Folgefonna
Encyclopedia
Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

s in Hardanger
Hardanger
Hardanger is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, dominated by the Hardangerfjord. It consists of the municipalities of Odda, Ullensvang, Eidfjord, Ulvik, Granvin, Kvam and Jondal, and is located inside the county of Hordaland....

, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

,
  • Nordre (northern) Folgefonna
    Nordre Folgefonna
    Nordre Folgefonna is one of the largest glaciers in mainland Norway. It is the northernmost of the three glaciers that make up Folgefonna.Its highest point is above sea level, and its lowest point is above sea level.- References :...

     (26 km²)
  • Midtre (central) Folgefonna
    Midtre Folgefonna
    The glacier Midtre Folgefonna is located in Hordaland, Norway. It is one of the three glaciers of Folgefonna, between Nordre and Søndre Folgefonna. In 1969 the area was listed as 13 km². The glacier drains partly to Maurangerfjord to the west, and partly to Sørfjorden to the east....

     (11 km²)
  • Sønde (southern) Folgefonna
    Søndre Folgefonna
    Søndre Folgefonna is the third largest glacier in mainland Norway, and is the largest of the three glaciers constituting Folgefonna. Its highest point is above sea level and its lowest point is above sea level.-References:*...

     (167 km²), the third largest glacier in the mainland of Norway.

In total, Folgefonna covered 207 km² (79.9 sq mi) in 2006. On 14 May 2005, Folgefonna National Park
Folgefonna National Park
Folgefonna National Park has an area of 545.2 km². It spans the municipalities of Jondal, Kvinnherad, Etne, Odda and Ullensvang. The national park was opened by Queen Sonja on May 14th 2005...

 was established, protecting the glaciers and the surrounding areas.

The glacier is home to a summer skiing resort, located on its northern region. The largest outflow glaciers from Folgefonna are Blomstølskardbreen, Bondhusbreen
Bondhusbreen
The glacier Bondhusbreen in is an offshoot of the Folgefonna glacier, with a length of around four kilometres, and a height difference of 1,100 metres. It lies in Kvinnherad municipality of Hordaland county in Norway. Water draining under the glacier is catched through a tunnel and exploited in the...

 and Buarbreen
Buarbreen
The glacier Buarbreen in is an offshoot of the Folgefonna glacier. It lies in Odda municipality of Hordaland county in Norway.-See also:* List of glaciers in Norway...

. Since around 1960 Blomstølskardbreen on the southern end of Folgefonna has changed only insignificant. Bondhusbreen and Buerbreen further north were growing in the 1990s, but have been retreating since the year 2000.

The melt-water from this glacier is bottled at source to form the product Isklar
Isklar
Isklar is a brand of still and sparkling natural mineral water from the Folgefonna Glacier of Norway. It was first launched in the United Kingdom in early 2008. The company is backed by a multi-million Euro investment by renowned global conglomerate, the Indian-based Siva Group, SABCO, and Jova...

.

The name

The first element is folge f 'thin layer of snow', the last element is the finite form of fonn f 'mass of snow, glacier made of snow'.
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