Buskerud

Buskerud County
Buskerud fylke
Former County
Tyrifjorden, a lake in southern Ringerike
Tyrifjorden, a lake in southern Ringerike
Flag of Buskerud County
Flag
Coat of arms of Buskerud County
Coat of arms
Buskerud within Norway
Buskerud within Norway
Coordinates: 60°30′00″N 09°30′00″E / 60.50000°N 9.50000°E / 60.50000; 9.50000
CountryNorway
CountyBuskerud
DistrictØstlandet
Established1685
 • Preceded byAkershus
Disestablished1 Jan 2020
 • Succeeded byViken
Re-established1 Jan 2024
 • Preceded byViken
Administrative centreDrammen
Government
 • BodyBuskerud County Municipality
 • GovernorIngvild Aleksandersen
 • County mayor
   (2024)		Tore Opdal Hansen (H)
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total
14,694.11 km2 (5,673.43 sq mi)
 • Land13,566.68 km2 (5,238.12 sq mi)
 • Water1,127.43 km2 (435.30 sq mi)  7.7%
 • Rank#9 in Norway
Highest elevation
(Folarskardnuten)
1,933 m (6,342 ft)
Population
 (2026)
 • Total
272.981
 • Rank#10 in Norway
 • Density20.1/km2 (52/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Decrease −1.7%
DemonymBuskerudfolk
Official language
 • Norwegian formNeutral
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-33
Income (per capita)155,400 kr kr (2001)
GDP (per capita)227,626 kr kr (2001)
GDP national rank#7 in Norway
(3.57% of country)
Websitewww.bfk.no

Buskerud (Urban East Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈbʉ̂skərʉː] ⓘ) is a county in eastern Norway. The 14,694.11-square-kilometre (5,673.43 sq mi) county borders Akershus, Oslo, Innlandet, Vestland, Telemark, and Vestfold counties. It extends from the Drammensfjorden in the southeast to the Hardangervidda mountain range in the northwest. The administrative centre of the county is the city of Drammen.

Buskerud was one of the three counties merged into Viken county on 1 January 2020. On 23 February 2022, the Viken County Council voted 49–38 to submit an application to the Norwegian government to undo the 2020 merger. The Norwegian government agreed and on 1 January 2024, Buskerud county was re-established. The only difference was that the areas of the old Røyken Municipality and the old Hurum Municipality were not part of the re-established Buskerud because those areas had been merged with Asker Municipality and that area was part of Akershus county).

History

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1951156,220—    
1961168,351+7.8%
1971198,852+18.1%
1981214,571+7.9%
1991225,261+5.0%
2001238,833+6.0%
2011261,110+9.3%
2024269,819+3.3%
Source: Statistics Norway.
Religion in Buskerud
religion percent
Christianity
 
 83.01%
Islam
 
 3.14%
Buddhism
 
 0.31%
Other
 
 13.54%

Buskerud county was separated from Akershus county as an amt of its own in 1685, but the amt was smaller than today. It then consisted of the present-day districts of Eiker, Hallingdal, and Ringerike. The areas of Flesberg, Hurum, Kongsberg, Lier, Nore og Uvdal, Rollag, and Røyken were transferred from Akershus amt to Buskerud amt in 1760. The name Buskeruds amt was changed to Buskerud fylke in 1919. In 1964, the area of the old Skoger Municipality was transferred from Vestfold county to Buskerud county. On 1 January 2020, the areas of Røyken Municipality and Hurum Municipality became part of Asker Municipality. Also on 1 January 2020, Buskerud was one of the three counties merged into Viken county. On 23 February 2022, the Viken County Council voted 49–38 to submit an application to the Norwegian government to undo the 2020 merger. The Norwegian government agreed and on 1 January 2024, Buskerud county was re-established. The only difference was that the areas of the old Røyken Municipality and the old Hurum Municipality were not part of the re-established Buskerud because those areas had been merged with Asker Municipality and that area was part of Akershus county).

The area Ringerike may once have been a small kingdom. During the 10th century, Norway's kings Olaf Tryggvason and Olaf Haraldsson grew up at Bønsnes in Ringerike. In the valley of Numedal, silver was mined in Kongsberg from the 17th century until discontinued in 1957. Weapons industry had been developed in Kongsberg from 1814, and various high tech industry companies now represent the town's major employers. In Modum Municipality there was also Blaafarveværket, a cobalt pigment production works (Blue Colour Works).

Etymology

The county was named after the old Buskerud Manor (Old Norse: Biskupsruð) (Biskopsrøysa) located on the west side of the Drammen River in Åmot in Modum Municipality. The first element is the genitive case of biskup which means "bishop" (referring to the Bishop of Hamar). The last element is ruð which means a "clearing for a farm". The farm was one of the largest in Buskerud, and the original name of the farm (before it became a benefice) was probably Modum. At the time of the Reformation (c. 1536–39) the farm became property of the Crown at which time the farm then served as the residence of the king's bailiffs until 1668.

Coat of arms

Buskerud's coat of arms were adopted in April 1966. It features a blue bear whose colours are symbolic of the blue colour works. The silver background of Buskerud's coat of arms represents the silver industry in Kongsberg.

Economy

Agriculture, lumber, wood-pulp mills, and other related industries are the county's main economic activities. There is also ample hydroelectric power is produced by the rivers Begna and Randselva. Buskerud has also a large forested area. Substantial income is derived from high tech industries located in Kongsberg. Other significant income comes from the cabin areas in northern Buskerud. The company, Eneas Energy is based here.

Geography

Winter in Blefjell

Buskerud county extends from the lake Tyrifjorden and the Drammensfjorden in the east to the Hallingskarvet mountains and the Hardangervidda plateau in the west. The county is conventionally divided into several traditional districts. These are Hallingdal, Numedal, Ringerike, and Lower Buskerud, which was originally part of Vestfold.

Today, the district of Hallingdal consists of Flå Municipality, Nesbyen Municipality, Gol Municipality, Hemsedal Municipality, Ål Municipality, and Hol Municipality. The district of Numedal consists of Flesberg Municipality, Rollag Municipality and Nore og Uvdal Municipality. The district of Ringerike consists of Hole Municipality, Krødsherad Municipality, Modum Municipality, Ringerike Municipality, and Sigdal Municipality. The district of Lower Buskerud consists of Drammen Municipality, Kongsberg Municipality, Lier Municipality, and Øvre Eiker Municipality.

Buskerud county's western parts are a mountainous plateau with forested valleys and high, grassy pastures; its eastern parts contains a lowland basin with many lakes and streams. Tyrifjorden and Krøderen are the largest lakes. Numedalslågen, the third longest river in Norway, starting in Vestland county, runs through Buskerud into Vestfold where it reaches the sea, while the river Begna sweeps into the lake Sperillen.

Mountains

Some of the notable mountains in Buskerud include:

Government

Subdivisions

Municipalities

Municipalities in Buskerud
Nr Name Population (2026) Area km2
3301 Drammen kommune Drammen Municipality 106,013 317.67
3303 Kongsberg kommune Kongsberg Municipality 29,169 793.09
3305 Ringerike kommune Ringerike Municipality 31,942 1,555.1
3310 Hole kommune Hole Municipality 7,205 192.68
3312 Lier kommune Lier Municipality 28,797 301.83
3314 Øvre Eiker kommune Øvre Eiker Municipality 20,965 456.76
3316 Modum kommune Modum Municipality 14,776 517.24
3318 Krødsherad kommune Krødsherad Municipality 2,276 374.53
3320 Flå kommune Flå Municipality 1,122 704.24
3322 Nes kommune Nesbyen Municipality 3,234 809.63
3324 Gol kommune Gol Municipality 4,902 532.5
3326 Hemsedal kommune Hemsedal Municipality 2,707 753.51
3328 Ål kommune Ål Municipality 5,106 1,174.98
3330 Hol kommune Hol Municipality 4,552 1,854.54
3332 Sigdal kommune Sigdal Municipality 3,514 842.46
3334 Flesberg kommune Flesberg Municipality 2,790 561.91
3336 Rollag kommune Rollag Municipality 1,452 449.28
3338 Nore og Uvdal kommune Nore og Uvdal Municipality 2,459 2,502.16
Total Buskerud Fylke Buskerud 272,981 14,694.11

Districts

Main page: Category:Districts of Buskerud

Cities

Parishes

  • Bakke
  • Bragernes
  • Dagali
  • Drammen
  • Efteløt
  • Eggedal
  • Eiker
  • Fiskum
  • Flesberg
  • Flå
  • Frogner
  • Gol
  • Haug, see Eiker
  • Haug i Norderhov
  • Hedenstad
  • Heggen
  • Hemsedal
  • Hol
  • Hole
  • Holmen
  • Holmsbu
  • Hval
  • Hønefoss
  • Jondalen
  • Komnes
  • Kongsberg
  • Krødsherad (Krydsherred)
  • Lier
  • Lunder
  • Lyngdal
  • Modum
  • Nedre Eiker
  • Nes (i Hallingdal)
  • Nes (i Ådal)
  • Norderhov
  • Nore
  • Nykirke
  • Opdal
  • Rollag
  • Sandsvær
  • Sigdal (Holem)
  • Snarum
  • Sollihøgda
  • Strømsø
  • Svene
  • Sylling
  • Tangen
  • Torpo
  • Tranby
  • Tuft
  • Tyristrand
  • Uvdal
  • Veggli
  • Viker
  • Ytre Ådal
  • Ådal
  • Ål
  • Drammen Branch (LDS, 1854–1952)
  • Drammen (Den Katolske Apostoliske Menighet, 1877–1935)
  • Drammen and Oslo (Den Katolske Apostoliske Menighet, 1872–1932)
  • Hurum Branch (LDS, 1855–1867)
  • Kongsberg Branch (LDS, 1939–1948* )

Villages

Former municipalities

Main article: list of former municipalities of Norway

Notable people

Sports figures

Entertainers

Politicians

References

  1. ↑ "Fylkesordfører - Buskerud fylkeskommune". Buskerud. August 23, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (2026-03-05). "Buskerud". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  3. ↑ "Prop. 84 S". Norwegian Government. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "Fylkestinget har vedtatt søknad om fylkesdeling". Viken County. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  5. ↑ Projected population - Statistics Norway[link removed]
  6. ↑ Statistics Norway - Church of Norway.[link removed]
  7. ↑ Statistics Norway - Members of religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway, by religion/life stance. County. 2006-2010 Archived November 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. 1 2 Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (2024-11-26). "Ringerike, Hallingdal, Eiker og Buskeruds Amt". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  9. ↑ Jukvam, Dag (1999). Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  10. ↑ "Prop. 84 S". Norwegian Government. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Fylkestinget har vedtatt søknad om fylkesdeling". Viken County. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  12. ↑ Rui, Ingolf Jarle, ed. (2026-09-03). "Modum Blaafarveværk". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 2026-10-29.
  13. ↑ Einar Sørensen. "Buskerud gård på Modum". historieboka. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  14. ↑ Geir Thorsnæs. "Buskerud hovedgård". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Buskerud, Modum herad". Matrikkelutkastet av 1950. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  16. ↑ Geir Thorsnæs. "Begna". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  17. ↑ Asbjørn Vinjar. "Randselva". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  18. ↑ Geir Thorsnæs. "Hallingdal". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  19. ↑ Geir Thorsnæs. "Numedal". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  20. ↑ Munch, Peter Andreas (1849). Historisk-geographisk beskrivelse over kongeriget Norge (Noregsveldi) i middelalderen. W. Gram. pp. 5–7.
  21. ↑ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  22. ↑ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).