Ringerike (traditional district)

Ringerike
District
View of Tyrifjorden, a lake in southern Ringerike.
Country	Norway
County	Buskerud
Region	Austlandet
Adm. Center	Hønefoss
Area
• Total	3,801 km2 (1,468 sq mi)
Population (2015)
• Total	55,883
• Density	15/km2 (38/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Ringeriking

Ringerike is a traditional district in Norway, commonly consisting of the municipalities Hole, and Ringerike in Buskerud county. In older times, Ringerike had a larger range which went westward, to the municipalities Krødsherad, Modum, and Sigdal, also in Buskerud.

Ringerike has a rich history that is connected with one of the most notable kings in the history of Norway, as Halfdan the Black and the Dagling clan. There are also many archaeological remains in the area, dating to the medieval period and earlier.

The district was known in Old Norse as Hringaríki which means the reich of the Rings, and the Rings were a Germanic tribe. The initial H was dropped sometime in the 13th century. The etymology of the district has been, however, contested among philologists.

Halvdan Koht suggested in 1921 that the first settlers of Ringerike settled around Tyrifjorden in a ring, though this theory is outdated to many.

It is suggested that Ringerike was named in a similar fashion of Romerike, which was named after the old name for Glomma, Rauma. Eivind Vågslid suggested in 1959 that Ringa was the old name of the river Storelva, because it meanders in a ring-shaped form.

Traditionally, Ringerike referred to the area around the northern and northwestern part of Tyrifjord and the lowlands along the rivers Randselva, Ådalselva and Sokna, i.e. the municipalities Hole, Krødsherad, Modum, Ringerike and Sigdal in Buskerud county.