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America's Army

America's Army was a series of first-person shooter video games developed and published by the U.S. Army, intended to inform, educate, and recruit prospective soldiers. Launched in 2002, the game was branded as a strategic communication device designed to allow Americans to virtually explore the Army at their own pace, and allowed them to determine whether becoming a soldier fits their interests and abilities. America's Army represents the first large-scale use of game technology by the U.S. government as a platform for strategic communication and recruitment, and the first use of game technology in support of U.S. Army recruiting.

The Windows version 1.0, subtitled Recon, was the first released version on July 4, 2002. As of January 2014 there had been over 41 versions and updates released including updates to America's Army: Proving Grounds, which was released in August 2013. All versions have been developed on the Unreal Engine. The game was financed by the U.S. government and distributed by free download. America's Army has also been used to deliver virtual military experiences to participants at air shows, amusement parks, and sporting events around the country.

America's Army had been expanded to include versions for Xbox, arcade, and mobile applications published through licensing arrangements.

In May 2022, official online functionality and support for the latest game in the series, America's Army: Proving Grounds, was withdrawn.

Gameplay

America's Army is a multiplayer video game that enables players to act as soldiers in the U.S. Army in a round-based team tactical shooter with combat at squad-level and three fireteams. GameSpot admired the game's authenticity: "It's pretty realistic—you take one or two shots and you go limp, you take one more and you're done." Another game review described America's Army as "the most realistic portrayal of weapons and combat of any game".

America's Army
America's Army promotes adherence to the U.S. Army's seven core values. To this extent, the game's main ranking system, "Honor", is named after one.

America's Army includes optional medical training designed to provide real-world information. In order to assume the role of combat lifesaver in the game, players must pass a virtual medical training course based on actual training that soldiers receive with regard to evaluating and prioritizing casualties, controlling bleeding, recognizing and treating shock, and administering aid when victims are not breathing. Two America's Army players have reported using the training they received in-game to save lives in emergency situations; one such account, by Paxton Galvanek, received national media attention.

The game also allows players to train to drive the HMMWV and qualify to use the CROWS system allowing in-game use of the Mk 19 grenade launcher and Browning M2. Training is also available for the Javelin missile as well as specialist training such as parachute training, which allows access to the Airborne missions, and Special Forces training which allows access to the Special Forces missions.

The round ends when one team completes the objective or eliminates the entire opposing team. In certain circumstances, such as when both teams are eliminated or both sides have not completed their objectives when time runs out, there will be a tie.

America's Army achieves a high realism level in terms of visual and acoustic representation of combat, firearm usage, and mechanics, but its critics have alleged that it fails to convey wartime conditions as accurately as it claims. "If you are going to join the Army, you know the risk", says player Bart Koscinski. "In this game, you might die eight times in 15 minutes. In real life, people know what they are getting themselves into."

America's Army 3
America's Army 3 is a first-person shooter video game, the sequel to America's Army. In comparison to its previous versions, America's Army 3 was completely remade using Unreal Engine 3 and introduced a number of changes. Medical training is now compulsory, allowing all players to give basic IFAK treatment. While the original America's Army required the completion of training to play online, America's Army 3 allows one to jump into a game with limited capability, and training is required to unlock desired equipment and skills. Another feature is melee combat in battle using a rifle butt, allowing for stealthier close combat situations. America's Army 3 also removed jumping to eliminate the practice of unrealistic bunny hopping-type evasive maneuvers. Players can climb onto or hurdle over low obstacles. America's Army 3 reorganizes the fire teams that players were grouped into; the Designated Marksman was made a member of one of the fire teams instead of being a separate two-man shooter/spotter element as would be more fitting of a sniper team.

In June 2011, the U.S. Army released an update to America's Army 3, which includes two new multiplayer maps, Shantytown and Stronghold, and a number of features including gameplay for "Every Soldier a Sensor". The ES2 gameplay in America's Army 3 brought awareness of the importance of every soldier being observant on every mission. During America's Army 3 gameplay, players are rewarded for observing and reporting back things that they came across during the mission that were suspicious or out of place. In December 2011, America's Army 3 introduced a new inventory item, the M106 Fast Obscurant Grenade (FOG), into gameplay. The release also provided a new game loader front end to easily create player accounts, view news, manuals, Personnel Jacket and player stats, launch a game server, and a link to the America's Army website.

America's Army: Proving Grounds
America's Army: Proving Grounds is a first-person shooter video game, created using Unreal Engine 3. America's Army: Proving Grounds was released in open beta on August 29, 2013. The game brings back many features from previous America's Army games and stresses small unit tactical maneuvers and training to reflect the current day U.S. Army. As with previous versions, America's Army: Proving Grounds was designed with certain principles and ideals in mind including Army values, the Soldier's Creed, teamwork, training, and completing the objective. Gameplay scenarios include Battle Drill Exercises and Forward Line Operations. Battle Drill Exercises (BDX) is fast-paced and meant for small engagements of 6 vs. 6 players. BDX maps focus on the basic movements and maneuvers, allowing players to quickly learn how opposing forces play and adjust their strategy for future engagements. Forward Line Operations (FLO) are larger 12 vs. 12 mission-based exercises allowing players to use the skills learned in their Battle Drills to achieve success.

In America's Army: Proving Grounds, players can use weapons new to the series such as the Remington 870 MCS shotgun and M14 EBR-RI Designated Marksman Rifle, in addition to weapons like the M9 pistol, M4/M4A1 and the M249 light machine gun which had been in previous America's Army games. Gameplay features include situational awareness for spotting enemies, effects of weapon suppression, a supported fire system for steadying or resting weapons to help with aim, self-aid where players can stabilize themselves, the revival of incapacitated teammates, securing the enemy, and a more advanced hardcore mode. The game also features updated versions of the hospital and bridge.

Set in the fictional Republic of the Ostregals, players assume the role of an 11B Infantryman practicing combat maneuvers at Joint Training Center Griffin (aka The Proving Grounds) as well as a MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) training environment quickly assembled using existing building infrastructure, Conex shipping containers, and local materials. This training is crucial to the player's success as part of the Long Range Combined Arms–Recon (LRCA-R) team, a full spectrum capable unit for doing special operations missions deep behind enemy lines.

America's Army

America's Army 's concept was conceived in 1999 by Colonel Casey Wardynski, the Army's chief economist and a professor at the United States Military Academy. Wardynski envisioned "using computer game technology to provide the public a virtual soldier experience that was engaging, informative and entertaining". America's Army was managed by two other U.S. Army officers serving with Wardynski at the Office of Economic and Manpower Analysis (OEMA): Major Chris Chambers and Major Brett Wilson. Wardynski approached Michael Zyda and Michael Capps at the Naval Postgraduate School's (NPS) MOVES Institute in Monterey, California, to make this video game vision a reality. Zyda and Capps took a unique approach for developing a major software project in the United States Department of Defense by assembling a team of professional game developers with experience developing major titles and creating a development studio on the campus of NPS. The project had a development budget of $5 million.

The game was developed by Wardynski who recognized that a video game might be helpful to the U.S. Army in the strategic communication efforts by providing more information to prospective soldiers and to help reduce the number of recruits who wash out during the nine weeks of basic training. The effort proved successful as more than 13 million players have registered America's Army accounts over the years, with more than 260 million hours played on the various titles. One teenager was quoted saying the game "provides great information. This would probably spark an interest. I don't know how I would have found out so much some other way."

America's Army developers licensed commercial game engine technology, specifically the Unreal game engine, as the foundation for its game. It was the first game to feature Unreal Engine 2. America's Army is intended to give a positive impression of the U.S. Army. In the official Frequently Asked Questions page the developers confirmed in a statement that one of the reasons people outside the United States can play the game is "We want the whole world to know how great the U.S. Army is." America's Army is the first well-known overt use of computer games for political aims. Chris Chambers, the former deputy director of development for America's Army, admits it is a recruitment tool, and Chris Morris of CNN/Money states that "the Army readily admits [America's Army] is a propaganda device". The game aims to become part of youth culture's consideration set as confirmed by Army Deputy Chief of Personnel Timothy Maude in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

America's Army and its official web page contain links to the "Go Army" recruitment website, another recruiting tool that, according to the Army Subcommittee Testimony from February 2000, has a higher chance of recruiting than "any other method of contact". Guiding American players to the website is a major goal of the game and it was confirmed that twenty-eight percent of all visitors of America's Army's web page click through to this recruitment site. According to Colonel Wardynski, the game generated interest from other U.S. government agencies, including the Secret Service, resulting in the development of a training version for internal government use only.

Since the shutdown of America's Army: Proving Grounds in 2022, the website of the game now redirects to the "Go Army" website.

America's Army 2
On November 6, 2003, version 2.0 of America's Army was released, with the full title of America's Army: Special Forces. In a booklet produced by the MOVES Institute, an article by Wagner James Au explains that "the Department of Defense wants to double the number of Special Forces soldiers; consequently, orders trickled down the chain of command and found application in the current release of America's Army".

As the game became more widely distributed, it generated additional media interest. In December 2003, The Boston Globe columnist said "America's Army isn't just a time-wasting shoot-'em-up. It's full of accurate information about military training and tactics, intended to prepare a new generation of potential recruits. Amidst all the shouting drill sergeants and whistling bullets, some real education is going on. America's Army is a 'serious game', part of a new wave of computer simulations that provide entertaining lessons about real-world activities."

After the game proved successful, the lack of the Army's acknowledgment for the contribution by the U.S. Navy led to tension and political fights over the project. Eventually, the project was withdrawn from the Naval Postgraduate School due to allegations of mismanagement in March 2004 and the development team was moved to two new locations.

One month after taking over production, the army signed an exclusive long-term contract with Ubisoft to reach a wider and younger audience. America's Army: Rise of a Soldier, a different version of the game for the Xbox, was produced by Ubisoft in collaboration with the U.S. Army. Despite a 10-year publishing deal, the control over all communication and advertising remains with the army. The Xbox version was released in November 2005. It was also due to be released on the PlayStation 2, but was later canceled. A version of the game was also made for mobile phones by Gameloft.

About this time America's Army 2.5 Assist started out as a fix for a no longer working server list for Mac OSX based computers. It is still working today as America's Army 2.x deploy client that people can use to play the game.

America's Army 3

It was announced in early 2008 that America's Army 3 would be released in "fall 2008". Due to technical issues and problems with software licenses, the game release was delayed and rescheduled for "some time in 2009". America's Army 3 entered beta testing in late 2008 and was released on June 17, 2009. Although America's Army 3 was an entirely new game created using the Unreal Engine 3, there were still several similarities between previous versions of America's Army, including similar training exercises. AA3 emphasized graphical performance and flexibility to cover a broader range of PCs as well as decreased size for the full version of the software. The game also featured fictional weapons for the enemy, as opposed to the Soviet and Warsaw Pact based weapons used in the previous versions. Although the game had initial problems with online play, it worked well offline. A hotfix was launched shortly after the game's release which addressed several problems with the authorization servers not being able to register that players had completed training. Five days after release, players were once again able to play online.

One day after the launch, the civilian developer's team contracted until game release was dismissed. Responsibility for the development of the game was passed on to the Army Game Studio, part of the AMRDEC Software Engineering Directorate at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The Army Game Studio houses the development and management staff for America's Army outreach products as well as numerous Military and Government applications.

America's Army: Proving Grounds

On August 28, 2012, the developers were taking suggestions for a new America's Army game, the fourth in America's Army series. The game, which is called America's Army: Proving Grounds, was released in an open beta on Steam on August 29, 2013. During the open beta, the developers had been updating the game with new maps and features as the game evolved. The beta ended on October 1, 2015, with the full release of the game, introducing new features and a new look and feel. America's Army: Proving Grounds brings back many features from previous games, and stresses small unit tactical maneuvers and training that reflects the current day army. The game includes a mission editor, a feature brought back from America's Army 2.

America's Army 5
In August 2018, a developer confirmed that the Army was beginning development on America's Army 5 (or AAV). Since the discontinuation of Proving Grounds, its development status is currently canceled.

America's Army: Rise of a Soldier
America's Army: Rise of a Soldier was released for Xbox in November 2005. According to the press release, the game features "all the action-packed realism that players have come to expect from the America's Army game brand" and "offers the most true-to-life Army experience, allowing players to create a soldier and lead him through the excitement of an Army career".

America's Army: Special Operations
In February 2007, Gameloft and the U.S. Army released America's Army: Special Operations for mobile phones. The game features two types of gameplay; players can man an armored vehicle or serve as an infantryman. According to Mobi Critic, "Gameloft does a great job with this game and the only fault one could find is that the game is too short. It isn't, really: you just won't realize how fast the hours of play have passed, as this game really gives the term 'action packed' a new meaning."

Arcade game
The arcade version of America's Army was developed by Global VR and released in July 2007. It is billed as a "realistic and engaging game centered on exciting training exercises and includes a significant amount of authentic Army videos".

America's Army: True Soldiers
America's Army: True Soldiers was released for the Xbox 360 in November 2007. It had both a single-player campaign and multiplayer features on Xbox Live. True Soldiers focused on the Army's core values by incorporating game play based on mission accomplishment, teamwork, leadership, and rules of engagement.

Real Heroes
America's Army Real Heroes program, launched in September 2006, focused on specific soldiers who had been recognized for various acts. Described in an article from U.S. News & World Report, the idea of the Real Heroes program is "to tout ordinary people who, when thrust into danger, showed extraordinary courage".

The Real Heroes program used videos, photo albums and blogs on the Real Heroes website to depict the lives of nine U.S. Army, Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers featured in the program. Soldiers' likenesses and biographies were incorporated into America's Army game and used to create action figures sold at retail stores and distributed at Army events. Additionally, those featured in the Real Heroes program made media appearances at America's Army events across the country, such as the Virtual Army Experience, gaming competitions and Technology Education programs. On January 23, 2007, Real Hero Sergeant Tommy Rieman was recognized by President George W. Bush during his State of the Union address. President Bush affirmed, "And like so many other Americans who have volunteered to defend us, he has earned the respect and the gratitude of our country."

 * Ranks are accurate as of the time of award.

Government applications
According to game historian Carrie McLeroy, America's Army has "grown in ways its originators couldn't have imagined". Dozens of government training and simulation applications using America's Army platform have been developed to train and educate U.S. Army soldiers.

In 2005, America's Army developers partnered with the Software Engineering Directorate and the Army's Aviation and Missile Research Development Engineering Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to manage the commercial game development process and use the America's Army platform to create government training and simulations. "America's Army has pushed to reuse the same elements for many purposes", said Colonel Wardynski, the originator of the game. "We can build one soldier avatar and use it again and again. When we build something in America's Army, the U.S. government owns it completely ... and [it] can, therefore, be used for any application or use of the game. So costs keep going down." After America's Army went live, requests started coming in to use the game for purposes other than recruiting, such as training.

The partnership with SED, an Army software life cycle management center, allowed the development team to re-purpose the commercial software to meet the needs of soldiers preparing for deployment. SED engineers developed customized applications used by many different Army and government organizations, including the JFK Special Forces School and the Army's Chemical School. They are used to provide training in the use of rare equipment such as PackBot robots, CROWS, and Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles.

Virtual Army Experience
The Virtual Army Experience (VAE) was a mobile U.S. Army simulator that launched in February 2007. The VAE, enclosed in a 19,500 sqft inflatable dome, was displayed at public events across the U.S., such as NASCAR races and air shows, and allowed participants to virtually experience aspects of soldiering. The core of VAE was the America's Army game reworked to provide a variety of scenarios. The VAE could be deployed in a single full-scale rendition or split into two smaller versions enabling it to appear at separate events. During its lifetime, the VAE hosted over 130,000 participants at more than 100 events.

Army Experience Center
From August 29, 2008, to July 31, 2010, the U.S. Army operated the Army Experience Center, a facility where visitors could virtually experience many aspects of Army life. Located inside the Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia, the 14500 sqft facility featured a number of interactive simulations and online learning programs to inform visitors about Army careers, training, and educational opportunities.

Pete Geren, Secretary of the Army, said, "Potential recruits are afforded a unique opportunity through the Army Experience Center to learn what it means to be the best-led, best-trained and best-equipped Army in the world by allowing them to virtually experience multiple aspects of the Army." The head of Army Recruiting Command, Major General Thomas Bostick, called the AEC "a learning laboratory"—but not just for those who are thinking of joining. "It's incumbent upon the American public to know about their Army", Bostick said. In July 2010, the Army closed the center at the end of its two-year pilot program.

Technology Education Program
Launched in 2007, the Technology Education Program provided real-world applications of classroom learning that augmented the curriculum in academic areas including math, physical science, physics, chemistry, technology, computer science, art, animation, graphic design, social studies, anatomy, physiology, and psychology. Army experts and soldiers worked with students to teach them about robotics, optics, missiles, video games, and intellectual, emotional and physical development.

In April 2008, Discovery Education featured America's Army in a live webinar in which over 1000 students and educators participated with game developers and software engineers.

Comics
With the first issue published June 14, 2013, America's Army: Proving Grounds debuted a new storyline in a fully digital comic series through IDW Publishing. The America's Army Comics series, available on the web and for mobile devices, unveils the story line that influences the plot for the game's missions and maps and gives the player a better understanding of their assignment and the challenges they will face. In the series, players learn the saga of American forces deployed to the Ostregal Islands, a tiny foreign nation in the middle of a chaotic conflict.

America's Army comics series allowed readers to further explore the Army universe and delve deep into the lives of Soldiers who are deployed or at home station. Readers learn about Soldiers and the missions they do, their values, jobs, or Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), the high-tech equipment they use, and about the vast team of support on which they rely. The comics are free and available to read on a browser or mobile device, through the America's Army website, or through IDW publishing using comiXology, Apple Books, Nook, Kindle, and others.

The comics tell the story of U.S. Soldiers deployed to a tiny foreign nation in the middle of a chaotic conflict. The description for the series reads: "From the seemingly insignificant country of Czervenia, President-General Adzic and his army set upon a campaign of annihilation against the neighboring Republic of the Ostregals, setting in motion a mysterious plan that could change the course of world power forever. America's Army must create new experimental combat teams, forged together in secret Proving Grounds, and uncover the General's insidious plot before time runs out."

The last issue was published April 15, 2015.

Reception
America's Army has been generally positively received. GameSpot stated: "nothing beats going in and seeing what the Army really does. Without actually having to do it." The game has a rating of 82 on Metacritic.

Controversy
America's Army has been described as an extension of the military entertainment complex (militainment) with criticism that it contributes to a militarization of society. Because America's Army focuses on the technological aspect of war rather than the moral, it has been referred to as How We Fight, alluding to the U.S. government's series of films named Why We Fight, which supported the war effort for World War II.

Media theorist David B. Nieborg criticized the game and noted that its mechanics are a careful blend of propaganda, advertising, and education. Use of the game by recruitment and training centers has been criticized and protested against, among others by the Veterans for Peace group. Its use in schools as a recruiting tool aimed at children has also been criticized.

title: America's Army


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Halden

Halden, between 1665 and 1928 known as Fredrikshald, is both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The municipality borders Sarpsborg to the northwest, Rakkestad to the north and Aremark to the east, as well as the Swedish municipalities Strömstad, Tanum and Dals-Ed respectively to the southwest, south and southeast.

The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the mouth of the Tista river on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden. The town of Halden is located about 120 km south of Oslo, 190 km north of Gothenburg, and 12 km west of the border crossing at Svinesund.

History
Evidence of early human settlements in this region of Norway have been found, particularly in the Svinesund area of the municipality where evidence of early settlements from the Nordic Bronze Age have been found. Named after a small farm Hallen ("rise" or "slope") first mentioned in 1629, "Halden", became the city of Fredrikshald in 1665, named after Frederick III of Denmark. The Gud med oss (God be with us) coat-of-arms created in 1665 shows a knight standing on a mountain, yellow on a blue background, and was inspired by the bravery of the citizens of the city in the Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660).

Swedish forces unsuccessfully attempted to invade the town six times between 1658 and 1814. As a reference to the town's citizens burning their own houses to prevent them being taken on 4 July 1716 by the forces of King Charles XII of Sweden, Halden is one of only two cities in Norway's national anthem. In 1718, the Great Northern War ended when Charles XII was shot and killed at the Fredriksten fortress. The fortress had been erected in the 17th century as a replacement for the Bohus Fortress lost at the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658 when Bohuslän was ceded to Sweden. Halden has never been captured by force by any invading army, although it was occupied by Nazi forces in WWII.

In an 1835 census, Fredrikshald was the seventh largest town or city in Norway, with 4,921 inhabitants. In 1838, Fredrikshald became a city municipality (herred), and in 1928, the name was changed back to Halden. Tistedalen, which is 4 km east of Halden, was part of the city from 1686 to 1967, until it was separated from Halden. At the same time, the area of Halden, Tistedalen, and the rural municipalities of Berg and Idd, became the Halden municipality on 1 January 1967.

Politics
The political situation in Halden has become infamous in Norway for conflicts between individual politicians and between local political parties. The municipality is governed by the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party, and the Green Party.

Economy
The slogan, Halden, IT- og Miljøbyen (Halden, IT and Environment City), is a reference to Halden's relatively large number of information technology companies. In the late 1960s, the most powerful mainframe computer in Norway at the time was located at the Institute for Energy Technology's facilities in Halden. From the 1960s-1980s, Halden was infamous for high levels of industrial pollution, largely originating from the Norske Skog Saugbrugs paper mill (part of Norske Skog since 1989). As a result of projects initiated by both Norske Skog-Saugbrugs and the city authorities, the polluted fjords and rivers of Halden have been cleaned up and the city was dubbed Norway's Environment City in 1996.

One of Norway's two nuclear reactors under decommissioning is located in Halden. The Halden Boiling Water Reactor is a research reactor located 100 m within Månefjell, adjacent to the Saugbrugs paper mill. The OECD Halden Reactor Project is one of the world's longest running international research collaborations and is the largest international research project in Norway. While the reactor closed in 2018, safety-oriented research collaboration for the nuclear power industry has continued, focusing primarily on human-technology-organisation research. IFE's Man-Technology-Organisation Lab facility in Os Alle was opened by the Prince Regent in 2004 and houses the most recent incarnations of the Halden Man-Machine Laboratory (HAMMLAB) and Halden Virtual Reality Centre's (HVRC) VR laboratory. IFE also has advanced robotics and cybersecurity labs in Halden. The Halden Project at IFE has ensured a steady influx of international guest scientists to the city, many of whom made Halden their permanent homes.

Nexans has a large cable factory in Halden. The main products from this factory are submarine power cables, umbilical cables for subsea installations, and cable systems for heating of subsea pipelines.

Rød Herregård
Rød Herregård in Halden is one of the best preserved manor houses in Norway. The property features well-preserved buildings, a Baroque garden and an English landscape garden. The buildings have their oldest origins of the late 1600s, but were largely built during the last half of the 1700s. The main building contains authentic furnishings including period furniture, hunting trophies, an extensive collection of art and a large weapons collection.

Rød Herregård was owned and inhabited by members of the Tank and Anker families from 1733 including Carsten Tank and Nils Otto Tank as well as Peter Martin Anker and Nils Anker. The manor house and estate complex was owned by the Tank family through three generations, from 1733 to 1829. Both Danish Crown Prince regent Christian Frederik and Swedish Crown Prince and Regent Charles John were guests at the mansion. The estate was visited by English economist Thomas Robert Malthus during his European tour in 1799.

In 1961, two foundations were established to maintain the historic property. Rød Manor Foundation (Stiftelsen Rød Herregård) is responsible for the manor house, buildings and gardens. Ankerske Foundation Collections (Stiftelsen De Ankerske Samlinger) is responsible for the contents and the rich archives related to the property.

Notable sights
Halden sights include the Halden Canal system, the two Svinesund bridges, and Høiåsmasten, a partially guyed TV tower. The fortress of Fredriksten has historical museums, and the Østfold University College (Høgskolen i Østfold) is in Halden.

Petroglyphs (rock carvings) dated from the Nordic Bronze Age are found around town, some locally, but more impressive are ones found along Oldtidsveien, the historical road between Halden and Fredrikstad some 20 km north, and around Tanum in Sweden, some 60 km to the south. Jellhaugen, a major tumulus (grave mound) is found west of town, situated only 120 feet away from the site of the later discovered Gjellestad Ship.

Nature
Halden is surrounded by forests and water, so hiking and fishing locations can easily be found. Deer and elk are a common sight, and wolves have also been observed in the district along the border with Sweden. Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, wild cranberries, and many varieties of mushroom can be found in the woods in the early autumn. Popular destinations for hikers and other nature lovers include Prestebakke and Kornsjø.

Halden's meteorological station is at Buer.

Gjellestad ship burial
The Gjellestad ship, also spelt Jellestad, is the remains of a Viking Age longship found at the farm of Gjellestad in Halden municipality in Norway in 2018 by the archeologists Lars Gustavsen and Erich Nau. A 2019 examination by the University of Oslo has dated it to earliest AD 733. Originally interred beneath a burial mound, in the present day the ship lies 40 centimetres below the topsoil due to years of ploughing.

Due to extensive fungus damage to the hull caused by field drainage, drought and exposure to the air, archaeologists called for an immediate dig to save the ship. Excavation of the ship at Gjellestad began in June 2020, and is led by Christian L. Rødsrud of the Museum of Cultural History. It is estimated to be over 20 metres long, although only parts of the keel have survived. This would mean that the boat is of a similar size to the Gokstad ship. The identity of the boat's occupant has not yet been confirmed, but experts have speculated that it may have belonged to a king or queen.

Culture
Outdoor concerts are frequently held at the fortress while the local churches, pubs, and student union are regular venues for indoor concerts. Musicians recorded by the Hitsville and Athletic Sound studios in the Halden region include Motorpsycho, Madrugada, Morten Harket, and Kurt Nilsen. The city's intimate theatre hosts frequent plays by national and local theatre groups, and occasionally serves as a concert hall.

Halden festivals include Tons of Rock (hard rock and metal) in June each year (from 2014 before the festival was moved to Oslo in 2019) and a vegetarian food festival in August. The famous pub "Siste Reis" neighbouring the train station has been voted among the ten best pubs in Europe!

Artists born in Halden that are represented in the Norwegian National Gallery in Oslo include Thomas Fearnley (1802–1842) and Jacob Mathias Calmeyer (1802–1883). Fearnley is locally exhibited at the manor house Rød Herregård. Other significant artists that lived in Halden, but were not born there, include Johannes Fintoe (1786–1870) and Heinrich August Grosch (1763–1843). Grosch's son, Christian Heinrich Grosch (1801–1865), who moved with his parents to Halden at the age of ten, became an influential architect, whose works include seventy-eight churches (including Immanuel Church in Halden), the Bank of Norway, the Oslo Stock Exchange, and the original university buildings in Oslo.

Current archaeological excavations includes Jellestadskipet (Gjellestadskipet) located a stone's throw from Jellhaugen; it was first photographed in 2018.

Sports
The Halden VBK volleyball club plays in the Premier Division, and while the local ice hockey team Comet did play in the GET-league (Norway's highest ice hockey division) for some years, but they ran into some financial problems in 2008/2009, and is now in division 1. Halden also has many football clubs, the biggest of them, Kvik Halden FK, plays in the Norwegian Second Division. The two handball clubs, Tistedalens TIF in the first division and HK Halden, have teams for children, youth and adults.

One of Norway's few curling centres lies in Halden. Halden Curling Center is host to East-Norway 1 division. In addition there is a separate amateur league with two divisions. Several curlers from Halden have won Norwegian championships and competed internationally.

Halden's forests are a good place for orienteering; and hiking, canoeing, boating, fishing, and gymnastics are also popular sports amongst Halden's population.

Halden's prison
Halden fengsel is one of Norway's highest-security jails. It has acquired a “reputation as the world's most humane prison.” The architectural design of this prison is not like other prisons. The conditions inside the prison have been made as much like life outside the walls as possible. It is in fact to create an environment “as unprisonlike as possible.” This reflects the flagship of the Norwegian justice system, which focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment.

To explore what makes incarceration in Norway different from being imprisoned in other countries, British journalist Raphael Rowe spent a week at Halden Prison for the Netflix documentary Inside the World's Toughest Prisons (Season 3, Episode 4).

Public Service & public thinking

 * Ivar Huitfeldt (1665 in Halden – 1710) naval commander in the Dano-Norwegian fleet
 * Ove Gjerløw Meyer (ca.1742 in Fredrikshald – 1790) jurist, founded the Norwegian Society
 * Peter Anker (1744 in Fredrikshald – 1832) a diplomat, military officer and colonial general
 * Hans Jacob Arnold Jensen (1777 - 1853 in Fredrikshald) a military officer and politician
 * Carl von und zu Mansbach (1790 in Halden – 1867) Hessian-Norwegian army officer & diplomat
 * Nils Otto Tank (1800 near Halden – 1864) a Moravian Church religious leader in Wisconsin
 * Christian Heinrich Grosch (1801–1865) an architect, lived in Fredrikshald from 1811
 * Christian August Selmer (1816 in Fredrikshald – 1889) a Norwegian lawyer and a magistrate; Prime Minister of Norway 1880 to 1884
 * Carl Frederik Fearnley (1818 in Fredrikshald - 1890) a Norwegian astronomer
 * Torkel Halvorsen Aschehoug (1822 in Idd – 1909) legal scholar, historian and social economist
 * Peter Ludwig Mejdell Sylow (1832–1918) mathematician, headmaster in Halden 1858 to 1898
 * Herman Anker (1839 at Rød Manor – 1896) a Norwegian school teacher and educationalist
 * Christian August Anker (1840 in Halden – 1912) developed mining and wood-processing
 * Ragnvald Bødtker (1859–1946) an engineer, director of log driving in Halden for 42 years
 * Jens Andersen (1866 in Idd – 1937) a shoemaker and shoe factory owner
 * Andreas Tostrup Urbye (1869 in Fredrikshald – 1955) a civil servant, lawyer and politician
 * Theodor Haagaas (1873 in Tistedalen – 1961) a mathematician and private school owner
 * Birger Braadland (1879 in Idd – 1966) a politician, foreign minister 1931 to 1933
 * Alf Whist (1880 in Fredrikshald – 1962) a Norwegian politician for Nasjonal Samling
 * Carl Frølich Hanssen (1883 in Halden – 1960) head of the Norwegian Nazi Labour Service
 * Niels Larsen Bruun (1893 in Fredrikshald – 1970) an officer in the Royal Norwegian Navy
 * Eva Kolstad (1918 in Halden – 1999) politician and strong promoter of gender equality
 * Rolf B. Wegner (born 1940) a lawyer and former chief of police, grew up in Halden
 * Christen Ager-Hanssen (born 1962 in Halden) an internet entrepreneur & venture capitalist
 * Håkon Wium Lie (born 1965 in Halden) a Norwegian web pioneer and standards activist

The Arts

 * Thomas Fearnley (1802 in Fredrikshald – 1842) a Norwegian romantic painter
 * Jacob Calmeyer (1802 in Fredrikshald – 1883) a Norwegian painter
 * Annette Abigael Hamilton (1806 in Fredrikshald - 1879) a fairy-tale collector and author
 * Henriette Wienecke (1819 in Fredrikshald -1907), a composer
 * Alvilde Prydz (1846 near Fredrikshald – 1922) a Norwegian novelist
 * Oscar Borg (1851 in Halden – 1930) composer of marches for wind bands and conductor
 * Gustav Fredrik Lange (1861 in Halden – 1939) a violinist, violin teacher and composer
 * Karl Ouren (1882 in Halden – 1943) an American artist of landscapes with winter and snow
 * Sven Elvestad (1884 in Fredrikshald – 1934) a Norwegian journalist and author of crime novels
 * Mon Schjelderup (1870 in Fredrikshald – 1934) a Norwegian composer and pianist
 * Egil Hjorth-Jenssen (1893 in Fredrikshald – 1969) actor, theatre director and playwright
 * Pehr Qværnstrøm (1878 in Halden – 1949) an actor, film director and scriptwriter
 * Gunnar Olram (1908 in Halden – 2001) a Norwegian actor and stage instructor
 * Henning Kvitnes (born 1958 in Tistedalen) Singer/songwriter (Rock/roots)
 * Knut Nærum (born 1961 in Halden) comedian, author, comics writer and TV-entertainer
 * Harald Rønneberg (born 1973 in Halden) a Norwegian television personality

Sport

 * Andreas Hagelund (1881 in Fredrikshald – 1967) a gymnast, team gold medallist at the 1906 Summer Olympics
 * Erik Anker (1903 in Berg – 1994) a sailor, Olympic team gold medallist and businessperson.
 * Johan Anker (1871 at Refne in Berg – 1940) a Norwegian sailor and yacht designer, competed in three Summer Olympics
 * Thor Martinsen (born 1945 in Halden) an ice hockey player, competed in 4 Summer Olympics
 * Svein Grøndalen (born 1955 in Halden) a former footballer with 77 caps for Norway
 * Jørgen Strand Larsen (born 2000 in Halden) a footballer who currently plays for RC Celta de Vigo

Twin towns – sister cities
Halden is twinned with:
 * Ringsted, Denmark
 * 🇫🇮 Sastamala, Finland
 * 🇸🇪 Skövde, Sweden

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Halden


text:
Sarpsborg

Sarpsborg ( or ), historically Borg, is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.

Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neighbouring Fredrikstad. As of 1 January 2018, according to Statistics Norway these two municipalities have a total population of 136,127 with 55,840 in Sarpsborg and 81,278 in Fredrikstad.

Statistics for 2021, say that the city has a population where 19% of the children belong to families that have "low-income in the long-term"; that is the highest level for a city (in Norway); the national level is 11.3%.

Name
In Norse times the city was just called Borg (from borg which means "castle"). The background for this was the fortification built by Olav Haraldsson (see History section). Later the genitive case of the name of the waterfall Sarpr (Sarp Falls) was added, it's unclear how Sarpsborg received this part of its name, two interpretations are the most prevalent. The first coming from the Icelandic word Sarpr which means birdcage in English. The other interpretation is that Sarpr means "the one who swallows", probably referring to the local waterfall.

In Norse times Østfold county was called Borgarsýsla which means "the county (sýsla) of Borg" and the law district of southeast Norway was called Borgarþing meaning "the thing/court of Borg".

The old name has been revived in the diocese of Borg (1968) and Borgarting Court of Appeal (1995).

Coat of arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times and was granted on 13 November 1991. It is based on a coat of arms dating from 1556 and shows a bear above a castle. The bear was introduced as early as some time in the 13th century, by the earl of Sarpsborg (Comes de Saresburgh), Alv Erlingsson. He used the bear to symbolise his strength. The castle symbolises the fortress (borg) that gave the city its original name.

History
The city was founded as Borg by the Viking King Olav Haraldsson (Saint Olaf) in 1016. It was burned to the ground by Swedish invaders in 1567 during the Northern Seven Years' War. Half the population was evacuated down the river to what is today known as Fredrikstad, about 15 km downstream.

Much of the rebuilt town disappeared into the river Glomma during a 1702 mudslide. Again Borg was rebuilt, and it was recreated as a city in 1839, and separated from Tune as a municipality of its own.

The rural municipalities of Tune, Skjeberg, and Varteig were merged with the city on 1 January 1992. The population is steadily growing, and during the summer of 2005 it reached 50,000 inhabitants.

In 2016 the town celebrated its 1,000th anniversary, and the entire year was commemorated by a special programme that encouraged historic preservation within the town.

Historically, the sawmill and timber shipping industry has been Sarpsborg's most important sources of income, however since the industrialisation in Norway, more specifically Sarpsborg and the establishment of local manufacturing businesses during the late 1800s, the biggest being Borregaard, Sarpsborg has changed from its traditional timber-based economy and pre-industrial society to a more manufacturing and refining-based economy and industrial society. In modern times Sarpsborg has moved away from being a city based on the local manufacturing and refining industry, with only around ten percent employed within the local manufacturing industry, coinciding with Norway's general shift towards a post-industrial society. Despite this, the city is still widely regarded by Norwegians both unofficially and officially, to be an industrial city.

Economy
Borregaard Industries is, and always has been, the most important industry in the city. The city is also the home of Borg Bryggerier, part of the Hansa Borg Bryggerier, which is Norway's second largest brewery-group.

City districts
• Alvim

• Borgenhaugen

• Brevik

• Fritznerbakken

• Gleng

• Greåker

• Grålum

• Hafslund

• Hafslundsøy

• Hannestad

• Hasle

• Høysand

• Ise

• Klavestadhaugen

• Kurland

• Lande

• Opsund

• Sandbakken

• Sannesund

• Sarpsborg

• Skjeberg

• Valaskjold

• Varteig

• Yven

Sport
During the 1950s and 1960s, Sarpsborg was famous for its football (soccer) team, Sarpsborg FK, but is now more known for its ice hockey team, Sparta Warriors. In football, Sarpsborg 08 FF has taken over the local throne, currently playing at the highest national level. On 6 November 2009, they sent arch-rival FFK down from the top division in a play-off game in Fredrikstad stadion. Sarpsborg 08 has a women's football team that was promoted to the women's Division 1 at the end of 2011, at the same time as the club's under-19 girls reached the Junior Cup Final. Sarpsborg BK plays in the highest bandy division.

Sarpsborg is famous for its two elite leagues teams in floorball, Sarpsborg IBK and Greåker IBK.

Climate
Sarpsborg has a humid continental climate (Dfb) or temperate oceanic climate (Cfb), depending on winter threshold used (0 °C as in US or -3 °C as in Europe). The all-time high 33.5 °C was recorded in July 2018. The all-time low -26 °C was set in December 2002. Since the weather station was incepted in 1991, the records may not be representative of a longer time frame. The average date for the last overnight freeze (low below 0 °C) in spring is 20 April and average date for first freeze in autumn is 22 October giving a frost-free season of 184 days (1981-2010 average).

Musical artists and bands
• Apoptygma Berzerk

• Artch

• At Your Leisure

• Jan Groth

• Moose Empire

• Patrik Svendsen

• Ragnarok

• Robert Normann

• Sarpsborg Janitsjarkorps

• Stian Johansen

• Tonic Breed

• Witchhammer

Public service

 * Zacharias Mellebye (1781 in Skjeberg – 1854) farmer, military officer and rep. at the Norwegian Constituent Assembly
 * Harald Dahl (1863–1920), father of the British writer Roald Dahl came from Sarpsborg
 * Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) explorer, first person to reach the South Pole, came from Borge
 * Oscar Torp (1893 in Skjeberg – 1958) former Prime Minister of Norway, 1951-1955
 * Carl Fredrik Wisløff (1908–2004) theologian and Christian preacher, grew up in Sarpsborg
 * Øistein Strømnæs (1914 in Sarpsborg – 1980) head of XU, the WWII intelligence organization
 * Torbjørn Sikkeland (1923 in Varteig – 2014) chemist, nuclear physicist and radiation biophysicist
 * Thorvald Gressum (1932–2008) a politician and Mayor of Sarpsborg 1984 to 1995
 * Kai Eide (born 1949 in Sarpsborg) a diplomat and writer; roles with the United Nations
 * Erik Varden (born 1974), a Roman Catholic spiritual writer and Bishop-Prelate of Trondheim

The Arts

 * Julius Fritzner (1828 in Skjeberg – 1882) a restaurateur and hotelier in Christiania
 * Bjarne Bø (1907 in Skjeberg – 1998) a Norwegian actor
 * Arne Arnardo, (1912 in Sarpsborg – 1995) circus performer and owner, "Circus King of Norway"
 * Walther Aas, (Norwegian Wiki) (1928–1990), neo-romantic artist; lived in Sarpsborg from 1954
 * Kjell Karlsen (1931 in Sarpsborg – 2020) band leader, composer, jazz pianist and organist
 * Nils Ole Oftebro (born 1944 in Sarpsborg) a Norwegian actor and illustrator
 * Jan Groth (born 1946 in Greåker) vocalist, songwriter, artist with Aunt Mary and other bands
 * Ketil Gudim (born 1956 in Sarpsborg) a Norwegian dancer and actor
 * Einstein Kristiansen (born 1965 in Greåker) a cartoonist, designer and TV-host
 * Kåre Christoffer Vestrheim (born 1969 in Sarpsborg) record producer, musician and composer
 * Stian Johansen (born 1971 in Sarpsborg) stage name Occultus, black metal musician
 * Stephan Groth (born 1971) musician with Apoptygma Berzerk; lived in Sarpsborg since 1986
 * Jasmin Haugstuen Please (born 1988) actress
 * Ulrikke Brandstorp (born 1995 in Sarpsborg) singer, songwriter and musical actress

Sport

 * Therese Bertheau (1861 in Skjeberg – 1936) a pioneering female Norwegian mountaineer
 * John Anderson (1873 in Sarpsborg – 1949) US Major League Baseball player for 15 seasons
 * Bjørn Spydevold (1918 in Sarpsborg – 2002) a footballer with 37 caps for Norway
 * Bent Skammelsrud (born 1966 in Sarpsborg) footballer, with 366 club caps, mainly for Rosenborg BK and 38 for Norway
 * Thomas Myhre (born 1973 in Sarpsborg) goalkeeper with 346 club caps and 56 for Norway
 * Raymond Kvisvik (born 1974 in Sarpsborg) footballer, with 425 club caps and 11 for Norway
 * Jens Arne Svartedal (born 1976 in Sarpsborg), cross-country skier, team silver medallist at the 2006 Winter Olympics
 * Per-Åge Skrøder (born 1978 in Sarpsborg), ice hockey player with men's national team
 * Marianne Skarpnord (born 1986 in Sarpsborg) pro. golfer, plays on Ladies European Tour
 * Jonas Holøs (born 1987 in Sarpsborg), ice hockey player with men's national team
 * Marie Solberg (born 1988 in Sarpsborg) a sailor, bronze medallist at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
 * Sander Skogli (born 1993 in Sarpsborg), ice hockey player
 * Mohamed Elyounoussi (born in 1994), football player

Twin towns - Sister cities
Sarpsborg has several sister cities:

title: Sarpsborg


text:
Hvaler

Hvaler is a municipality that is a group of islands in the southern part of Østfold County, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Skjærhalden, on the island of Kirkeøy. The only police station in the municipality is located in Skjærhalden. Hvaler was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

Name
The name is the plural form of hval, which means "whale". The form and shape of the islands resemble a pod of whales. Prior to 1889, the name was spelled Hvaløerne, meaning the whale isles.

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. It was granted on 9 December 1983. The arms show a silver-colored boat on a blue background. This boat is the type that was typical in the 13th century. This was chosen since this island municipality has been dependent on boats for all its history, and because fisheries and sailing have been the main economic activities for many centuries.

Culture
Hvalerdrakten is the traditional costume or bunad for women in Hvaler. The bodice and skirt are blue or black and are made from 100% wool. The shirt is white and made from 100% cotton. Several symbolic expressions exist in the embroideries and the accompanying silver brooches. The embroidered flowers are characteristic to the islands' flora and symbolize the different islands that constitute the municipality. All the silver that belongs to the costume is portraying the locally famous Hvalerbåten (The Boat of Hvaler) and herring, which has been an important commodity to the islands through the ages. All patterns used in this costume have been patented. Since 1999, hvalerdrakten have been manufactured by Hvalerdraktstua AS.

Hvaler Church
Hvaler Church (Hvaler Kirke) is a medieval-era church, probably begun around 1000-1100 AD. Hvaler Church is the main church of the archipelago. It is located on Kirkeøy in the extreme south of the parish. It is a stone church with a rectangular nave and narrow choir and apse. The pulpit is from the 1600s. In 1750, the church received a new altar which in 1759 was supplemented with an altarpiece mounted on the altar. Between 1953 and 1955, the church went through a thorough restoration led by antiquarian Håkon Christie in connection with the church's restoration. The J. H. Jorgensen organ is from 1955.

Geography
South of Skjærhalden lies a chain of a few inhabitable islands and several hundreds of smaller islands and rocks. The bigger islands are named, clockwise, Nordre Sandøy, Søndre Sandøy, Hærføl, Søndre Lauer, and Nordre Lauer. Another smaller island is Tisler. On all of these islands, with the exception of Søndre Lauer, summer houses fill the landscape. The islands of Søndre Sandøy and Hærføl are the two only islands that have local shops and roads which support car traffic.

Nordre Sandøy, situated on the north end of this chain of islands in southern Hvaler, is one of the largest islands with a distinct flora and fauna diversity. Although equipped with a good stretch of roads, car traffic is forbidden there and no commercial activity whatsoever exists. In many ways, this gives its population (mostly summertime vacationers) a greater feeling of isolation from the average Norwegian's hectic life, and it acts as a buffer against pollution. Nordre Sandøy is thought to have been one of the bases of Peter Tordenskjold during his time as a privateer. One of the bays on the island is named "Tordenskjoldsbukta" (Bay of Tordenskjold). The remains of two dead pirates have been found on the island. Legend has it that he buried some of his treasure on the island. In 1997, a local boy, Simon Rene Magnussen, found three old golden coins while scuba diving in the area.

Notable people

 * Egil Abrahamsen (born 1923 in Hvaler, died 2023), Norwegian ships engineer
 * Vebjørn Sand (born 1966 in Bærum), Norwegian painter and artist who was brought up in Hvaler

title: Hvaler


text:
Marker

The term Marker may refer to:

Common uses

 * Marker (linguistics), a morpheme that indicates some grammatical function
 * Marker (telecommunications), a special-purpose computer
 * Boundary marker, an object that identifies a land boundary
 * Marker or Clapperboard, equipment used during filming
 * Marker, a set of sewing patterns placed over cloth to be cut
 * Historical marker, a plaque erected at historically significant locations
 * Marker pen, a felt-tipped pen
 * Paintball marker, or paintball gun, an air gun
 * Survey marker, an object placed to mark a point

Places

 * 4253 Märker, a main belt asteroid
 * Marker, Norway, a municipality in Østfold county, Norway

People

 * Chris Marker (1921–2012), French film maker and director of La jetée
 * Cliff Marker (1903–1972), American football player
 * Friedrich Märker (1893–1985), German writer, essayist, theatre critic and publicist
 * Gary Marker, American bass guitarist and recording engineer
 * Gus Marker (1905–1997), Canadian ice hockey player
 * Harry Marker (1899 – 1990), American filmmaker
 * James Marker (c. 1920–2012), American-born Canadian businessman who invented Cheezies
 * Jamsheed Marker (born 1922), Pakistani diplomat
 * Nicky Marker (born 1965), English footballer and coach
 * Peter Marker, Australian Australian rules footballer and media personality
 * Russell Earl Marker (1902–1995), American chemist
 * Steve Marker (born 1959), American musician and record producer, guitarist for Garbage
 * Vic Marker (fl. 1937–1939), American boxer
 * Voris (designer), née Voris Marker (1908-1973), American fashion designer and sculptor

Arts, entertainment, and media

 * Marker (band), a band formed in 2017 by Ken Vandermark
 * Marker (novel), a 2005 novel by Robin Cook
 * Marker (TV series), a 1995 American drama series
 * The Marker (film), a 2017 British crime film
 * TheMarker, an Israeli Hebrew-language daily business newspaper
 * Pistol Whipped (working title: Marker), a 2008 film starring Steven Seagal
 * Marker, a business website published by Medium

Companies

 * Marker (ski bindings), a company specializing in ski bindings

Science

 * Biological marker, or biomarker, a substance used as an indicator of a biological state
 * Genetic marker, a DNA sequence with a known location associated with a particular gene or trait

title: Marker


text:
Aremark

Aremark is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Fosby.

Aremark was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The new municipality of Øymark was separated from Aremark on 1 July 1903.

Name
The Norse form of the name was Aramǫrk. The first element is the genitive of the name of the lake Ari (now Aremarksjøen). (The name of the lake is probably derived from ari which means "eagle", thus "eagle lake".) The last element is mǫrk f 'woodland, borderland' (see March).

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 7 November 1986. The arms show two blue-colored elk on a silver background. The elk was chosen as a symbol because of the large forests and the many animals in the area.

(See also the coat-of-arms for Namsos, Namsskogan, Ringsaker and Tynset.)

Economy
Farming and forestry are the two top components of Aremark's economy.

Culture
Every two years in Aremark there is a relatively large festival: Elgfestivalen (elk festival). It is held in a festivity area at Kirkeng Camping. It has been arranged every two years since September 1998. The festival begins Friday afternoon and lasts until Sunday afternoon.

Religion
There are two chapels/churches in Aremark. Aremark church, which is located near Kirkeng(Church meadow), and Holmgil chapel in Bjørkebekk (Birch creek).

Television
Aremark has been used in several movie titles and in television. The Norwegian movies "Folk flest bor i Kina" (Most people live in China) and "Celofan" are both filmed in the municipality. The reality show "Farmen" is filmed at Bøensæther husmannsplass close to Marker.

Sister cities
The following cities are twinned with Aremark:
 * 🇱🇻 - Dzērbene, Cēsis District, Latvia

Notable people

 * Hieronymus Heyerdahl (1773 in Aremark – 1847) a Norwegian minister and politician
 * Ludvig Ludvigsen Daae (1834 in Aremark – 1910) a Norwegian historian, author and professor
 * Kristofer Randers (1851 in Aremark – 1917) a Norwegian poet and theatre critic
 * Ole Hallesby (1879 in Aremark – 1961) a conservative Lutheran theologian and author
 * Ole Svendsen Iglerød (1784 in Aremark – 1872) a Norwegian soldier, farmer and politician
 * Eyolf Soot (1859 in Aremark – 1928) a Norwegian painter
 * Olaf Johannessen (1886 in Aremark – 1943) a Norwegian rifle shooter, twice team silver medallist and team bronze medallist at the 1920 Summer Olympics
 * Ruth Vatvedt Fjeld (born 1948 in Aremark) a Norwegian linguist and academic

title: Aremark


text:
Rømskog

Rømskog was a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Rømskog. The former municipality of Rømskog was separated from Rødenes on 1 January 1902.

Rømskog was well known as one of the smallest municipalities in Norway, in numbers of citizens, with just above 600 citizens.

The word "skog" means "forest" in Norwegian, and that is what Rømskog consists of together with the agricultural landscape. Farms and huge / deep forests and small lakes like the lake of Rømsjøen. Deep forests that Rømskog shares with the neighbouring municipalities across the border of Sweden.

Slavasshøgda is a hill in Rømskog, and is the highest point in former Østfold county at 336 m.

At January 1. 2020 Rømskog merged with neighbouring Aurskog-Høland kommune (municipality).

Name
The Old Norse form of the name was Rymsskógr. The first element is the genitive case of the name of the lake Rymr (now Rømsjøen) and the last element is skógr which means "wood" or "forest". The meaning of the name Rymr is unknown.

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 22 July 1983. The arms show a pair of silver logging tongs on a blue background. Since forestry is the main source of income for the municipality, it was considered an appropriate symbol.

title: Rømskog


text:
Trøgstad

Trøgstad was a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Skjønhaug. The municipality included the parishes of Skjønhaug, Havnås and Båstad. The parish of Trygstad was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

Trøgstad is now part of the municipality Indre Østfold.

The scene of the crime for the World War II-era Feldmann case is at Skrikerudtjernet in Trøgstad.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Trøgstad farm (Old Norse: Þrygsstaðir and/or Þrjúgsstaðir), since the first church was built here. The meaning of the first element is not known (maybe a male nickname) and the last element is staðir which means "homestead" or "farm". Prior to 1889, the name was written "Trygstad".

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 24 August 1979. The arms show an anvil and was chosen because Trøgstad historically was well known for the quality of its blacksmiths who made iron tools and objects. The green background of the shield symbolizes the fields and forests in the municipality. The arms were designed by Truls Nygaard. (See also coat-of-arms of Hol)

Trøgstad Church
Trøgstad Church (Trøgstad kirke) is a medieval era, stone church. It belongs to Østre Borgesyssel deanery in Diocese of Borg. The church is located on a ridge south of Øyeren. The church is of Romanesque architecture and has a rectangular nave with a lower and narrower choir.

The church is probably built ca. 1250. It was the equipped with turret with a bell tower ca. 1620. This had to be demolished and replaced with a new tower in 1700. A sacristy was built by the choir's north face in 1697. In 1904 the church was extended and rebuilt, the western wall and the porch were demolished and choir was extended. After rebuilding the church has approximately 350 seats.

Sister cities
Trøgstad has the following sister cities:
 * 🇪🇪 Estonia - Kadrina, Lääne-Viru, Estonia
 * 🇫🇮 Finland - Kinnula, Länsi-Suomen lääni, Finland
 * 🇨🇦 Canada - Robertville, New Brunswick, Canada

title: Trøgstad


text:
Spydeberg

Spydeberg was a municipality in former Østfold county, Norway, until December 31. 2019. At January 1. 2020 it became a part of the new and greater municipality named Indre Østfold Kommune after the region, together with Askim and Trøgstad and Eidsberg and Hobøl kommuner (municipalities).

The administrative centre of the Spydeberg municipality was the village of Spydeberg. Spydeberg Kommune (municipality) was divided into the parishes of Spydeberg, Heli, and Hovin and was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

The village of Spydeberg has approximately 5,500 inhabitants. It is located 45 km southeast of Oslo and is easily reached by both car and bus and train. At the most there used to be 16 daily buses to Oslo (the capital of Norway), and about 21 train departures. Like the rest of the Indre Østfold region, many of the citizens of Spydeberg commute daily to Oslo for work.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Spydeberg farm (Spjótaberg), since the first church was built here. The first element is the plural genitive case of spjót which means 'spear' and the last element is berg which means 'mountain'. The word 'spear' is here probably referring to some outstanding points of a nearby mountain.

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 30 June 1978. The arms show three canting silver spear points (from the word spyd which comes from the Old Norse word spjót) on a red background. The model for the spear points was unearthed at a burial mound near Mørk in 1905. The three spears represent the three parishes in the municipality. It was designed by Truls Nygaard.

Sister cities
The municipality of Spydeberg has been quite active in international relations for over 20 years. The town has sister cities in Denmark, Sweden, and Latvia.

 * 🇩🇰 Thyholm, Midtjylland, Denmark
 * 🇱🇻 Straupe, Pārgauja, Latvia
 * 🇸🇪 Kungsör, Västmanland, Sweden

title: Spydeberg


text:
Askim

Askim is a town and a former municipality in (from January 1, 2020) Indre Østfold municipality in the county of Østfold, Norway.

The administrative centre of the Askim municipality was the town of Askim. Askim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

Askim is the largest population centre in the Indre Østfold region, with 15,315 inhabitants as of 2012, and serves as a regional center for nine municipalities in the Indre Østfold region. It lies next to the longest river in Norway, Glomma, which forms the border with the former Spydeberg municipality to the north and west, and Skiptvet municipality to the south. Askim also borders to the former Trøgstad municipality to the northeast and the former Eidsberg municipality to the southeast.

Askim produces large amounts of hydroelectricity at three dams / hydroelectric power plants in the river Glomma. From upstream to downstream: Solbergfoss, Kykkelsrud, then Vamma.

There was nickel mining at Kykkelsrud at the turn of the 20th century. These mines are also one of the few places where "Spheroidal Norite" ("Potato Stone") is found.

Askim has been an industrial city for most of the 20th century. The main employer, Viking Gummi (producing rubber products like boots and tyres etc.), shut down their rubber product production in 1991 after being taken over by the Continental Tyres owned Swedish Gislaved Tyres.

Glava was the main employer by the 2010s, making glass cotton insulation etc.

History
Askim has always been a strategic point in wars due to its relative easy crossing of the river. The last battle between Norway and Sweden was fought at the crossing over Glomma on 9 August 1814. There is a yearly historical reenactment, as well as a stone monument at Langnes to commemorate this event.

During the Norwegian Campaign of World War II, a battle occurred at Fossum Bridge when the Norwegian Army defended the crossing against invading Germans in April 1940.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Askim farm (Old Norse: Askheimr), since the first church was built here. The first element is askr which means "ash tree" and the last element is heimr which means "home", "homestead", or "farm".

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 1 November 1963. The arms symbolize the three large waterfalls in the municipality, the Solbergfoss, Kykkelsrudfoss, and Vammafoss. The rivers and waterfalls are also partially harnessed for hydroelectric power.

Transportation
European route E18 used to go through the city centre, however, since the upgrade to four-lane highway in 2005, its route now runs outside the centre. Vy's Eastern Østfold Line serves the municipality with stops at Langnes Station and Næringsparken and Askim Station in between.

Government
The municipal council runs the government of Askim. The 2007 election results are as follows:

Attractions

 * Østfoldbadet
 * Askim videregående skole
 * Askimtorget
 * Askim Golf Course

Twin towns — sister cities
The following cities are twinned with Askim:
 * 🇸🇪 - Huddinge, Stockholm County, Sweden
 * - Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune, Region Hovedstaden, Denmark
 * 🇬🇱 - Nuuk, Nuuk Municipality, Greenland
 * 🇪🇪 - Rapla, Rapla County, Estonia
 * 🇮🇸 - Seyðisfjörður, Seyðisfjarðarkaupstaður, Iceland
 * 🇫🇮 - Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland

title: Askim


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Eidsberg

Eidsberg was a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality was the town of Mysen. In 2020, Eidsberg was absorbed into the Indre Østfold municipality.

Eidsberg was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The town of Mysen was separated from Eidsberg to form a municipality of its own on 1 July 1920, but it was merged back into the municipality of Eidsberg on 1 January 1961.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) was named after the old Eidsberg farm (Old Norse: Eiðsberg) because the first church was built here. The first element is the genitive case of eið 'path around a waterfall' and the last element is berg 'mountain'. Prior to 1847, the name was spelled Edsberg.

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms was from modern times. It was granted on 16 March 1962. The arms show a bear, which is taken as a symbol for Arnbjørn Jonsson, who lived in Eidsberg. The bear is canting for Bjørn (bear). He was a well-known warrior during the civil war era under King Håkon Håkonsson, until his death in 1240.

title: Eidsberg


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Skiptvet

Skiptvet is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Meieribyen. Skiptvet was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Skiptvet farm (Old Norse: Skipþveit and/or Skygþveit) because the first church was built here. The meaning of the first element(s) is not known, and the last element is þveit 'clearing in the woods'. Prior to 1889, the name was written Skibtvet.

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 27 November 1981. The arms show a silver dragon on a red background. The dragon is derived from a local legend, in which a dragon went to sleep in the local churchyard every morning. In the evening the dragon went back to the forest, where it had its lair. A tarn near the church is still called Dragehullet meaning "the dragon's pit".

Notable people

 * Jens Christian Spidberg (1684 in Skiptvet - 1762) cartographer, theologian, priest and Bishop of the Diocese of Agder og Telemark

title: Skiptvet


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Rakkestad

Rakkestad is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rakkestad. It is divided into the parishes of Rakkestad, Degernes, and Os. The municipality is the county's second largest by area and one of Norway's largest agricultural areas.

Rakkestad was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Degernes was separated from Rakkestad as a municipality of its own on 1 January 1917, but it was merged back into Rakkestad on 1 January 1964.

Rakkestad has a civil airport, Rakkestad Airport, Aastorp.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Rakkestad farm (Old Norse: Rakkastaðir). The first element is the genitive case of the Norse male name (nickname) Rakki and the last element is staðir meaning "homestead" or "farm".

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 11 July 1975. The arms symbolize the fact that the main source of income in Rakkestad is agriculture. It shows a line of clover-shapes yellow on top and green on the bottom. The two lower leaves are symbols for the farming and forestry, and the upper symbolize the newer industries, trade, and crafts. The three standing clovers also represent the three parishes of the municipality: Rakkestad, Degernes and Os.

Industry
Farming and forestry have always been important for settling and employment in Rakkestad. As a consequence the principal industries are growing grain, raising cattle, and dairy farming. Rakkestad has also developed a diversified economy based on agriculture and forestry such as poultry slaughterhouse and egg packing station, grain silo and mill, woodworking factories and agricultural machinery retailers. Traditional mechanical industry has developed into advanced technical industry directed towards the process, maritime, and offshore industry.

Nature
Rakkestad's large areas of rolling, wooded hills offer excellent year round recreational and leisure opportunities. There are marked forest paths for hiking and cross-country skiing.

Hunting
Rakkestad municipality offers small game hunting as well as roe deer hunting in the municipal forests, which cover about 18 km2. There are possibilities for farm lodging as well as cabin lodging.

Fishing
Landowners, angling clubs, and others put much work into cultivating waters and lakes to ensure good fishing. Most lakes are limed each year, with support from the government. Fry and fingerlings are also re-stocked annually. Where the cultivation is carried out with governmental funding, the fishing shall be available for all, either by free fishing or through open information about fishing licence and opportunities.

In Rakkestad more than 20 species of freshwater fish are registered. Many of these species lives in the Rakkestad River. The river meanders its way along, mainly through farmland, providing excellent river fishing for pike, roach, and perch.

Rakkestad is bordered to the west by River Glomma, Norway's largest river. At Sutern in Os there is an outdoor recreation area equipped with toilet, open shelters, and areas for making a campfire. You can fish for 26 different species from a small jetty or from land along the river. Fishing licence for the area can be obtained fróm self-service boxes along the river.

In the Rakkestad Hills a number of small lakes offer the angler to fish in sheltered solitude. Although the pursuit of the large trout draws a number of anglers to the lakes, you will only occasionally happen to meet fellow anglers.

Most lakes can be reached by a short walk from the car. Some of the forest roads are private and one has to pay a small fee in a self-service box, normally about NOK 20. Fishing licences can be obtained in the same place. Normal price for the fishing licence is about NOK 40 for 24 hours or NOK 200 for a year.

Ytterskogen
Ytterskogen is located in the agricultural area south of Rakkestad village and halfway to Ise. Ytterskog is also a noble family.

Degernes
Degernes is a village and parish.

Rakkestad Church
Rakkestad Church (Rakkestad kirke) is a medieval era church. It was built ca. 1200. The Church is of Romanesque architecture style with rectangular ships and narrower and elongated choir. The building material is stone and brick. Rakkestad Church is first mentioned in written sources in 1370. In 1875, the church was extended with the sanctuary arch demolished and a new tower erected. The parish belongs to the Østre Borgesyssel deanery in the Diocese of Borg.

Linnekleppen fire lookout tower
A visit to the fire lookout tower on Linnekleppen is recommended. Located at one of the highest peaks in the county 325 m it overlooks the whole county, parts of neighbouring counties, and parts of Sweden. It is staffed by a human fire lookout during summer months, when there is a higher fire risk. First established in 1908, it is the only currently active fire lookout tower in Northern Europe.

Rudskogen Motorsenter
Rudskogen Motorsenter is the oldest asphalt racing ground in Norway opened in 1990. In 2006, the government decided to make Rudskogen Motorsenter the main centre for automobile and motorcycle sport. The aim is to develop the centre to be a flexible facility where capacity can be increased and several different activities can be conducted simultaneously. In co-operation with Borg MC, Sarpsborg and Rakkestad municipalities Rudskogen Motorsenter will offer an environment for almost every series in automobile and motorcycle sport.

Notable people

 * Dina Aschehoug (1861 in Rakkestad – 1956) a Norwegian painter of interiors and portraits
 * Helga Eng (1875 in Rakkestad – 1966) a psychologist, the third woman to receive a doctor's degree in Norway
 * Odd Steinar Holøs (1922 in Rakkestad – 2001) a politician, Mayor of Rakkestad, 1955 to 1967
 * John Thune (born 1948) a politician, Mayor of Rakkestad, 1999 to 2007

title: Rakkestad


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Råde

Råde is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Karlshus. The parish of Raade was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

The neighbouring municipalities are Rygge, Våler, Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad. There are four major villages in the municipality: Karlshus, Saltnes, Missingmyr, and Slangsvold.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Råde farm (Old Norse: Róða), since the first church was built here. The name is identical with the word róða which means "bar, pole, or rod". Here it is referring to one of Norway's many terminal moraines, and the farm and the church named after it. Prior to 1921, the name was written "Raade".

History
Traces of settlements from 3000 BC have been located at Vansjø.

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 30 May 1980. The arms are canting for the name of the municipality. It shows a yellow bend on a green background. The arms thus symbolise the moraine and glacial path from the Ice ages that runs through the municipality. The colour green symbolises the fertile soil.

Råde Church
Råde church (Råde kirke) is a medieval era church in Råde parish. The church belongs to Vestre Borgesyssel deanery in Diocese of Borg. The church dates from 1185 and is of Romanesque style. The edifice is of brick and stone and has 300 seats. The church has a rectangular nave and narrow choir with an apse which is semicircular. The baptismal font is from the 1500s and the altarpiece is from 1638. The altarpiece was painted both in 1862 and 1918. In 1950–60, the altarpiece was restored. The church was extensively repaired in 1860–1862. In the late 1950s, restoration work initiated.

Climate
Climate data is supplied by Rygge meteorological station by the airport, located right on the border between Rygge and Råde.

Culture
Helleristning [ petroglyphs ] from the Bronze Age have been found in Råde.

Notable people

 * Johannes Gerckens Bassøe (born 1878 in Råde – 1962) a Norwegian jurist and civil servant who was the first Governor of Svalbard
 * Egil Hovland (born 1924 in Råde – 2013) a Norwegian composer who wrote in diverse styles
 * Hermund Nygård (born 1979 in Råde) a Norwegian jazz drummer
 * Vidar Martinsen (born 1982 in Råde) a Norwegian footballer with over 250 club caps

title: Råde


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Rygge

Rygge was a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. It was merged into Moss municipality on January 1, 2020. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rygge. Rygge was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

The emblem of Rygge is the Pasque flower. Rygge is connected to Oslo by double-tracked railway, and four-lane motorway.

Rygge was served by Moss Airport, which has not been operational since 2016.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Rygge farm, since the first church was built there. The Old Norse form of the name is not known (the oldest manuscripts from 1353-1528 use the form "Ryg(g)jof"). A possible (but uncertain) reconstruction is Rýgjuhof. The first element would then be the genitive case of rýgja, a sideform of rýgr which means "lady". (Like ylgja to ylgr, both forms with the meaning 'she-wolf'.) The last element is probably hof meaning "temple". If this is correct, then the word rýgja most probably is referring to the goddess Freyja, since the meaning of the word freyja also is 'lady'.

An alternative explanation is that the word is derived from "rygg", which means "ridge", and related to place names like "Ryen" further east. The "ridge" in question would be the end moraine that runs across the landscape here, from the other side of the fjord and stretching east through Sweden and into the Baltic region. In Østfold, this moraine is referred to as the "Raet".

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. It was granted on 30 November 1984. The arms show a golden spur on a red background. A spur like this was found in the area that dated back to the Viking Age. It is one of the largest golden items that was ever found in Norway and was thus chosen as a symbol on the arms.

Rygge Church
Rygge church (Rygge kirke) is a medieval era church located in the village of Kirkegrenda. The church belongs to Vestre Borgesyssel deanery in Diocese of Borg. Rygge church is one of the county's better preserved medieval stone churches. It is built around the year 1170. Rygge church was originally a chapter church, which had income from a larger area than a parish and contained several villages. The building is characterized by the use of large stones, partly of granite, but parts of the facade is carved of stone cultivar, including large parts of the north portal. It has long nave and lower and narrower choir. The church was restored in 1967.

Military
Rygge Air Station replaced a temporary airfield constructed by German forces during World War II. The contemporary airfield, northeast of the highway and main railway is situated in Rygge and its neighbouring municipality Råde. It was constructed from 1952–1954 and until recently it was one of the largest establishments of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. The military use of the airfield is now much reduced. A civilian air terminal Moss Airport, Rygge, was opened in early 2008. The airport was closed to all civilian traffic on 1 November 2016 after its main commercial operator, Ryanair, decided to shut down its base there.

title: Rygge


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Våler, Østfold

Våler is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is Kirkebygden. The parish of Vaaler was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

Name
The Old Norse form of the name was Válir. This is the plural form of váll which means "a clearing in the woods". Prior to 1921, the name was written "Vaaler".

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 20 June 1986. The arms are based on the arms of the local Bolt family, who held several high functions in the 13th and 14th centuries. The arms are already seen in the seal of Agmund Berdorsson Bolt from 1400. The arms show a blue background divided in half vertically. On the left is half of a silver fleur-de-lis and on the right there are two yellow chevrons.

Våler Church
Våler Church (Våler kirke) is a medieval era church. The church was built in Romanesque style between 1150 and 1200. Over the years the church has been rebuilt and remodeled several times. One of the church's bells are probably cast before 1160. The altarpiece was given to the church in 1636. The octagonal font and ceiling above originates from 1697 and is carved in wood. The paintings hanging on the west and north walls of the nave is from around 1790.

Notable people

 * The Bolt family an aristocratic family in The Kingdom of Denmark-Norway from Østfold; it lasted from 1333 to 1580
 * Albert Nordengen (1923 in Våler – 2004) a banker and well liked Mayor of Oslo, 1976 to 1990
 * Dennis Olsen (born 1996 in Våler) a Norwegian racing driver
 * Mads Østberg (born 1987 in Våler) a Norwegian rally driver

title: Våler, Østfold


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Hobøl

Hobøl was a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Elvestad. Hobøl is situated about 40 km southeast of Oslo. The parish of Haabøl was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

The largest village in Hobøl was Tomter, whose railway station is served by Eastern Østfold Line. Other villages in the municipality were Knapstad, Ringvoll, and the middle part of the municipality which is called Hobøl.

Hobøl was suggested as the replacement site for a new airport to replace Fornebu, and in 1972 the Norwegian parliament voted to build it there. The 1973 oil crisis postponed that plan, and the new airport was finally built at Gardermoen, north of Oslo.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hobøl farm (Old Norse: Hóbœli), since the first church was built here. The first element is hór or hár meaning "high". The last element is bœli which means "farm". Thus the name means "the farm lying on a high ground". Prior to 1889 the name was written "Haabøl".

Coat-of-arms
The Coat-of-arms is from modern times. It was granted on 30 August 1985; it shows the municipality as seen from above. The municipality is mainly formed by a large valley, cut by the meandering Hobølelva river.

Sister cities
The following cities are twinned with Hobøl:
 * 🇪🇪 - Rõngu, Tartu County, Estonia

title: Hobøl


text:
Vestby

Vestby is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Follo traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vestby.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Vestby farm (Old Norse: Vestbýr), since the first church was built here. The first element is vestr which means "west" and the last element is býr meaning "farm". The neighbouring farms have the names Østby ("eastern farm"), Sunnby ("southern farm"), and Nordby ("northern farm"); and they must all four be the parts of a bigger and older farm, whose name is now unknown.

Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 18 June 1982 and designed by Bjørn Linnestad. The arms show three gold bottony crosses on a red background, two over one. They represent the three original parishes in the municipality: Vestby, Garder, and Såner. At the same time they also represent the three natural harbors in the area: Emmerstad, Kjøvangen, and Sonskilen.

History
Archaeological research in Hølen has confirmed that the area has been populated since about 2400 BC. There are various archeological finds in the area, such as the ones from the Bronze Age.

Many Norwegian emigrants went to America during the 1840s and later settled in the area of the present city of Westby, Wisconsin (named after general store owner and American Civil War Union soldier Ole T. Westby); a city which still has a mostly Norwegian American population.

Hølen became known for the production of timber. It became a lading place in the 17th century.

From the Renaissance until the 18th century, Son was an important harbour. On some Dutch maps from that time, the Oslofjord is called Zoon Water.

Vestby was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The municipality and lading place of Hølen was merged with Vestby on 1 July 1943. The municipality and lading place of Son was merged with Vestby on 1 January 1964. (The lading place of Hvitsten in Vestby has never been a municipality of its own.)

Geography
Vestby includes the villages Vestby, Hølen, Hvitsten, Garder, and Son. Recently urbanized areas are Randem, Pepperstad skog, and Sole skog. Randem is located north of the municipal centre, Vestby, and includes an industrial area. Pepperstad is located southwest of Vestby, by the road 155. Sole skog lies west of the centre. The village of Vestby has 5,424 inhabitants (2006). All the small towns together have over 13,000 inhabitants.

Notable residents

 * Johan Herman Wessel (1742 in Vestby – 1785) Danish-Norwegian poet and playwright, used parody and satiric wit
 * Ole Christopher Wessel (1744 in Vestby – 1794) a jurist, civil servant and landowner
 * Caspar Wessel (1745 in Vestby – 1818) Danish–Norwegian mathematician and cartographer
 * Erik Bodom (1829 in Vestby – 1879) a Norwegian landscape painter
 * Oluf Wold-Torne (1867 in Vestby – 1919) painter of landscapes and still lifes
 * Rudolf Olsen (1882 in Hvitsten – 1951) shipping magnate, CEO of Fred. Olsen & Co.
 * Edith Roger (born 1922 in Vestby – 2023) a dancer, choreographer and stage director
 * Bodil Cappelen (born 1930) a painter, textile artist and book illustrator; lives in Son
 * Svend Wam (1946 in Son – 2017) a Norwegian film director
 * Trond André Bolle (1968 in Vestby – 2010) a military officer of Norwegian Navy Special Operations Command
 * Marit Fiane Grødum (born 1980 in Vestby) a footballer with over 150 club caps and 86 for Norway women
 * Jørn Stubberud (born 1968) a bassist of the Norwegian band Mayhem

Twin towns – Sister cities
Vestby is twinned with the following municipality:
 * 🇸🇪 Vara, Västra Götaland, Sweden

title: Vestby


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Ski, Norway

Ski is a town and former municipality in the new municipality (as of January 1, 2020) of Nordre Follo Municipality in the greater region Follo, in Akershus county, Norway.

Ski is the most populous and largest town in Follo, and serves as the de facto municipality center of Nordre Follo. Institutions like the hospital, tingrett (district court), police station, and other regional public services, are located in and around the town of Ski.

Etymology
The municipality of Ski inherited its name from the town of Ski, upon being instated as a separate municipality, with the town as its administrative centre. The town of Ski is named after a large farm called Skeidi (Old Norse: Skeiði). The word skeiði is a side form of skeið, meaning "running track for horse racing" - suggesting that there may have been such a track at the farm in medieval times.

Accordingly, and contrary to popular assumption, the name is a reference to horse racing, not skiing.

History
Archeological remains from settlements dating as far back as 11,000 years have been found in the Ski and Ås areas. Stone Age tools are still being found when fields are ploughed, and Ski has more than 300 registered ancient historical artifacts.

From the Middle Ages and up to modern times the areas of Kråkstad and Ski were originally administered as medieval church parishes, and each have a medieval stone church from the 1150s. During the 19th century, Kråkstad was the political and administrative centre of the municipality.

On July 1, 1931, the rural, but rapidly growing municipality of Kråkstad was split into two separate municipalities. The village of Ski was chosen as the administrative centre of the northern part, thus giving its name to the new municipality. The village of Kråkstad remained the administrative centre of the southern part, retaining its original name.

By 1964 Ski had developed into a busy town and trading hub for the surrounding, rural areas. Ski municipality had by far outgrown its southern neighbour economically and population-wise. Consequently, on January 1, Kråkstad was officially absorbed into Ski municipality, ceasing to be a municipality of its own. Today, the name "Kråkstad" simply refers to the village, just southeast of the much larger town of Ski.

Coat of arms
The current coat of arms was approved on December 19, 1986. It was based on a logo used since 1979. It was designed to reflect the original meaning of the name "Ski" - thus depicting three silver horse heads arranged in a triskelion on a blue background.

Geography
Ski is located in Akershus county, south of Oslo. It borders Oppegård Municipality to the west, Enebakk Municipality to the east, Ås Municipality to the south-west and Hobøl Municipality to the south-east. Ski is an inland municipality and is separated from the Oslofjord by Oppegård and Ås.

The landscape is dominated by rolling hills, covered in forest and farmland interspersed with settlements. In fact, 102.12 of the total of 165.5 square kilometres of land area belonging to the municipality are forest. Apart from the town of Ski, other notable settlements are the villages of Kråkstad and Siggerud, and the larger, sub-urban area of Langhus.

Both major roads leading from Oslo through eastern Norway to Sweden, the E6 and E18, pass through Ski, as well as the main southbound railway line.

Economy
Ski is traditionally a rural municipality, and agriculture is still prominent. However, its location at the centre of the district, with Norway's two most important main roads intersecting nearby and the main railway line passing through, has made it the commercial and transport hub of the region. This has drawn companies to set up headquarters, factories and logistics hubs in the area, boosting the economy.

Ski town is a regional passenger hub for the national rail service, Vy, and as much of Ski municipality is easily reachable by train or car from central Oslo, the number of people living in Ski and commuting to Oslo has increased rapidly over the last 30 years, and is set to continue increasing - as immigration and birthrates in the Oslo/Akershus region is strong and housing in Oslo proper is of limited availability - and therefore costly.

Ski town has retained its traditional status as a market town and trading hub, and is home to the largest shopping centre in the district and one of the largest in Norway – Ski Storsenter. Ski town is also the political and administrative hub of the Follo region, and the local police headquarter, hospital, and district court - as well as a number of inter-municipal services companies, are located there.

Geology
Ski, as most of Follo, lies on ancient rock foundations. Throughout the local area from east to west there is a moraine left from the Ice age.

Sports
There are numerous sports clubs in Ski municipality, covering a wide range of sports. Most are junior or amateur sports clubs. The best known sports team is the football team Follo FK, which is based in Ski town. Follo FK is a joint effort by a number of local sports clubs in the Follo district, in order to be able to field a national-level football team. Follo FK currently (2016) plays in the 2nd division of the national football league, having played both in the 1st division and in the 3rd division previously, and have played in the national cup finals twice.

Notable people

 * Borghild Holmsen (1865 in Kråkstad – 1938) a Norwegian pianist, music critic and composer
 * Gunhild Ziener (1868 in Ski – 1937) a Norwegian politician and pioneer in Norway's women's movement
 * Ingrid Bjoner (1927 in Kråkstad – 2006) a Norwegian operatic soprano, portrayed Wagnerian heroines
 * Alf Magne Austad (1946–2013) a realist painter, lived in Ski
 * Anne Kristine Linnestad (born 1961) a politician, Mayor of Ski, 2011 to 2015
 * Trude Mostue (born 1968) a veterinary surgeon and TV presenter, brought up in Siggerud
 * Martin Andresen (born 1977 in Kråkstad) a former footballer with 355 club caps and 43 for Norway
 * Tuva Moflag (born 1979) a Norwegian politician, Mayor of Ski, 2015 to 2017
 * Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth Koren (born 1984 in Ski) a retired handball player, 279 caps with Norway women and three time Olympic team medallist
 * Fredric Aasbø (born 1985 in Ski) a professional drifter and stunt driver

Twin towns and sister cities
Ski municipality is twinned with:
 * Gladsaxe, Denmark
 * 🇪🇪 Viimsi Parish, Estonia
 * 🇸🇪 Solna, Sweden

title: Ski, Norway