Nordhordland
Name
The meaning of the name is "the northern part of
Hordaland".
Geography
The landscape of Nordhordland is mountainous, but the mountains are not as high as in other areas. The only areas with mountains over tall are in Vaksdal Municipality, Modalen Municipality, and Masfjorden Municipality. The highest peak in the district is in Modalen Municipality: the mountain Runderabben, reaching a height of above sea level.
The fjords in the outer regions generally run in a northwesterly-southeasterly run. The main fjords in the district are the Hjeltefjorden in the outermost part and the Fensfjorden and Masfjorden in the north. The Osterfjorden-Romarheimsfjorden runs through the central part of the district.
Some of the largest islands in the district include Osterøy, Holsnøy, Radøy, Fosnøyna, and Fedje.
Economy
Nordhordland has many well-developed islands, with much more undeveloped, rural inland areas. The largest urban areas are
Knarvik (6594 inhabitants),
Frekhaug (3683 inhabitants), Lindås (1448 inhabitants),
Valestrandfossen (1380 inhabitants), Dale (1159 inhabitants), and Manger (1142 inhabitants).
The largest industry in the district is the large oil refinery at
Mongstad in Alver and Austrheim.
Manufacturing is the largest industry as a whole, but
farming and
fishing are most common in the more rural areas both inland and along the coast. There are several large
fish farming operations in the coastal areas. Considerable hydro-electric power is produced in the inner parts of the district, especially in Vaksdal, Modalen, and Masfjorden.
