Rogaland () is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in Western Norway, bordering the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...

to the west and the counties of

Vestland Vestland is a county in Norway established on 1 January 2020. The county is located in Western Norway and it is centred around the city of Bergen, Norway's second largest city. The administrative centre of the county is the city of Bergen, whe ...

to the north, Vestfold og Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. In 2020, it had a population of 479,892. The administrative centre of the county is the city of Stavanger, which is one of the largest cities in Norway. Rogaland is the centre of the Norwegian petroleum industry. In 2016, Rogaland had an unemployment rate of 4.9%, one of the highest in Norway. In 2015, Rogaland had a

fertility rate The total fertility rate (TFR) of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime if: # she were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) through her lifetime # she were t ...

of 1.78 children per woman, which is the highest in the country. The Diocese of Stavanger for the

Church of Norway The Church of Norway ( nb, Den norske kirke, nn, Den norske kyrkja, se, Norgga girku, sma, Nöörjen gærhkoe) is an Lutheranism, evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. ...

includes all of Rogaland county.

Etymology

''Rogaland'' is the region's

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...

name, which was revived in modern times. During Denmark's rule of Norway until the year 1814, the county was named '' Stavanger

amt Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to ...

'', after the large city of Stavanger. The first element is the plural genitive case of ''rygir'' which is probably referring to the name of an old Germanic tribe (see Rugians). The last element is ''land'' which means "land" or "region". In Old Norse times, the region was called ''Rygjafylki''.

Coat of arms

The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in it ...

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 in central Rogaland and it includes the large city of Stavanger and the neighboring municipalities of Sandnes, Randaberg, and Sola. Together, this conurbation is ranked above the city

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, an ...

in population rankings in Norway. There are many cities/towns in Rogaland other than Stavanger and Sandnes. They include Haugesund,

Egersund Egersund is a town in Eigersund municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The town is located along the southwestern coast of Norway, about south of the city of Stavanger. The town is situated along a strait which separates the mainland from t ...

, Sauda, Jørpeland, Bryne, Kopervik, Åkrehamn, and Skudeneshavn. Karmøy has large deposits of

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish ...

(some from the Visnes mine was used in the construction of the Statue of Liberty).

Sokndal Sokndal is the southernmost municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Dalane. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hauge. Other villages in Sokndal include Li, Rekefjor ...

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 (

Svarthola Svarthola or Vistehola is a cave and an archaeological site, located in Randaberg municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The deep cavern is located on the ''Viste farm'', about northwest of the city of Stavanger, situated near the shore of ...

). 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 The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

and the

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...

. Many crosses in Irish style have been found. Rogaland was called ''Rygjafylke'' in the

Viking Age The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period The ...

. Before

Harald Fairhair Harald Fairhair no, Harald hårfagreModern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from 872 to 930 and was the first King of N ...

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. food with a happy smile) 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 Preikestolen or Prekestolen ( en, 'The Pulpit Rock', 'Pulpit', or 'Preacher's Chair') is a tourist attraction in the municipality of Strand in Rogaland county, Norway. Preikestolen is a steep cliff which rises above Lysefjorden. Atop the cliff, ...

, Kjerag and Gloppedalsura. In Stavanger, there is an archeological museum with many artifacts from early history in Rogaland. An

farm at Ullandhaug in Stavanger is reconstructed on the original farm site dating back to 350–500 AD. The

Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and s ...

Farm is a museum at Karmøy.

Government

A county ''(fylke)'' is the chief local administrative area in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

. 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 A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries. Ireland The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irel ...

''(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 King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...

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 Dalane District Court ( no, Dalane tingrett) was a district court in Agder and Rogaland counties in Norway. The court was based in the town of Egersund. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the southern part of Rogaland county ...

, Haugaland District Court,

Jæren District Court Jæren District Court ( no, Jæren tingrett) was a district court in Rogaland county, Norway. The court was based at the ''Sandnes Courthouse'' located on Olav V's plass in the town of Sandnes. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction ...

, and

Stavanger District Court Stavanger District Court ( no, Stavanger tingrett) was a district court in Rogaland county, Norway. The court was based in the city of Stavanger. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the central part of the county which includ ...

. All of these courts are subordinate to the

Gulating Court of Appeal The Gulating Court of Appeal ( no, Gulating lagmannsrett) is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Bergen. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Vestland and Rogaland plus Sirdal Munic ...

district based in Bergen.

Subdivisions

Municipalities

Rogaland County has a total of 23 municipalities:

Districts

* Boknafjord * Dalane * Haugaland * Jæren * Ryfylke

Cities

* Bryne *

* Haugesund * Jørpeland * Kopervik * Sauda * Sandnes * Skudeneshavn * Stavanger * Tananger * Åkrehamn

Parishes

* Askøy (Askø) * Avaldsnes * Bjerkreim * Bokn (Bukken) * Bore * Bø * Domkirken, Stavanger * Egersund * Erfjord * Falnes *

Ferkingstad Ferkingstad is a village in Karmøy municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located on the western shore of the island of Karmøy, immediately south of the town of Åkrahamn and a few minutes north of the village of Sandve. Ferk ...

* 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 * Vedavågen * 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 Aksdal is the administrative centre of Tysvær municipality, Norway. The village is located on the northern shore of the large lake Aksdalsvatnet, at the junction of the European route E134 and European route E39 European route E39 is the d ...

* Amdal * Askje * Åkrehamn * Åmøy * Avaldsnes * Bjerkreim * Bjoa *

Bore Bore or Bores often refer to: *Boredom * Drill Relating to holes * Boring (manufacturing), a machining process that enlarges a hole ** Bore (engine), the diameter of a cylinder in a piston engine or a steam locomotive ** Bore (wind instruments), ...

* Bru *

Brusand Brusand is a village in Hå municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The small village is located on a small isthmus of land between the lake Bjåvatnet and the North Sea. The village sits along the Sørlandet Line (traditionally called the Jær ...

* Dirdal * Dueland * Eik * Eike * Erfjord *

* Feøy * Figgjo * Fiskå * Fister * Fogn * Forsand * Foss-Eikeland * Frafjord * Føresvik * Førre * Gjesdal * Gilja * Grinde * Grødem * Hauge i Dalane *

Hellandsbygd Hellandsbygda or Hellandsbygd is a village in Sauda municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located in a river valley about northeast of the town of Sauda. The village is surrounded by forested mountains with the County Road 5 ...

Helleland Helleland is a village and parish in Eigersund municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located along the river Hedlandsåna and the European route E39 highway, about northeast of the town of Egersund. The Sørlandet Line runs a ...

Hellvik Hellvik is a village in Eigersund municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located near the western border of Eigersund, about east of Sirevåg in neighboring Hå municipality and about west of the town of Egersund. The villag ...

Hervik Hervik is a village in Tysvær municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located on the western shore of the Herviksfjorden, about east of the village of Tysværvåg and about northeast of the Kårstø industrial site. The vill ...

* Hesby * Heskestad *

Hestnes Hestnes is a small village in Eigersund municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is on the southern edge of the town of Egersund Egersund is a town in Eigersund municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The town is located along th ...

* Hindaråvåg * Hjelmelandsvågen * Hommersåk * Hundvåg *

Hæen Hæen or Stokkalandsmarka is a village in Hå municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located between the villages of Vigrestad and Brusand. The Sørlandet Line runs along the south side of the village. The village is known as ...

* Høle * Hålandsmarka * Hålandsosen * Idse *

Imslandsjøen Imslandsjøen or Imsland is a village in Vindafjord municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located on the northern shore of the Vindafjorden, about southeast of the village of Vikedal and about west of the village of Sand i ...

* Innbjoa * Jelsa * Judaberg *

Jøsenfjorden Jøsenfjorden is a fjord in the municipality of Hjelmeland in Rogaland county, Norway. The fjord is a branch off of the main Boknafjorden. The fjord has a length of and a width between . The Norwegian National Road 13 runs along the north ...

* Klepp stasjon * Kleppe *

Krossberg Krossberg is a village in Stavanger municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located in the city of Stavanger in the borough of Madla between the Stokkavatnet and Hålandsvatnet lakes. The village has a population (2019) of 39 ...

* Kvernaland * Li *

Lyefjell Lyefjell is a village in Time municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located in the hills about east of the town of Bryne and about north of the villages of Mossige and Undheim. The village is a residential area that was buil ...

* Lysebotn * Marvik * Moi *

Mossige Mossige is a village in Time municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is a small farming village composed of about one dozen farms and homes. It is located about southeast of the town of Bryne, the same distance northeast of the vil ...

* Nedstrand * Nesflaten * Norheim * Nærbø * Oanes *

Obrestad Obrestad is a very small farming village in Hå municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located in the district of Jæren on the shore of the North Sea, about west of the village of Nærbø. A harbour was constructed in Obresta ...

* Ogna * Oltedal * Orre * Pollestad * Randaberg *

Rekefjord Rekefjord is a harbour village in the municipality of Sokndal in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located around the Rekefjorden, about west of the municipal centre of Hauge i Dalane. The village of Sogndalsstranda lies about southeas ...

* Røvær * Sand i Ryfylke * Sandeid * Sandve * Saudasjøen *

Sirevåg Sirevåg is a village in Hå municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located in the southeastern part of the municipality, about northwest of the village of Hellvik in neighboring Eigersund Eigersund is a municipality in Rog ...

* Sjernarøyane * Skjold * Skjoldastraumen *

Sogndalsstrand Sogndalsstranda or Sogndalstrand is a harbor village in Sokndal municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located at the mouth of the river Sokno, about south of the municipal centre of Hauge, Rogaland, Hauge and also about southe ...

* Solakrossen * Stenebyen * Stronda *

Suldalsosen Suldalsosen is a village in Suldal municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located along the northern shore of the river Suldalslågen on the southwestern end of the lake Suldalsvatnet. Suldalsosen historically was a central star ...

Susort Susort is a village in Tysvær municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located along the eastern shore of the Førlandsfjorden, about south of the village of Tysvær. The European route E39 highway runs just outside the villa ...

Sviland Sviland is a borough in the southwestern part of the municipality of Sandnes in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located in the rural part of the municipality, southeast of the city of Sandnes. With a population (2020) of only 1,332, the borough i ...

Sør-Hidle Hidle or Sør-Hidle is an island in Strand municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The island lies at the southeastern edge of a large archipelago of islands located between the Boknafjorden and the mouth of the Høgsfjorden, just to the north ...

* Sørbø * Sørnes * Talgje * Tau * Torvastad * Tysværvåg *

Undheim Undheim is a village in Time municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located in Jæren, about south of the village of Ålgård, about southeast of the town of Bryne, and about east of the village of Nærbø. The village of Mo ...

Varhaug Varhaug is the administrative centre of Hå municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located in the district of Jæren and it is the second largest village in Hå municipality after Nærbø. It was also the administrative cent ...

* Vassøy * Vatne i Sandnes * Vatne i Vindafjord * Veavågen * Verdalen *

Vigrestad Vigrestad is a village in Hå municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located about northeast of the southwestern coast of Norway, facing the North Sea. The village sits about southeast of the village of Varhaug and about n ...

* Vikebygd *

Vikedal Vikedal or Vikadal is a village in Vindafjord municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located along the Sandeidfjorden, about south of the village of Sandeid and about northwest of the village of Imslandsjøen. Vikedal Churc ...

* Vikeså * Vikevåg * Visnes * Voll * Vormedal *

Yrke Yrke or Yrkje is a village in Tysvær municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The village is located at the western end of the Yrkefjorden, a branch off of the main Vindafjorden. The village lies on a small isthmus between the Yrkefjorden ...

* Ydstebøhamn * Ølensjøen * Ølensvåg (Ølsvågen) * Øvrebygd * Ålgård * Åna-Sira * Årdal i Ryfylke

Former municipalities

* Avaldsnes *

* Erfjord * Finnøy * Fister * Forsand *

* Heskestad * Hetland * Hjelmeland og Fister * Høle * Høyland * Håland *

Imsland Imsland is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1923 until its dissolution in 1965. The municipality included the area surrounding the inner part of the Vindafjorden in the present-day municipaliti ...

* Jelsa * Kopervik * Madla * Nedstrand * Nærbø * Ogna * Rennesøy *

Sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a soil texture, textur ...

* Sandeid *

Sjernarøy Sjernarøy is a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The island municipality existed from 1868 until its dissolution in 1965. The municipality was located in the Boknafjorden in the present-day municipality of Stavanger. The administr ...

* Skjold * Skudenes * Skudeneshavn * Skåre * Sogndal * Stangaland * Torvastad * Vats *

* Ølen * Åkra * Årdal

Demographics

Total population:

In popular culture

Rogaland is a playable region within Norway in

Assassin's Creed Valhalla ''Assassin's Creed Valhalla'' is a 2020 action role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the twelfth major installment in the '' Assassin's Creed'' series, and the successor to 2018's '' Assassin's ...

, 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 {{Authority control Counties of Norway Petty kingdoms of Norway 1662 establishments in Norway