Editing Østfold

{{Short description|County in Eastern Norway}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Østfold
| official_name      = Østfold fylke
| other_name         = 
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = 
| nickname           = 
| settlement_type    = [[Counties of Norway|County]]
| total_type         = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| motto              = <!-- images and maps ----------->
| image_skyline      = Rødenes 2006.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Rødenes in late June 2006
| image_flag         = Flag of Østfold.svg
| flag_size          = 
| image_seal         = 
| seal_size          = 
| image_shield       = Østfold våpen.svg
| shield_size        = 70px
| image_map          = Norway Counties Østfold Position.svg
| map_caption        = Østfold within Norway
<!-- Location ------------------>| subdivision_type   = [[Sovereign state|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Norway}}
| subdivision_type1  = Region
| subdivision_name1  = 
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = [[Østlandet]]
| subdivision_type3  = County ID
| subdivision_name3  = [[ISO 3166-2:NO|NO-31]]
<!-- Smaller parts (e.g. boroughs of a city) and seat of government -->| seat_type          = Administrative&nbsp;centre
| seat               = [[Sarpsborg]]
| parts_type         = Other towns
| parts_style        = para
| parts              = <!-- parts text, or header for parts list -->
| p1                 = 
| p2                 = <!-- Politics ----------------->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title1      = [[County council (Norway)|County mayor]]
| leader_name1       = Sindre Martinsen-Evje [[Norwegian Labour Party|Arbeiderpartiet]] (2023-)
| leader_title       = [[County governor (Norway)|Governor]]
| leader_name        = [[Valgerd Svarstad Haugland]] (2019-)
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area --------------------->
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 4180.7
| area_land_km2      = 3887
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_rank          = 17th in Norway, 1.28% of Norway's land area
<!-- Elevation -------------------------->| elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_max_m    = 
| elevation_min_m    = <!-- Population ----------------------->
| population_as_of   = 30 September 2019
| population_footnotes = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 299647 {{increase}}
| population_rank    = 6th (5.61% of country)
| population_density_km2 = auto <!--For automatic calculation, any density field may contain: auto -->
| population_blank1_title = Change (10 years)
| population_blank1  = 7.5 %
| population_demonym = Østfolding
| blank_name_sec1    = [[Norwegian language|Official&nbsp;language&nbsp;form]]
| blank_info_sec1    = [[Norwegian language|Bokmål]]
<!-- General information --------------->| timezone           = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset         = +01
| timezone_DST       = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +02
| coordinates        = 
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates_footnotes = <!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| postal_code_type   = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
| postal_code        = 
| area_code          = 
| blank_name_sec2    = Income (per capita)
| blank_info_sec2    = 138,600 [[Norwegian krone|NOK]]
| blank1_name_sec2   = [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] (per capita)
| blank1_info_sec2   = 200,084 [[Norwegian krone|NOK]] (2001)
| blank2_name_sec2   = [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] national rank
| blank2_info_sec2   = 8 (3.30% of country)
| website            = {{URL|1=https://ofk.no/}}
| footnotes          = {{center|[http://www.ssb.no/english Data from Statistics Norway]}}
}}
'''Østfold''' ({{IPA|no|ˈœ̂stfɔɫ|-|Ostfold.ogg}}) is a county in [[Eastern Norway]], which from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2023 was part of [[Viken (county)|Viken]]. Østfold borders [[Akershus]] and southwestern [[Sweden]] ([[Västra Götaland County]] and [[Värmland]]), while [[Buskerud]] and [[Vestfold]] are on the other side of [[Oslofjord]]. The county's administrative seat is [[Sarpsborg]]. The county controversially became part of the newly established [[Viken (county)|Viken County]] on 1 January 2020. On 1 January 2024, Østfold was re-established as an independent county, however without the former municipality of Rømskog, which was amalgamated with the Akershus municipality Aurskog-Høland in 2020.

Many manufacturing facilities are situated here, such as the world's most advanced [[biorefinery]], [[Borregaard]] in [[Sarpsborg]]. [[Fredrikstad]] has shipyards. There are granite mines in Østfold and stone from these were used by [[Gustav Vigeland]].

The county slogan is "The heartland of Scandinavia". The local dialects are characterized by their geographical proximity to Sweden.

== The name==
The old name of the [[Oslofjord]] was ''Fold''; ''Østfold'' means 'the region '''east''' of the Fold' (see also [[Vestfold]]). The name was first recorded in 1543; in the Middle Ages the name of the county was ''Borgarsysla'' 'the county/sýsla of the city Borg (now [[Sarpsborg]])'. Later, when Norway was under [[Denmark|Danish rule]], the Danish king divided the area into many baronies. These were merged into one county ([[Amt (country subdivision)|amt]]) in 1662 - and it was then named ''Smaalenenes Amt'' 'the [[Amt (administrative division)|amt]] consisting of small [[counties of Norway|len]]'. The name was changed back to ''Østfold'' in 1919.

== History ==
{{stack|{{Historical populations
|footnote = '''''Source''': [http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/02/folkendrhist_en/tables/tab/01.html Statistics Norway].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://statbank.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/Default_FR.asp?PXSid=0&nvl=true&PLanguage=0&tilside=selecttable%2FhovedtabellHjem.asp&KortnavnWeb=folkfram |title=Projected population - Statistics Norway |access-date=2011-07-18 |archive-date=2013-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023110552/http://statbank.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/Default_FR.asp?PXSid=0&nvl=true&PLanguage=0&tilside=selecttable%2FhovedtabellHjem.asp&KortnavnWeb=folkfram |url-status=dead }}</ref>''
|shading = off
|1951|185492 	 		 			  	 	  	  	  	 	  	  	  	  		  	  	  	  	  	
|1961|202751	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	
|1971|221386 	 	  	  	  	 	 	  	  	  	 	  	    	  	  	  	  	  	
|1981|233301 	 		 	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 	
|1991|238345	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 	  	  	  	  	  	
|2001|251032 	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 	  	  	  	  	  	 	  	  	  	
|2011|274827	
|2021?|309613
|2031?|339601	  	  	  	  	  	  	
}}}}
Østfold is among the nation's oldest inhabited regions, with petroglyphs (rock drawings) and burial mounds throughout the area.

In the [[Viking Age]], the area was part of [[Vingulmark]], which in turn was part of [[Viken, Norway|Viken]] and included [[Bohuslän|Båhuslen]] (which is now the Swedish province called ''Bohuslän''). It was partly under Danish rule until the time of [[Harald I of Norway|Harald Fairhair]].

Later, when Norway was under [[Denmark|Danish rule]], the Danish king divided the area into many baronies. The barony of ''Heggen og Frøland'', consisting of the municipalities [[Askim]], [[Eidsberg]] and [[Trøgstad]], originally belonged to [[Akershus]] - but it was transferred to Østfold in 1768.

In October 2018, Norwegian archaeologists headed by the archaeologist Lars Gustavsen announced the discovery of a buried {{convert|20.|m|abbr=on}} long Gjellestad Viking ship. An ancient well-preserved Viking cemetery for more than 1000 years was discovered using ground-penetrating radar. Archaeologists also revealed at least seven other previously unknown burial mounds and the remnants of five longhouses with the help of the radar survey.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-10-15|title=Viking ship burial discovered in Norway just 50cm underground|url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/oct/15/viking-ship-burial-discovered-in-norway-just-50cm-underground|access-date=2021-02-01|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Starr|first=Michelle|title=A Rare Viking Ship Burial Was Just Discovered in Norway, Less Than 2 Feet Underground|url=https://www.sciencealert.com/jellestad-ship-viking-burial-iron-age-jelle-mound-ground-penetrating-radar-norway|access-date=2021-02-01|website=ScienceAlert|date=15 October 2018 |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=McGreevy|first=Nora|title=For the First Time in a Century, Norway Will Excavate Viking Ship Burial|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/first-time-century-norway-will-excavate-viking-ship-burial-180974854/|access-date=2021-02-01|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=miljødepartementet|first=Klima-og|date=2020-05-12|title=Vil grave fram det første vikingskipet på 100 år|url=https://www.regjeringen.no/nn/aktuelt/gjellestadskipet/id2701917/|access-date=2021-02-01|website=Regjeringa.no|language=nn-NO}}</ref>

== Geography ==

Østfold sits between the [[Oslofjord|Oslo Fjord]] and [[Sweden]]. It is dominated by flat landscape with a lot of woodland in the north and along the Swedish border, a major lake system in the central part, and densely populated lowland area along the coast, with a relatively large [[archipelago]].

[[Norway]]'s longest river, the [[Glomma]], flows through the county and out into the Oslo Fjord in [[Fredrikstad]].

== Demography ==

Most of the county's population is located in the coastal area. The cities of [[Moss, Norway|Moss]], [[Sarpsborg]], [[Fredrikstad]], and [[Halden]] are situated here, along with some relatively highly populated rural municipalities. Including these coastal cities, Østfold also has another two cities, [[Askim]] and [[Mysen]].

== Transport and infrastructure ==

Østfold is located strategically between Oslo and Sweden. The main highway [[European route E6|E6]] between Oslo and Gothenburg runs as a motorway through the county from the southern border with Sweden and the border with Akershus county. The main highway [[European route E18|E18]] between Oslo and Stockholm goes through the county from the Swedish border in a southeast-northwest direction. The railway from Oslo to Gothenburg runs roughly parallel with E6, and there is also a railway between Ski and Sarpsborg that covers the inner part. 
There is no public airport in the county. [[Moss Airport, Rygge|Moss Airport]] was one but is now closed. The main airport for Østfold is the [[Oslo Airport, Gardermoen]], with a population of more than 2 million people within two hours distance.

==Health care==
Aimed at covering general medical needs of Østfold County and [Vestby Municipality] Østfold Hospital provides medical services, diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation to the population of the area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sykehuset Østfold |url=https://sykehuset-ostfold.no/|accessdate=31 May 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Hospitals, clinics or health stations are located in all municipalities of the county.

== Municipalities ==
{{stack|[[File:Ostfold municipalities.png|400px|right|Municipalities of Østfold]]}}
Østfold is made up of 17 (formerly 18) municipalities:
# [[Aremark]]
# [[Askim]]
# [[Eidsberg]]
# [[Fredrikstad]]
# [[Halden]]
# [[Hobøl]]
# [[Hvaler]]
# [[Marker, Norway|Marker]]
# [[Moss, Norway|Moss]]
# [[Rakkestad]]
# [[Rygge]]
# [[Rømskog]] (is no longer a part of Østfold county)
# [[Råde]]
# [[Sarpsborg]]
# [[Skiptvet]]
# [[Spydeberg]]
# [[Trøgstad]]
# [[Våler, Østfold|Våler]]

==Districts==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Kala, Sarpsborg|Kala]]
* [[Skjeberg]]
{{div col end}}

==Cities==
{{Main|list of towns and cities in Norway}}
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Askim]]
* [[Fredrikstad]]
* [[Halden]]
* [[Moss, Norway|Moss]]
* [[Sarpsborg]]
{{div col end}}

==Parishes==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* Aremark
* Asak
* Askim
* Berg
* Borge
* Båstad
* Degernes
* Domkirken i Borge, see Vestre Fredrikstad
* [[Eidsberg Church|Eidsberg]]
* Enningdal
* Fredrikshald, see Halden
* [[Fredrikstad Cathedral|Fredrikstad]]
* Glemmen
* Gressvik
* Hafslund
* Halden
* Heli
* Hobøl
* Hovin
* Hvaler
* Hærland
* Idd
* Ingedal
* Kråkerøy
* Moss
* Onsøy
* Os
* Rakkestad
* Rokke
* Rolvsøy
* Rygge
* Rødenes
* Rømskog
* Råde
* Sarpsborg
* [[Skiptvet Church|Skiptvet]]
* Skjeberg
* Skjebergdalen
* [[Spjærøy Church|Spjærøy (Dypedal)]]
* Spydeberg
* [[St. Peter's Church, Halden|St. Peter's]]
* Svinndal
* Tom
* Tomter
* Torsnes
* Trøgstad
* Trømborg
* Tune
* Ullerøy (Ullerø)
* Varteig
* Vestre Fredrikstad
* Våler
* Østre Fredrikstad
* Øymark
* Fredrikstad Branch (LDS, 1852–1925)
* Fredrikstad (Kristi Menighet, 1893–1914)
* Vestre Fredrikstad (Kristi Menighet, 1904–1933)
* Halden Branch (LDS, 1854–1949)
* Moss Branch (LDS, 1905–1949)
* Sarpsborg Branch (LDS, 1931–1949)
* Sarpsborg (Metodistkirken, 1840–1923)
{{div col end}}

==Villages==
{{Main|list of villages in Østfold}}
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Alshus]]
* [[Borgenhaugen]]
* [[Degernes]]
* [[Elvestad]]
* [[Engalsvik]]
* [[Fosby]]
* [[Fuglevik]]
* [[Glosli]]
* [[Gressvik]]
* [[Greåker]]
* [[Grimstad, Østfold|Grimstad]]
* [[Hafslund]]
* [[Hamnås]]
* [[Hasle, Østfold|Hasle]]
* [[Hauge, Østfold|Hauge]]
* [[Heiås]]
* [[Herføl]]
* [[Hærland]]
* [[Høysand]]
* [[Ise, Norway|Ise]]
* [[Isebakke]]
* [[Jelsnes]]
* [[Kambo, Norway|Kambo]]
* [[Karlshus]]
* [[Kirkebygden]]
* [[Knapstad]]
* [[Kornsjø]]
* [[Korshavn, Norway|Korshavn]]
* [[Kykkelsrud]]
* [[Larkollen]]
* [[Lervik]]
* [[Missingmyr]]
* [[Mørkfoss]]
* [[Prestebakke]]
* [[Ringvoll]]
* [[Rostadneset]]
* [[Rygge]]
* [[Rød, Østfold|Rød]]
* [[Saltnes, Østfold, Norway|Saltnes]]
* [[Sandbakken, Sarpsborg|Sandbakken]]
* [[Sandum]]
* [[Sellebakk]]
* [[Skantebygda]]
* [[Skiptvet]]
* [[Skjeberg]]
* [[Skjærhalden]]
* [[Skivika|Skjærvika]]
* [[Skjønhaug]]
* [[Slevik]]
* [[Slitu]]
* [[Solbergfoss]]
* [[Sponvika]]
* [[Stikkaåsen]]
* [[Strømsfoss]]
* [[Svinesund]]
* [[Svinndal]]
* [[Tistedalen]]
* [[Tomter]]
* [[Tosebygda]]
* [[Trømborg]]
* [[Ullerøy]]
* [[Utgård]]
* [[Varteig]]
* [[Våk]]
* [[Yven]]
* [[Ørje]]
* [[Ørmen]]
* [[Øyenkilen]]
* [[Årum]]
{{div col end}}

==Former Municipalities==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
{{Main|list of former municipalities of Norway}}
* [[Berg, Østfold|Berg]]
* [[Borge, Østfold|Borge]]
* [[Degernes]]
* [[Glemmen]]
* [[Idd]]
* [[Jeløy]]
* [[Kråkerøy]]
* [[Mysen]]
* [[Onsøy]]
* [[Rolvsøy]]
* [[Rødenes]]
* [[Skjeberg]]
* [[Torsnes]]
* [[Tune, Norway|Tune]]
* [[Varteig]]
* [[Øymark]]
{{div col end}}

==Coat of arms==
The coat of arms is from modern times (1958). The lines represent sunrays at [[sunrise]] in the [[east]]. (See above under the name.) They also represent the worship of the [[Sun]] in the [[Bronze Age]] (depicted in several [[Petroglyph|rock carvings]] found in the county).

{|class="infobox" style="float:right;"
|colspan="2"|'''Number of minorities (1st and 2nd gen.) <br/>in Østfold by country of origin in 2017'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/selectvarval/Define.asp?subjectcode=&ProductId=&MainTable=FolkInnvkatLand&nvl=&PLanguage=1&nyTmpVar=true&CMSSubjectArea=befolkning&KortNavnWeb=innvbef&StatVariant=&checked=true |title= Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, by immigration category, country background and percentages of the population|publisher=ssb.no |accessdate=24 June 2017}}</ref>
|-
! Nationality ||Population (2017)
|-
|{{flag|Poland}} ||6,711
|-
|{{flag|Iraq}} ||4,470
|-
|{{flag|Somalia}} ||3,068
|-
|{{flag|Kosovo}} ||2,695
|-
|{{flag|Sweden}} ||2,620
|-
|{{flag|Bosnia-Herzegovina}} ||2,372
|-
|{{flag|Vietnam}} ||1,889
|-
|{{flag|Lithuania}} ||1,822
|-
|{{flag|Syria}} ||1,334
|-
|{{flag|Denmark}} ||1,291
|-
|{{flag|Iran}} ||1,270
|-
|{{flag|Pakistan}} ||1,188
|-
|{{flag|Philippines}} ||1,008
|-
|{{flag|Thailand}} ||992
|-
|{{flag|Germany}} ||967
|-
|{{flag|Russia}} ||879
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}} ||829
|-
|{{flag|Afghanistan}} ||816
|-
|{{flag|Iceland}} ||579
|-
|{{flag|United Kingdom}} ||494
|-
|{{flag|Cameroon}} ||28
|-
|{{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}} ||10
|}

== Notable people ==
* [[Roald Amundsen]] (1872–1928) - Explorer of polar regions
* [[Berit Ås]] - Politician, professor and feminist.
* [[Thea Foss]] (1857–1927) -  founder of Foss Maritime
* [[Hans Nielsen Hauge]] - (3 April 1771 – 29 March 1824) - Lay preacher
* [[Peder Christian Hjorth]] - (1792-1855) - Norwegian politician 
* [[Egil Olsen]] - Norwegian Football coach.
* [[Karl Ouren]] (1882–1943) - Norwegian-American artist
* [[Petter Solberg]] - Rally driver
* [[Nils Otto Tank]] (1800–1864) - [[Moravian Church]] religious leader
* [[Harald Zwart]] - Movie director and producer

==See also==
*[[HEPRO]]

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
{{wikivoyage}}
* [http://www.ostfold-f.kommune.no Østfold fylke website (in Norwegian and English)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803110203/http://www.ostfold-f.kommune.no/ |date=2017-08-03 }}
* [http://www.ostfoldanalyse.no/  Statistics and basic interpretation regarding Østfold (in Norwegian)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804221504/http://ostfoldanalyse.no/ |date=2019-08-04 }}
* [http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1060437.ece Excavation of longhouse from the Roman Iron Age]

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Counties of Norway|current}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|59|20|00|N|11|20|00|E|source:itwiki_region:NO_type:adm1st|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ostfold}}
[[Category:Østfold| ]]
[[Category:Counties of Norway]]
[[Category:2020 disestablishments in Norway]]
[[Category:Populated places disestablished in 2020]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 2020]]