Rogaland () is a county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. As of 1 January 2024, it had a population of 499,417 people.
The administrative centre of the county is the city of Stavanger, which is the third largest city in Norway.
Etymology Rogaland is the region's Old Norse name, which was revived in modern times. During Denmark's rule of Norway the county was named Stavanger amt, after the large city of Stavanger, and this name continued to be used until 1919. The first element in the name Rogaland is the plural genitive case of rygir, probably referring to the name of an old Germanic tribe (see Rugians). The second element is land which means "land" or "region".
Coat of arms The coat of arms is modern; it was granted on 11 January 1974. The arms are blue with a white or silver pointed cross in the centre. The cross is based on the old stone cross in Sola Municipality, the oldest national monument in Norway. It was erected in memory of Erling Skjalgsson after his death in 1028. This type of cross was very common in medieval Norway.
Geography Rogaland is mainly a coastal region with fjords, beaches, and islands, the principal island being Karmøy. The vast Boknafjorden is the largest bay, with many fjords branching off from it.
Stavanger/Sandnes, the third-largest urban area of Norway, is also a central area for the Norwegian petroleum industry. The area includes the large cities of Stavanger and Sandnes. Randaberg Municipality and Sola Municipality are also in close proximity. Together, this conurbation is ranked above the city Trondheim in population rankings in Norway.
Cities/towns in Rogaland other than Stavanger and Sandnes include Haugesund, Egersund, Sauda, Jørpeland, Bryne, Kopervik, Åkrehamn, and Skudeneshavn.
Karmøy Municipality has large deposits of copper (some from the Visnes mine was used in the construction of the Statue of Liberty). Sokndal Municipality has large deposits of ilmenite. Rogaland is the most important region for oil and gas exploration in Norway, and the Jæren district in Rogaland is one of the country's most important agricultural districts.
History There are remains in Rogaland from the earliest times, such as the excavations in a cave at Viste in Randaberg Municipality (Svarthola). These include the find of a skeleton of a boy from the Stone Age. Various archeological finds stem from the following times, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Many crosses in Irish style have been found. Rogaland was called Rygjafylke in the Viking Age. Before Harald Fairhair and the Battle of Hafrsfjord, it was a petty kingdom. The Rugians were a tribe possibly connected with Rogaland.
Culture and tourism A series of festivals and congresses of international fame and profile are arranged, such as The Chamber Music Festival, The Maijazz Festival, The Gladmat (lit. happy food) Festival, and The ONS event, which has been held in Stavanger every second year since 1974. The ONS is a major international conference and exhibition with focus on oil and gas, and other topics from the petroleum industry. The Concert Hall and Music Complex at Bjergsted and the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra provide important inspiration in the Norwegian musical environment. Another annual event in Stavanger is The World Tour Beach Volleyball. During this tournament, the downtown is converted into a beach volleyball arena.
Rogaland is home to many natural wonders, like Prekestolen, Kjerag and Gloppedalsura. In Stavanger, there is an archeological museum with many artifacts from early history in Rogaland. An Iron Age farm at Ullandhaug in Stavanger is reconstructed on the original farm site dating back to 350–500 AD. The Viking Farm is a museum at Karmøy.
Government
A county (fylke) is the chief local administrative area in Norway. The whole country is divided into 11 counties. A county is also an election area, with popular votes taking place every 4 years. In Rogaland, the government of the county is the Rogaland County Municipality. It includes 47 members who are elected to form a county council (Fylkesting). Heading the Fylkesting is the county mayor (fylkesordførar). Since 2020, the Rogaland County Municipality has been led by Marianne Chesak, the county mayor.
The county also has a county governor (fylkesmann) who is the representative of the King and Government of Norway. Bent Høie is the incumbent governor, in office since 1 November 2021.
The municipalities in Rogaland are divided among several district courts (tingrett): Dalane District Court, Haugaland District Court, Jæren District Court, and Stavanger District Court. All of these courts are subordinate to the Gulating Court of Appeal district based in Bergen.
Subdivisions Municipalities
Rogaland County has a total of 23 municipalities:List of Norwegian municipality numbers
MunicipalNumber Name Adm. Centre Location inthe county Established Includes (former municipalities)1101 Eigersund Municipality Egersund 1 Jan 1965 1101 Egersund (town)1113 Heskestad Municipality (part)1115 Helleland Municipality1103 Stavanger Municipality Stavanger 1 Jan 1838 1124 Håland Municipality (part)1125 Madla Municipality 1126 Hetland Municipality (part)1132 Fister Municipality (part)1133 Hjelmeland og Fister Municipality (part)1140 Sjernarøy Municipality1141 Finnøy Municipality1142 Rennesøy Municipality1106 Haugesund Municipality Haugesund 1 Jan 1855 1152 Torvastad Municipality (part)1153 Skåre Municipality1108 Sandnes Municipality Sandnes 1 Jan 1838 1123 Høyland Municipality1126 Hetland Municipality (part)1128 Høle Municipality (part)1129 Forsand Municipality (part)1111 Sokndal Municipality Hauge 1 Jan 1838 1107 Sogndal Municipality1112 Lund Municipality Moi 1 Jan 1838 1113 Heskestad Municipality (part)1114 Bjerkreim Municipality Vikeså 1 Jan 1838 1119 Hå Municipality Varhaug 1 Jan 1964 1117 Ogna Municipality1118 Varhaug Municipality1119 Nærbø Municipality1120 Klepp Municipality Kleppe 1 Jan 1838 1121 Time Municipality Bryne 1 Jan 1838 1122 Gjesdal Municipality Ålgård 1 Jan 1838 1128 Høle Municipality (part)1124 Sola Municipality Solakrossen 1 Jan 1930 1124 Håland Municipality (part)1127 Randaberg Municipality Randaberg 1 July 1922 1130 Strand Municipality Jørpeland 1 Jan 1838 1129 Forsand Municipality (part)1133 Hjelmeland Municipality Hjelmelandsvågen 1 July 1884 1131 Årdal Municipality1132 Fister Municipality (part)1133 Hjelmeland og Fister Municipality (part)1134 Suldal Municipality Sand 1 Jan 1838 1136 Sand Municipality1137 Erfjord Municipality1138 Jelsa Municipality1156 Imsland Municipality (part)1135 Sauda Municipality Sauda 1 Jan 1842 1144 Kvitsøy Municipality Ydstebøhamn 1 Jan 1923 1145 Bokn Municipality Føresvik 1 Jan 1849 1146 Tysvær Municipality Aksdal 1 Jan 1849 1139 Nedstrand Municipality1147 Avaldsnes Municipality (part)1154 Skjold Municipality (part)1149 Karmøy Municipality Kopervik 1 Jan 1965 1104 Skudeneshavn (town)1105 Kopervik (town)1147 Avaldsnes Municipality (part)1148 Stangaland Municipality1149 Åkra Municipality1150 Skudenes Municipality1152 Torvastad Municipality (part)1151 Utsira Municipality Utsira 1 July 1924 1160 Vindafjord Municipality Ølensjøen 1 Jan 1965 1154 Skjold Municipality (part)1155 Vats Municipality1156 Imsland Municipality (part)1157 Vikedal Municipality1158 Sandeid Municipality1159 Ølen Municipality
Districts
Dalane Haugaland Jæren Ryfylke
Cities
Bryne Egersund Haugesund Jørpeland Kopervik Sauda Sandnes Skudeneshavn Stavanger Åkrehamn
Parishes
Askøy (Askø) Avaldsnes Bjerkreim Bokn (Bukken) Bore Bø Domkirken, Stavanger Egersund Erfjord Falnes Ferkingstad Finnøy (Hesby) Fister Forsand (Fossan) Frue, see Hetland Førdesfjorden Gjestal Haugesund Hausken Helleland Hesby Heskestad Hetland Hjelmeland Hvidingsø Høgsfjord Høle Høyland Hå Håland Imsland Jelsa (Jelsø) Klepp Kopervik Kvitsøy (Hvidingsø) Lund Lye Madla Malle, see Madla Mosterøy Nedstrand (Hinderå) Norheim Nærbø Nærem Ogna Orre Randaberg (Randeberg) Rennesøy Riska (Riskekvernen) Røldal (in Hordaland after 1848) Sand Sandeid Sandnes Sankt Johannes, Stavanger Sankt Petri, Stavanger Saude (Sauda) Sjernarøy Skjold Skudenes Skudeneshavn Skåre Sokndal Sola (Sole) Soma Stavanger Strand Suldal Sørbø Talgøy (Talgje) Tananger Time (Lye) Tjora Torvastad (Torvestad) Tysvær Utsira Utstein Kloster Varhaug Vats Veavågen Vikedal Vår Frue, see Hetland Åkra Åkra (old) Åna-Sira Årdal Egersund Branch (LDS, 1899–1913) Haugesund Branch (LDS, 1905–1950) Stavanger Branch (LDS, 1850–1938) Stavanger (Dissentermenigheter: Stavanger, Klepp, and Haugesund 1859–1903) Stavanger (Vennenes Samfund- Quakers, 1821–1951)
Villages
Aksdal Amdal Askje Åkrehamn Åmøy Avaldsnes Bjerkreim Bjoa Bore Bru Brusand Dirdal Dueland Eik Eike Erfjord Ferkingstad Feøy Figgjo Fiskå Fister Fogn Forsand Foss-Eikeland Frafjord Føresvik Førre Gjesdal Gilja Grinde Grødem Hauge i Dalane Hellandsbygd Helleland Hellvik Hervik Hesby Heskestad Hestnes Hindaråvåg Hjelmelandsvågen Hommersåk Hundvåg Hæen Høle Hålandsmarka Hålandsosen Idse Imslandsjøen Innbjoa Jelsa Judaberg Jøsenfjorden Klepp stasjon Kleppe Krossberg Kvernaland Li Lyefjell Lysebotn Marvik Moi Mossige Nedstrand Nesflaten Norheim Nærbø Oanes Obrestad Ogna Oltedal Orre Pollestad Randaberg Rekefjord Røvær Sand i Ryfylke Sandeid Sandve Saudasjøen Sirevåg Sjernarøyane Skjold Skjoldastraumen Sogndalsstrand Solakrossen Stenebyen Stronda Suldalsosen Susort Sviland Sør-Hidle Sørbø Sørnes Talgje Tau Torvastad Tysværvåg Undheim Varhaug Vassøy Vatne i Sandnes Vatne i Vindafjord Veavågen Verdalen Vigrestad Vikebygd Vikedal Vikeså Vikevåg Visnes Voll Vormedal Yrke Ydstebøhamn Ølensjøen Ølensvåg (Ølsvågen) Øvrebygd Ålgård Åna-Sira Årdal i Ryfylke
Former municipalities
Avaldsnes Egersund Erfjord Finnøy Fister Forsand Helleland Heskestad Hetland Hjelmeland og Fister Høle Høyland Håland Imsland Jelsa Kopervik Madla Nedstrand Nærbø Ogna Rennesøy Sand Sandeid Sjernarøy Skjold Skudenes Skudeneshavn Skåre Sogndal Stangaland Torvastad Vats Varhaug Vikedal Ølen Åkra Årdal
Education Higher Education University of Stavanger VID Specialized University (Stavanger) Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (Haugesund) Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Sandnes)
Demographics
Total population:Statistics Norway.
In popular culture Rogaland is a playable region within Norway in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, called Rygjafylke in the game. It is also the homeland of the game’s main character, Eivor Varinsdottir.
References
External links
Official county website Region Stavanger Official tourism site for the Stavanger region