Os, Hordaland
Encyclopedia
Os is a municipality in the county of Hordaland
, Norway
. Due to its proximity to Bergen
, Os is experiencing strong population growth.
, the predecessor of today's municipalities, on 1 January 1838. Fusa
was separated from Os in 1856. Samnanger
was separated from Os on 1 January 1907. The municipality is named after the farm of Os, where the first church was built. The name is identical with the Old Norse
word "óss" which means "mouth of a river"; referring to the Oselva River.
The coat of arms
is quite modern, having been adopted in 1949 after a local competition. The lower part of it shows an Oselvar
, a boat design traditionally associated with the village.
The famous violinist Ole Bull
built his summerhouse in Os, on an island named Lysøen
. The special building was inspired by his travels, especially his travels to the Middle East
. Lysøen was originally owned by Lyse Abbey, the ruins of which still stand and are frequently visited.
won the local election, and Terje Søviknes
the first Progressive Party politician to hold the position of mayor in Os.
Before World War II
, the municipality was mayored by Nils Tveit
from 1916 to 1940. He also held the position briefly after the German occupation of Norway had ended.
is the administrative and commercial centre of Os, where the municipality administration is located.
out of the municipality, mainly to Bergen. In the same period, Os received a daily average of 753 commuters from other municipalities, 15.8% of those employed in Os. In 2006, Os had a daily out-commuting of 3,001 people.
is the traditional boat of Os. This small wooden boat was named after its major important building site during the 18th century, at the mouth of the Oselva River. In the early 1800s, boat building was an important industry in Os. These boats have traditionally been used for everyday work and for traveling to church. These boats were either sail or row boats. They still build these boats the traditional way in Os, and tourists are able to visit and watch them work.
The Oselvar is now the official boat of norway. With its traditions the boat became a symbol of the nation.
Hagavik
, a village in Os municipality, also has a modern boat building company, Askeladden Boats AS. Askeladden is Norways largest manufacturer of leisure boats.
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Due to its proximity to Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Os is experiencing strong population growth.
History
Os was established as a formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
, the predecessor of today's municipalities, on 1 January 1838. Fusa
Fusa
Fusa is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Fusa was separated from Os in 1856. Hålandsdal and Strandvik were separated from Fusa on 1 January 1903, but they were both again merged with Fusa on 1 January 1964....
was separated from Os in 1856. Samnanger
Samnanger
Samnanger is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Samnanger was separated from Os on 1 January 1907. The municipality is located east of Bergen. Development of hydroelectric power plants started here in 1909.-Name:...
was separated from Os on 1 January 1907. The municipality is named after the farm of Os, where the first church was built. The name is identical with the Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
word "óss" which means "mouth of a river"; referring to the Oselva River.
The coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is quite modern, having been adopted in 1949 after a local competition. The lower part of it shows an Oselvar
Oselvar
The Oselvar or Oselver is a small wooden rowing boat traditionally built and used along the west coast of Norway. The Oselvar is a clinker built boat with thin, very wide planks. Almost all parts of a Oselvar are made of pine, with only the keel of oak. -History:This type of boat has been very...
, a boat design traditionally associated with the village.
The famous violinist Ole Bull
Ole Bull
Ole Bornemann Bull was a Norwegian violinist and composer.-Background:Bull was born in Bergen. He was the eldest of ten children of Johan Storm Bull and Anna Dorothea Borse Geelmuyden . His brother, Georg Andreas Bull became a noted Norwegian architect...
built his summerhouse in Os, on an island named Lysøen
Lysøen
Lysøen is an island in the municipality of Os, Hordaland, Norway.Lysøen is also the site of Villa Lysøen , the home of Norwegian violin-virtuoso and composer Ole Bull until his death in 1880.-Villa Lysøen:...
. The special building was inspired by his travels, especially his travels to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Lysøen was originally owned by Lyse Abbey, the ruins of which still stand and are frequently visited.
Politics
In 1999, the Progress PartyProgress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
won the local election, and Terje Søviknes
Terje Søviknes
Terje Søviknes is a Norwegian politician, and the first politician of the Progress Party to become mayor of a Norwegian municipality, namely Os, Hordaland...
the first Progressive Party politician to hold the position of mayor in Os.
Before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the municipality was mayored by Nils Tveit
Nils Tveit
Nils Tveit was a Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Hordaland in 1945, but died shortly before the end of the term. He was replaced by Knut Ytre-Arne...
from 1916 to 1940. He also held the position briefly after the German occupation of Norway had ended.
Settlements
OsøyroOsøyro
Osøyro is a village in and municipal administration seat of Os in Hordaland, Norway. The village had 8,772 residents in 2009.-References:...
is the administrative and commercial centre of Os, where the municipality administration is located.
Demographics
As of 1 January 2008, Os has a population of 16,055. The population density is 111.5 per km², compared to a county average of 29.5 per km² and a country average of 14.5 per km². 80% of the population lived in urban settlements. 1.9% of the population were registered as unemployed; the county and national average is 2.6%. 26% of the workforce were employed in public administration. 2% were employed in the primary sector of economic activity, 28.2 in the secondary sector, and 69.3% in the tertiary sector. In the period from 29 October to 4 November 2001, 45.7% of the workforce of Os commutedCommuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
out of the municipality, mainly to Bergen. In the same period, Os received a daily average of 753 commuters from other municipalities, 15.8% of those employed in Os. In 2006, Os had a daily out-commuting of 3,001 people.
Industry
Os has a tradition of small boat building. The OselvarOselvar
The Oselvar or Oselver is a small wooden rowing boat traditionally built and used along the west coast of Norway. The Oselvar is a clinker built boat with thin, very wide planks. Almost all parts of a Oselvar are made of pine, with only the keel of oak. -History:This type of boat has been very...
is the traditional boat of Os. This small wooden boat was named after its major important building site during the 18th century, at the mouth of the Oselva River. In the early 1800s, boat building was an important industry in Os. These boats have traditionally been used for everyday work and for traveling to church. These boats were either sail or row boats. They still build these boats the traditional way in Os, and tourists are able to visit and watch them work.
The Oselvar is now the official boat of norway. With its traditions the boat became a symbol of the nation.
Hagavik
Hagavik
Hagavik is a village in Os municipality, Norway. Its population is 1,653.-References:...
, a village in Os municipality, also has a modern boat building company, Askeladden Boats AS. Askeladden is Norways largest manufacturer of leisure boats.