Aust-Agder

    Aust-Agder fylke (county) is one of  Norway's smallest counties, with a population of only 102,933 in 2002 and an area of only 3,610 square miles (9,350 square kilometers).
     Nestled between Telemark fylke and Vest-Agder fylke, Aust-Agder stretches from the Skagerak sea in the south up through the Setesdal valley to the mountain regions in central Norway. 
     Aust-Agder is usually divided into three regions:  the coastal-areas, the forest areas, and the Setesdalen valley.  The coastal areas have a mild climate and are a popular summer vacation target, with small farms and the beach-towns of Risør, Grimstad, and Arendal - the Venice of Norway.  (Arendal is the capital of Aust-Agder).
     The forest areas lie between the coastal towns and the Setesdal Valley, and forestry is a major industry in Aust-Agder.  The Otra river (150 miles/241 km long) flows down the Setesdal valley through the entire length of the county until it reaches the Skagerak sea which separates Norway and Denmark. 
    In the northern part of the county, sheep farming is a major source of income, with large pasture areas that lie at an altitude above the tree line.  For the county as a whole, the major industries are forestry, shipping, agriculture, tourism, and mining (nickel and iron). 
     Prior to 1 January 1919 Aust-Agder was called Nedenes Amt.