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Rogaland

County in Western Norway


County in Western Norway

FieldValue
nameRogaland
fylkeyes
mapnone
idnumber11
countyRogaland
districtWestern Norway
capitalStavanger
established1662
demonymRogalending
languageNeutral
webpagewww.rogfk.no
county_mayorOle Ueland
county_mayor_partyH
county_mayor_as_of2023
governorBent Høie
governor_as_of2021
governor_partyH
area_rank10
area_total_km29377.31
area_land_km28575.70
area_water_km2801.61
area_water_percent8.5
population_as_of1 January 2024
population_rank4
population_total499417
population_density_km256.3
coordinates

Rogaland () is a county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. As of 1 January 2024, it had a population of 499,417 people.

The administrative centre of the county is the city of Stavanger, which is the third largest city in Norway.

Etymology

Rogaland is the region's Old Norse name, which was revived in modern times. During Denmark's rule of Norway the county was named Stavanger amt, after the large city of Stavanger, and this name continued to be used until 1919. The first element in the name Rogaland is the plural genitive case of rygir, probably referring to the name of an old Germanic tribe (see Rugians). The second element is land which means "land" or "region".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is modern; it was granted on 11 January 1974. The arms are blue with a white or silver pointed cross in the centre. The cross is based on the old stone cross in Sola, the oldest national monument in Norway. It was erected in memory of Erling Skjalgsson after his death in 1028. This type of cross was very common in medieval Norway.

Geography

Rogaland is mainly a coastal region with fjords, beaches, and islands, the principal island being Karmøy. The vast Boknafjorden is the largest bay, with many fjords branching off from it.

Stavanger/Sandnes, the third-largest urban area of Norway, is also a central area for the Norwegian petroleum industry. The area includes the large cities of Stavanger and Sandnes. The municipalities Randaberg, and Sola are also in close proximity. Together, this conurbation is ranked above the city Trondheim in population rankings in Norway.

Cities/towns in Rogaland other than Stavanger and Sandnes include Haugesund, Egersund, Sauda, Jørpeland, Bryne, Kopervik, Åkrehamn, and Skudeneshavn.

Karmøy has large deposits of copper (some from the Visnes mine was used in the construction of the Statue of Liberty). Sokndal has large deposits of ilmenite. Rogaland is the most important region for oil and gas exploration in Norway, and the Jæren district in Rogaland is one of the country's most important agricultural districts.

History

There are remains in Rogaland from the earliest times, such as the excavations in a cave at Viste in Randaberg (Svarthola). These include the find of a skeleton of a boy from the Stone Age. Various archeological finds stem from the following times, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Many crosses in Irish style have been found. Rogaland was called Rygjafylke in the Viking Age. Before Harald Fairhair and the Battle of Hafrsfjord, it was a petty kingdom. The Rugians were a tribe possibly connected with Rogaland.

Culture and tourism

A series of festivals and congresses of international fame and profile are arranged, such as The Chamber Music Festival, The Maijazz Festival, The Gladmat (lit. happy food) Festival, and The ONS event, which has been held in Stavanger every second year since 1974. The ONS is a major international conference and exhibition with focus on oil and gas, and other topics from the petroleum industry. The Concert Hall and Music Complex at Bjergsted and the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra provide important inspiration in the Norwegian musical environment. Another annual event in Stavanger is The World Tour Beach Volleyball. During this tournament, the downtown is converted into a beach volleyball arena.

Rogaland is home to many natural wonders, like Prekestolen, Kjerag and Gloppedalsura. In Stavanger, there is an archeological museum with many artifacts from early history in Rogaland. An Iron Age farm at Ullandhaug in Stavanger is reconstructed on the original farm site dating back to 350–500 AD. The Viking Farm is a museum at Karmøy.

Government

Main article: Rogaland County Municipality

A county (fylke) is the chief local administrative area in Norway. The whole country is divided into 11 counties. A county is also an election area, with popular votes taking place every 4 years. In Rogaland, the government of the county is the Rogaland County Municipality. It includes 47 members who are elected to form a county council (Fylkesting). Heading the Fylkesting is the county mayor (fylkesordførar). Since 2020, the Rogaland County Municipality has been led by Marianne Chesak, the county mayor.

The county also has a county governor (fylkesmann) who is the representative of the King and Government of Norway. Bent Høie is the incumbent governor, in office since 1 November 2021.

The municipalities in Rogaland are divided among several district courts (tingrett): Dalane District Court, Haugaland District Court, Jæren District Court, and Stavanger District Court. All of these courts are subordinate to the Gulating Court of Appeal district based in Bergen.

Subdivisions

Municipalities

Rogaland County has a total of 23 municipalities:

Municipal
NumberNameAdm. CentreLocation in
the countyEstablishedIncludes (former municipalities)
1101[[File:Eigersund komm.svg30px]] EigersundEgersund[[File:NO 1101 Eigersund.svg70px]]1 Jan 1965*1101 Egersund
1113 Heskestad (part)
1115 Helleland*
1103[[File:Stavanger komm.svg30px]] StavangerStavanger[[File:NO 1103 Stavanger.svg70px]]1 Jan 1838*1124 Håland (part)
1125 Madla
1126 Hetland (part)
1132 Fister (part)
1133 Hjelmeland og Fister (part)
1140 Sjernarøy
1141 Finnøy
1142 Rennesøy*
1106[[File:Haugesund komm.svg30px]] HaugesundHaugesund[[File:NO 1106 Haugesund.svg70px]]1 Jan 1855*1152 Torvastad (part)
1153 Skåre*
1108[[File:Sandnes komm.svg30px]] SandnesSandnes[[File:NO 1108 Sandnes.svg70px]]1 Jan 1838*1123 Høyland
1126 Hetland (part)
1128 Høle (part)
1129 Forsand (part)*
1111[[File:Sokndal komm.svg30px]] SokndalHauge[[File:NO 1111 Sokndal.svg70px]]1 Jan 18381107 Sogndal
1112[[File:Lund komm.svg30px]] LundMoi[[File:NO 1112 Lund.svg70px]]1 Jan 18381113 Heskestad (part)
1114[[File:Bjerkreim komm.svg30px]] BjerkreimVikeså[[File:NO 1114 Bjerkreim.svg70px]]1 Jan 1838
1119[[File:Hå komm.svg30px]] HåVarhaug[[File:NO 1119 Hå.svg70px]]1 Jan 1964*1117 Ogna
1118 Varhaug
1119 Nærbø*
1120[[File:Klepp komm.svg30px]] KleppKleppe[[File:NO 1120 Klepp.svg70px]]1 Jan 1838
1121[[File:Time komm.svg30px]] TimeBryne[[File:NO 1121 Time.svg70px]]1 Jan 1838
1122[[File:Gjesdal komm.svg30px]] GjesdalÅlgård[[File:NO 1122 Gjesdal.svg70px]]1 Jan 18381128 Høle (part)
1124[[File:Sola komm.svg30px]] SolaSolakrossen[[File:NO 1124 Sola.svg70px]]1 Jan 19301124 Håland (part)
1127[[File:Randaberg komm.svg30px]] RandabergRandaberg[[File:NO 1127 Randaberg.svg70px]]1 July 1922
1130[[File:Strand komm.svg30px]] StrandJørpeland[[File:NO 1130 Strand.svg70px]]1 Jan 18381129 Forsand (part)
1133[[File:Hjelmeland komm.svg30px]] HjelmelandHjelmelandsvågen[[File:NO 1133 Hjelmeland.svg70px]]1 July 1884*1131 Årdal
1132 Fister (part)
1133 Hjelmeland og Fister (part)*
1134[[File:Suldal komm.svg30px]] SuldalSand[[File:NO 1134 Suldal.svg70px]]1 Jan 1838*1136 Sand
1137 Erfjord
1138 Jelsa
1156 Imsland (part)*
1135[[File:Sauda komm.svg30px]] SaudaSauda[[File:NO 1135 Sauda.svg70px]]1 Jan 1842
1144[[File:Kvitsøy komm.svg30px]] KvitsøyYdstebøhamn[[File:NO 1144 Kvitsøy.svg70px]]1 Jan 1923
1145[[File:Bokn komm.svg30px]] BoknFøresvik[[File:NO 1145 Bokn.svg70px]]1 Jan 1849
1146[[File:Tysvær komm.svg30px]] TysværAksdal[[File:NO 1146 Tysvær.svg70px]]1 Jan 1849*1139 Nedstrand
1147 Avaldsnes (part)
1154 Skjold (part)*
1149[[File:Karmøy komm.svg30px]] KarmøyKopervik[[File:NO 1149 Karmøy.svg70px]]1 Jan 1965*1104 Skudeneshavn
1105 Kopervik
1147 Avaldsnes (part)
1148 Stangaland
1149 Åkra
1150 Skudenes
1152 Torvastad (part)*
1151[[File:Utsira komm.svg30px]] UtsiraUtsira[[File:NO 1151 Utsira.svg70px]]1 July 1924
1160[[File:Vindafjord komm.svg30px]] VindafjordØlensjøen[[File:NO 1160 Vindafjord.svg70px]]1 Jan 1965*1154 Skjold (part)
1155 Vats
1156 Imsland (part)
1157 Vikedal
1158 Sandeid
1159 Ølen*

Districts

  • Dalane
  • Haugaland
  • Jæren
  • Ryfylke

Cities

Main article: list of towns and cities in Norway

  • Bryne
  • Egersund
  • Haugesund
  • Jørpeland
  • Kopervik
  • Sauda
  • Sandnes
  • Skudeneshavn
  • Stavanger
  • Åkrehamn

Parishes

Main article: list of churches in Rogaland

  • Askøy (Askø)
  • Avaldsnes
  • Bjerkreim
  • Bokn (Bukken)
  • Bore
  • Domkirken, Stavanger
  • Egersund
  • Erfjord
  • Falnes
  • Ferkingstad
  • Finnøy (Hesby)
  • Fister
  • Forsand (Fossan)
  • Frue, see Hetland
  • Førdesfjorden
  • Gjestal
  • Haugesund
  • Hausken
  • Helleland
  • Hesby
  • Heskestad
  • Hetland
  • Hjelmeland
  • Hvidingsø
  • Høgsfjord
  • Høle
  • Høyland
  • Håland
  • Imsland
  • Jelsa (Jelsø)
  • Klepp
  • Kopervik
  • Kvitsøy (Hvidingsø)
  • Lund
  • Lye
  • Madla
  • Malle, see Madla
  • Mosterøy
  • Nedstrand (Hinderå)
  • Norheim
  • Nærbø
  • Nærem
  • Ogna
  • Orre
  • Randaberg (Randeberg)
  • Rennesøy
  • Riska (Riskekvernen)
  • Røldal (in Hordaland after 1848)
  • Sand
  • Sandeid
  • Sandnes
  • Sankt Johannes, Stavanger
  • Sankt Petri, Stavanger
  • Saude (Sauda)
  • Sjernarøy
  • Skjold
  • Skudenes
  • Skudeneshavn
  • Skåre
  • Sokndal
  • Sola (Sole)
  • Soma
  • Stavanger
  • Strand
  • Suldal
  • Sørbø
  • Talgøy (Talgje)
  • Tananger
  • Time (Lye)
  • Tjora
  • Torvastad (Torvestad)
  • Tysvær
  • Utsira
  • Utstein Kloster
  • Varhaug
  • Vats
  • Veavågen
  • Vikedal
  • Vår Frue, see Hetland
  • Åkra
  • Åkra (old)
  • Åna-Sira
  • Årdal
  • Egersund Branch (LDS, 1899–1913)
  • Haugesund Branch (LDS, 1905–1950)
  • Stavanger Branch (LDS, 1850–1938)
  • Stavanger (Dissentermenigheter: Stavanger, Klepp, and Haugesund 1859–1903)
  • Stavanger (Vennenes Samfund- Quakers, 1821–1951)

Villages

Main article: list of villages in Rogaland

  • Aksdal
  • Amdal
  • Askje
  • Åkrehamn
  • Åmøy
  • Avaldsnes
  • Bjerkreim
  • Bjoa
  • Bore
  • Bru
  • Brusand
  • Dirdal
  • Dueland
  • Eik
  • Eike
  • Erfjord
  • Ferkingstad
  • Feøy
  • Figgjo
  • Fiskå
  • Fister
  • Fogn
  • Forsand
  • Foss-Eikeland
  • Frafjord
  • Føresvik
  • Førre
  • Gjesdal
  • Gilja
  • Grinde
  • Grødem
  • Hauge i Dalane
  • Hellandsbygd
  • Helleland
  • Hellvik
  • Hervik
  • Hesby
  • Heskestad
  • Hestnes
  • Hindaråvåg
  • Hjelmelandsvågen
  • Hommersåk
  • Hundvåg
  • Hæen
  • Høle
  • Hålandsmarka
  • Hålandsosen
  • Idse
  • Imslandsjøen
  • Innbjoa
  • Jelsa
  • Judaberg
  • Jøsenfjorden
  • Klepp stasjon
  • Kleppe
  • Krossberg
  • Kvernaland
  • Li
  • Lyefjell
  • Lysebotn
  • Marvik
  • Moi
  • Mossige
  • Nedstrand
  • Nesflaten
  • Norheim
  • Nærbø
  • Oanes
  • Obrestad
  • Ogna
  • Oltedal
  • Orre
  • Pollestad
  • Randaberg
  • Rekefjord
  • Røvær
  • Sand i Ryfylke
  • Sandeid
  • Sandve
  • Saudasjøen
  • Sirevåg
  • Sjernarøyane
  • Skjold
  • Skjoldastraumen
  • Sogndalsstrand
  • Solakrossen
  • Stenebyen
  • Stronda
  • Suldalsosen
  • Susort
  • Sviland
  • Sør-Hidle
  • Sørbø
  • Sørnes
  • Talgje
  • Tau
  • Torvastad
  • Tysværvåg
  • Undheim
  • Varhaug
  • Vassøy
  • Vatne i Sandnes
  • Vatne i Vindafjord
  • Veavågen
  • Verdalen
  • Vigrestad
  • Vikebygd
  • Vikedal
  • Vikeså
  • Vikevåg
  • Visnes
  • Voll
  • Vormedal
  • Yrke
  • Ydstebøhamn
  • Ølensjøen
  • Ølensvåg (Ølsvågen)
  • Øvrebygd
  • Ålgård
  • Åna-Sira
  • Årdal i Ryfylke

Former municipalities

Main article: List of former municipalities of Norway

  • Avaldsnes
  • Egersund
  • Erfjord
  • Finnøy
  • Fister
  • Forsand
  • Helleland
  • Heskestad
  • Hetland
  • Hjelmeland og Fister
  • Høle
  • Høyland
  • Håland
  • Imsland
  • Jelsa
  • Kopervik
  • Madla
  • Nedstrand
  • Nærbø
  • Ogna
  • Rennesøy
  • Sand
  • Sandeid
  • Sjernarøy
  • Skjold
  • Skudenes
  • Skudeneshavn
  • Skåre
  • Sogndal
  • Stangaland
  • Torvastad
  • Vats
  • Varhaug
  • Vikedal
  • Ølen
  • Åkra
  • Årdal

Education

Higher Education

  • University of Stavanger
  • VID Specialized University (Stavanger)
  • Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (Haugesund)
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Sandnes)

Demographics

Total population: |1951| 211512 |1961| 239052 |1971| 268684 |1981| 305490 |1991| 337906 |2001| 375225 |2011| 436087 |2021| 482645 || 594278

References

References

  1. Store norske leksikon. "Rogaland".
  2. "Civic heraldry of Norway – Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World.
  3. "Origin of the copper of the statue of Liberty".
  4. [[:nb:Liste over norske kommunenummer#Rogaland. List of Norwegian municipality numbers]]
  5. moderniseringsdepartementet, Kommunal-og. (October 27, 2017). "Nye kommune- og fylkesnummer fra 2020".
  6. "SEARCH {{!}} NMBU".
  7. "Statistics Norway – Church of Norway.".
  8. "Statistics Norway – Members of religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway, by religion/life stance. County. 2006–2010".
  9. [http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/02/folkendrhist_en/tables/tab/11.html Statistics Norway].
  10. "Statistikkbanken".
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