an administrative region roughly equivalent to today's counties. The historic len was an important administrative entity during the period...
which meant "(the) northern (part of) Bergenhus amt
Amt (subnational entity)
Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only found in Germany, but formerly also common in northern European countries. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to a U.S...
". (The old Bergenhus amt, created in 1662, was divided in 1763.)
Coat of arms
The coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
were granted on 23 September 1983. The arms show the geographical layout of the county: three large fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s protruding into the land. The three fjords are the Nordfjord
Nordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
, Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord is a traditional district in Western Norway located in Sogn og Fjordane county. It includes the municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, Flora, Førde, Gaular, Jølster, Naustdal, and the southernmost parts of Bremanger...
and Sognefjord
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world. Located in Sogn og Fjordane county, it stretches inland to the small village of Skjolden...
. Nearly all villages and towns are situated on one of these fjords and the name of the county is based on the fjords.
Districts
The county is conventionally divided into three traditional districtsDistricts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
. These are Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
(in the south), Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord is a traditional district in Western Norway located in Sogn og Fjordane county. It includes the municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, Flora, Førde, Gaular, Jølster, Naustdal, and the southernmost parts of Bremanger...
(in the center), and Nordfjord
Nordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
(in the north). Sogn surrounds the Sognefjord
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world. Located in Sogn og Fjordane county, it stretches inland to the small village of Skjolden...
from Solund
Solund
Solund is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. Solund is the westernmost island municipality in Norway, and the only municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county that is made up only of islands...
on the offshore island of Sula
Sula, Sogn og Fjordane
Sula is an island in the municipality of Solund in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The island is the main island of the municipality. The island is located at the end of the Sognefjorden in the Sognesjøen, about east of Holmebåen, the western-most point in Norway. The largest village on the...
in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
to the village of Skjolden
Skjolden
Skjolden is a village in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Lustrafjord, a branch of the Sognefjord. Skjolden is the innermost point of the Sognefjord, and is the length of the Sognefjord is measured from Skjolden to Ytre Sula island...
in Luster
Luster, Norway
Luster is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative centre is Gaupne. Other villages include Skjolden, Hafslo, Jostedal, and Veitastrond....
along the Lustrafjord, a branch of the Sognefjord. The total length is 204 kilometres (126.8 mi).
Language
Sogn og Fjordane is the only county in which all municipalitiesMunicipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
have declared Nynorsk
Nynorsk
Nynorsk or New Norwegian is one of two official written standards for the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmål. The standard language was created by Ivar Aasen during the mid-19th century, to provide a Norwegian alternative to the Danish language which was commonly written in Norway at the...
to be their official written form
Orthography
The orthography of a language specifies a standardized way of using a specific writing system to write the language. Where more than one writing system is used for a language, for example Kurdish, Uyghur, Serbian or Inuktitut, there can be more than one orthography...
of the Norwegian language
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
.
History
The county currently consists of the two historic counties: Firdafylke (now the Fjordane region) and Sygnafylke (now the SognSogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
region). These both were formed in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
under the Gulating
Gulating
Gulaþing is both the name of one of the first Norwegian legislative assemblies or Þing and one of the present day law courts of western Norway.-History:...
government. They were merged with Hordafylke (now Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
) and Sunnmørafylke (now Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
) to form the Bergenhus len
Bergenhus len
Bergenhus len was a Norwegian administrative division. The "len" was administered from Bergenhus Fortress in Bergen.Formerly the term len in Norway signified an administrative region roughly equivalent to today's counties. The historic len was an important administrative entity during the period...
in the late Middle Ages. The Bergenhus len was one of four len in Norway. It was administered from the Bergenhus Fortress
Bergenhus Fortress
Bergenhus fortress is a fortress located in Bergen, Norway. Bergenhus fortress is located in the entrance to the harbor in Bergen. This is one of the oldest and best preserved castles in Norway.-History:...
in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
.
On 19 February 1662, a royal decree changed the name to Bergenhus amt. The Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
region was moved to Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
county in 1689. Later, in 1763, the amt was divided in half creating: Nordre Bergenhus and Søndre Bergenhus. Later, on 1 January 1919, Nordre Bergenhus amt was re-named Sogn og Fjordane fylke during a period of time when many location names were changed.
Government
A county (fylke) is the chief local administrative area in NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The whole country is divided into 19 counties. A county is also an election area, with popular votes taking place every 4 years. In Sogn og Fjordane, 39 members are elected to form a county council
County council (Norway)
A County Council is the highest governing body of the county municipalities in Norway. The county council sets the scope of the county municipal activity. The council is led by a chairman or county mayor...
(Fylkesting). Heading the Fylkesting is the county mayor (fylkesordførar). Since 2003, the Sogn og Fjordane county municipality has been led by Nils R. Sandal
Nils R. Sandal
Nils Reielson Sandal is a Norwegian politician for the Centre Party.He served as a deputy representative to the Norwegian Parliament from Sogn og Fjordane during the term 1997–2001....
, the county mayor.
The county also has a County Governor
County Governor
County Governor is a Norwegian government agency represented in 18 of the Norwegian counties responsible for a number of supervision and management duties. The Governor is the representative of the King and Government of Norway in each county, functioning as the connection between the state and...
(fylkesmann) who is the representative of the King and Government of Norway
Politics of Norway
Politics in Norway take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy. Executive power is exercised by the King's council, the cabinet, led by the Prime Minister of Norway. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Storting, elected...
. Oddvar Flæte
Oddvar Flæte
Oddvar Johannes Flæte is a Norwegian county governor.He was born in Leikanger and grew up in Årdal, and graduated from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration with a siviløkonom degree in 1971...
has been the County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane since 1994.
The municipalities of Sogn og Fjordane are divided among three district courts (tingrett): Sogn, Fjordane, and Nordhordland
Nordhordland District Court
Nordhordland District Court is a district court serving Nordhordland and Midthordland , as well as Gulen in Norway. It is co-located with Bergen District Court in Bergen Courthouse. Cases can be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal...
. Sogn og Fjordane is also part of the Gulating Court of Appeal
Gulating Court of Appeal
Gulating Court of Appeal is a Norwegian Court of Appeal.-Jurisdiction:Gulating Court of Appeal is based in Bergen, Norway. Gulating Court of Appeal holding many hearings in Stavanger and also maintains permanent offices in the Stavanger Courthouse....
district based in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
.
- Sogn District Court: AurlandAurlandAurland is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen. Other villages include Bakka, Flåm, Undredal, and Gudvangen....
, BalestrandBalestrandBalestrand is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Balestrand....
, LeikangerLeikangeris a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Leikanger, which is also the administrative center of Sogn og Fjordane county....
, LusterLuster, NorwayLuster is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative centre is Gaupne. Other villages include Skjolden, Hafslo, Jostedal, and Veitastrond....
, LærdalLærdalLærdal is a municipality in the southwestern part of Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lærdalsøyri...
, SogndalSogndalSogndal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Sogndalsfjøra is the administrative center of Sogndal municipality. Other main villages include Kaupanger, Kjørnes, and Fjærland...
, VikVikVik is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of Vik is the village of Vikøyri.-General information:...
, and ÅrdalÅrdalÅrdal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Årdalstangen is the administrative center of the municipality. Årdal was separated from Lærdal in 1860.... - Fjordane District Court: AskvollAskvollis a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Askvoll....
, BremangerBremangerBremanger is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. Bremanger is the only municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, which is located in two districts. The north-eastern parts comprising Oldeide, Berle, Rugsund, Davik, Isane and Ålfoten is located in Nordfjord, while Bremanger, Kalvåg,...
, EidEid, NorwayEid is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The village of Nordfjordeid is the administrative center of the municipality. Other larger villages are Mogrenda, Stårheim, Haugen, Kjølsdalen, Heggjabygda, and LoteEid is...
, FjalerFjalerFjaler is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Dale. Other places in Fjaler include Flekke and Espedal....
, FloraFlora, NorwayFlora is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Florø, which was founded in 1860, has 8,448 inhabitants . The Eikefjord area, which is the second largest place in Flora, has about...
, FørdeFørdeFørde is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center is the town of Førde which in 2010 had 12,035 inhabitants. The historic village of Bruland is located just east of the town of Førde...
, GaularGaularGaular is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Sande...
, GloppenGloppenGloppen is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. Gloppen is generally subdivided into three areas: Hyen in the west, Gloppen in the center, and Breim in the east. Each of the areas have their own main service centres. ...
, HornindalHornindalHornindal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Grodås.Hornindal was separated from Eid in 1867...
, HyllestadHyllestadHyllestad is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of Hyllestad is the village of Hyllestad....
, HøyangerHøyangeris a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Høyanger, which has 2177 inhabitants . Other villages in Høyanger include Lavik, Kyrkjebø, Austreim, and Vadheim...
, JølsterJølsterJølster is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Skei...
, NaustdalNaustdalNaustdal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Naustdal, which has 1,072 inhabitants . Other villages in Naustdal include Vevring and Helle.Tourists come from all over the...
, SeljeSeljeSelje is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The village of Selje is the administrative center of Selje municipality...
, SolundSolundSolund is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. Solund is the westernmost island municipality in Norway, and the only municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county that is made up only of islands...
, StrynStrynStryn is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Stryn which had a population of 2,177 in 2009. The municipality is located along the innermost part of the...
, and VågsøyVågsøyVågsøy is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The municipality's administrative center is the town Måløy. Vågsøy is also the name of the main island in the municipality with an area of... - Nordhordland District Court: GulenGulenis a municipality in the southwestern part of Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Eivindvik...
(and the rest of the NordhordlandNordhordlandNordhordland is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, consisting of the northern portion of the county of Hordaland. It includes the municipalities Austrheim, Fedje, Lindås, Masfjorden, Meland, Modalen, Osterøy, Radøy and Vaksdal....
district of the county of HordalandHordalandis a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
)
All of the municipalities of Sogn og Fjordane except Gulen and Solund are part of the Sogn og Fjordane police district. Gulen and Solund are part of the Hordaland police district.
Geography
It is mainly a rural area with a scattered population. Sogn og Fjordane includes the largest glacierGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
in mainland Norway, Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is situated in Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. Jostedalsbreen lies in the municipalities of Luster, Balestrand, Jølster, and Stryn. The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a height of .Jostedalsbreen has a total area...
, in the Breheimen
Breheimen
Breheimen is a mountain range in Sogn og Fjordane and Oppland counties in Norway. The area lies west of Jotunheimen , north of the Sognefjord, and south of the Nordfjord and Riksvei 15...
mountain range, and the deepest lake, Hornindalsvatnet
Hornindalsvatnet
Hornindalsvatnet is Norway's and Europe's deepest lake, officially measured to a depth of . Its surface is above sea level, which means that its bottom is below sea level. The village of Grodås lies at the eastern end of the lake in Hornindal and the village of Mogrenda is located on the...
. There are also many famous waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s located in the area. Ramnefjellsfossen
Ramnefjellsfossen
Ramnefjellsfossen is unofficially listed as the third-highest waterfall in the world in several publications. On the other hand, The World Waterfall Database, which includes all minor and seasonal waterfalls, lists it as eleventh-tallest...
(previously called Utigardfossen) is the tallest in Norway and third tallest in the world and Vettisfossen
Vettisfossen
Vettisfossen is one of Norway's tallest waterfalls, and the 284th tallest in the world. It is located in the Jotunheimen mountain range inside the Utladalen Landscape Protection Area in the municipality of Årdal in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The waterfall has a single drop of...
is one of Norway's highest waterfalls with a vertical drop of 275 metres (902.2 ft). Both are located in the Jotunheim mountains. Cruise ships visit Sogn og Fjordane all summer because of the unique vistas of high mountains and deep blue fjords.
The famous Nærøyfjord
Nærøyfjord
The Nærøyfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists...
is located in the south of the county. This is a UNESCO listed fjord area. There are several archipelagos, including Bulandet
Bulandet
Bulandet is an archipelago in Askvoll municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Western Norway.-External links:**...
, Bremanger
Bremanger
Bremanger is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. Bremanger is the only municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, which is located in two districts. The north-eastern parts comprising Oldeide, Berle, Rugsund, Davik, Isane and Ålfoten is located in Nordfjord, while Bremanger, Kalvåg,...
and islands around Florø. The westernmost point in Norway proper is Holmebåen in Solund municipality. The island of Unst, part of Shetland Islands is around 300 kilometres (186.4 mi) west of Holmebåen.
The terrain changes quite rapidly with mostly smaller mountains on the coastline, gradually increasing to mountains reaching more than 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft). Because of the steep rise in elevation and fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s cutting through the terrain, the amount of precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
is very high. Low pressure systems come in from the west and meet the mountains (a phenomenon known as orographic lift
Orographic lift
Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and create clouds and, under the right conditions,...
ing) and cause rain and snowfall.
Municipalities
In 1837, the counties were divided into local administrative units, each with their own governments. The number and borders of these municipalitiesMunicipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
have changed over time, and at present there are 26 municipalities in Sogn og Fjordane.
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