Buskerud

Buskerud
County
Buskerud fylke
Flag of Buskerud
Flag
Coat of arms of Buskerud
Coat of arms
Buskerud within Norway
Buskerud within Norway
Coordinates: 60°30′00″N 09°30′00″E / 60.50000°N 9.50000°E / 60.50000; 9.50000
CountryNorway
RegionØstlandet
County IDNO-33
Administrative centreDrammen
Government
 • GovernorIngvild Aleksandersen
 • County mayorTore Opdal Hansen
  (H)
  (2024–)[1]
Area
 • Total
14,908 km2 (5,756 sq mi)
 • Land13,794 km2 (5,326 sq mi)
 • Rank#12 in Norway, 4.53% of Norway's land area
Population
 (30 September 2019)
 • Total
284,955 Increase
 • Rank8 (5.29% of country)
 • Density18/km2 (47/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
6.7 %
DemonymBuskerudfolk
Time zoneUTC+01 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02 (CEST)
Official language formNeutral
Income (per capita)155,400 NOK
GDP (per capita)227,626 NOK (2001)
GDP national rank7 (3.57% of country)
Websitewww.bfk.no
Data from Statistics Norway

Buskerud (Urban East Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈbʉ̂skərʉː] ⓘ) is a county and a current electoral district in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Innlandet, Vestland, Telemark and Vestfold. It extends from Oslofjord and Drammensfjord in the southeast to the Hardangervidda mountain range in the northwest. The administrative centre of the county is Drammen.[2]

Buskerud was one of the three counties merged into Viken on 1 January 2020.[3] On 23 February 2022, the Viken County Council voted 49-38 to submit an application to the Norwegian government for a demerger of itself.[4] Due to this, Buskerud (except the area forming the defunct municipalities of Røyken and Hurum) was re-established in 2024.[citation needed]

Etymology

The county was named after the old manor Buskerud (Old Norse: Biskupsruð) (Biskopsrøysa) located on the west side of the Drammen River in Åmot, Modum municipality. The first element is the genitive case of biskup, 'bishop' (referring to the Bishop of Hamar), the last element is ruð n 'clearing, farm'. The farm was one of the largest in Buskerud, and the original name of the farm (before it became a benefice) was probably Modum. At the time of the Reformation (c. 1536–39) the farm became property of the Crown at which time the farm then served as the residence of the king's bailiffs until 1668.[5][6][7]

Geography

Buskerud extended from Hurum at the Oslofjord to the Halling mountains and Hardanger. The county was conventionally divided into traditional districts. These were Hallingdal, Numedal, Ringerike, Lower Buskerud, which was originally part of Vestfold, and Western Vingulmark.

Hallingdal consisted of Flå, Nes, Gol, Hemsedal, Ål and Hol.[8] Numedal consisted of Flesberg, Rollag and Nore og Uvdal.[9] Ringerike consisted of Hole, Krødsherad, Modum, Ringerike and Sigdal. Western Vingulmark consisted of Hurum and Røyken.[10][11] Lower Buskerud consisted of Drammen, Hurum, Kongsberg, Lier, Nedre Eiker, Røyken and Øvre Eiker. The district was merged from parts that belonged to Vestfold and Vingulmark.[12]

Buskerud's western part was a mountainous plateau with forested valleys and high, grassy pastures; its eastern part contains a lowland basin with many lakes and streams. Tyrifjorden and Krøderen were the biggest lakes. Numedalslågen, the third longest river in Norway, starting in Hordaland, ran through Buskerud unto Vestfold where it reached the sea, while river Begna sweeps into lake Sperillen.

Mountains

History

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1951156,220—    
1961168,351+7.8%
1971198,852+18.1%
1981214,571+7.9%
1991225,261+5.0%
2001238,833+6.0%
2011261,110+9.3%
2024269,819+3.3%
Source: Statistics Norway.[13]
Religion in Buskerud[14][15]
religionpercent
Christianity
 
83.01%
Islam
 
3.14%
Buddhism
 
0.31%
Other
 
13.54%

Buskerud was separated from Akershus as an amt of its own in 1685, but the amt was smaller than today. It then consisted of the present districts Eiker, Hallingdal, and Ringerike. The area of the present municipalities of Flesberg, Hurum, Kongsberg, Lier, Nore og Uvdal, Rollag and Røyken were transferred from Akershus amt to Buskerud amt in 1760. The name Buskeruds amt was changed to Buskerud fylke in 1919. The municipality of Skoger was transferred from Vestfold to Buskerud in 1964.[16]

The area Ringerike may once have been a small kingdom. During the 10th century, Norway's kings Olaf Tryggvason and Olaf Haraldsson grew up at Bønsnes in Ringerike. In the valley of Numedal, silver was mined in Kongsberg from the 17th century until discontinued in 1957. Weapons industry had been developed in Kongsberg from 1814, and various high tech industry companies now represent the town's major employers. At Modum there was also Blaafarveværket, a cobalt pigment production works (Blue Colour Works).[17]

Economy

Winter in Blefjell

Today, agriculture, lumber, wood-pulp mills and other related industries are the county's main economic activities; ample hydroelectric power is produced by the rivers Begna (Begnaelva) and Rands (Randselva) . Buskerud has also a large forested area. Substantial income is derived from high tech industries located in Kongsberg. Other significant income comes from the cabin areas in northern Buskerud.[18][19]The company, Eneas Energy is based here.

Coat of arms

Buskerud's coat of arms were adopted in April 1966. It features a blue bear whose colours are symbolic of the blue colour works. The silver background of Buskerud's coat of arms represents the silver industry in Kongsberg.

Notable people from Buskerud

Sports figures

Entertainers

Politicians

Municipalities

Municipalities in Buskerud
NrNameInhabitantsArea km2
3301Drammen kommune Drammen104 487317,68
3303Kongsberg kommune Kongsberg28 848792,27
3305Ringerike kommune Ringerike31 5811 555,10
3310Hole kommune Hole6 989194,80
3312Lier kommune Lier28 470301,33
3314Øvre Eiker kommune Øvre Eiker20 779456,76
3316Modum kommune Modum14 665515,09
3318Krødsherad kommune Krødsherad2 241374,63
3320Flå kommune Flå1 115704,48
3322Nes kommune Nesbyen3 301809,64
3324Gol kommune Gol4 986532,51
3326Hemsedal kommune Hemsedal2 666753,47
3328Ål kommune Ål5 0071 171,29
3330Hol kommune Hol4 4961 858,36
3332Sigdal kommune Sigdal3 526842,15
3334Flesberg kommune Flesberg2 781561,92
3336Rollag kommune Rollag1 395449,28
3338Nore og Uvdal kommune Nore og Uvdal2 4862 502,33
TotalBuskerud Fylke Buskerud269 81914 693,87


Districts

Cities

Parishes

  • Bakke
  • Bragernes
  • Dagali
  • Drammen
  • Efteløt
  • Eggedal
  • Eiker
  • Fiskum
  • Flesberg
  • Flå
  • Frogner
  • Gol
  • Haug, see Eiker
  • Haug i Norderhov
  • Hedenstad
  • Heggen
  • Hemsedal
  • Hol
  • Hole
  • Holmen
  • Holmsbu
  • Hurum
  • Hval
  • Hønefoss
  • Jondalen
  • Komnes
  • Kongsberg
  • Krødsherad (Krydsherred)
  • Lier
  • Lunder
  • Lyngdal
  • Modum
  • Nedre Eiker
  • Nes (i Hallingdal)
  • Nes (i Ådal)
  • Norderhov
  • Nore
  • Nykirke
  • Opdal
  • Rollag
  • Røyken
  • Sandsvær
  • Sigdal (Holem)
  • Snarum
  • Sollihøgda
  • Strømsø
  • Svene
  • Sylling
  • Tangen
  • Torpo
  • Tranby
  • Tuft
  • Tyristrand
  • Uvdal
  • Veggli
  • Viker
  • Ytre Ådal
  • Ådal
  • Ål
  • Drammen Branch (LDS, 1854-1952)
  • Drammen (Den Katolske Apostoliske Menighet, 1877-1935)
  • Drammen and Oslo (Den Katolske Apostoliske Menighet, 1872-1932)
  • Hurum Branch (LDS, 1855-1867)
  • Kongsberg Branch (LDS, 1939-1948* )

Villages

Former municipalities

  • Blaafarveværket in Modum
    Blaafarveværket in Modum
  • Hokksund Station
    Hokksund Station
  • Frogner Rectory in Lier
    Frogner Rectory in Lier
  • Hønefoss Church in Ringerike, burned down 2007.
    Hønefoss Church in Ringerike, burned down 2007.

References

  1. ^ "Fylkesordfører - Buskerud fylkeskommune". Buskerud. August 23, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  2. ^ Geir Thorsnæs. "Buskerud". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  3. ^ "Prop. 84 S". Norwegian Government. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Fylkestinget har vedtatt søknad om fylkesdeling". Viken County. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  5. ^ Einar Sørensen. "Buskerud gård på Modum". historieboka. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  6. ^ Geir Thorsnæs. "Buskerud hovedgård". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  7. ^ "Buskerud, Modum herad". Matrikkelutkastet av 1950. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  8. ^ Geir Thorsnæs. "Hallingdal". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  9. ^ Geir Thorsnæs. "Numedal". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  10. ^ Per G. Norseng. "Vestfold – gammelt navn". Store norske leksikon. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  11. ^ Svein Askheim. "Vingulmark". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  12. ^ Munch, Peter Andreas (1849). Historisk-geographisk beskrivelse over kongeriget Norge (Noregsveldi) i middelalderen. W. Gram. pp. 5–7.
  13. ^ Projected population - Statistics Norway
  14. ^ Statistics Norway - Church of Norway.
  15. ^ Statistics Norway - Members of religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway, by religion/life stance. County. 2006-2010 Archived November 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ Geir Thorsnæs. "Ringerike, Hallingdal, Eiker og Buskeruds amt". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  17. ^ Ingolf Jarle Rui. "Modum Blaafarveværk". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  18. ^ Geir Thorsnæs. "Begna". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  19. ^ Asbjørn Vinjar. "Randselva". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Buskerud.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buskerud.
  • Buskerud fylkeskommune,
  • Hallingdal
  • Ringerikes region
  • Drammens region
  • Vest region
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