View source for Vest-Agder

{{use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Short description|Former county of Norway}}
{{Infobox kommune
|name                   = Vest-Agder
|fylke                  = yes
|former                 = yes
|native_name            = 
|native_name_lang       = 
|other_name             = 
|official_name          = 
|image_skyline          = Lindesnes Fyr.jpg
|image_caption          = [[Lindesnes Lighthouse]] in September 2011
|idnumber               = 10
|county                 = Vest-Agder
|district               = [[Southern Norway]]
|capital                = [[Kristiansand (town)|Kristiansand]]
|established            = 1685
|preceded               = [[Agdesiden]]
|disestablished         = 1 Jan 2020
|succeeded              = [[Agder]] county
|demonym                = Vestegde
|language               = Neutral
|coatofarms             = 
|flag                   = 
|webpage                = 
|county_mayor           = Terje Damman
|county_mayor_party     = [[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]]
|county_mayor_as_of     = 2011-2019
|governor               = [[Stein Arve Ytterdahl]]
|governor_party         = 
|governor_as_of         = 2016-2019
|area_rank              = 
|area_total_km2         = 7276.53
|area_land_km2          = 6678.89
|area_water_km2         = 597.64
|area_water_percent     = 
|population_as_of       = 30 September 2019
|population_rank        = 
|population_total       = 188722
|population_density_km2 = 27.4
|population_increase    = 12.6
|income_per_capita      = 137,000
|income_year            = 2001
|GDP                    = 219,928
|GDP_year               = 2001
|GDP_rank               = 14
|GDP_rank_percent       = 2.27
|coordinates            = {{coord|58.5|07.1|type:adm1st_region:NO|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''Vest-Agder''' ({{IPA|no|ˈvɛ̂stˌɑɡdər|lang|Vest-Agder.ogg}}; "West Agder") was one of 18 [[Counties of Norway|counties]] (''fylker'') in [[Norway]] from 1 January 1919 to 31 December 2019, after it was merged with [[Aust-Agder]] to form [[Agder]] county. In 2016, there were 182,701 inhabitants, around 3.5% of the total population of Norway. Its area was about {{convert|7277|km2}}. The county administration was located in its largest city, [[Kristiansand]].

Vest-Agder was a major source of timber for [[Netherlands|Dutch]] and later [[England|English]] shipping from the 16th century onwards. Historically, the area exported timber, wooden products,  [[salmon]], [[herring]], ships, and later nickel, paper, and ferrous and silica alloys. Compared to other [[counties of Norway]], today's exports-intensive industry produces shipping and offshore equipment ([[National Oilwell Varco]]), cranes ([[Cargotec]]), ships ([[Umoe Mandal]], Flekkefjord Slip), wind turbine equipment, nickel ([[Glencore]]), and solar industry [[microsilica]] ([[Elkem]]). A major tourist attraction is [[Kristiansand Dyrepark]].

Vest-Agder grew to political prominence with the decision of King [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]] to establish Kristiansand as a key naval base, trading centre, and bishopric in [[1641]], forcing urban citizens and merchants from all over Agder to settle in the city. The county had large-scale emigration to North America from the [[1850s]] onwards.

==General information==
===Name===
{{see also|Aust-Agder#Name}}
The meaning of the name is "(the) western (part of) [[Agder]]".

''Lister og Mandal [[amt (country subdivision)|amt]]'' was created on 1 January 1662 and it consisted of the two old [[counties of Norway|len]]s of ''[[Lista|Lister]]'' and [[Mandal (municipality)|Mandal]].  This name continued until 1 January 1919, when the name was changed to Vest-Agder.

===Coat-of-arms===
The coat-of-arms is from modern times.  They were granted on 12 December 1958.  They show an [[oak]] tree in yellow on a green background, representing the historic rich nature and oak woods in the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fotw.us/flags/no-10.html|date=28 June 2002|title=Kommunevåpen|publisher=Flags of the World|access-date=28 September 2008|archive-date=19 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419130038/http://www.fotw.us/flags/no-10.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Vest-Agder county house.jpg|thumb|left|Vest-Agder county house in [[Kristiansand]]]]
Vest-Agder is the western and southernmost part of the current county of [[Agder]], extending inland from the [[North Sea]] and its arm, the [[Skagerrak]], to the southern fringes of [[Setesdal]]en, surrounded by the mountain range [[Setesdalsheiene]]. It includes the southernmost point of the entire country, Pysen island south of [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]], and the southernmost part of continental Norway, [[Lindesnes]]. It has a very broken and hilly surface.  From the coast there are six [[valley]]s that stretch north into the county: [[Audnedalen]], [[Lyngdalen]], Kvinesdalen, [[Mandalen]], Sirdalen, and Otradalen (which continues into Aust-Agder where it is called [[Setesdal]]en).

Most of the habitation lies along the coast, including the towns [[Kristiansand]], [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]], [[Flekkefjord]], and [[Farsund]]. About 31 [[fjord]]s are located there.  The northern portion is mountainous and sparsely settled, while the central upland [[moorland|moors]] are used for pasturing of [[cattle]] and [[Domestic sheep|sheep]].  Since the [[Gulf Stream]] touches the coast of Vest-Agder, it is also called "the Norwegian Riviera", and Agder as a whole is also called "The California of Norway".

==History==
{{stack|{{Historical populations
|footnote = '''''Source''': [http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/02/02/folkendrhist_en/tables/tab/10.html Statistics Norway].''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://statbank.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/Default_FR.asp?PXSid=0&nvl=true&PLanguage=0&tilside=selecttable%2FhovedtabellHjem.asp&KortnavnWeb=folkfram |title=Projected population - Statistics Norway |access-date=2012-05-26 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526193657/http://statbank.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/Default_FR.asp?PXSid=0&nvl=true&PLanguage=0&tilside=selecttable/hovedtabellHjem.asp&KortnavnWeb=folkfram |archive-date=2012-05-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|shading = off
|1951|96942
|1961|109083
|1971|124171
|1981|136718
|1991|145091
|2001|156878
|2011|172408
}}}}
{{bar box
|title=Religion in Vest-Agder<ref>[https://archive.today/20120716151336/http://statbank.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/Default_FR.asp?PXSid=0&nvl=true&PLanguage=0&tilside=selecttable/hovedtabellHjem.asp&KortnavnWeb=kirke_kostra Statistics Norway - Church of Norway.]</ref><ref>[http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/07/02/10/trosamf_en/tab-2010-12-13-02-en.html Statistics Norway - Members of religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway, by religion/life stance. County. 2006-2010] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102060754/http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/07/02/10/trosamf_en/tab-2010-12-13-02-en.html |date=November 2, 2011 }}</ref>
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=religion
|right1=percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Christianity]]|Purple|85.66}}
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|Green|1.29}}
{{bar percent|[[Buddhism]]|Red|0.33}}
{{bar percent|Other|Blue|12.72}}
}}

The oldest ever remains of an 8,000+ year old human in Norway has been found at [[Søgne]], she endured an almost exclusively marine diet. In Kristiansand, a ''Sarup''-style [[Neolithic]] funeral site from 3,400 BC has been excavated. Just before and after the onset of the [[common era]], the region was uniquely rich in sites dedicated to the God Ull (Ullr), and also had a semi-urban settlement at Oddernes (Kristiansand). Norway's first possible all-national king, [[Halvdan Svarte]], was raised probably in the [[Kvinesdal]] valley at a matrimonial manor, his mother was presumably the daughter of King Harald of Agder. He was followed  by his son King [[Harald Fairhair]], who had his easternmost manor at Kongsgård near Kristiansand. Churches are known since Viking ages. Vest-Agder was not particularly preeminent in the later Viking and Medieval Ages. [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]] (Vesterrisør) and Kristiansand (Ottrunes) had semi-urban trading centers from the 1300s onwards, but did not enjoy urban economic privileges until the 1632 (Mandal) and 1641 (Kristiansand). A general lack of agricultural fertility made the region remaining a relatively poor part of Norway through the centuries.

In the 16th century, [[Dutch people|Dutch]] [[merchant vessel]]s began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase [[salmon]] and other goods.  Soon thereafter the export of [[Lumber|timber]] began, as [[oak]] from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for [[shipbuilding]].  As the [[Netherlands]] developed in the 17th century, it began to suffer from a severe labor shortage, and many families from Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder emigrated to the Netherlands, especially the coastal areas.

In the 19th century, emigration to the [[United States]] started.  One of the most important causes of this emigration was the emergence of [[steamboat|steamship]]s.  While Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder historically had very strong positions in the manufacture and repair of [[sailing ship]]s, the shift to steamships was poorly utilised and resulted in a cyclical slope for the shipbuilding and shipping industries. Emigration to the United States was a means of escaping from the high unemployment that followed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vest-Agder genealogy resources|url=http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~norway/vest_agder.html|last=Follesdal|first=John|publisher=[[Ancestry.com]]|access-date=2009-12-15}}</ref>
Many [[United States|Americans]] returning to the county after [[Norway]] became prosperous. This feature is particularly predominant in [[Kvinesdal]] and [[Farsund]] in the west, which maintains strong cultural links with the [[United States]].

During [[World War II]] the area had substantial fortifications and German personnel, with major bases and airfields in Lista, Mandal and Kristiansand. [[Batterie Vara]] near Kristiansand was constructed as one out of two 40&nbsp;cm coastal artillery forts covering the Skagerrak Sea in conjunction with a similar fort in northern Denmark. After the war, Kristiansand grew considerably whereas other cities lost much of their relative economic and demographic importance.

==Municipalities==
On 1 January 1838, all the counties were divided into local administrative units each with their own governments (see [[formannskapsdistrikt]]). The number and borders of these [[List of municipalities of Norway|municipalities]] were based on the [[parish]]es of the [[Church of Norway]].  Over time the number and locations of these have changed, and at present there are 15 municipalities in Vest-Agder.  The municipality of [[Åseral]] was part of the neighboring county of [[Aust-Agder|Nedenes]] until 1880, when it was moved to Vest-Agder.<ref name="Dag">{{cite report |first=Dag |last=Jukvam |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |year=1999 |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |language=no}}</ref>

=== Municipalities before 2020 ===
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Rank
! Name
! Inhabitants
! Area km<sup>2</sup>
|- align="center"
| {{nts|1}}
| align="left" | [[File:Kristiansand komm.svg|20px|Kristiansand kommune]] [[Kristiansand]]
| align="right" | {{nts|90000}}
| align="right" | {{nts|261}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|2}}
| align="left"  | [[File:Coat of Arms of Mandal.svg|20px|Mandal kommune]] [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]]
| align="right" | {{nts|14696}}
| align="right" | {{nts|212}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|3}}
| align="left" | [[File:Vennesla komm.svg|20px|Vennesla kommune]] [[Vennesla]]
| align="right" | {{nts|13116}}
| align="right" | {{nts|363}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|4}}
| align="left" | [[File:Søgne komm.svg|20px|Søgne kommune]] [[Søgne]]
| align="right" | {{nts|12509}}
| align="right" | {{nts|144}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|5}}
| align="left" | [[File:Farsund komm.svg|20px|Farsund kommune]] [[Farsund]]
| align="right" | {{nts|9310}}
| align="right" | {{nts|252}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|6}}
| align="left" | [[File:Flekkefjord komm.svg|20px|Flekkefjord kommune]] [[Flekkefjord]]
| align="right" | {{nts|9003}}
| align="right" | {{nts|482}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|7}}
| align="left" | [[File:Lyngdal komm.svg|20px|Lyngdal kommune]] [[Lyngdal]]
| align="right" | {{nts|7739}}
| align="right" | {{nts|372}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|8}}
| align="left" | [[File:Songdalen komm.svg|20px|Songdalen kommune]] [[Songdalen]]
| align="right" | {{nts|5940}}
| align="right" | {{nts|207}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|9}}
| align="left" | [[File:Kvinesdal komm.svg|20px|Kvinesdal kommune]] [[Kvinesdal]]
| align="right" | {{nts|5776}}
| align="right" | {{nts|893}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|10}}
| align="left" | [[File:Lindesnes komm.svg|20px|Lindesnes kommune]] [[Lindesnes]]
| align="right" | {{nts|4661}}
| align="right" | {{nts|299}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|11}}
| align="left" | [[File:Marnardal komm.svg|20px|Marnardal kommune]] [[Marnardal]]
| align="right" | {{nts|2231}}
| align="right" | {{nts|379}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|12}}
| align="left" | [[File:Sirdal komm.svg|20px|Sirdal kommune]] [[Sirdal]]
| align="right" | {{nts|1790}}
| align="right" | {{nts|1555}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|13}}
| align="left" | [[File:Audnedal komm.svg|20px|Audnedal kommune]] [[Audnedal]]
| align="right" | {{nts|1670}}
| align="right" | {{nts|251}}
|- align="center"
| {{nts|14}}
| align="left" | [[File:Hægebostad komm.svg|20px|Hægebostad kommune]] [[Hægebostad]]
| align="right" | {{nts|1624}}
| align="right" | {{nts|426}}
|- align="center"
|- align="center"
| {{nts|15}}
| align="left" | [[File:Åseral komm.svg|20px|Åseral kommune]] [[Åseral]]
| align="right" | {{nts|917}}
| align="right" | {{nts|801}}
|- align="center"
|- align="center"
|- bgcolor="pink" align="center" class="sortbottom"
|bgcolor="pink"| '''Total'''
|bgcolor="pink" align="left"| '''Vest-Agder'''
|bgcolor="pink" align="right"| '''{{nts|182377}}'''
|bgcolor="pink" align="right"| '''{{nts|7281}}'''
|}
{{col-break}}
[[File:VestAgder-kommuner.gif|thumb|400px|Municipalities in Vest-Agder before 2020.]]
{{col-end}}

==Cities==
{{Main|list of towns and cities in Norway}}
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Alleen]]
* [[Farsund (town)|Farsund]]
* [[Flekkefjord (town)|Flekkefjord]]
* [[Kristiansand]]
* [[Alleen|Lyngdal]]
* [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]]
{{div col end}}

==Parishes==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Austad Church (Lyngdal)|Austad]]
* [[Bakke Church (Agder)|Bakke]]
* [[Bjelland Church|Bjelland]]
* [[Eiken Church|Eiken (Egen)]]
* Farsund
* [[Feda Church|Feda]]
* [[Finsland Church|Finsland]]
* [[Fjotland Church|Fjotland]]
* [[Flekkefjord Church|Flekkefjord]]
* [[Flekkerøy Church|Flekkerøy]]
* [[Frelseren Church|Frelseren]]
* [[Greipstad Church|Greipstad]]
* [[Grim Church|Grim]]
* [[Grindheim Church (Agder)|Grindheim (Grindum)]]
* [[Gyland Church|Gyland]]
* Halse (Halsaa)
* [[Harkmark Church|Harkmark]]
* [[Haughom Chapel|Haughom]]
* [[Hellemyr Church|Hellemyr]]
* [[Herad Church (Agder)|Herad (Herred)]]
* [[Hidra Church|Hidra (Hitterø)]]
* [[Holum Church|Holum (Holme)]]
* [[Hægebostad Church|Hægebostad (Øvre Kvinesdal)]]
* [[Hægeland Church|Hægeland (Heggeland)]]
* [[Hånes Church|Hånes]]
* [[Justvik Church|Justvik]]
* [[Konsmo Church|Konsmo]]
* [[Korshamn Chapel|Korshamn]]
* [[Kristiansand Cathedral|Kristiansand]]
* {{lang|no|Kristiansand tukthus}}
* [[Kvinesdal Church|Kvinesdal]]
* [[Kvævemoen Chapel|Kvævemoen]]
* [[Kvås Church|Kvås (Qvås)]]
* [[Laudal Church|Laudal]]
* Liknes, see Kvinesdal
* Lista (Vanse)
* [[Ljosland Chapel|Ljosland]]
* [[Lund Church (Agder)|Lund]]
* [[Lunde Church (Agder)|Lunde]]
* [[Lyngdal Church (Agder)|Lyngdal]]
* [[Mandal Church|Mandal]]
* Nes
* Nord-Audnedal
* [[Netlandsnes Chapel|Netlandsnes]]
* [[Oddernes Church|Oddernes]]
* [[Randesund Church|Randesund]]
* Sirdal
* [[Spangereid Church|Spangereid]]
* [[Spind Church|Spind]]
* [[Søgne Church|Søgne]]
* [[Old Søgne Church|Old Søgne]]
* [[Søm Church|Søm]]
* Sør-Audnedal
* [[Tonstad Church|Tonstad]]
* [[Torridal Church|Torridal]]
* [[Tveit Church (Agder)|Tveit]]
* [[Valle, Norway|Valle]]
* [[Vanse Church|Vanse]]
* [[Vennesla Church|Vennesla]]
* [[Vestbygda Chapel|Vestbygda]]
* [[Vigmostad Church|Vigmostad]]
* [[Voie Church|Voie]]
* [[Vågsbygd Church|Vågsbygd]]
* [[Øvrebø Church|Øvrebø]]
* Øvre Sirdal
* [[Øyslebø Church|Øyslebø]]
* [[Åknes Chapel|Åknes]]
* [[Åseral Church|Åseral]]
* Flekkefjord Branch (LDS, 1899–1904)
* Kristiansand Branch (LDS, 1856–1912)
* Kristiansand (Katolske Apostoliske, 1896–1925)
{{div col end}}

==Villages==
{{Main|list of villages in Vest-Agder}}
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Alleen]]
* [[Andabeløy]]
* [[Aukland, Torridal|Aukland]]
* [[Austad, Lyngdal|Austad]]
* [[Ausvika]]
* [[Tingvatn|Birkeland]]
* [[Bjelland]]
* [[Bjørnestad]]
* [[Breland, Norway|Breland]]
* [[Brennåsen]]
* [[Eik, Vest-Agder|Eik]]
* [[Eiken, Vest-Agder|Eiken]]
* [[Eikerapen]]
* [[Feda, Norway|Feda]]
* [[Finsland]]
* [[Fjotland]]
* [[Fleseland]]
* [[Grindheim]]
* [[Grovane]]
* [[Gyland]]
* [[Haddeland, Vest-Agder|Haddeland]]
* [[Harkmark]]
* [[Heddeland]]
* [[Homstean]]
* [[Hægeland]]
* [[Hæåk]]
* [[Høllen, Lindesnes|Høllen]]
* [[Høllen]]
* [[Hånes]]
* [[Ime]]
* [[Justvik|Justvik (Gjusvik)]]
* [[Kilen, Vest-Agder|Kilen]]
* [[Kirkehavn]]
* [[Knaben]]
* [[Koland]]
* [[Konsmo]]
* [[Korshamn]]
* [[Krossen]]
* [[Kvås]]
* [[Kyrkjebygda]]
* [[Langenes, Vest-Agder|Langenes]]
* [[Laudal]]
* [[Liknes]]
* [[Ljosland]]
* [[Lohne, Norway|Lohne]]
* [[Loshavn]]
* [[Lunde, Sirdal]]
* [[Lunde, Vest-Agder|Lunde]]
* [[Mosby, Norway|Mosby]]
* [[Mushom]]
* [[Nodeland]]
* [[Nodelandsheia]]
* [[Ny-Hellesund]]
* [[Ore, Farsund|Ore]]
* [[Randesund]]
* [[Rasvåg]]
* [[Røyknes]]
* [[Sande, Vest-Agder|Sande]]
* [[Skarpengland]]
* [[Skofteland]]
* [[Skomrak]]
* [[Sira, Norway|Sira]]
* [[Sirnes]]
* [[Skålevik]]
* [[Snartemo]]
* [[Storekvina]]
* [[Strai]]
* [[Svenevig]]
* [[Svenevik]]
* [[Tangvall]]
* [[Tingvatn]]
* [[Tonstad]]
* [[Trysnes]]
* [[Tveit]]
* [[Vanse]]
* [[Ve, Norway|Ve]]
* [[Vedderheia]]
* [[Vennesla (village)|Vennesla]]
* [[Vestbygd, Vest-Agder|Vestbygd]]
* [[Vigeland, Norway|Vigeland]]
* [[Vigmostad]]
* [[Volleberg]]
* [[Øvre Eikeland]]
* [[Øvrebø]]
* [[Øyslebø]]
* [[Åknes, Vest-Agder|Åknes]]
* [[Ålefjær]]
* [[Ålo]]
* [[Åna-Sira]]
* [[Åros, Søgne|Åros]]
* [[Åvik]]
{{div col end}}

==Former Municipalities==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
{{Main|list of former municipalities of Norway}}
* [[Austad (municipality)|Austad]]
* [[Bakke, Norway|Bakke]]
* [[Bjelland (municipality)|Bjelland]]
* [[Bjelland og Grindum]]
* [[Eiken, Norway|Eiken]]
* [[Feda (municipality)|Feda]]
* [[Finsland (municipality)|Finsland]]
* [[Fjotland (municipality)|Fjotland]]
* [[Greipstad]]
* [[Grindheim]]
* [[Gyland (municipality)|Gyland]]
* [[Halse og Harkmark]]
* [[Herad]]
* [[Hidra, Vest-Agder|Hidra]]
* [[Holum]]
* [[Hægeland (municipality)|Hægeland]]
* [[Konsmo (municipality)|Konsmo]]
* [[Kvås (municipality)|Kvås]]
* [[Laudal (municipality)|Laudal]]
* [[Lista]]
* [[Nes, Vest-Agder|Nes]]
* [[Nes og Hitterø]]
* [[Nord-Audnedal]]
* [[Oddernes (municipality)|Oddernes]]
* [[Randesund (municipality)|Randesund]]
* [[Spangereid]]
* [[Spind]]
* [[Sør-Audnedal]]
* [[Tonstad (municipality)|Tonstad]]
* [[Tveit (municipality)|Tveit]]
* [[Undal]]
* [[Vigmostad]]
* [[Øvre Sirdal]]
* [[Øvrebø (municipality)|Øvrebø]]
* [[Øvrebø og Hægeland]]
* [[Øyslebø (municipality)|Øyslebø]]
* [[Øyslebø og Laudal]]
{{div col end}}

==Notable residents==
*[[Sofus Arctander]] (1845–1924), Liberal politician, Prime Minister for a brief period in 1905.
*[[Bernt Balchen]] (1899–1973), aeronaut, WWII pilot, polar navigator, military officer.
*[[Jens Bjørneboe]] (1920–1976), author and playwright.
*[[Camilla Collett]] (Wergeland) (1813–1895), author, writer, feminist, emancipator.
*[[Bjøro Håland]], country & western musician.
*[[Bjarne Lingås]] (1933–2011), heavyweight boxer, amateur (198, 14 losses) and professional (14, 2 losses).
*[[Rolf Løvland]], musician, composer, director, twice winning [[European Song Contest]].
*[[Herman Wedel Major]] (1814–1854, born in Ireland), regarded as the founder of modern psychiatry in Norway.
*[[Svein Mathisen]] (1952–2011), football player for [[IK Start]], Hibernian, and Norway.
*[[Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway]] (1973–), Crown Princess of Norway.
*[[Jørgen Moe]] (1813–1882), writer, folklorist ([[Peter Christen Asbjørnsen|Asbjørnsen]] og Moe), poet, bishop of Kristiansand. 
*[[Nicolai Tangen]] (1966), hedgefund investor, CEO of the Norwegian Soveregin Wealth Fund (NBIM) since 2020.
*[[Christian Rynning-Tønnesen]] (1959–), business leader, CEO of [[Norske Skog]], [[Statkraft]].
*[[Emanuel Vigeland]] (1875–1948), artist, sculptor, painter, creator of the [[Vigeland installation]] in [[Frogner Park]] in Oslo.
*[[Gustav Vigeland]] (1869–1945), artist, sculptor, painter.
*[[Henrik Wergeland]] (1808–1845), author, writer, playwright, educator, national archivar, bureaucrat, emancipator.

==See also==
*[[Aust-Agder]]
*[[Southern Norway|Sørlandet]]
*[[Agder]]
*[[List of former municipalities of Norway#Vest-Agder|Former municipalities of Vest-Agder]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline}}
* [http://www.vaf.no Vest-Agder fylkeskommune] {{in lang|no}}
* [http://engelsk.vaf.no/article.aspx?m=1237&amid=4119 Vest-Agder: Norway's southernmost county] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318180253/http://engelsk.vaf.no/article.aspx?m=1237&amid=4119 |date=18 March 2012 }}

{{Agder}}
{{Metropolitan areas of Southern Norway}}
{{Counties of Norway|former}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Vest-Agder| ]]
[[Category:Former counties of Norway]]
[[Category:2020 disestablishments in Norway]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 2020]]