Randsfjorden isNorway'sfourth-largestlake with an area of 140.7 km² (54.3 sq mi). Its volume is estimated at just over 6.6 km³ (1.6 cu mi), and its greatest depth is 131 m (430 ft). The lake is located at an elevation of 135 m (443 ft) above sea level. It is located inInnlandet andAkershus counties in the municipalities ofGran,Jevnaker,Nordre Land, andSøndre Land in the districts ofLand andHadeland. It is drained by theRandselva river.

Randsfjorden
Looking south fromGrimsrud
Randsfjorden Location of the lake Show map of Innlandet Randsfjorden Randsfjorden (Akershus) Show map of Akershus Randsfjorden Randsfjorden (Norway) Show map of Norway
Location	Innlandet andAkershus
Coordinates	60°23′25″N10°23′39″E / 60.39028°N 10.39417°E /60.39028; 10.39417
Type	glacial fjord lake
Primary inflows	Dokka andEtna
Primary outflows	Randselva
Catchment area	3,701.54 km2 (1,429.17 sq mi)
Basin countries	Norway
Max. length	74.5 km (46.3 mi)
Max. width	4 km (2.5 mi)
Surface area	140.69 km2 (54.32 sq mi)
Average depth	47 m (154 ft)
Max. depth	131 m (430 ft)
Water volume	6.612 km3 (1.586 cu mi)
Shore length1	203 km (126 mi)
Surface elevation	135 m (443 ft)
References	NVE[1]
1 Shore length isnot a well-defined measure.

InHeimskringla,Snorri Sturluson recorded thatHalfdan the Black (Halvdan Svarte), father ofHarald Hårfagre, the first King of Norway, journeyed over the lake while returning home from a visit toHadeland. Traveling with ahorse andsleigh while the lake was supposedly frozen, he fell through the ice and drowned.^[2]

In modern times, manygolf courses have been set up on the edge of the lake. TheTangen–Horn ferry runs between Horn on the east bank and Tangen on the west, which is Norway's last remaining and regularly operating car ferry connection on an inland lake. The sightseeing boatMSKong Haud sails on the Randsfjorden fromJevnaker toOdnes.^[3]

TheOld Norse form of the name was justRǫnd, derived from the wordrǫnd which means "stripe" or "edge" (referring to the long and narrow form of the lake). The last element-fjorden (the finite form offjord) is a later addition to the name that was first recorded in 1691. Although the term "fjord" usually describes a saltwater inlet that is connected to the ocean, the Randsfjorden is actually afreshwater lake with a narrow shape, approximately aligned on a north–south axis.^[4]

• List of lakes of Norway
•   Media related toRandsfjorden at Wikimedia Commons