Discover Mid-Norway
Mid-Norway, or Trøndelag in Norwegian, consists of the two counties of Sør-Trøndelag and Nord-Trøndelag. The region borders on the Norwegian Sea to the west, the county of Nordland to the north, Sweden to the east and the counties of Hedemark, Oppland and Møre og Romsdal to the south.
Trøndelag offers everything from coastal scenes through untouched mountain scenery to national parks. Endless fresh air is on offer, and there are countless options for anyone who appreciates unspoilt nature. The region can offer many of Norway's best salmon rivers, and is a paradise for all anglers.
Trondheim Værnes airport is an international airport with many daily domestic and international departures. There are also regional airports at Namsos, Røros, Rørvik and Ørland. The railway connects the region to both the southern and northern parts of Norway and eastward to Mid-Sweden.
The history of the region
Archaeological surveys have revealed that Trøndelag has been inhabited for thousands of years. In the early Iron Age the region was divided into petty kingdoms governed by a common body of laws.
In the Middle Ages, Trøndelag developed into a power centre, and a number of monasteries, churches and fortresses still survive as a living testament from this time. Olav Haraldsson would play an important role in the region's history. He dreamt of unifying Norway and converting Norwegians to Christianity. He died in Trøndelag on the 29th of July 1030 in one of Norway's most famous battles, the Battle of Stiklestad.
Olav was buried in Trondheim, and rumours soon began to circulate of a number of miracles taking place around his grave. When his body was exhumed one year later, legend has it that his hair, nails and beard had continued to grow after his death, and he became known as the "Holy". Pilgrims came from all over the world to pay homage to his grave in Trondheim, and the city became one of the most important of Christendom's pilgrimage destinations along with Rome, Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela. Nidaros Cathedral, northern Europe's largest cathedral, was erected in Olav the Holy's memory. During the period from 1152 to 1537, Trondheim was the seat of the archbishop, and today it continues to be a major centre for the church.
Mid-Norwegian culture
Trøndelag boasts a rich cultural offering. The region is particularly well known for its many historical plays performed outdoors every summer by both professional and amateur participants. The best known of these is "The Saint Olav Drama", which has been performed every year since 1954.
Trøndelag can claim proud culinary traditions based on local ingredients. The best known of these is sodd, a clear broth containing meatballs, potatoes, carrots and lamb. Trøndelag has been influenced and enriched by foreign food trends in recent years, but it has nonetheless managed to preserve its local culinary traditions and their history.
The region is also home to a thriving music scene, and is known in particular for its many rock bands, many of whom are happy to sing in their local dialect. Trøndelag hosts a number of rock festivals of varying sizes each summer. In 2005 the decision was taken to establish a national cultural centre for rock in Trøndelag, which will host a number of facilities including a national rock museum. Planning of the centre is now fully underway.
Research and development
Skills and expertise form the core of our regional identity. One of the strengths of Mid-Norway lies in the region's outstanding education and research facilities. For almost a century, the leading technological professionals in Norway have been based in Trondheim. This is one of the reasons why the city is now the site of several world-leading centres of excellence and is rightly known as the technology capital of Norway.
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has primary responsibility for higher technology education in Norway and is the second largest university in Norway, with 20,000 students. North-Trøndelag University College has 4 500 students, while South-Trøndelag University College has 7 000 students. SINTEF is the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia and employs 1,300 people in Trondheim.
Trådløse Trondheim (Wireless Trondheim) is a research and development project providing expanded access to the Internet for many, and makes Trondheim one of Europe's first wireless cities. In a region that will soon offer full broadband coverage, the next step is to take advantage of the opportunities offered by wireless and mobile technology.
Industry and commerce
Trade is an industry that plays, and has long played, an important role in value creation and employment in Trøndelag. Today, fish is the region's largest export commodity and the marine industry is very important to the region. Salmon and trout are the most important farmed species in Mid-Norway, and in total the region exported 144,000 tons in 2005. Mid-Norway is also the most important processing region in Norway, with approximately 35,000 tonnes of whole fish equivalents processed. This is about 40 % of all processed fish in Norway.
Proximity to the Norwegian Sea, access to technology, R&D facilities and a skilled labour force make Mid-Norway an ideal location for companies in the oil and gas industries. The region has more than one thousand researchers in oil & gas related R&D, more than 120 companies with a total of 5,220 employees in the regions petroleum cluster, and more than one thousand graduates in oil & gas related fields annually.
New technologies for sustainable energy production are important to meet future energy demands and to save our environment. Cleantech is the way forward. 145 enterprises with a total of 2,000 employees work in the field of cleantech. In addition more than 40 power production companies include activities related to renewable energy and environmental technology. These companies cover a wide range of areas in cleantech, several of which are closely connected.
ICT is one of the business sectors that have experienced an almost explosive development over the last few years. The fact that Google has chosen to locate a research and development centre in the city, in addition to the establishment of Fast and Yahoo, is yet another indication of the competitiveness of the region. There are many examples of exciting and innovative industrial centres in the region, such as in Orkanger, Leksvik, Stjørdal and Verdal.
Research and innovation in the medical field is strong in Mid-Norway. Health and medical technology are designated focus areas at St. Olav's Hospital, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, SINTEF and the Faculty of Medicine. The region has more than 50 health care and medical technology companies, a solid infrastructure for clinical research and trials, and an advanced public health care system.
Trøndelag is also one of the most fertile regions in Norway, and produces 10% of Norway's agricultural products. There is an increasing amount of niche products, offering a wide range of dairy products, beef, bacon, and vegetables.
Last updated: 8.8.2008