Akershus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Akershus fylke

Administrative centre

Oslo

County mayor

Hildur Horn Øien (KrF)

Area
- Total
- Percentage

Ranked 16
4,918 km²
1.50 %

Population
- Total (2006)
- Percentage
- Change (10 years)
- Density

Ranked 2
501,125
10.67 %
13.7 %
107/km²

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

Ranked 3
108,634 million NOK
7.12 %
228,868 NOK

Akershus is a county in Norway, bordering Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud, Oslo and Østfold. It has a short border with Sweden (Värmland). Akershus is the second largest county in population after Oslo, with more than half a million inhabitants. The county is named after Akershus Fortress. The county administration is in Oslo, which is not part of the county per se.

Akershus includes some of the lake Mjøsa and some of the river Glomma. Embracing numerous suburbs of Oslo, notably Bærum, Akershus is one of the most densely populated areas in the country. The main national railway lines into Oslo run through Akershus with many junctions and stations such as Asker, Sandvika, Ski and Lillestrøm.

The county also includes the historical place Eidsvoll, 48 km north of Oslo, in which the National assembly voted the Norwegian constitution in 1814. South of Eidsvoll is the international airport of Oslo Airport at Gardermoen. The estate of the crown prince is situated in Asker.

1 History
2 The name
3 Coat-of-arms
4 Districts
5 Municipalities
6 Infrastructure
7 External link

[edit] History

Akershus became a fief in the 16th century, and then also included the current counties of Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud and Oslo, as well as the municipalities of Askim, Eidsberg and Trøgstad in the county of Østfold. In 1662 Akershus became an Amt, and in 1685 Buskerud was separated from Akershus and became an Amt of its own. In 1768 Hedmark and Oppland were also separated from Akershus to become Oplandenes Amt, and in 1842 Christiania (Oslo) was made a separate Amt as well. In 1919 the name Amt was changed to Fylke. In 1948 was Aker, the greatest and the most populous municipality of Akershus, transferred to the county of Oslo.

[edit] The name

The county is named after Akershus Fortress. The fortress was built in 1299, and the meaning of the name is 'the (fortified) house of (the district) Aker'. The name is a bit odd nowadays, since the actual fortress lies outside the county (since 1842 in the county of Oslo). But the administration of Akershus lies outside the county as well (in the center of Oslo).

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. It shows a gable from Akershus fortress.

[edit] Districts

The county is conventionally divided into traditional districts. These are Follo and Romerike. Asker and Bærum are western exclaves of the county, which became the result after the transferring of the great municipality of Aker (surrounding Oslo) from Akershus county to Oslo county in 1948.

[edit] Municipalities

Municipalities of Akershus.

[edit] Infrastructure

The fylke has a major international airport, the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. It also have two university hospitals, Akershus University Hospital and Sunnaas Hospital.

[edit] External link

Akershus county website

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