Hordaland

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 Municipality, which is located in Bergen. Before 1972, the city of Bergen was its own separate county, apart from Hordaland. On 1 January 2020, the county was merged with neighbouring Sogn og Fjordane county, to form the new Vestland county.
Name and symbols
Name
Hordaland (Old Norse: 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 last element is land which means "land" or "region" in the Norwegian language.
Until 1919 the name of the county was Søndre Bergenhus amt 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 derived from the old seal of the guild of St. Olav from Onarheim in Tysnes municipality. This seal was used by the delegates of Sunnhordland in 1344 on the document to install king Haakon V of Norway. 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, King of Norway, whose symbol is an axe.
Coat of arms
The coat-of-arms were officially granted on 1 December 1961. They were designed by Magnus Hardeland, but the general design had been originally used in the Sunnhordland 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 axes that are crossed with a golden crown above them.
History
{{Historical populations
|footnote = Source: Statistics Norway.
|shading = off
|align = left
|1769|63757
|1900|205771
|1950|308164
|1960|338265
|1970|369430
|1980|388084
|1990|407427
|2000|435219
|2010|477175
|2014|508500
}}
Hordaland county had been around for more than one thousand years. In the 7th century, the area was made up of many petty kingdoms under the Gulating 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 Bergen 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, Sogn og Fjordane, 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 Bergen 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, Laksevåg and Åsane 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 Norway. 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 (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 and Government of Norway. Lars Sponheim was the last County Governor of Hordaland.
The municipalities in Hordaland were divided among four district courts (tingrett): Nordhordland, Sunnhordland, Bergen, and Hardanger. Hordaland was also part of the Gulating Court of Appeal district based in Bergen.
Nordhordland District Court: Askøy, Austevoll, Austrheim, Fedje, Fjell, Fusa, Lindås, Masfjorden, Meland, Modalen, Os, Osterøy, Radøy, Samnanger, Sund, Vaksdal, Voss, Øygarden, and Gulen (Gulen was actually in neighbouring Sogn og Fjordane county)
Sunnhordland District Court: Bømlo, Etne, Fitjar, Kvinnherad, Stord, Sveio and Tysnes
Bergen District Court: the city of Bergen
Hardanger District Court: Eidfjord, Granvin, Jondal, Kvam, Odda, Ullensvang and Ulvik
Most of the municipalities in Hordaland were part of the Hordaland police district. Gulen and Solund in Sogn og Fjordane county were also part of the Hordaland police district. Bømlo, Etne, Fitjar, Stord and Sveio were a part of the "Haugaland and Sunnhordland"'' 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, one of Norway's main fjords and a great tourist attraction. About half of the National park of Hardangervidda is in this county. The county also includes many well-known waterfalls, such as Vøringsfossen and Stykkjedalsfossen. It also includes the Folgefonna and Hardangerjøkulen glaciers.
More than 60% of the inhabitants live in Bergen and the surrounding area. Other urban or semi-urban centres include Leirvik, Voss and Odda.
Municipalities
Askøy
Austevoll
Austrheim
Bergen
Bømlo
Eidfjord
Etne
Fedje
Fitjar
Fjell
Fusa
Granvin
Jondal
Kvam
Kvinnherad
Lindås
Masfjorden
Meland
Modalen
Odda
Os
Osterøy
Øygarden
Radøy
Samnanger
Stord
Sund
Sveio
Tysnes
Ullensvang
Ulvik
Vaksdal
Voss
Districts
Hardanger
Haugaland
Mauranger
Midhordland
Nordhordland
Stril
Strilelandet
Sunnhordland
Voss
Cities
Bergen
Leirvik
Odda
Parishes
Alversund
Arna
Ask
Askøy
Austevoll
Austrheim
Bekkjarvik
Bergen
Bergsdalen
Birkeland
Biskopshavn
Bjoastrand
Blomvåg
Bremnes
Bruvik
Bømlo
Old Bømlo
Bønes
Dale
Eid
Eidfjord
Old Eidfjord
Eidsvåg
Eksingedal
Emigrant
Erdal
Etne
Evanger
Fana
Fedje
Finnås
Fitjar
Fjelberg
Fjell
Fjæra
Foldnes
Førde
Fridalen
Frøyset
Fusa
Fyllingsdalen
Gjerde
Gjerstad
Granvin
Grindheim
Haga
Hamre
Hatlestrand
Haus
Herdla (Herlø)
Hjelme
Old Hjelme
Holdhus
Holmedal
Holy Cross
Hordabø (Bøe)
Hosanger
Hundvin
Hundvåkøy
Husnes
Hålandsdal
Jondal
Kausland
Kinsarvik
Knarvik
Kvam
Kvinnherad
Laksevåg
Landro
Landås
Lindås
Loddefjord
Lygra
Lykling
Manger
Masfjorden
Meland
Mjelde
Mo
Moster
Old Moster
Myking
Møkster
Nesheim
Nore Neset Church
Norheimsund
Nygård
Nykirken
Nysæter
Odda
Olsvik
Onarheim
Opdal (Uggdal)
Oppheim
Os
Ostereidet
Raundalen
Reksteren
Røldal (before 1848 in Rogaland)
Salhus
Samnanger
Sandnes
Sandvik
Seim
Skare
Skjold
Skånevik
Slettebakken
Solheim, Bergen
Solheim, Masfjorden
St James's
St George's
St John's
St Mark's
St Mary's
Stamnes
Stord
Store-Kalsøy
Storetveit
Strandebarm
Strandvik
Strudshavn
Strusshamn
Stødle
Støle (Strødle)
Sund
Sundvor
Sveio
Sæbø
Sælen
Søreide
Takvam
Tveit
Tysnes
Tyssedal
Uggdal
Ullensvang
Ulvik
Uppheim
Uskedalen
Utne
Vaksdal
Valen
Valen
Valestrand
Varaldsøy
Vike
Vikebygd
Vikøy
Vinje
Voss
Vossestrand
Ytre Arna
Ytrebygda
Ænes
Ølen
Ølve
Øystese
Åkra (Åkre)
Ålvik
Årstad
Åsane
Villages
Abbedisso
Algrøyna
Alsåker
Alveim
Alver
Alverstraumen
Ask
Askeland, Lindås
Askeland, Radøy
Auklandshamn (Økland)
Austbygdi
Austevollhella
Austmarka
Austrepollen
Austrheim
Bakkasund
Bekkjarvik
Birkeland
Blomvåg
Bolstadøyri
Borstrondi
Botnen
Breistein
Bru (Strandebarm)
Bruvik
Bøvågen
Dale (Dalekvam)
Dalegarden
Dimmelsvik
Djønno
Eidfjord
Eidsvik
Eikelandsosen
Eitrheim
Erdal
Espeland
Etnesjøen (Etne)
Evanger
Fanahammeren (Fana)
Fedje
Finse
Fitjar
Fjelberg
Fjell
Fjæra
Flatkvål
Flesland
Foldnes
Fotlandsvåg
Frekhaug
Fusa
Fyllingsdalen
Førde i Hordaland
Gjermundshamn Ferry Port
Gjetingsdalen
Granvin
Grov
Haga
Hagavik
Haljem
Hammarsland
Hamre
Hanevik
Hatlestrand
Haugland
Haukanes
Haus
Havrå
Helle
Hernar
Herøysund
Hjartås
Hjellestad
Holdhus
Holme
Holmefjord
Horda
Hosanger
Hundvin
Husa
Husavik
Husnes
Hylkje
Høylandsbygda
Indre Arna
Indre Ålvik
Io
Isdalstø
Jondal
Kaland
Kausland
Kinsarvik
Kjøkkelvik
Kleppestø
Klokkarvik
Knappskog
Knarrevik
Knarrevik (Knarvrika)
Kolbeinsvik
Kolltveit
Krokeidet
Krossneset
Kvitheim
Kysnesstranda
Laksevåg
Landro
Langevåg
Lindås
Litlabø
Loddefjord
Lofthus
Lonevåg
Luro
Lykling
Manger
Masfjordnes
Mathopen
Meland
Milde
Misje
Mo (Modalen)
Mongstad
Moster
Mosterhamn
Møvik
Mundheim
Møkster
Nedre Vinjo
Nesheim
Nesttun
Nord-Huglo
Nordrepollen
Nordvik
Norheimsund
Onarheim
Osa
Ostereidet
Osøyro
Reksteren
Ringøy
Rong
Rosendal
Rossland
Rostøy
Rubbestadneset
Røldal
Sagvåg
Salhus
Seim
Sekkingstad
Seljestad
Skare (Skarde)
Skjelviki
Skogsvåg
Skånevik
Sletta
Stalheim
Stamneshella
Stanghelle
Steine
Storebø
Strandvik
Straume
Strusshamn
Sundal
Sunde i Sunnhordland
Sveio
Svortland
Sylta
Sæbø (Sæbøvågen)
Sæbøvik
Søfteland
Søre Øyane
Sør-Huglo
Søvik
Toska
Trengereid
Tunes
Turøyna
Tveitevåg
Tysse
Tyssedal
Tælavåg
Tørvikbygd
Uggdal
Uggdalseidet
Ulvik
Uskedal
Utne
Utsylta
Utåker
Valen
Valestrand
Valestrandfossen
Valevåg
Vaksdal
Varaldsøy
Vikadal
Vikavågen
Vikebygd
Vikøy
Vinnes
Vossevangen
Våga
Våge
Våge
Ytre Arna
Ytre Ålvik
Ænes
Ølve
Øvre Eidfjord
Øystese
Ågotnes
Åkra
Årland
Årland
Årås
Former municipalities
Alversund
Arna
Bergen landdistrikt
Bremnes
Bruvik
Eid
Evanger
Fana
Finnås
Fjelberg
Hamre
Haus
Herdla
Hjelme
Hordabø
Hosanger
Hålandsdal
Kinsarvik
Laksevåg
Manger
Moster
Mosterøy
Røldal
Skånevik
Strandebarm
Strandvik
Sæbø
Valestrand
Varaldsøy
Vikebygd
Vossestrand
Ølen
Årstad
Åsane
International relations
Twin towns – Sister cities
Hordaland county is twinned with:
Lower Normandy, France
Kaunas, Lithuania
Cardiff, Wales
Orkney Islands, Northern Isles, Scotland
Christmas Tree
Since 1949 Hordaland has given a Christmas tree to the Scottish Capital city of Edinburgh this is to remember the help given to Norwegians during World War II by Scots however since 2008 the tree has been sourced in Scotland 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 (1843–1907), composer
Nordahl Grieg (1902–1943), writer
C. J. Hambro (1885–1964), politician
Julius Christopher Hammer (1798–1877). priest and politician
Ludvig Holberg (1684–1754), writer
Leif Andreas Larsen ("Shetlands-Larsen") (1906–1990), military officer in World War II
Christian Michelsen (1857–1925), politician
Johan Sebastian Welhaven (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
Former counties of Norway
History of Vestland
2020 disestablishments in Norway
States and territories disestablished in 2020