The City and Region of Drammen

Drammen is a city-municipality in the South-East of Norway (population of approximately 4,5 million), some 40km south of the capital, Oslo. After Oslo (population 530,000), there are only 4 municipalities with populations over 100,000 (Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger and Oslo’s neighbour, Baerum). With a population of around 57,000, Drammen is the tenth largest municipality in Norway (out of 432), of which the smallest has a population of around 210. Norway is not a member of the EU but is within the European Economic Agreement and is therefore bound by many of the EU directives. The city of Drammen lies at the mouth of the Drammen river where it meets the Drammen fjord. The fjord links directly with the Oslo fjord, and the river provides a deep navigable channel upstream to a number of municipalities. Drammen is also on a major road junction for national routes to the South and West of Norway. Drammen municipality was established as a port and trading town through the unification of two smaller towns on either side of the river in 1811. Drammen now provides a regional focus as the largest city in the county of Buskerud (pop. 242,331). Buskerud is eighth largest of 19 counties in Norway.  The municipality's population is around 56,700, with a further 60,000 in the county region served by Drammen.