Akershus [ˈɑːkəʂˈhʉːs] is a county in Norway, bordering Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud,
Oslo and Østfold; it also has a short border with Sweden. Akershus, with more than half
a million inhabitants, is the second largest county by population after Oslo. The county
is named after Akershus Fortress. The county administration is in Oslo, which is not part
of the county per se.
Geography The county is conventionally divided into
the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as
well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum. This resulted
after the transfer of the great municipality of Aker from Akershus county to Oslo in 1948.
Embracing numerous suburbs of Oslo, notably Bærum, Akershus is one of the most densely
populated areas in the country. The main national railway lines into Oslo run through Akershus
with many junctions and stations such as Asker, Sandvika, Ski and Lillestrøm. Akershus includes
some of the lake Mjøsa and some of the river Glomma.
The county also includes the historical place Eidsvoll, 48 km north of Oslo, in which the
National assembly ratified the Norwegian constitution in 1814. South of Eidsvoll is the international
airport of Oslo Airport at Gardermoen. Oslo's previous international airport, Fornebu, is
also located in Akershus. The estate of the crown prince is located in Asker.
Infrastructure The county has a major international airport,
the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. It also has two major hospitals, Akershus University Hospital
and Sykehuset Asker og Bærum. The main road from continental Europe, E6
enters Akershus in the south, and runs through eastern Oslo, further to Gardermoen and into
Hedmark county on the eastern shores of lake Mjøsa.
E18 enters Akershus in the south-east, merges for a short stretch with E6 at Vinterbro in
Ås, before running under central Oslo. E18 then turns south-west through Bærum and Asker
before entering Buskerud county north of Drammen. E18 runs from the intersection with E18 in
Sandvika into Buskerud county west of Sollihøgda. All main railways out of Oslo runs through
Akershus: South-west: Drammensbanen
South-east: Østfoldbanen as two separate railways
North: Gjøvikbanen North-east: Hovedbanen, Gardermobanen and
Dovrebanen East: Kongsvingerbanen
History Akershus became a fief in the 16th century,
and then also included the current counties of Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud and Oslo, as
well as the municipalities of Askim, Eidsberg and Trøgstad in the county of Østfold. In
1662 Akershus became an Amt, and in 1685 Buskerud was separated from Akershus and became an
Amt of its own. In 1768 Hedmark and Oppland were also separated from Akershus to become
Oplandenes Amt. In 1842 the city of Christiania was made a separate Amt as well. In 1919 the
term Amt was changed to Fylke. In 1948 Aker, the greatest and the most populous municipality
of Akershus, was transferred to county of Oslo.
The name The county is named after Akershus Fortress.
The fortress was built in 1299, and the meaning of the name is "the house of Aker". The name
is somewhat misleading nowadays, since the fortress is now outside Akershus. In fact,
the administration of Akershus sits outside the county as well, in the center of Oslo.
Coat-of-arms The coat-of-arms is from modern times. It
shows a gable from Akershus fortress. Municipalities
Akershus has a total of 22 municipalities: References
External links Akershus county website
Media related to Akershus at Wikimedia Commons Akershus travel guide from Wikivoyage