- Aust-Agder
Infobox Fylke
name = Aust-Agder
idnumber = 09
capital =Arendal
mayor = Laila Øygarden
mayor_party = Arbeiderpartiet
mayor_date = 2007
governor = Svein Åril (acting)
governor_party =
governor_date = 2008
region = Sørlandet
arearank = 14
area = 9157
arealand = 8312
areapercent = 2.73
population_as_of = 2008
populationrank = 18
population = 106,842
populationpercent = 2.26
populationdensity = 12
populationincrease = 4.3
gdp_as_of = 2001
gdprank = 18
gdppercent = 1.40
gdpcapita = 208,275
incomecapita = 135,700
munwebpage = http://www.aa-f.kommune.no
language = Neutral
demonym = AustegdeAudio|Aust-Agder.ogg|Aust-Agder is a county "(fylke)" in
Norway , borderingTelemark ,Rogaland andVest-Agder . In 2002 there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is 9,212 km². The county administration is inArendal .The county, which is located at the
Skagerrak coast, extends from Gjernestangen at Risør to Kvåsefjorden at Lillesand. The inner parts of the area includesSetesdalsheiene and Austheiene. About 77% of the inhabitants live at the coast, where the main built area is. Tourism is important, as Arendal and the other coastal towns are popular attractions.The county includes the islands of
Tromøy ,Justøya andSandøya . The interior of the county encompasses the traditional district ofSetesdalen , through which the Otra river flows to the coast.The name
The meaning of the name is '(the) eastern (part of)
Agder '. (The word "aust" is thenynorsk form of 'east'.) See alsoVest-Agder .Until 1919 the name of the county was "Nedenes amt". The amt was named after the farm Nedenes (Norse "Niðarnes"), since this was the seat of the "amtmann" ('governor'). The first element is the genitive case of the rivername "Nið" (now
Nidelva ), the last element is "nes" n 'headland'. The meaning of the rivername is unknown.Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1958). It shows two golden beams.
Population growth
Since the census of 1769, Aust-Agder has experienced a steady population growth: from 29,633 to 79,927 in 1900, and to 102,848 in 2001. These figures are deceptive, however, as they do not count the exodus to the
United States . It began with a flow of people fromSetesdal en like the swarm of bees ofJordanes in the early 19th century. They were looking for work and cultural improvement in the cities of the coast, but they often continued on to the United States.Municipalities
The system of municipalities, or kommuner, was established in Norway in 1837, based on previously existing parishes. Norway had been ceded to Sweden by Denmark 1814, at which it promptly rebelled and won the right of self rule, though nominally part of Sweden. In 1905 Norway declared total independence. Meanwhile, the kommuner did not remain the same, but new ones were formed, old ones broken up, and land was passed between kommuner.
Currently Aust-Agder County has a total of 15 municipalities:
#Åmli
#Arendal
#Birkenes
#Bygland
#Bykle
#Evje og Hornnes
#Froland
#Gjerstad
#Grimstad
#Iveland
#Lillesand
#Risør
#Tvedestrand
#Valle
#Vegårshei ee also
*
Vest-Agder
*Sørlandet
*Agder External links
* [http://www.reuber-norwegen.de/AustAgder/FramesAustAgderKarte.html Political map]
* [http://www.aa-f.kommune.no/?itemid=1714 Aust-Agder fylkeskommune (in English)]
* [http://www.reuber-norwegen.de/AustAgder/FramesAustAgderPhotos.html Photogallery]
* [http://home.eunet.no/~jeri/kommuner.shtml#austagder Jan Eri's "kommune" summary]
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