Drammen
Encyclopedia : D : DR : DRA : Drammen
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| County | Buskerud | |
| District | ||
| Municipality | ||
| Administrative centre | Drammen | |
| Mayor (2003) | Tore Opdal Hansen (H) | |
| Official language form | Neutral | |
| Area - Total - Land - Percentage | 137 Square kilometre>km² 135 km² 0.04 % | |
| Population - Total (as of 2004>2004) - Percentage - Change (10 years) - Density | Ranked 9 90,700 1.24 % 8.2 % 421/km² | |
| Coordinates | ||
| [www.drammen.kommune.no] [Data from Statistics Norway] | ||
Drammen city is the sixth largest city of Norway and occupies territory in no less than five municipalities. Those are Drammen (with about 61% of the population), Nedre Eiker (23%), Øvre Eiker (8%), Lier (5%) and Røyken (3%). The total number of citizens was as of January 1st, 2005, at 90,700.
As of January 1st 2006 the population of the metropolitan area of Drammen is 159,704 according to Statistics Norway.
History
Rock carvings at Åskollen and Skogerveien are 6000 to 7000 years old, and are the first signs of human activity in the area. The largest rock carving at Åskollen depicts a moose.
Drammen originally consisted of three different areas: Bragernes on the northern side of the Drammenselva river and Strømsø and Tangen on the southern side, but gained status as a single city in 1811.
Its unique geographical location made the city a centre for seafaring, ship building, log driving, timber trade and - from the 19th century - paper and pulp industries.
Large parts of the city were ruined in the great fire of 1866, which lead to the reconstruction of the city centre, including the characteristic town square and Bragernes church.
In 1909, Drammen got the first trolleybus system in Scandinavia. The lines ran until 1967.
Famous people from Drammen
- Kim Christiansen, born May 8, 1976. 2001 Snowboarding World Championships at Madonna di Campiglio, Italy (Jan. 21-28), Christiansen won the halfpipe.
- Hans Peter Faye, 1859-1928, sugar plantation pioneer on Kauai, Hawaii.
- Johan Halvorsen, 1864-1935, composer, conductor and musician
- Johann Olav Koss. Between 1990-94 he managed no less than 10 world records for speed skating on the distances 1500, 3000, 5000 and 10000 meters.
- Charles Mathiesen, born February 12, 1911. World record 10000 meters speed skating, 1940.
- Martinus Rørbye, 1803-1848, painter
- Sten Einar Stensen, born December 18, 1947. World record 10000 meters speed skating, 1976.
- Marcus Thrane, started the first labour union in Norway, in 1848.
- Ole Hermann Borgan, Assistent Referee. World famos as "Barca Borgan" after posing in Barca shirt a few days before the UEFA Champions League finale 2006.
- Betzy Kjeldsberg, the first female factory inspector in Norway who did much to improve working conditions a the time. Vice-chairman of the International Council of Women from 1920.
Urban Ecology
- The 'Øvre Sund' area, which is situated along Drammenselva (the river) is going to be regulated by the municipality, in order to restore this area's character. The buildings there are from the 18th and 19th century, and contribute, as well as the river and the brewery, to give the city a special identity.
External links
- [About the preservation of the 'Øvre-Sund' area]
- [Statistics Norway about Drammen]
- [Drammens Tidende, local newspaper]
- [Essensen, free, Christian, local newspaper for youth]
- [Local television channel]
- [Local radio channel]
- [Drammen og Oplands turistforening]
- [Drammen theatre]
- [Drammen museum]
- [Drammens Sportsfiskere]
| Municipalities of Buskerud |
|
|---|---|
| Drammen | Flesberg | Flå | Gol | Hemsedal | Hol | Hole | Hurum | Kongsberg | Krødsherad | Lier | Modum | Nedre Eiker | Nes | Nore og Uvdal | Ringerike | Rollag | Røyken | Sigdal | Øvre Eiker | Ål | |
| 25 biggest cities of Norway (with number of inhabitants according to Statistics Norway [link]) |
|---|
| Oslo (811,700) | Bergen (213,600) | Stavanger (173,100) | Trondheim (147,100) | Fredrikstad (97,100) | Drammen (90,700) | Skien (85,100) | Kristiansand (70,700) | Tromsø (52,400) | Tønsberg (45,000) | Ålesund (44,100) | Haugesund (40,300) | Sandefjord (39,600) | Moss (34,500) | Bodø (34,100) | Arendal (30,900) | Hamar (28,800) | Larvik (23,100) | Halden (22,000) | Harstad (19,400) | Lillehammer (19,100) | Molde (18,600) | Mo i Rana (17,900) | Kongsberg (17,700) | Horten (17,700) |
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