Telemark

Encyclopedia : T : TE : TEL : Telemark

Telemark is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien.

Telemark fylke

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County
Region Østlandet
Administrative centre Skien
County mayor Gunn Marit Helgesen (H)
Area
- Total
- Percentage Ranked 10
15,299 km²
4.55 %
Population
- Total (2004)
- Percentage
- Change (10 years)
- Population density>Density Ranked 13
166,124
3.63 %
1.8 %
12/km²
Gross Regional Product
- Total (2001)
- Percentage
- GRP/capita 36,345 million Norwegian krone>NOK
2.38 %
219,404 NOK
The county is located in southeastern Norway,extending from Hardangervidda to the Skagerrak coast. The coastline extends from Langesundsfjorden to Gjernestangen at the border to Aust-Agder. Telemark has a very broken and heterogenous landscape, including many hills and valleys.

The largest population centres are Skien, Porsgrunn, Notodden, Rjukan and Kragerø. Other important places are Stathelle, Ulefoss, Brevik, Langesund, Bø , Fyresdal and Vinje.

History

Some old historians used to believe that in the early Viking Age, before Harald Fairhair, Telemark was a petty kingdom. This is, however, unfounded.

The film The Heroes of Telemark is loosely based on the Norwegian heavy water sabotage, a raid on a heavy water plant at Rjukan during World War II. Ray Mears made a documentary titled The Real Heroes of Telemark as a response to the inaccuracies of the film, giving an account more focused on the outdoor skills that were required for the operation (spending months in remote cabins).

Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.

Notable people from Telemark

Hallvard Graatop (c.1400–1475), from Drangedal lead rebellion against Danish rule in 1438.
Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (1818–1870), author from Vinje.
Sondre Norheim (1825–1897), father of skiing from Morgedal in Kviteseid
Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906), author from Skien
Vidkun Quisling (1887–1945), politician, traitor from Fyresdal
Aslaug Vaa (1889–1965), author from Rauland
Tarjei Vesaas (1897–1970), author from Vinje
Anne Grimdalen (1899–1961), sculptor from Skafså in Tokke
Eivind Groven (1901–1977), composer from Lårdal in Tokke
Klaus Egge (1906–1979), composer from Gransherad in Notodden
Hans Herbjørnsrud (1938–), author from Heddal in Notodden
Tor Åge Bringsværd (1939–), author from Skien
Samoth (Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen (1971 - )), musician from Notodden
August Cappelen (1827–1852), national romantic painter from Skien
Agnes Buen Garnås (1946 -), folk singer from Bø

Districts

The county is conventionally divided into traditional districts. These are Grenland, Vest-Telemark, Midt Telemark, Øst Telemark and Vestmar.

Municipalities

Telemark County has a total of 18 municipalities:

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

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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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