Rogaland - WikiHQ

Rogaland () is a county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. As of 1 January 2024, it had a population of 499,417 people.

The administrative centre of the county is the city of Stavanger, which is the third largest city in Norway.

Etymology

Rogaland is the region's Old Norse name, which was revived in modern times. During Denmark's rule of Norway the county was named Stavanger amt, after the large city of Stavanger, and this name continued to be used until 1919. The first element in the name Rogaland is the plural genitive case of rygir, probably referring to the name of an old Germanic tribe (see Rugians). The second element is land which means "land" or "region".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is modern; it was granted on 11 January 1974. The arms are blue with a white or silver pointed cross in the centre. The cross is based on the old stone cross in Sola Municipality, the oldest national monument in Norway. It was erected in memory of Erling Skjalgsson after his death in 1028. This type of cross was very common in medieval Norway.

Geography

Rogaland is mainly a coastal region with fjords, beaches, and islands, the principal island being Karmøy. The vast Boknafjorden is the largest bay, with many fjords branching off from it.

Stavanger/Sandnes, the third-largest urban area of Norway, is also a central area for the Norwegian petroleum industry. The area includes the large cities of Stavanger and Sandnes. Randaberg Municipality and Sola Municipality are also in close proximity. Together, this conurbation is ranked above the city Trondheim in population rankings in Norway.

Cities/towns in Rogaland other than Stavanger and Sandnes include Haugesund, Egersund, Sauda, Jørpeland, Bryne, Kopervik, Åkrehamn, and Skudeneshavn.

Karmøy Municipality has large deposits of copper (some from the Visnes mine was used in the construction of the Statue of Liberty). Sokndal Municipality has large deposits of ilmenite. Rogaland is the most important region for oil and gas exploration in Norway, and the Jæren district in Rogaland is one of the country's most important agricultural districts.

History

There are remains in Rogaland from the earliest times, such as the excavations in a cave at Viste in Randaberg Municipality (Svarthola). These include the find of a skeleton of a boy from the Stone Age. Various archeological finds stem from the following times, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Many crosses in Irish style have been found. Rogaland was called Rygjafylke in the Viking Age. Before Harald Fairhair and the Battle of Hafrsfjord, it was a petty kingdom. The Rugians were a tribe possibly connected with Rogaland.

Culture and tourism

A series of festivals and congresses of international fame and profile are arranged, such as The Chamber Music Festival, The Maijazz Festival, The Gladmat (lit. happy food) Festival, and The ONS event, which has been held in Stavanger every second year since 1974. The ONS is a major international conference and exhibition with focus on oil and gas, and other topics from the petroleum industry. The Concert Hall and Music Complex at Bjergsted and the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra provide important inspiration in the Norwegian musical environment. Another annual event in Stavanger is The World Tour Beach Volleyball. During this tournament, the downtown is converted into a beach volleyball arena.

Rogaland is home to many natural wonders, like Prekestolen, Kjerag and Gloppedalsura. In Stavanger, there is an archeological museum with many artifacts from early history in Rogaland. An Iron Age farm at Ullandhaug in Stavanger is reconstructed on the original farm site dating back to 350–500 AD. The Viking Farm is a museum at Karmøy.

Government

A county (fylke) is the chief local administrative area in Norway. The whole country is divided into 11 counties. A county is also an election area, with popular votes taking place every 4 years. In Rogaland, the government of the county is the Rogaland County Municipality. It includes 47 members who are elected to form a county council (Fylkesting). Heading the Fylkesting is the county mayor (fylkesordførar). Since 2020, the Rogaland County Municipality has been led by Marianne Chesak, the county mayor.

The county also has a county governor (fylkesmann) who is the representative of the King and Government of Norway. Bent Høie is the incumbent governor, in office since 1 November 2021.

The municipalities in Rogaland are divided among several district courts (tingrett): Dalane District Court, Haugaland District Court, Jæren District Court, and Stavanger District Court. All of these courts are subordinate to the Gulating Court of Appeal district based in Bergen.

Subdivisions

Municipalities

Rogaland County has a total of 23 municipalities:

{| class="sortable wikitable mw-datatable"

! Municipal Number !! Name !! Adm. Centre !! Location in the county !! data-sort-type="date"| Established !!Includes (former municipalities)

|1101 || 30px Eigersund Municipality || Egersund || 70px || 1 Jan 1965 || 1101 Egersund (town) 1113 Heskestad Municipality (part) 1115 Helleland Municipality

|1103 || 30px Stavanger Municipality || Stavanger || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 ||1124 Håland Municipality (part) 1125 Madla Municipality 1126 Hetland Municipality (part) 1132 Fister Municipality (part) 1133 Hjelmeland og Fister Municipality (part) 1140 Sjernarøy Municipality 1141 Finnøy Municipality 1142 Rennesøy Municipality

|1106 || 30px Haugesund Municipality || Haugesund || 70px || 1 Jan 1855 || 1152 Torvastad Municipality (part) 1153 Skåre Municipality

|1108 || 30px Sandnes Municipality || Sandnes || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 ||1123 Høyland Municipality 1126 Hetland Municipality (part) 1128 Høle Municipality (part) 1129 Forsand Municipality (part)

|1111 || 30px Sokndal Municipality || Hauge || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 || 1107 Sogndal Municipality

|1112 || 30px Lund Municipality || Moi || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 || 1113 Heskestad Municipality (part)

|1114 || 30px Bjerkreim Municipality || Vikeså || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 ||

|1119 || 30px Hå Municipality || Varhaug || 70px || 1 Jan 1964 || 1117 Ogna Municipality 1118 Varhaug Municipality 1119 Nærbø Municipality

|1120 || 30px Klepp Municipality || Kleppe || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 ||

|1121 || 30px Time Municipality || Bryne || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 ||

|1122 || 30px Gjesdal Municipality || Ålgård || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 || 1128 Høle Municipality (part)

|1124 || 30px Sola Municipality || Solakrossen || 70px || 1 Jan 1930 || 1124 Håland Municipality (part)

|1127 || 30px Randaberg Municipality || Randaberg || 70px || 1 July 1922 ||

|1130 || 30px Strand Municipality || Jørpeland || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 || 1129 Forsand Municipality (part)

|1133 || 30px Hjelmeland Municipality || Hjelmelandsvågen || 70px || 1 July 1884 || 1131 Årdal Municipality 1132 Fister Municipality (part) 1133 Hjelmeland og Fister Municipality (part)

|1134 || 30px Suldal Municipality || Sand || 70px || 1 Jan 1838 || 1136 Sand Municipality 1137 Erfjord Municipality 1138 Jelsa Municipality 1156 Imsland Municipality (part)

|1135 || 30px Sauda Municipality || Sauda || 70px || 1 Jan 1842 ||

|1144 || 30px Kvitsøy Municipality || Ydstebøhamn || 70px || 1 Jan 1923 ||

|1145 || 30px Bokn Municipality || Føresvik || 70px || 1 Jan 1849 ||

|1146 || 30px Tysvær Municipality || Aksdal || 70px || 1 Jan 1849 || 1139 Nedstrand Municipality 1147 Avaldsnes Municipality (part) 1154 Skjold Municipality (part)

|1149 || 30px Karmøy Municipality || Kopervik || 70px || 1 Jan 1965 || 1104 Skudeneshavn (town) 1105 Kopervik (town) 1147 Avaldsnes Municipality (part) 1148 Stangaland Municipality 1149 Åkra Municipality 1150 Skudenes Municipality 1152 Torvastad Municipality (part)

|1151 || 30px Utsira Municipality || Utsira || 70px || 1 July 1924 ||

|1160 || 30px Vindafjord Municipality || Ølensjøen || 70px || 1 Jan 1965 || 1154 Skjold Municipality (part) 1155 Vats Municipality 1156 Imsland Municipality (part) 1157 Vikedal Municipality 1158 Sandeid Municipality 1159 Ølen Municipality

Districts

Dalane
Haugaland
Jæren
Ryfylke

Cities

Bryne
Egersund
Haugesund
Jørpeland
Kopervik
Sauda
Sandnes
Skudeneshavn
Stavanger
Åkrehamn

Parishes

Askøy (Askø)
Avaldsnes
Bjerkreim
Bokn (Bukken)
Bore
Bø
Domkirken, Stavanger
Egersund
Erfjord
Falnes
Ferkingstad
Finnøy (Hesby)
Fister
Forsand (Fossan)
Frue, see Hetland
Førdesfjorden
Gjestal
Haugesund
Hausken
Helleland
Hesby
Heskestad
Hetland
Hjelmeland
Hvidingsø
Høgsfjord
Høle
Høyland
Hå
Håland
Imsland
Jelsa (Jelsø)
Klepp
Kopervik
Kvitsøy (Hvidingsø)
Lund
Lye
Madla
Malle, see Madla
Mosterøy
Nedstrand (Hinderå)
Norheim
Nærbø
Nærem
Ogna
Orre
Randaberg (Randeberg)
Rennesøy
Riska (Riskekvernen)
Røldal (in Hordaland after 1848)
Sand
Sandeid
Sandnes
Sankt Johannes, Stavanger
Sankt Petri, Stavanger
Saude (Sauda)
Sjernarøy
Skjold
Skudenes
Skudeneshavn
Skåre
Sokndal
Sola (Sole)
Soma
Stavanger
Strand
Suldal
Sørbø
Talgøy (Talgje)
Tananger
Time (Lye)
Tjora
Torvastad (Torvestad)
Tysvær
Utsira
Utstein Kloster
Varhaug
Vats
Veavågen
Vikedal
Vår Frue, see Hetland
Åkra
Åkra (old)
Åna-Sira
Årdal
Egersund Branch (LDS, 1899–1913)
Haugesund Branch (LDS, 1905–1950)
Stavanger Branch (LDS, 1850–1938)
Stavanger (Dissentermenigheter: Stavanger, Klepp, and Haugesund 1859–1903)
Stavanger (Vennenes Samfund- Quakers, 1821–1951)

Villages

Aksdal
Amdal
Askje
Åkrehamn
Åmøy
Avaldsnes
Bjerkreim
Bjoa
Bore
Bru
Brusand
Dirdal
Dueland
Eik
Eike
Erfjord
Ferkingstad
Feøy
Figgjo
Fiskå
Fister
Fogn
Forsand
Foss-Eikeland
Frafjord
Føresvik
Førre
Gjesdal
Gilja
Grinde
Grødem
Hauge i Dalane
Hellandsbygd
Helleland
Hellvik
Hervik
Hesby
Heskestad
Hestnes
Hindaråvåg
Hjelmelandsvågen
Hommersåk
Hundvåg
Hæen
Høle
Hålandsmarka
Hålandsosen
Idse
Imslandsjøen
Innbjoa
Jelsa
Judaberg
Jøsenfjorden
Klepp stasjon
Kleppe
Krossberg
Kvernaland
Li
Lyefjell
Lysebotn
Marvik
Moi
Mossige
Nedstrand
Nesflaten
Norheim
Nærbø
Oanes
Obrestad
Ogna
Oltedal
Orre
Pollestad
Randaberg
Rekefjord
Røvær
Sand i Ryfylke
Sandeid
Sandve
Saudasjøen
Sirevåg
Sjernarøyane
Skjold
Skjoldastraumen
Sogndalsstrand
Solakrossen
Stenebyen
Stronda
Suldalsosen
Susort
Sviland
Sør-Hidle
Sørbø
Sørnes
Talgje
Tau
Torvastad
Tysværvåg
Undheim
Varhaug
Vassøy
Vatne i Sandnes
Vatne i Vindafjord
Veavågen
Verdalen
Vigrestad
Vikebygd
Vikedal
Vikeså
Vikevåg
Visnes
Voll
Vormedal
Yrke
Ydstebøhamn
Ølensjøen
Ølensvåg (Ølsvågen)
Øvrebygd
Ålgård
Åna-Sira
Årdal i Ryfylke

Former municipalities

Avaldsnes
Egersund
Erfjord
Finnøy
Fister
Forsand
Helleland
Heskestad
Hetland
Hjelmeland og Fister
Høle
Høyland
Håland
Imsland
Jelsa
Kopervik
Madla
Nedstrand
Nærbø
Ogna
Rennesøy
Sand
Sandeid
Sjernarøy
Skjold
Skudenes
Skudeneshavn
Skåre
Sogndal
Stangaland
Torvastad
Vats
Varhaug
Vikedal
Ølen
Åkra
Årdal

Education

Higher Education

University of Stavanger
VID Specialized University (Stavanger)
Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (Haugesund)
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Sandnes)

Demographics

Total population:

In popular culture

Rogaland is a playable region within Norway in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, called Rygjafylke in the game. It is also the homeland of the game’s main character, Eivor Varinsdottir.

References

External links

Official county website
Region Stavanger Official tourism site for the Stavanger region