| Oslofjord | |
|---|---|
| Oslofjorden | |
 Map of the inlet | |
| Location | Southeast Norway |
| Coordinates | 59°48′08″N10°33′09″E / 59.80229°N 10.55237°E /59.80229; 10.55237 |
| Type | Fjord |
| Primary outflows | Skagerrak |
| Basin countries | Norway |
| Max. length | 120 kilometres (75 mi) |
| Settlements | Oslo |
TheOslofjord (Norwegian:Oslofjorden,Urban East Norwegian:[ˈʊ̂ʂlʊˌfjuːɳ]; English:Oslo Fjord[1][2][3]) is an inlet in southeasternNorway. The 120-kilometre (75 mi) fjord begins at the small village of Bonn inFrogn Municipality and stretching northwards to the city ofOslo, and then curving to the east and then south again. It then flows south to an imaginary line running between theTorbjørnskjær Lighthouse andFærder Lighthouse where it becomes part of theSkagerrak strait. The Skagerrak connects theNorth Sea and theKattegat sea area, which leads to theBaltic Sea. The Oslofjord is not afjord in the geological sense, but in theNorwegian language, the termfjord can refer to a wide range of waterways including inlets such as this one.[4]
The bay is divided into the inner (indre) andouter (ytre) Oslofjord, separated by the 17 km (11 mi) long by 1 km (0.62 mi) wideDrøbak Sound. The innermost part is known asBunnefjorden.
From 1624 until 1925 the name of the fjord wasChristianiafjorden (orKristianiafjorden), since Christiania was the name of the capital during this period (theCh was changed to aK in 1877). Before that time, theOld Norse name of the fjord wasFold. The old nameFold led to the names of the counties ofVestfold ('the district west of Fold') andØstfold ('the district east of Fold') as well as the nearby district ofFollo.[4]
Each of the islands in the innermost part of the fjord has its own identity and distinguishing history. Among them are Hovedøya, Lindøya, Nakholmen, Bleikøya, Gressholmen, and Langøyene. These islands can be reached with the Oslo boats fromAker Brygge. Hovedøya is known for containing monastery ruins, Gressholmen for its rabbits, Nakholmen, Bleikøya, Lindøya for their cosy cabins at the water's edge, and finally Langøyene for its camping possibilities and beach.[5]
The inner part of the Oslofjord has steep and forest covered hill slopes down towards the fjord.[citation needed]
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The Oslofjord has Norway's highest all year temperature: 7.5 °C (45.5 °F). February is the coldest month in the fjord with −1.3 °C (29.7 °F), while July normally reaches 17.2 °C (63.0 °F). The islands in the middle of the fjord are among Norway's warmest with high summer temperatures and moderate winters. The Oslofjord's relatively high temperatures enable various flora to flourish.[citation needed]
The oldest settlements in the area surrounding the Oslofjord date from theStone Age and theBronze Age. It was here on the eastern and western shores that three of the best preserved Viking ships were unearthed, including theGokstad ship. In historical times, this bay was known by the current name of the region,Viken ('the bay').[6]
Oslofjord has been an important body of water strategically due to its proximity to the capital city of Oslo. DuringWorld War II, there wereGerman installations at several points on its coastline. One installation inHovedøya held 1,100Wehrmacht soldiers and later women deemed Nazicollaborators at theNational Internment Camp for Women in Hovedøya.[7]
Norwegian painterEdvard Munch had a cottage and studio inÅsgårdstrand on the fjord and the Oslofjord appears in several of his paintings, includingThe Scream andGirls on the Pier.[8]
The fjord was the scene of a key event in theGerman invasion of Norway in April 1940, theBattle of Drøbak Sound. The invasion plan envisaged landing of 1,000 troops transported by ship to Oslo.Colonel Eriksen, Commander of theOscarsborg fortress near Drøbak, mainly maintained for historical purposes, sank the Germanheavy cruiserBlücher in theDrøbak narrows.[9]
The fortress's resistance blocked the route to Oslo, thus delaying the rest of the invading group long enough for the Norwegian royal family, government, parliament, and national treasury to evacuate. Thus Norway never surrendered to the Germans, leaving theQuisling government illegitimate and permitting Norway to participate as anally inthe war, rather than as a conquered nation.[citation needed]
The entire population situated around the Oslofjord including Oslo is about 1.96 million, and the total population of all the counties situated around the fjord is approximately 2.2 million.[citation needed]
More than 40% of Norway's population resides under 45 minutes of driving from the Oslofjord.[10] The Oslofjord has Norway's busiest traffic of ferries and cargo boats.[4]
Although the Oslofjord contains hundreds of populated islands, most of the population of the fjord resides on the mainland.[citation needed]
In the summer there are boats of all sizes on the fjord, and it is possible to go kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and sailing.
The Oslofjord is one of the nine venues of theClass 1 World Powerboat Championship.
A walrus that has become a popular attraction in the Oslo Fjord ...
[...] the new cruiserBlücher, carrying thousands of German troops, approached Oscarsborg. [...] Local commander Colonel Birger Eriksen, knowing the gunners' limitations, held his fire until the last moment. [...] One shell hit the cruiser's anti-aircraft control centre, while the other smashed into an aviation fuel store, causing a pillar of flame to leap skywards. After suffering two further hits from shore-based torpedoes, within minutesBlücher was engulfed in fire and listing heavily, her ammunition exploding. The ship sank with the loss of a thousand German lives.
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