Vestfold

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Vestfold fylke

Coat of arms of Vestfold

Administrative centre

Tønsberg

County mayor

Area
- Total
- Percentage

Ranked 18
2,224 km²
0.71 %

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

Ranked 10
219,480
4.79 %
8.7 %
102/km²

Gross Regional Product
- Total (2001)
- Percentage
- GRP/capita

Ranked 10
47,457 million NOK
3.11 %
219,970 NOK

Vestfold is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg. Vestfold is located west of the Oslo Fjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs through the district. Many islands are located at the coast. Vestfold is dominated by lowland and is among the best agricultural areas of Norway. Winters lasts about three months, while pleasant summer temperatures lasts from May to September, with a July average of 17°C (Tønsberg climate).

Vestfold is known for shipping and sailing. Formerly a headquarters for whaling fleets, the coastal towns of Vestfold now engage in fishing and shipbuilding. Some lumbering is carried on in the interior. The district also includes some of the best farmland in Norway.

Vestfold is the only county in which all municipalities have declared Bokmål to be their official written form of the Norwegian language.

[edit] History

The family of Harald Fairhair, who was most likely the first king of the whole Norway, is said to have come from this area. At that time Vestfold, including Lier and Eiker, was a petty kingdom. Kings of Vestfold include:

Erik Agnarsson
Halfdan Hvitbeinn (part of Vestfold)
Eystein Halfdansson
Halfdan the Mild
Gudrød the Hunter
Halfdan the Black, together with his brother, Olaf Gudrødsson
Ragnvald the Mountain-High
Harald Fairhair
Bjørn Farmann
Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf, brother of Bjørn
Harald Gudrødsson Grenske, 976-987

Kaupang, a town from the Viking Age is believed to be the first town in Norway, although Tønsberg is the oldest town in Norway still existing. By the 10th century the local kings had established themselves as the first dynasty to begin the unification of Norway.

[edit] The name

Vestfold is the old name of the region - revived in modern times. Fold was the old name of the Oslofjord, and the meaning of the name Vestfold is 'the region west of the Fold'.

Before 1919 the county was called Jarlsberg og Larvik Amt. The amt was created in 1821, consisting of the two old counties of Jarlsberg and Larvik.

[edit] Municipalities

Vestfold County has a total of 14 municipalities:

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