Bø kommune | |||
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Municipality | |||
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Bø within Telemark |
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Coordinates: 59°27′26″N 9°1′53″E / 59.45722°N 9.03139°ECoordinates: 59°27′26″N 9°1′53″E / 59.45722°N 9.03139°E | |||
Country | Norway | ||
County | Telemark | ||
District | Midt-Telemark | ||
Administrative centre | Bø i Telemark | ||
Government | |||
• Mayor (2011) | Olav Kasland (V) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 263 km2 (102 sq mi) | ||
• Land | 258 km2 (100 sq mi) | ||
Area rank | 292 in Norway | ||
Population (1.1.2015) | |||
• Total | 5,977 | ||
• Rank | 188 in Norway | ||
• Density | 20/km2 (50/sq mi) | ||
• Change (10 years) | 8.5 % | ||
Demonym(s) | Bøhering | ||
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
ISO 3166 code | NO-0821 | ||
Official language form | Nynorsk | ||
Website | www |
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Bø is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Midt-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bø i Telemark ("Bø in Telemark"). Bø has been a parish since ancient times and became a municipality (formannskapsdistrikt) in 1838. The area of Lunde was separated from Bø in 1867 to become a separate municipality. Bø has a population of 5,977 (2015).
Bø's economy is mainly based on agriculture, forestry, tourism, education and public administration. Bø was formerly the seat of Telemark University College and is now home to one of the principal campuses of the larger University College of Southeast Norway, and has the character of a university town. Bø is well known for its cultural traditions within traditional music and artisanship, and its central position within Norwegian national romanticism with e.g. its Bunad traditions. Bø has several times been called "the most beautiful place on earth" in modern literature, e.g. in Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's story, En glad Gut ("A Happy Boy").
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Bø farm (Old Norse: Bœr), since the first church was built here. The name is identical with the word bœr which means "homestead" or "farm".