Larvik

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Larvik kommune
Locator map showing Larvik within Vestfold
County Vestfold
District
Municipality NO-0709
Administrative centre Larvik
Mayor (2003) Øyvind Riise Jenssen (H)
Official language form Bokmål
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Percentage		 Ranked 199
535 km²
501 km²
0.17 %
Population
 - Total (Jan. 1st. 2006)
 - Percentage
 - Change (10 years)
 - Density		 Ranked 17
41,211
0.90 %
5.5 %
82/km²
Coordinates 59°4′N 10°0′E
www.larvik.kommune.no

Data from Statistics Norway

Coordinates: 59°4′N 10°0′E

Larvik is a town and municipality in the county of Vestfold, Norway, located approximately 105 kilometres (65 miles) southwest of Oslo. The municipality covers an area of 530 square kilometres, and has a population of 41,211 (23,100 of which in the town). The municipality is the product of a merger in 1988 between the five former municipalities of Larvik, Stavern, Brunlanes, Tjølling and Hedrum. The economy of the municipality relies heavily on agriculture, commerce and services, light industry and transportation. The district also includes the town Stavern (Population: 5,000), and the villages Nevlunghavn, Helgeroa, Kvelde, Hvarnes and Tjølling. Notable geographical features include the lake Farris and the river Numedalslågen, locally called Lågen, which terminates in Larvik, east of the town. Larvik is also noted for its natural springs of mineral water, Farriskildene, which have been commercially exploited under the brand name Farris. At Kaupang in Tjølling lie the remains of the medieval Skiringssal trading outpost. Larvik is also home to the world's northernmost natural occurrence of beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) in Bøkeskogen (Norwegian for: Beech Tree Forest).

Larvik has a daily ferry connection to Hirtshals in Denmark.

The city of Larvik (in contemporaneous Danish spelling: Laurvig) was founded in 1671 by Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve, who became the first count of Laurvig. Today, Larvik houses the Treschow estate which is currently owned by Mille-Marie Treschow. The Treschow estate was created in the 1820s when the last count of Laurvig was declared bankrupt.

Contents

[edit] The name

The Norse form of the name must have been *Lagarvík. The first element is the genitive case of logr m 'water; river' (here Numedalslågen), the last element is vík f 'inlet'. The meaning is 'the inlet at the mouth of (Numedals)lågen'. (See also > Lardal.)

Until 1889 the name was written "Laurvik" (or "Laurvig").

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1989). It shows a mast with three sails (to represent the maritime traditions of the municipality).

[edit] Notable natives

[edit] Honorary citizens

[edit] Tourist attractions

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Municipalities of Vestfold Vestfold coat of arms

Andebu | Hof | Holmestrand | Horten | Lardal | Larvik | Nøtterøy | Re | Sande | Sandefjord | Stokke | Svelvik | Tjøme | Tønsberg
v • d • e
25 most populous municipalities of Norway (with number of inhabitants according to Statistics Norway)

Oslo (538,500)  · Bergen (242,000)  · Trondheim (158,613)  · Stavanger (115,157)  · Bærum (105,928)  · Kristiansand (76,917)  · Fredrikstad (70,791)  · Tromsø (63,596)  · Sandnes (58,947)  · Drammen (57,759)  · Asker (51,484)  · Skien (50,761)  · Sarpsborg (50,115)  · Bodø (44,992)  · Skedsmo (43,201)  · Sandefjord (41,555)  · Larvik (41,211)  · Ålesund (40,801)  · Arendal (39,826)  · Karmøy (37,928)  · Tønsberg (36,919)  · Porsgrunn (33,550)  · Ringsaker (31,923)  · Haugesund (31,738)  · Lørenskog (30,929)

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