Norway is commonly divided into five major geographical regions (landsdeler). These regions are purely geographical, and have no administrative purpose. According to most definitions, the Counties of Norway are divided into the following regions:
- Northern Norway (Nord-Norge/Nord-Noreg)
- Finnmark
- Troms
- Nordland
- Trøndelag
- Nord-Trøndelag
- Sør-Trøndelag
- Western Norway (Vestlandet)
- Møre og Romsdal
- Sogn og Fjordane
- Hordaland
- Rogaland
- Southern Norway (Sørlandet or Agder)
- Vest-Agder
- Aust-Agder
- Eastern Norway (Østlandet/Austlandet)
- Telemark
- Buskerud
- Hedmark
- Oppland
- Akershus
- Oslo
- Vestfold
- Østfold
The division into regions is, by convention, based on geographical and also dialectical differences, but it also follows the county borders approximately. Other regions exist for various purposes of government. Administratively, the traditional regions as listed above play less of a role – the major administrative units are at county level.
The region Midt-Norge/Midt-Noreg (Central Norway) is often used as a synonym to Trøndelag, but also includes Møre og Romsdal (according to some definitions only Nordmøre and parts of Romsdal). The southernmost part of Nordland (Helgeland) is also sometimes considered to be part of Central Norway. Similarly, Rogaland, or parts of Rogaland, is sometimes grouped with Southern Norway instead of Western Norway.
Svalbard is not a county and is not usually considered part of Northern Norway. The governor of Svalbard (sysselmannen) reports to the Department of Justice, whereas the county governors (fylkesmenn) report to the Department of Administration. Also Jan Mayen is an integrated geographical body of Norway. Since 1995 it has been administered by the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland.
Bouvet Island in the south Atlantic Ocean, Queen Maud Land and Peter I Island in Antarctica are Norwegian dependencies.
Famous quotes containing the words regions of, regions and/or norway:
“Within the regions of the air,
Compassed about with heavens fair,
Great tracts of land there may be found
Enriched with fields and fertile ground;
Where many numerous hosts
In those far distant coasts,
For other great and glorious ends,
Inhabit, my yet unknown friends.”
—Thomas Traherne (1636–1674)
“In place of a world, there is a city, a point, in which the whole life of broad regions is collecting while the rest dries up. In place of a type-true people, born of and grown on the soil, there is a new sort of nomad, cohering unstably in fluid masses, the parasitical city dweller, traditionless, utterly matter-of-fact, religionless, clever, unfruitful, deeply contemptuous of the countryman and especially that highest form of countryman, the country gentleman.”
—Oswald Spengler (1880–1936)
“Such was the very armor he had on
When he the ambitious Norway combated.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)