Vest-Telemark

Vest-Telemark (lit. 'West-Telemark') is a traditional district in Norway. The 7,699-square-kilometre (2,973 sq mi) area comprises the western areas of the larger region known as Upper Telemark (Norwegian: Øvre Telemark) in Vestfold og Telemark county. The region consists of six municipalities: Fyresdal, Tokke, Vinje, Nissedal, Kviteseid, and Seljord. In 2020, there were 13,903 residents in the region. The area of Vest-Telemark was historically called Øvre Telemark vestfjelske.^[2][4]

Vest-Telemark Øvre Telemark vestfjelske (historic)
District
The river Bora in Vinje on the border to Vestland
Coordinates: 59.4653°N 8.0200°E / 59.4653; 8.0200
Country	Norway
County	Vestfold og Telemark
Region	Østlandet
Area [1]
• Total	7,699 km2 (2,973 sq mi)
Population  (2020)[2]
• Total	13,903
• Density	1.8/km2 (4.7/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Teledøl Telemarking[3]
Historical population Year Pop. ±% 1951 16,375 —     1960 17,037 +4.0% 1970 15,846 −7.0% 1980 15,746 −0.6% 1990 15,706 −0.3% 2000 14,770 −6.0% 2010 14,251 −3.5% 2020 13,903 −2.4% Source: Statistics Norway[2]

The region is known for its folk traditions within music, clothing, handcrafts, food, and architecture. The region is also distinctly marked by its dialects of Norwegian. This form of Norwegian is among those containing the most traces of the Old Norse language and grammar. This area uses the Nynorsk written form of Norwegian.

Vest-Telemark is also the home of slalom (slalåm) skiing, Telemark skiing, and ski jumping (with its characteristic Telemark landing). "The Cradle of Modern Skiing" is found in Morgedal.

Municipalities

Name	Population (in 2020)	Language form	Website
Fyresdal	1287	Nynorsk	Fyresdal.kommune.no
Kviteseid	2403	Nynorsk	Kviteseid.kommune.no
Nissedal	1448	Nynorsk	Nissedal.kommune.no
Seljord	2888	Nynorsk	Seljord.kommune.no
Tokke	2201	Nynorsk	Tokke.kommune.no
Vinje	3676	Nynorsk	Vinje.kommune.no

Notable people from Vest-Telemark

• Aslaug Vaa, author from Rauland in Vinje
• Vidkun Quisling, politician from Fyresdal
• Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, author from Vinje
• Tarjei Vesaas, author from Vinje
• Odd Nordstoga, musician from Vinje
• Sondre Norheim, father of modern skiing who was from Morgedal
• Ivar Peterson Tveiten, politician from Fyresdal
• Anne Grimdalen, sculptor from Skafså in Tokke
• Eivind Groven, composer from Lårdal in Tokke
• Eivind Hovden, guitarist from Dalen in Tokke
• Dyre Vaa, sculptor from Rauland in Vinje
• Halldis Moren Vesaas, author from Vinje
• Terje Haakonsen, master snowboarder Vinje
• Sven Erik Kristiansen, internationally acclaimed musician Rauland in Vinje

References

1. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
2. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
3. "Innbyggjarnamn". sprakradet.no.
4. Bolstad, Erik, ed. (17 March 2021). "Vest-Telemark". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 8 January 2023.