Buskerud

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Template:Infobox settlement Buskerud (Template:IPA) is a county and a current electoral district in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Innlandet, Vestland, Telemark and Vestfold. The region extends from the Oslofjord and Drammensfjorden in the southeast to Hardangervidda mountain range in the northwest. The county administration was in modern times located in Drammen.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Buskerud was merged with Akershus and Østfold into the newly created Viken County on 1 January 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 23 February 2022, the Viken County Council voted in a 49 against 38 decision to submit an application to the Norwegian government for a county demerger.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Due to this, Buskerud (except the area forming the defunct municipalities of Røyken and Hurum) was re-established in 2024.

Etymology

The county was named after the old manor Buskerud (Template:Langx) (Biskopsrøysa) located on the west side of the Drammen River in Åmot, Modum municipality. The first element is the genitive case of Template:Lang, 'bishop' (referring to the Bishop of Hamar), the last element is Template:Lang n 'clearing, farm'. The farm was one of the largest in Buskerud, and the original name of the farm (before it became a benefice) was probably Modum. At the time of the Reformation (Template:Circa) the farm became property of the Crown at which time the farm then served as the residence of the king's bailiffs until 1668.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

Buskerud extended from Hurum at the Oslofjord to the Halling mountains and Hardanger. The county was conventionally divided into traditional districts. These were Hallingdal, Numedal, Ringerike, Lower Buskerud, which was originally part of Vestfold, and Western Vingulmark.

Hallingdal consisted of Flå, Nes, Gol, Hemsedal, Ål and Hol.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Numedal consisted of Flesberg, Rollag and Nore og Uvdal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ringerike consisted of Hole, Krødsherad, Modum, Ringerike and Sigdal. Western Vingulmark consisted of Hurum and Røyken.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lower Buskerud consisted of Drammen, Hurum, Kongsberg, Lier, Nedre Eiker, Røyken and Øvre Eiker. The district was merged from parts that belonged to Vestfold and Vingulmark.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Buskerud's western part was a mountainous plateau with forested valleys and high, grassy pastures; its eastern part contains a lowland basin with many lakes and streams. Tyrifjorden and Krøderen were the biggest lakes. Numedalslågen, the third longest river in Norway, starting in Hordaland, ran through Buskerud unto Vestfold where it reached the sea, while river Begna sweeps into lake Sperillen.

Mountains

History

Template:Stack Template:Bar box Buskerud was separated from Akershus as an amt of its own in 1685, but the amt was smaller than today. It then consisted of the present districts Eiker, Hallingdal, and Ringerike. The area of the present municipalities of Flesberg, Hurum, Kongsberg, Lier, Nore og Uvdal, Rollag and Røyken were transferred from Akershus amt to Buskerud amt in 1760. The name Template:Lang was changed to Template:Lang in 1919. The municipality of Skoger was transferred from Vestfold to Buskerud in 1964.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The area Ringerike may once have been a small kingdom. During the 10th century, Norway's kings Olaf Tryggvason and Olaf Haraldsson grew up at Bønsnes in Ringerike. In the valley of Numedal, silver was mined in Kongsberg from the 17th century until discontinued in 1957. Weapons industry had been developed in Kongsberg from 1814, and various high tech industry companies now represent the town's major employers. At Modum there was also Template:Lang, a cobalt pigment production works (Blue Colour Works).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Economy

File:Vinter.jpg

Winter in Blefjell

Today, agriculture, lumber, wood-pulp mills and other related industries are the county's main economic activities; ample hydroelectric power is produced by the rivers Begna (Template:Lang) and Rands (Template:Lang) . Buskerud has also a large forested area. Substantial income is derived from high tech industries located in Kongsberg. Other significant income comes from the cabin areas in northern Buskerud.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Coat of arms

Buskerud's coat of arms were adopted in April 1966. It features a blue bear whose colours are symbolic of the blue colour works. The silver background of Buskerud's coat of arms represents the silver industry in Kongsberg.

Notable people from Buskerud

Sports figures

Entertainers

Politicians

Thorbjørn Jagland, Drammen

Municipalities

File:Map of traditional districts in Buskerud County.svg

Municipalities in Buskerud

Nr	Name	Inhabitants	Area km²
3301	Drammen kommune Drammen	104 487	317,68
Template:Nts303	Kongsberg kommune Kongsberg	28 848	792,27
3305	Ringerike kommune Ringerike	31 581	1 555,10
3310	Hole kommune Hole	6 989	194,80
3312	Lier kommune Lier	28 470	301,33
3314	Øvre Eiker kommune Øvre Eiker	20 779	456,76
3316	Modum kommune Modum	14 665	515,09
3318	Krødsherad kommune Krødsherad	2 241	374,63
3320	Flå kommune Flå	1 115	704,48
3322	Nes kommune Nesbyen	3 301	809,64
3324	Gol kommune Gol	4 986	532,51
3326	Hemsedal kommune Hemsedal	2 666	753,47
3328	Ål kommune Ål	5 007	1 171,29
3330	Hol kommune Hol	4 496	1 858,36
3332	Sigdal kommune Sigdal	3 526	842,15
3334	Flesberg kommune Flesberg	2 781	561,92
3336	Rollag kommune Rollag	1 395	449,28
3338	Nore og Uvdal kommune Nore og Uvdal	2 486	2 502,33
Total	Buskerud Fylke Buskerud	269 819	14 693,87