Folgefonna

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Folgefonna

Folgefonna seen from the road E134
Type plateau glaciers
Location Kvinnherad, Odda and Etne, Hordaland, Norway
Coordinates 60°00′N 6°20′E / 60.000°N 6.333°E / 60.000; 6.333Coordinates: 60°00′N 6°20′E / 60.000°N 6.333°E / 60.000; 6.333
Area 207 km2
Length 36 km
Thickness maximum measured is 375 m
Bondhusbreen - an offshoot of Folgefonna.
Looking down from the glacier.

Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glaciers in Hardanger, Norway,

In total, Folgefonna covered 207 km2 (80 sq mi) in 2006. On 14 May 2005, Folgefonna National Park was established, protecting the glaciers and the surrounding areas.

The glacier is home to a summer skiing resort, located on its northern region. The largest outflow glaciers from Folgefonna are Blomstølskardbreen, Bondhusbreen and Buarbreen. Since around 1960 Blomstølskardbreen on the southern end of Folgefonna has changed little. Bondhusbreen and Buerbreen further north were growing in the 1990s, but have been retreating since the year 2000. The glacier is a famous tourist attraction. Most people who visit Odda usually takes the walk to Buarbreen (a part of Folgafonna).

The melt-water from this glacier is bottled at source to form the product Isklar. The melt-water also goes down the river from Buarbreen down into Sandvinsvannet.

The name

The first element is folge meaning 'thin layer of snow', the last element is the finite form of fonn meaning 'mass of snow, glacier made of snow'.

See also

References

  • Folgefonna og Fjordbygdene. Book published in 2008 by University of Bergen and Nord4(591 pp. in Norwegian)
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