The county of Hordaland is located southwest in Norway, centrally located on the west coast, between Sogn and Fjordane in the north, and Rogaland in the south.
To the east the county borders to Buskerud and Telemark, and to the west you will find the North Sea, with Scotland right across the sea. The landscape is diverse and outstanding with high mountains, mountain plateaus, Hardangervidda National Park, fjords, impressive waterfalls, glaciers (Folgefonni in the south, and Hardangerjøkulen in the east), islands and sheltered bays.
Hordaland has 519 961 inhabitants (01.01.2017), which is about 10 % of the total population in Norway, making it the third most populated county in the country. Hordaland is a multicultural county with over 50 000 immigrants, spread over 150 nationalities, and in 2013, 62 different religious communities received funding from the county.
The Hordaland county administration is located in the county capital Bergen. Here you can also find regional state offices and national state directorates. The county is separated into 33 municipalities of different size and shape. In Modalen there are 372 inhabitants, while Bergen has 271 949 inhabitants (01.01.2014). In Bergen you can find a diverse selection of educational opportunities, like the University of Bergen, the Norwegian School of Economics, as well as important research clusters.
Hordaland is today a leading region when it comes to fishery, aquaculture, maritime industries, marine technology, tourism and energy.
The County Council of Hordaland has the responsibility for community development in Hordaland. They provide secondary schools, dental health care services and public transport to the people in the county. The County Council is also in charge for the road connections and facilitates value creation, industrial development, leisure activities and culture.
The County Council is the highets political body in the county. The county major Tom-Christer Nilsen (H) is the highest political leader, while the highest administrative leader in Hordaland County Council is Mr Rune Haugsdal.
The County Council of Hordaland is one of the largest employers in the county with about 4 600 employees.
