Asker

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For other uses, see Asker (disambiguation).

Asker kommune

Administrative centre

Asker

Mayor (2005)

Morten Gunnar Strand (H)

Official language form

Bokmål

Area
- Total
- Land
- Percentage

Ranked 385
101 km²
97 km²
0.03 %

Population
- Total (2004)
- Percentage
- Change (10 years)
- Density

Ranked 11
51,484
1.11 %
15.7 %
523/km²

Coordinates

59°50′N, 10°26′E

www.asker.kommune.no

Data from Statistics Norway

Coordinates: 59°50′N, 10°26′E

Asker is a municipality in the county of Akershus, Norway and a suburb of Oslo.

1 Geography
2 Culture
3 The name
4 Coat-of-arms
5 Politics
6 Famous residents
7 External links

[edit] Geography

Its main parts are Asker, Gullhella, Vollen, Vettre, Blakstad, Borgen, Holmen, Høn, Hvalstad, Nesøya, Nesbru and Heggedal. Asker is a notably coastal place with many beautiful beaches, but it is also a place of hills and woods. The district is known for many important businesses. It is also known for gardening. The Skaugum estate, where Crown Prince Haakon of Norway lives with his family, is situated here. The first IKEA store outside of Sweden opened in Asker in 1963.

[edit] Culture

Although Asker is principally a rural municipality, the expansion of Oslo has resulted in its becoming an affluent suburb. Thus numerous celebrities now reside in the area.

Asker is also the home of the Frisk Asker Tigers, who won the Norwegian Hockey championship in 2002. Asker Skiklubb is a nationally well known sports club. It has a long history dating back to 1889. Many of Asker's famous people have been successful individuals associated with the sports club.

Asker, more notably Blakstad, was a stronghold for the Baglers, who contended with the Birkebeiners during a civil war during the Viking period.

The city is the home of Asker svømmeklubb.

[edit] The name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Asker, since the first church was built here. The name (Norse Askar) is the plural form of ask 'ashtree'.

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1975). It shows three ashtrees.

[edit] Politics

Asker is politically dominated by the conservatives, and the mayor is Morten Strand from Høyre (Conservatives)

[edit] Famous residents

Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway
Einar Gerhardsen, prime minister
Harriet Backer (1845-1932), painter
Dina Aschehoug (1861-1956), painter
Tryggve Andersen (1866-1920), writer
Nini Roll Anker (1873-1942), writer
Arne Garborg (1851-1924), poet, lived there for a period
Alf Prøysen (1914-1970), writer/musician, lived there for a period
Halvard Hanevold, Olympic Gold in Biathlon
Anders Jacobsen - professional footballer
Pål Arne Fagernes (1974-2003), Javelin thrower and boxer
Valgerd Svarstad Haugland politician, Christian Democratic Party
Vigdis Hjorth, Author
Franz Josef Weern Composer
Hallvard Flatland, TV-host
Anders Lange, politician (Founder of FrP, the Progress Party)
Lauritz Askvold, painter
Erik Bye (1926-2004), journalist, singer, TV personality
Morten Harket, singer in a-ha.
Wencke Myhre, singer
Arne Bendiksen, singer and songwriter

Municipalities of Akershus
Asker \| Aurskog-Høland \| Bærum \| Eidsvoll \| Enebakk \| Fet \| Frogn \| Gjerdrum \| Hurdal \| Lørenskog \| Nannestad \| Nes \| Nesodden \| Nittedal \| Oppegård \| Rælingen \| Skedsmo \| Ski \| Sørum \| Ullensaker \| Vestby \| Ås