Hordaland - The Central County of Western Norway (pdf)
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Hordaland County with its more than 500,000 inhabitants, is the home of almost 10% of Norways population. Only the capital Oslo and the surrounding county of Akershus have larger populations.
The majority of the population live in the coastal areas and on the low-lying narrow strip of farming land along the fjords. Hordaland is a multi cultural region with around 150 different nationalities.
Hordaland is a region of islands and skerries and sheltered bays, fjords with steep mountainsides, magnificent waterfalls, mountain plateaux and glaciers and fertile valleys. The 179 km long Hardangerfjord, one of Norway's main fjords and a great tourist attraction, almost splits Hordaland into two.
The county has more than 100 natural parks. The Hardanger Mountain Plateau, the largest national park in Norway and the largest mountain plateau in Northern Europe, is the home of the largest herd of wild reindeer in Europe.
The political structure in Norway is a three-tier system: Central government, County Councils and District Councils. Hordaland comprises 33 municipalities governed by district councils.
Bergen, one of the Europe's great scenic cities, is the second largest city in Norway (population near 264,000) and known as the gateway to the fjords. It is the site of the administration for Hordaland County Council, which is responsible for economic development and regional planning, secondary education, cultural affairs, transport and communication and county road development.