Rogaland


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. 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, 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. The municipalities Randaberg, and Sola 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 has large deposits of copper. Sokndal 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. 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 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 ' 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 '. Heading the Fylkesting is the county mayor '. Since 2020, the Rogaland County Municipality has been led by Marianne Chesak, the county mayor.
The county also has a county governor ' 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 : 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:
Municipal
Number		NameAdm. CentreLocation in
the county		EstablishedIncludes
1101 EigersundEgersund1 Jan 19651101 Egersund
1113 Heskestad
1115 Helleland
1103 StavangerStavanger1 Jan 18381124 Håland
1125 Madla
1126 Hetland
1132 Fister
1133 Hjelmeland og Fister
1140 Sjernarøy
1141 Finnøy
1142 Rennesøy
1106 HaugesundHaugesund1 Jan 18551152 Torvastad
1153 Skåre
1108 SandnesSandnes1 Jan 18381123 Høyland
1126 Hetland
1128 Høle
1129 Forsand
1111 SokndalHauge1 Jan 18381107 Sogndal
1112 LundMoi1 Jan 18381113 Heskestad
1114 BjerkreimVikeså1 Jan 1838
1119 HåVarhaug1 Jan 19641117 Ogna
1118 Varhaug
1119 Nærbø
1120 KleppKleppe1 Jan 1838
1121 TimeBryne1 Jan 1838
1122 GjesdalÅlgård1 Jan 18381128 Høle
1124 SolaSolakrossen1 Jan 19301124 Håland
1127 RandabergRandaberg1 July 1922
1130 StrandJørpeland1 Jan 18381129 Forsand
1133 HjelmelandHjelmelandsvågen1 July 18841131 Årdal
1132 Fister
1133 Hjelmeland og Fister
1134 SuldalSand1 Jan 18381136 Sand
1137 Erfjord
1138 Jelsa
1156 Imsland
1135 SaudaSauda1 Jan 1842
1144 KvitsøyYdstebøhamn1 Jan 1923
1145 BoknFøresvik1 Jan 1849
1146 TysværAksdal1 Jan 18491139 Nedstrand
1147 Avaldsnes
1154 Skjold
1149 KarmøyKopervik1 Jan 19651104 Skudeneshavn
1105 Kopervik
1147 Avaldsnes
1148 Stangaland
1149 Åkra
1150 Skudenes
1152 Torvastad
1151 UtsiraUtsira1 July 1924
1160 VindafjordØlensjøen1 Jan 19651154 Skjold
1155 Vats
1156 Imsland
1157 Vikedal
1158 Sandeid
1159 Ølen

Districts