Østfold fylke, Norway

Østfold is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden (Västra Götaland County and Värmland), while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The county administration is in Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the biggest city.

Østfold is located between the Oslo Fjord and Sweden. It is dominated by a hilly landscape with a lot of woodland in the north and along the Swedish border, a major lake system in the central part and highly dense lowland area along the coast, with a relatively large archipelago. Most of the county's population is located in the coastal area. Cities such as Moss, Sarpsborg, Fredrikstad and Halden are placed here, along with some relatively highly populated rural municipalities. Including these coastal cities, Østfold also has another two cities, Askim and Mysen. This makes Østfold the richest county in the country in terms of number of cities.

Østfold is among the nation's oldest inhabited regions, with petroglyphs (rock drawings) and mounds throughout the area. Many manufacturing communities are situated here. Moss and Fredrikstad have shipyards. Granite mines are situated in Østfold, granite stone from these was used by Gustav Vigeland.

The county slogan: "The heartland of Scandinavia". The local dialect is characterized by the geographical proximity to Sweden.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%98stfold