Sørlandet

Sørlandet, geographic region, southern Norway. Its base runs along the southern coast of the country, and it extends inland to the Bykle Hills. Like most of Norway, Sørlandet has a strip of lowland along its coast that quickly rises into interior mountains and plateaus. These highlands are cut by deep valleys and rivers, the most important being the Setes valley containing the Otra River, which bisects the region from north to south.

Most of the population lives on the coastal lowlands. Kristiansand and Arendal are the main industrial centres and seaports in the region. The rural economy is based on farming and dairying, while fishing and the fish-processing industry are important along the coast. The southernmost point of mainland Norway is marked by the Lindesnes lighthouse in the southwest. Because of Sørlandet’s southern location, the coastal areas east of Lindesnes have the warmest climate in the country as well as fine bathing beaches, and the region is a major tourist centre.