Aust-Agder (, ) was a county (fylke) in Norway from 1 January 1919 to 31 December 2019, after it was merged with Vest-Agder county to form the new Agder county. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which was 2.2% of Norway's population. Its area was . The county's administrative center was the town of Arendal.

The county, located along the Skagerrak coast, extended from Gjernestangen in Risør Municipality to the Kvåsefjorden in Lillesand Municipality. The inner parts of the area included Setesdalsheiene and Austheiene mountain areas. Most of the population lived near the coast; about 78% of the county's inhabitants lived in the five coastal municipalities of Arendal, Grimstad, Lillesand, Tvedestrand, and Risør. The rest of the county was sparsely populated. Tourism was also important, as Arendal and the other coastal towns were popular attractions.

The county included the larger islands of Tromøya, Hisøya, Justøya, and Sandøya. The interior of the county encompassed the traditional district of Setesdal, through which the river Otra flows to the coast.

In 2017, the Parliament of Norway voted to merge Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder counties into one large county called Agder, effective 1 January 2020.

The county was part of the Aust-Agder District Court and the Church of Norway Diocese of Agder og Telemark.

Name

The meaning of the name is "(the) eastern (part of) Agder", since the word aust is the Nynorsk form of "east".

Until 1919, the name of the county was Nedenes amt. The amt was named after the old Nedenes farm (Old Norse: Niðarnes), since this was the seat of the amtmann (County Governor). The first element is the genitive case of the river name Nið (now called Nidelva) and the last element is nes which means "headland". The meaning of the river name is unknown.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was from modern times. They were granted on 12 December 1958. It showed two horizontal golden bars on a red background. They symbolized the lumber trade and the recovery of iron ore that was important for Aust-Agder's growth. There were two bars to represent the two areas of the county: inland and coastal.

Demographics

Since the census of 1769, Aust-Agder has experienced a steady population growth: from 29,633 to 79,927 in 1900, and to 102,848 in 2001. There was significant emigration to the United States in the 19th century and early 20th century.

Municipalities

The system of municipalities, or kommuner, was established in Norway on 1 January 1838, based on previously existing parishes (see formannskapsdistrikt law). Norway had been ceded to Sweden by Denmark in 1814, at which it promptly rebelled and won the right of self-rule, though nominally part of Sweden. In 1905, Norway declared total independence. Meanwhile, as the years progressed, the municipalities did not remain the same, but new ones were formed, old ones broken up, and land was transferred. From the 1990s until its dissolution in 2020, Aust-Agder was divided into 15 municipalities:

thumb|right|400px|Map of the municipalities in the county

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! No.!! Name!! Adm. Center!!Population!! Area (km<sup>2</sup>)

|-

|0901

| align="left" | 20px|Risør kommune Risør Municipality

| align="left" | Risør

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0904

| align="left" | 20px|Grimstad kommune Grimstad Municipality

| align="left" | Grimstad

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0906

| align="left" | 20px|Arendal kommune Arendal Municipality

| align="left" | Arendal

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0911

| align="left" | 20px|Gjerstad kommune Gjerstad Municipality

| align="left" | Gjerstad

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0912

| align="left" | 20px|Vegårshei kommune Vegårshei Municipality

| align="left" | Myra

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0914

| align="left" | 20px|Tvedestrand kommune Tvedestrand Municipality

| align="left" | Tvedestrand

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0919

| align="left" | 20px|Froland kommune Froland Municipality

| align="left" | Blakstad

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0926

| align="left" | 20px|Lillesand kommune Lillesand Municipality

| align="left" | Lillesand

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0928

| align="left" | 20px|Birkenes kommune Birkenes Municipality

| align="left" | Birkeland

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0929

| align="left" | 20px|Åmli kommune Åmli Municipality

| align="left" | Åmli

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0935

| align="left" | 20px|Iveland kommune Iveland Municipality

| align="left" | Birketveit

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0937

| align="left" | 20px|Evje og Hornnes kommune Evje og Hornnes Municipality

| align="left" | Evje

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0938

| align="left" | 20px|Bygland kommune Bygland Municipality

| align="left" | Bygland

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0940

| align="left" | 20px|Valle kommune Valle Municipality

| align="left" | Valle

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

|0941

| align="left" | 20px|Bylke kommune Bykle Municipality

| align="left" | Bykle

| align="right" |

| align="right" |

|-

!style="text-align: left;"|Total

!style="text-align: left;"|20px|Aust-Agder fylke Aust-Agder

!style="text-align: left;"|Arendal

!style="text-align: right;"|

!style="text-align: right;"|

|}

Cities

  • Arendal
  • Grimstad
  • Risør
  • Lillesand
  • Tvedestrand

Parishes

  • Arendal
  • Austad
  • Austre Moland
  • Barbu
  • Birkenes
  • Bjorbekk
  • Bygland
  • Bykle
  • Old Bykle
  • Dypvåg
  • Eide
  • Engene
  • Evje
  • Færvik
  • Fevik
  • Fjære
  • Fjellgardane
  • Flosta
  • Froland
  • Frydendal
  • Gjerstad
  • Gjøvdal
  • Grimstad
  • Grøvdal, see Gjøvdal
  • Herefoss
  • Hisøy
  • Holt
  • Hommedal
  • Hornnes
  • Hylestad
  • Høvåg
  • Iveland
  • Justøy
  • Laget
  • Landvik
  • Lillesand
  • Mykland
  • Risør
  • Sandnes
  • Stokken
  • Søndeled (Sønneløv)
  • Tovdal
  • Trefoldighet (Trinity)
  • Tromøy
  • Tvedestrand
  • Valle
  • Vegusdal
  • Vegårshei
  • Vestre Moland
  • Østerhus
  • Østre Moland, see Austre Moland
  • Øyestad
  • Åmli
  • Årdal
  • Arendal Branch (LDS, 1864-1914)
  • Arendal Lutherske Frimenighet (1884-1908)
  • Arendal (Den Katolske Apostoliske, 1889-1928)
  • Arendal Metodistkirke (1868-1892)
  • Risør Branch (LDS, 1851-1866)
  • Risør Lutheran Frikirke, (1877-1995)
  • Tvedestrand Baptist Menighet (1892-1895)

Villages

  • Akland
  • Asdal
  • Askerøya
  • Askland
  • Ausland
  • Austad
  • Bakken
  • Berdalen
  • Besteland
  • Birkeland
  • Birketveit
  • Bjorbekk
  • Bjåen
  • Blakstad
  • Borås
  • Bossvika
  • Bossvika
  • Breive
  • Brekka
  • Brekkestø
  • Brokke
  • Bygland
  • Byglandsfjord
  • Bykle
  • Bøylefoss
  • Bøylestad
  • Dypvåg
  • Dølemo
  • Dåsnesmoen
  • Eikeland
  • Engesland
  • Eppeland
  • Espenes
  • Evje
  • Evjemoen
  • Eydehavn
  • Fevik
  • Fiane, Gjerstad
  • Fiane, Tvedestrand
  • Fie
  • Flakk
  • Flatebygd
  • Flaten
  • Froland
  • Frolands verk
  • Færvik
  • Gautestad
  • Gjennestad
  • Gjerstad
  • Gjeving
  • Goderstad
  • Grendi
  • Gryting
  • Grønland
  • Heldalsmo
  • Helldal
  • Herefoss
  • Hesnes
  • Hillestad (Tovdal)
  • Hinebu
  • His (Hisøy)
  • Holmsund
  • Homborsund
  • Homdrom
  • Homme
  • Hornnes
  • Hoslemo
  • Hovden
  • Hovet
  • Hynnekleiv
  • Hødnebø
  • Høvåg
  • Håbbesland
  • Håbbestad
  • Jomås
  • Jortveit
  • Kalvøysund
  • Kilen
  • Kilsund
  • Kjetså
  • Klåholmen
  • Kolbjørnsvik
  • Kongshamn
  • Krabbesund
  • Kroken
  • Kråkvåg
  • Laget
  • Langeid
  • Lauvdal
  • Lauveik
  • Lauvrak
  • Libru
  • Lindtveit
  • Litveit
  • Longerak
  • Longum
  • Lyngør
  • Løddesøl
  • Løvjomås
  • Merdø
  • Mjølhus
  • Mjåvatn
  • Mo
  • Moen
  • Moi
  • Mollestad
  • Mykland
  • Myra
  • Narestø
  • Nedenes
  • Nelaug
  • Nesgrenda
  • Nipe
  • Nordbygdi
  • Nygrenda
  • Nævesdal
  • Oggevatn
  • Ose
  • Osedalen
  • Pusnes
  • Reddal
  • Revesand
  • Ribe
  • Risdal
  • Rise
  • Roresand
  • Rugsland
  • Rygnestad
  • Rykene
  • Rysstad
  • Rød, Arendal
  • Rød, Gjerstad
  • Rønnes
  • Røysland
  • Sagene
  • Sagesund
  • Saltrød
  • Sandnes, Bygland
  • Sandnes, Risør
  • Sandvika (Borøy)
  • Sennumstad
  • Sivik
  • Skaiå
  • Skåmedal
  • Skiftenes
  • Skjeggedal
  • Songe
  • Staubø
  • Stoa
  • Strengereid
  • Sundebru
  • Svaland
  • Søndeled
  • Søre Herefoss
  • Tjore
  • Trøe
  • Tveide
  • Tveit
  • Ubergsmoen
  • Ulvøysund
  • Uppstad
  • Valle
  • Vatnebu
  • Vatnestrøm
  • Vehus
  • Vesterhus
  • Vestøl
  • Vik
  • Vrengen
  • Væting
  • Ytre Ramse
  • Østerholt
  • Østerhus
  • Østerå
  • Øvre Dåsvatn
  • Øvre Ramse
  • Øyna
  • Åkerøyhamn
  • Åmdalsøyra
  • Åmli
  • Åneland
  • Åraksbø
  • Ås

Former Municipalities

  • Austre Moland Municipality
  • Barbu Municipality
  • Dypvåg Municipality
  • Eide Municipality
  • Evje Municipality
  • Evje og Vegusdal Municipality
  • Fjære Municipality
  • Flosta Municipality
  • Gjøvdal Municipality
  • Herefoss Municipality
  • Hisøy Municipality
  • Holt Municipality
  • Hornnes Municipality
  • Hornnes og Iveland Municipality
  • Hylestad Municipality
  • Høvåg Municipality
  • Landvik Municipality
  • Moland Municipality
  • Mykland Municipality
  • Stokken Municipality
  • Søndeled Municipality
  • Tovdal Municipality
  • Tromøy Municipality
  • Vegusdal Municipality
  • Vestre Moland Municipality
  • Øyestad Municipality

See also

  • Vest-Agder
  • Sørlandet
  • Agder

References

  • Political map
  • Aust-Agder fylkeskommune (in English)
  • Photogallery