Ringerike

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Ringerike kommune
County Buskerud
District Ringerike
Municipality NO-0605
Administrative centre Hønefoss
Mayor (2003) Kolbjørn Kværum (Ap)
Official language form Bokmål
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Percentage
Ranked 47
1,552 km²
1,423 km²
0.48 %
Population
 - Total (2004)
 - Percentage
 - Change (10 years)
 - Density
Ranked 26
28,060
0.61 %
2.4 %
20/km²
Coordinates 60°12′N 10°9′E
www.ringerike.kommune.no

Data from Statistics Norway

Coordinates: 60°12′N 10°9′E

Ringerike is a municipality in the county of Buskerud, Norway. The town of Hønefoss is the administrative center. Ringerike is bordered on the north by Sør-Aurdal and Søndre Land, on the east by Gran, Jevnaker, Lunner and Oslo, in the south by Bærum, Hole and Modum, and in the west by Krødsherad and Flå.

[edit] The traditional district of Ringerike

The name Ringerike is also used to mean the whole traditional district of Ringerike. Historic Ringerike includes not just the modern municipality of Ringerike but also Hole and (sometimes) the eastern parts of Modum and Krødsherad.

There are many archaeological remains in the area, dating from the earliest times as well as from the medieval period. Ringerike has been mentioned in Norwegian history since the earliest times.

In the early Viking Age, before Harald Fairhair, the landscape was a petty kingdom, the Norwegian word rike meaning "kingdom".

[edit] History

Ringerike was, according to Norse tradition, named for the Hringari tribe[citation needed]. It was located to the north of modern Oslo. Sigurd Hjort Helgasson, a king of Ringerike, was the father of Ragnhild, the mother of Harald Harfargr, unifier of Norway. Following Harald's consolodation of Norway in the late 800s, the kingdom appears to have been ruled by a series of local jarls and client kings. One, Harald's son Halfdan Haleg, met his end in Orkney at the hands of Jarl Turf-Einar, who reputedly performed the blood-eagle on him. A later subking of Ringerike, Sigurd Syr, was the father of Harald Hardråde.

Ringerike is famous for two agriculture products; Ringerike potato (Ringerikspotet) and Ringerike pea (Ringeriksert). Ringerike pea has obtained PDO (protected designation of origin). The Ringerike potato has applied for the same protection, and is waiting for the result from the Agriculture department.

[edit] Born in Ringerike

 Jens Aabel, started production of Ringerike potato ca. 1867.


Municipalities of Buskerud Buskerud coat of arms

Drammen | Flesberg | Flå | Gol | Hemsedal | Hol | Hole | Hurum | Kongsberg | Krødsherad | Lier | Modum | Nedre Eiker | Nes | Nore og Uvdal | Ringerike | Rollag | Røyken | Sigdal | Øvre Eiker | Ål