Bø, Telemark
Bø is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It was part of the traditional region of Midt-Telemark, but was historically regarded as part of Grenland. The 263-square-kilometre (102 sq mi) municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020. The area is now part of Midt-Telemark Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Bø i Telemark. Other villages in the municipality included Folkestad and Nordbøåsane.
Bø Municipality
Bø kommune | |
|---|---|
Former municipality | |
View of Bø from the Bø Church churchyard | |
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Flag | |
Telemark within Norway | |
Bø within Telemark | |
| Coordinates: 59°27′26″N 9°1′53″E | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Telemark |
| District | Midt-Telemark |
| Established | 1 Jan 1838 |
| • Created as | Formannskapsdistrikt |
| Disestablished | 1 Jan 2020 |
| • Succeeded by | Midt-Telemark Municipality |
| Administrative centre | Bø i Telemark |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2011-2019) | Olav Kasland (V) |
| Area (upon dissolution) | |
| • Total | 263.20 km2 (101.62 sq mi) |
| • Land | 258.25 km2 (99.71 sq mi) |
| • Water | 4.95 km2 (1.91 sq mi) 1.9% |
| • Rank | #291 in Norway |
| Population (2019) | |
| • Total | 6,630 |
| • Rank | #161 in Norway |
| • Density | 25/km2 (65/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) | +20.2% |
| Demonym | Bøhering |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Nynorsk |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-0821 |
Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the 263-square-kilometre (102 sq mi) municipality was the 291st largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Bø was the 161st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 6,630. The municipality's population density was 25 inhabitants per square kilometre (65/sq mi) and its population had increased by 20.2% over the previous 10-year period.
Bø's economy was mainly based on agriculture, forestry, tourism, education, and public administration. Bø had the character of a university town and it was home to one of the principal campuses of the University of Southeast Norway; it was also the seat of one of the university's three predecessor institutions, Telemark University College. Bø was well known for its cultural traditions within traditional music and artisanship, and its central position within Norwegian national romanticism (for example, its Bunad traditions). Several times in modern literature Bø had been called "the most beautiful place on earth", such as in Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's story En glad Gut (A Happy Boy).