Telemark

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Telemark (disambiguation).

Telemark is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien.

Telemark fylke

Administrative centre

Skien

County mayor

Gunn Marit Helgesen (H)

Area
- Total
- Percentage

Ranked 10
15,299 km²
4.55 %

Population
- Total (2004)
- Percentage
- Change (10 years)
- Density

Ranked 13
166,124
3.63 %
1.8 %
12/km²

Gross Regional Product
- Total (2001)
- Percentage
- GRP/capita

Ranked 12
36,345 million NOK
2.38 %
219,404 NOK

The county is located in southeastern Norway, extending from Hardangervidda to the Skagerrak coast. The coastline extends from Langesundsfjorden to Gjernestangen at the border to Aust-Agder. Telemark has a very broken and heterogeneous landscape, including many hills and valleys.

The largest population centres are Skien, Porsgrunn, Notodden, Rjukan and Kragerø. Other important places are Stathelle, Ulefoss, Brevik, Langesund, Bø , Fyresdal and Vinje.

[edit] The name

The Norse form of the name was Þelamork. The first element is the genitive plural case of þelir, the name of an old Germanic tribe. The last element is mork f 'woodland, borderland'.

[edit] History

Some old historians used to believe that in the early Viking Age, before Harald Fairhair, Telemark was a petty kingdom. This is, however, unfounded.

The film The Heroes of Telemark is loosely based on the Norwegian heavy water sabotage, a raid on a heavy water plant at Rjukan during World War II. Ray Mears made a documentary titled The Real Heroes of Telemark as a response to the inaccuracies of the film, giving an account more focused on the outdoor skills that were required for the operation (spending months in remote cabins).

Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.

Notable people from Telemark

Hallvard Graatop (c.1400–1475), from Drangedal lead rebellion against Danish rule in 1438.
Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (1818–1870), author from Vinje.
Sondre Norheim (1825–1897), father of skiing from Morgedal in Kviteseid
August Cappelen (1827 - 1852), national romantic painter from Skien.
Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906), author from Skien
Vidkun Quisling (1887–1945), politician, quisling from Fyresdal
Aslaug Vaa (1889–1965), author from Rauland
Tarjei Vesaas (1897–1970), author from Vinje
Anne Grimdalen (1899–1961), sculptor from Skafså in Tokke
Eivind Groven (1901–1977), composer from Lårdal in Tokke
Klaus Egge (1906–1979), composer from Gransherad in Notodden
Hans Herbjørnsrud (1938–), author from Heddal in Notodden
Tor Åge Bringsværd (1939–), author from Skien
Agnes Buen Garnås (1946-), folk singer from Bø.
Gisle Kverndokk (1967-), composer from Skien
Odd Nordstoga (1972-), musician from Vinje.
Tommy Svindal Larsen (1973-), footballer from Skien

[edit] Districts

The county is conventionally divided into traditional districts. These are Grenland, Vest-Telemark, Midt Telemark, Øst Telemark and Vestmar.

v • d • e

Districts of Telemark

Grenland · Midt-Telemark · Øst Telemark · Vestmar · Vest-Telemark

[edit] Municipalities

Telemark County has a total of 18 municipalities:

[edit] External links

	Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Telemark

Counties of Norway
Akershus \| Aust-Agder \| Buskerud \| Finnmark \| Hedmark \| Hordaland \| Møre og Romsdal \| Nordland \| Nord-Trøndelag \| Oppland \| Oslo \| Østfold \| Rogaland \| Sogn og Fjordane \| Sør-Trøndelag \| Telemark \| Troms \| Vest-Agder \| Vestfold