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Telemark




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

Information

  Name Telemark
  Fullname Telemark fylke
  Isocode 08
  Capital Skien
  Governor Gunn Marit Helgesen (H)
  Province Østlandet
  Arearank 10
  Area 15,299
  Arealand 13,854
  Areapercent 455
  Population As Of 2004
  Populationrank 13
  Population 166,124
  Populationpercent 363
  Populationdensity 12
  Populationincrease 18
  Gdp As Of 2001
  Gdprank 12
  Gdp 36,345
  Gdppercent 238
  Gdpcapita 219,404
  Incomecapita 139,900
  Coatofarms
  Map


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 , , Fyresdal and Vinje .


THE NAME

The Norse form of the name was ''Þelamörk''. The first element is the genitive plural case of ''þelir'', the name of an old Germanic tribe. The last element is ''mörk'' f 'woodland, borderland'. (See also Hedmark and Finnmark .)

Until 1919 the county was called ''Bratsberg amt''. The Amt was named after the farm Bratsberg ( Norse ''Brattsberg''), since this was the seat of the ''amtmann'' ('governor'). The first element is the genitive case of ''brattr'' m 'steep mountain', the last element is ''berg'' n 'mountain'. (The name is referring to a steep mountainside behind the farm.)

Telemark loaned its name to Telemark Skiing , a style invented by Sondre Norheim , and the characteristic Telemark Landing of Ski Jumping .


COAT-OF-ARMS

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1970). It shows an old type of Battle Axe , significant for the county.


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



DISTRICTS

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


MUNICIPALITIES


Telemark County has a total of 18 municipalities:

# Bamble
#
# Drangedal
# Fyresdal
# Hjartdal
# Kragerø
# Kviteseid
# Nissedal
# Nome
# Notodden
# Porsgrunn
# Sauherad
# Seljord
# Siljan
# Skien
# Tinn
# Tokke
# Vinje


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