The Storting (Norway’s parliament) recently passed the most comprehensive administrative reform since 1662. Back then, the country’s administrative units transitioned from len to amt while under Danish rule. In this new reform, Norway’s 19 fylker (counties) are planned to be replaced by 11 regioner (regions) by January 2020. Four existing counties (Nordland, Rogaland, Oslo and Møre og Romsdal) will continue using the same names and borders as they had in 2017. The rest of the country will have two- and three-county groupings rolled out as regioner with new names.
This move aims to strengthen each region and improve coordination between municipalities, regions and state. The regions will assume oversight in a number of areas such as infrastructure, education, culture, business development and outdoor life. As far as parliamentary elections, for now the former fylker will remain the same constituencies as they were in 2017.
Meet the new regions:
- Aust-Agder and Vest Agder will become Agder
- Buskerud, Akershus and Østfold will be called Viken
- Finnmark and Troms will go forward as Troms og Finnmark
- Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane will become Vestlandet
- Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag have already merged into the region of Trøndelag as of January 2018
- Oppland and Hedmark will be known as Innlandet
- Telemark og Vestfold will become Vestfold og Telemark
The following counties will keep the same borders and names as regions:
- Møre og Romsdal
- Nordland
- Oslo
- Rogaland