Buskerud

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Buskerud is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.

Buskerud fylke

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County
Region Østlandet
Administrative centre Drammen
County mayor Tor Ottar Karlsen (Ap)
Area
- Total
- Percentage Ranked 12
14,910 km²
4.53 %
Population
- Total (2004)
- Percentage
- Change (10 years)
- Population density>Density Ranked 8
242,331
5.29 %
6.7 %
18/km²
Gross Regional Product
- Total (2001)
- Percentage
- GRP/capita 54,474 million Norwegian krone>NOK
3.57 %
227,626 NOK
Buskerud extends from Hurum at the Oslofjord to the Halling mountains and Hardanger. Its western part is a mountainous plateau with forested valleys and high, grassy pastures; its eastern part contains a lowland basin with many lakes and streams. Tyrifjorden and Krøderen are the biggest lakes. Numedalslågen, the third longest river in Norway, starting in Hordaland, runs through Buskerud unto Vestfold where it reaches the sea, while river Begna sweeps into lake Sperillen.

The area Ringerike may once have been a small kingdom. During the 10th century, Norway's kings Olav Trygvason and Olav Haraldsson grew up at Bønsnes in Ringerike. Hønefoss is the district capital of Ringerike. In the Numedal valley, silver has been mined in Kongsberg from the 17th century but was discontinued in 1957. Weapons industry had been developed in Kongsberg from 1814, and various high tech industry companies now represent the town's major employers. At Modum there once was a Cobalt pigment production works (Blaafarveværket, "The Blue-Color Works"). Buskerud's coat of arms (created in April, 1966) features a blue bear whose coloring is symbolic of the Blue-Color Works. The silver background of Buskerud's coat of arms represents the silver industry in Kongsberg.

Today, agriculture, lumbering, wood-pulp mills, and industry are the county's main economic activities; ample hydroelectric power is produced by Begna and Rands rivers.

Districts

The county is conventionally divided into traditional districts. These are Eiker, Ringerike, Numedal and Hallingdal.

Municipalities

Buskerud County has a total of 21 municipalities:

Ål
Drammen
Flesberg
Flå
Gol
Hemsedal
Hol
Hole
Hurum
Kongsberg
Krødsherad

Lier
Modum
Nedre Eiker
Nes
Nore og Uvdal
Øvre Eiker
Ringerike
Rollag
Røyken
Sigdal

External links

[Buskerud Fylkeskommune]

Counties of Norway
Akershus \| Aust-Agder \| Buskerud \| Finnmark \| Hedmark \| Hordaland \| Møre og Romsdal \| Nordland \| Nord-Trøndelag \| Oppland \| Oslo \| Østfold \| Rogaland \| Sogn og Fjordane \| Sør-Trøndelag \| Telemark \| Troms \| Vest-Agder \| Vestfold

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