Østfold
Encyclopedia
is a county
in southeastern Norway
, bordering Akershus
and southwestern Sweden
(Västra Götaland County
and Värmland
), while Buskerud
and Vestfold
is on the other side of the bay
. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg
, and Fredrikstad
is the largest city.
Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss
(Moss Verft
) and Fredrikstad
have shipyards. There are granite mines located in Østfold and granite stone from these was used by Gustav Vigeland
.
The county slogan is "The heartland of Scandinavia". The local dialect is characterized by the geographical proximity to Sweden.
was Fold, and the meaning of Østfold is 'the region east of the Fold' (see also Vestfold
). The name was first recorded in 1543; in the Middle Ages the name of the county was Borgarsysla 'the county/sýsla of the city Borg (now Sarpsborg
)'.
In the Viking Age
, the area was part of Vingulmark
, which in turn was part of Viken and included Båhuslen
. It was partly under Swedish rule until the time of Harald Fairhair
.
Later, when Norway was under Danish rule
, the Danish king divided the area into many baronies. (The barony of Heggen og Frøland, consisting of the municipalities Askim
, Eidsberg
and Trøgstad
, originally belonged to Akershus
- but it was transferred to Østfold in 1768.)
To this day, in contrast with many other traditional districts of Norway, Østfold is culturally not a unity, but rather a mosaic of areas around the various cities and towns. Under Danish rule the county was called Smaalenenes Amt 'the amt consisting of small len
'.
and Sweden
. It is dominated by a hilly landscape with a lot of woodland in the north and along the Swedish border, a major lake system in the central part and densely populated lowland area along the coast, with a relatively large archipelago
.
Norway
’s longest river, the Glomma
, flows through the county and out into the Oslo Fjord in Fredrikstad
.
, Sarpsborg
, Fredrikstad
and Halden
are situated here, along with some relatively highly populated rural municipalities. Including these coastal cities, Østfold also has another two cities, Askim
and Mysen
.
between Oslo and Gothenburg runs as a motorway through the county from the southern border with Sweden and the border with Akershus county. The main highway E18
between Oslo and Stockholm goes through the county from the Swedish border in a southeast-northwest direction. The railway from Oslo to Gothenburg is running more or less parallelly with E6, and there is also a railway between Ski and Sarpsborg that covers the inner part. Besides, there are plans to relocate a vast part of the Oslo-Stockholm railway, which would result in an extension of the Inner Østfold railway eastwards.
Moss Airport
in Rygge - is the only public airport in the county. As of now, Norwegian Air Shuttle
is the main company supplying this airport with several domestic and international flights. The airport serves as an addition to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
, with a population of more than 2 million people within two hours distance.
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in the east
. (See above under the name.) They also represent the worship of the Sun
in the Bronze Age
(depicted in several rock carvings
found in the county).
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
in southeastern 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...
, bordering Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
and southwestern Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
and Värmland
Värmland
' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
), while Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
and Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, 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...
is on the other side of the bay
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg
Sarpsborg
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neighbouring Fredrikstad...
, and Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
is the largest city.
Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss
Moss, Norway
is a coastal city and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
(Moss Verft
Moss Verft
Moss Verft was a shipyard in Jeløya, Moss, Norway. For most of its existence, it was owned by a company of the same name . Locally, it was nicknamed Værven.-History:...
) and Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
have shipyards. There are granite mines located in Østfold and granite stone from these was used by Gustav Vigeland
Gustav Vigeland
Gustav Vigeland was a Norwegian sculptor. Gustav Vigeland occupies a special position among Norwegian sculptors, both in the power of his creative imagination and in his productivity. He is most associated with Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo...
.
The county slogan is "The heartland of Scandinavia". The local dialect is characterized by the geographical proximity to Sweden.
The name
The old name of the OslofjordOslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
was Fold, and the meaning of Østfold is 'the region east of the Fold' (see also Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, 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...
). The name was first recorded in 1543; in the Middle Ages the name of the county was Borgarsysla 'the county/sýsla of the city Borg (now Sarpsborg
Sarpsborg
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neighbouring Fredrikstad...
)'.
History
Østfold is among the nation's oldest inhabited regions, with petroglyphs (rock drawings) and burial mounds throughout the area.In the Viking Age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
, the area was part of Vingulmark
Vingulmark
Vingulmark is the old name for the area in Norway which today makes up the counties of Østfold, western parts of Akershus , and eastern parts of Buskerud , and includes the site of Norway's capital, Oslo...
, which in turn was part of Viken and included Båhuslen
Bohuslän
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
. It was partly under Swedish rule until the time of Harald Fairhair
Harald I of Norway
Harald Fairhair or Harald Finehair , , son of Halfdan the Black, was the first king of Norway.-Background:Little is known of the historical Harald...
.
Later, when Norway was under Danish rule
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the Danish king divided the area into many baronies. (The barony of Heggen og Frøland, consisting of the municipalities Askim
Askim
is a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Askim. Askim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
, Eidsberg
Eidsberg
Eidsberg is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Mysen. Neighboring municipalities are Rakkestad, Askim, Skiptvet, Trøgstad, and Marker in Østfold, and Aurskog-Høland in Akershus....
and Trøgstad
Trøgstad
Trøgstad is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Skjønhaug. The municipality is divided into the parishes of Trøgstad and Båstad...
, originally belonged to Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
- but it was transferred to Østfold in 1768.)
To this day, in contrast with many other traditional districts of Norway, Østfold is culturally not a unity, but rather a mosaic of areas around the various cities and towns. Under Danish rule the county was called Smaalenenes Amt 'the amt consisting of small len
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
'.
Geography
Østfold is located between the Oslo FjordOslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. It is dominated by a hilly landscape with a lot of woodland in the north and along the Swedish border, a major lake system in the central part and densely populated lowland area along the coast, with a relatively large archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
.
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...
’s longest river, the Glomma
Glomma
The Glomma or Glåma is the longest and largest river in Norway. The long river has a drainage basin that covers a full 13% of Norway's area, all in the southern part of Norway.-Geography:...
, flows through the county and out into the Oslo Fjord in Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
.
Demography
Most of the county's population is located in the coastal area. The cities of MossMoss, Norway
is a coastal city and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
, Sarpsborg
Sarpsborg
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neighbouring Fredrikstad...
, Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
and Halden
Halden
is a both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the Tista river delta on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden.-History:...
are situated here, along with some relatively highly populated rural municipalities. Including these coastal cities, Østfold also has another two cities, Askim
Askim
is a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Askim. Askim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
and Mysen
Mysen
Mysen is the administrative center of the municipality of Eidsberg in the county of Østfold in Norway.Between 1920 and 1961, it was a separate municipality. Mysen became an independent municipality on 1 July 1920 when it was spun off from Eidsberg. On 1 January 1961 Mysen was merged again with...
.
Transport and infrastructure
Østfold is located strategically between Oslo and Sweden. The main highway E6European route E6
European route E 6 is the designation for the main north-south road in Norway, and the west coast of Sweden, running from the southern tip of Sweden, at Trelleborg, into Norway and through almost all of the country north to Finnmark. The route ends close to the Norwegian border with Russia...
between Oslo and Gothenburg runs as a motorway through the county from the southern border with Sweden and the border with Akershus county. The main highway E18
European route E18
European route E18 runs from Craigavon in the United Kingdom to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It is about 1,890 km in length.-United Kingdom:...
between Oslo and Stockholm goes through the county from the Swedish border in a southeast-northwest direction. The railway from Oslo to Gothenburg is running more or less parallelly with E6, and there is also a railway between Ski and Sarpsborg that covers the inner part. Besides, there are plans to relocate a vast part of the Oslo-Stockholm railway, which would result in an extension of the Inner Østfold railway eastwards.
Moss Airport
Moss Airport, Rygge
Moss Airport, Rygge is an international airport serving Moss, Oslo and Eastern Norway, located in Rygge. It is both a regional airport for Østfold as well as an airport for low-cost airlines. The airport is located outside Moss and outside Oslo and is owned and operated by the private company...
in Rygge - is the only public airport in the county. As of now, Norwegian Air Shuttle
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA , trading as Norwegian, is the second-largest airline in Scandinavia. In 2010, it transported 13.0 million people. As of October 2011, Norwegian operates a total fleet of 62 aircraft; 17 Boeing 737-300s and 45 Boeing 737-800s...
is the main company supplying this airport with several domestic and international flights. The airport serves as an addition to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
, with a population of more than 2 million people within two hours distance.
Municipalities
Østfold has a total of 18 Municipalities:- AremarkAremarkAremark is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Fosby.Aremark was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The new municipality of Øymark was separated from Aremark on 1 July 1903.- Name :The Norse form of the name was...
- AskimAskimis a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Askim. Askim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
- EidsbergEidsbergEidsberg is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Mysen. Neighboring municipalities are Rakkestad, Askim, Skiptvet, Trøgstad, and Marker in Østfold, and Aurskog-Høland in Akershus....
- FredrikstadFredrikstadis a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
- HaldenHaldenis a both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the Tista river delta on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden.-History:...
- HobølHobølHobøl is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Elvestad. Hobøl is situated about southeast of Oslo. The parish of Haabøl was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 .The largest village in Hobøl is Tomter, whose train...
- HvalerHvalerHvaler is a municipality that is a group of islands in the southwestern part of Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Skjærhalden, on the island of Kirkeøy. The only police station in the municipality is located in Skjærhalden...
- MarkerMarker, NorwayMarker is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ørje. Marker was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 after the merger of the two old municipalities of Rødenes and Øymark....
- MossMoss, Norwayis a coastal city and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
- RakkestadRakkestadRakkestad is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rakkestad. It is divided into the parishes of Rakkestad, Degernes, and Os. The municipality is the county's second largest by area and one of Norway's largest agricultural...
- RyggeRyggeRygge is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rygge. Rygge was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 .The emblem of Rygge is the Pasque flower...
- RømskogRømskogRømskog is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rømskog. The new municipality of Rømskog was separated from Rødenes on 1 January 1902....
- RådeRådeRåde is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Karlshus. The parish of Raade was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
- SarpsborgSarpsborgis a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neighbouring Fredrikstad...
- SkiptvetSkiptvetSkiptvet is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Meieribyen. Skiptvet was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 .-Name:...
- SpydebergSpydebergSpydeberg is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Spydeberg. It is divided into the parishes Spydeberg, Heli, and Hovin. Spydeberg was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 .The village of Spydeberg has approximately...
- TrøgstadTrøgstadTrøgstad is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Skjønhaug. The municipality is divided into the parishes of Trøgstad and Båstad...
- VålerVåler, ØstfoldVåler is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of "Våler i Østfold". The parish of Vaaler was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 .- Name :...
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Coat of arms
The coat of arms is from modern times (1958). The lines represent sunrays at sunriseSunrise
Sunrise is the instant at which the upper edge of the Sun appears above the horizon in the east. Sunrise should not be confused with dawn, which is the point at which the sky begins to lighten, some time before the sun itself appears, ending twilight...
in the east
East
East is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.East is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of west and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the right side of a map is east....
. (See above under the name.) They also represent the worship of the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
in the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
(depicted in several rock carvings
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
found in the county).
Notable people
- Roald AmundsenRoald AmundsenRoald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
(1872–1928) - Explorer of polar regions - Berit ÅsBerit ÅsBerit Ås is a Norwegian politician, professor of social psychology, and feminist. She was the first leader of the Socialist Left Party and served as a Member of Parliament 1973–1977. She was also a deputy member of parliament 1969–1973 and 1977–1981...
- Politician, professor and feminist. - Thea FossThea FossThea Christiansen Foss was the founder of Foss Maritime, the largest tugboat company in the western United States...
(1857–1927) - founder of Foss Maritime - Egil OlsenEgil OlsenEgil Roger Olsen , nicknamed Drillo, is a Norwegian association football manager and former Norwegian football player. He is best known as a highly successful coach of the Norwegian national football team. He has since been coach of the Iraqi national football team, his departure from which caused...
- Norwegian Football coach. - Karl OurenKarl OurenKarl Ouren was an American artist best known for his paintings of Norwegian landscapes and scenes, particularly those featuring winter and snow.-Background:...
(1882–1943) - Norwegian-American artist - Petter SolbergPetter SolbergPetter "Hollywood" Solberg , from Spydeberg in Østfold, Norway, is a professional rally driver. He debuted in the World Rally Championship in 1998 and was signed by the Ford factory team in 1999...
- Rally driver - Nils Otto TankNils Otto TankNils Otto Tank was a Moravian Church missionary and pioneer land developer in Wisconsin.-Background:Otto Tank was born at Rød Herregård, the family estate near Halden, in Østfold county, Norway. The son of a wealthy politician and landowner, Tank was educated in various European universities...
(1800–1864) - Moravian Church religious leader - Harald ZwartHarald ZwartHarald Zwart is a Norwegian film director.Although born in the Netherlands, Zwart was raised in Fredrikstad in Norway. As early as age eight, he started making short films. He attended the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam where he received great acclaim for his student film Gabriel's Surprise...
- Movie director and producer