Østlandet

From Freepedia

Østlandet is the geographical region of the south-eastern part of Norway. It consists of the counties Telemark, Vestfold, Østfold, Akershus, Oslo, Buskerud, Oppland and Hedmark.

This region is usually called "Østlandet" - East country, in Norwegian, because it is east of the Scandinavian Keel Range. Erroneously, it is often translated into "Eastern Norway" in English. Since the city of Vardø in Northern Norway is as far east as St. Petersburg in Russia, this is obviously wrong. "South-eastern Norway" would be more correct.

Geography

The region is limited by mountains in the north and west, and by the Swedish border in the east. The border towards Sørlandet is less distinct.

The mountains reach a hight of 2469 metres in the Jotunheimenrange, the highest point in the Nordic countries west of Greenland. Other well known mountain ranges include the Dovrefjell in the far north, the Rondane north east of Lillehammer and others. The high plateau of Hardangervidda is shared with Western Norway.

Valleys cut deep into the mountains, from east to west the main valleys are Østerdalen, Gudbrandsdalen, Valdres, Hallingdal, Numedal and the valleys of Telemark. Østerdalen is surrounded by mostly flat areas of conifer forests, but the others are all deeply cut into the mountains.

The area around the Oslo fjord and towards the north east are comparatively flat, and there are patches of intensely cultivated lands, notably Hedemarken, Toten, Hadeland, Ringerike and others. The population density in the flatlands is the highest in the nation, and some 40% of the nation's population lives within 200 km of Oslo. Numerous islands shelter the coasts, creating a paradise for swimmers and boaters in the summer.

People, culture and folklore

The Norwegian dialects spoken in the south-east share a common intonation, unmistakeable for other Norwegians, but the variation in grammar, vocabulary and sounds is huge. The mountain dialects are the most distinct, whereas Standard Norwegian, Bokmål, is spreading in circles around Oslo.

The mountain valleys have preserved a distinct culture, with traditional architecture, folk music, regional food specialities and distinct dialects, some of them difficult to understand for others. All this character is now under threat because the mountains are the playground for Oslo's well-to-do population, especially in the winter season.

The eastern forests of Finnskogen were the home of an ethnic minority, immigrants from Finland that came in the 17th c. Their language and culture was preserved into the 20th c., but now only folk tunes and food specialities remain. The southernmost group of Norway's Sami population is to be found in the north-eastern corner, in Engerdal.

The densely populated coastal regions have both long-established industrial areas with a strong working class identity, as well as quiet, conservative towns and cities with maritime traditions.

In stark contrast is the cultural melting pot of the Oslo area, were people from all over Norway are settled. This is also where most of the more than 300 000 immigrants of Norway are to be found, with numerous mosques, hindu shrines, sikh temples and buddhist stupas concentrated in Oslo's east end.

Since the capital is found in South-Eastern Norway, other Norwegians love to hate this region, and the capitalinos are often accused of arrogance and ignorance of the rest of Norway. The people in the hinterland are often considered slow-moving and slow-thinking by the more talkative people of Western and Northern Norway.

Regions of Norway	Image:Flag of Norway.svg
Østlandet | Sørlandet | Vestlandet | Trøndelag | Nord-Norge