Klepp

Infobox_Kommune
name = Klepp
idnumber = 1120

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county = Rogaland
landscape = Jæren
capital = Kleppe
language = Nynorsk
demonym = Kleppsbu


munwebpage = www.klepp.kommune.no
governor = Elfin Lea (H)
governor_as_of = 2004
arearank = 377
area = 114
arealand = 102
areapercent = 0.04
population_as_of = 2004
populationrank = 68
population = 14,313
populationpercent = 0.31
populationdensity = 140
populationincrease = 15.6
lat_deg = 58 | lat_min = 46 | lat_sec = 38 | lon_deg = 5 | lon_min = 35 | lon_sec = 48
utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6520268 | utm_easting = 0303270 | geo_cat = adm2nd

Klepp is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The parish of "Klep" was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

Klepp, belonging to the traditional district of Jæren, is a flat and open agricultural landscape. The highest point, "Tinghaug", is at 102 m above sea level. There are long stretches of sand beaches along the North Sea coastline in the west.

The administrative centre is called Kleppe (or Kleppekrossen), and is located in the centre of the municipality. The population around Kleppe is growing rapidly, mostly in the form of suburban single-family homes, but also in the form of some apartment blocks. There is a shopping mall, "Jærhagen", in Kleppe.

Klepp has a sports club with a women's football team that plays in the top league in Norway. Norway's national women's football captain, Ane Stangeland Horpestad, plays for Klepp.

General information

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old "Klepp" farm (Old Norse: "Kleppr"), since the first church was built there. The name is identical with the word "kleppr" which means "rocky hill". Before 1912, the name was written "Klep".

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 18 February 1972. The arms show the large stone cross, dating from around 1000 (possibly the oldest in Norway), which is standing on a grave hill in "Krosshaug" in Klepp municipality. The hill probably also acted as a site for the local court for many centuries. Hence the cross was considered an appropriate symbol. [cite web|url=http://www.ngw.nl/int/nor/k/klepp.htm|author=Norske Kommunevåpen|date=1990|title=Nye kommunevåbener i Norden|accessdaymonth=9 October|accessyear=2008]

History

The earliest traces of population in the municipality have been dated to around 6000 BC. At that time, the land was covered by large oak woods.

A large stone cross, dating from around 1000 AD, which is standing on the grave hill "Krosshaug", is adjacent to the hill "Tinghaug". This was the site for a thing for many centuries during the Iron Age.

Geography

The municipality is located 25 km south of Stavanger. Neighbouring municipalities are Hå to the south, Time to the south and east, Sola and Sandnes to the north.

The coastline is agricultural and consists of, from south to north, the areas Orre, Reve, Bore and Sele.

Transportation

The Jærbanen railway runs through Klepp along lake Frøylandsvatnet. The village of Klepp stasjon, 3 km east of Kleppe, is built around the train station.

Economy

Klepp is the second largest agricultural municipality in Rogaland, with a total of around 600 farms. Kverneland ASA, located in Øksnevad, is the largest manufacturer of agricultural equipment in the world.

References

External links

* [http://www6.nrk.no/galleri/bildegalleri.php?dir=rogklepp&banner=rogaland&h=600 Pictures from Klepp]