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Buskerud (Urban East Norwegian pronunciation:[ˈbʉ̂skərʉː]ⓘ) is acounty and a currentelectoral district inNorway, borderingAkershus,Oslo,Innlandet,Vestland,Telemark andVestfold. The region extends from theOslofjord andDrammensfjorden in the southeast toHardangervidda mountain range in the northwest. The county administration was in modern times located inDrammen.[2] Buskerud was merged withAkershus andØstfold into the newly createdViken County on 1 January 2020.[3] On 23 February 2022, the Viken County Council voted in a 49 against 38 decision to submit an application to the Norwegian government for a county demerger.[4] Due to this, Buskerud (except the area forming the defunct municipalities of Røyken and Hurum) was re-established in 2024.
Buskerud's western part was a mountainous plateau with forested valleys and high, grassy pastures; its eastern part contains a lowland basin with many lakes and streams.Tyrifjorden andKrøderen were the biggest lakes.Numedalslågen, the third longest river in Norway, starting inHordaland, ran through Buskerud unto Vestfold where it reached the sea, while riverBegna sweeps into lakeSperillen.
Buskerud was separated fromAkershus as anamt of its own in 1685, but the amt was smaller than today. It then consisted of the present districtsEiker,Hallingdal, andRingerike. The area of the present municipalities ofFlesberg,Hurum,Kongsberg,Lier,Nore og Uvdal,Rollag andRøyken were transferred from Akershus amt to Buskerud amt in 1760. The nameBuskeruds amt was changed toBuskerud fylke in 1919. The municipality ofSkoger was transferred fromVestfold to Buskerud in 1964.[16]
The area Ringerike may once have been a small kingdom. During the 10th century, Norway's kingsOlaf Tryggvason andOlaf Haraldsson grew up at Bønsnes in Ringerike. In the valley ofNumedal,silver was mined inKongsberg from the 17th century until discontinued in 1957. Weapons industry had been developed in Kongsberg from 1814, and various high tech industry companies now represent the town's major employers. AtModum there was alsoBlaafarveværket, acobaltpigment production works (Blue Colour Works).[17]
Today, agriculture, lumber, wood-pulp mills and other related industries are the county's main economic activities; ample hydroelectric power is produced by the rivers Begna (Begnaelva) and Rands (Randselva) . Buskerud has also a large forested area. Substantial income is derived from high tech industries located in Kongsberg. Other significant income comes from the cabin areas in northern Buskerud.[18][19]
Buskerud's coat of arms were adopted in April 1966. It features a blue bear whose colours are symbolic of theblue colour works. The silver background of Buskerud's coat of arms represents thesilver industry in Kongsberg.
