NorwayCounty number 42
Agder is a county in Norway with 25 municipalities. Agder combines southern coastal towns and islands with inland valleys and mountain communities. Kristiansand and Arendal are important centres, while maritime technology, process industries, education and Setesdal’s living traditions give the region several distinct identities.
Content updated:
SSB · 2026
See how many people live in the county, how many homes it has, and which municipalities have the most residents. Figures are from Statistics Norway (SSB).
Ranked by municipal population, rather than the size of cities or urban settlements. A municipality may contain several settlements and extensive rural areas.
2026 · SSB
Choose a municipality to open its profile. Small island municipalities are marked with a dot.
Known for
White coastal towns and Lindesnes Lighthouse
Coastal towns from Risør and Arendal to Kristiansand and Flekkefjord have harbours, islands and sea-facing settlements. Inland are forests, Setesdal and mountain municipalities such as Bykle and Sirdal. Rivers and valleys connect coast and interior, but settlement and service distances vary greatly. Sørlandet is a cultural and geographical term; Agder is the administrative unit used by the municipality map.
Trade and shipping shaped the southern coast before modern industry. Christian IV founded Kristiansand in 1641, and Kvadraturen’s straight streets still reveal its planned layout. Valley communities developed their own traditions and connections. Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder merged on 1 January 2020, joining earlier administrative areas without erasing differences between coastal towns and inland communities.
Setesdal’s traditional music, dance and stev singing joined UNESCO’s intangible-heritage list in 2019. Hardanger fiddle, jaw harp and song form a tradition that continues to evolve.
Agder has strong maritime supply businesses and energy and process industries, alongside services, tourism and other local activities. Transition connects energy, skills and manufacturing, making cooperation between businesses, universities and the public sector important. Development projects must be distinguished from operating businesses. Municipal labour markets range from university cities and industrial towns to mountain and coastal communities.
AKT provides information on buses, school transport and local journeys in Agder. Coastal everyday journeys often cross neighbouring municipalities, while Setesdal and mountain areas face longer travel to larger centres. UiA campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad generate student travel. Check complete housing-to-work or school connections, departures and transfers, especially between coast and interior.
The University of Agder has campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad, widening regional knowledge beyond coastal industries. In Setesdal, music, dance and stev are passed on through participation and intergenerational learning. The 2019 UNESCO inscription concerns this living practice rather than a group of buildings. The region combines institutional education with cultural knowledge used and developed in local communities.
The Agder regional plan links economic development with living conditions, participation and education. Challenges differ between larger urban areas, summer coastal destinations and inland municipalities with long distances. Cooperation regions reflect daily life across municipal boundaries. Compare local population trends, housing and services, distinguishing permanent settlement from seasonal visitor activity.
The revised Regionplan Agder 2030 was adopted on 22 October 2024. It links emission reduction with living conditions, education, mobility and culture, guiding regional planning for 2024–2027.
Landscapes, heritage sites and buildings offer a concrete view of the county’s history. Continue to the guides to these places and their municipalities.
Christiansholm festning stands beside Kristiansand's waterfront, where a fortified harbour island became a visible part of the modern city. Its walls, cannon positions and sea outlook connect an urban walk with the history of coastal defence.
Ibsen-museet in Grimstad preserves the pharmacy where the young Henrik Ibsen worked and the room where he wrote his first play. The museum follows a writer's beginnings through the practical work, friendships and tensions of a small coastal town.
Lindesnes fyr marks Norway's southernmost mainland point and the beginning of the country's lighthouse history. The exposed headland, navigational equipment and museum make it a place to consider how people have helped ships find their way along the coast.
Agder · 25 municipalities
Find local figures, history, education, housing and public services. Each municipality’s population figure refers to the stated period.
Residents · Q2 2026 · SSB
Norway has three elected levels of government: the state, county authorities and municipalities. A county is both a geographical area and the territory of an elected regional authority.
Responsibilities include upper secondary education, county roads, public transport, public dental services and regional development. These tasks connect municipalities.
Local responsibilities include primary and lower secondary schools, kindergartens, health and care services and land-use planning. Kommuneportal explains these at municipal level.
The County Governor represents the state regionally. This is a separate institution from the elected county authority. Oslo has both municipal and county responsibilities.
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Registry date: · Content updated:
A county total is shown only when every municipality has comparable figures from the same source and period. Land area excludes freshwater and sea. Density uses population and land area from the same year.
The same municipality membership is used; changes across a documented geographical break are withheld.
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Creation and publication dates are not documented.
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