Øst-Telemark is a traditional district

Districts of Norway

The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...

 in the county of Telemark

Telemark

is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...

 in 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...

.

It comprises three municipalities: Hjartdal

Hjartdal

Hjartdal is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sauland....

, Notodden

Notodden

is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....

 and Tinn

Tinn

Tinn is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Rjukan....

. The largest population centres in the region are the cities Notodden

Notodden

is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....

 and Rjukan

Rjukan

Rjukan is a town and the administrative center of Tinn municipality in Telemark . It is situated in Vestfjorddalen, between Møsvatn and Tinnsjå, and got its name after Rjukanfossen west of the town. The Tinn municipality council granted township status for Rjukan in 1996. The town has 3 386...

, of which Notodden is by far the largest with 8,319 inhabitants. Hjartdal is scarcely populated.

The original municipalities in the district were Hjartdal, Tinn and Heddal

Heddal

Heddal is a village and parish in Notodden municipality in Telemark County, Norway.- History :The parish of Hitterdal was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . Notodden was separated from Heddal both as a city and a municipality of its own, in 1913. Heddal was subsequently merged with...

, which were created in 1837 when the formannskapsdistrikt

Formannskapsdistrikt

Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...

 laws came into effect. In 1860 Gransherad

Gransherad

Gransherad is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway, located north-west of the city Notodden.Grandsherred was created in 1860 by the merger of the parishes Hovin in Tinn and Gransherad in Hjartdal. On January 1, 1886 Hovin was separated from Gransherad to form a municipality of its own...

 municipality was created from portions of Tinn and Hjartdal. Hovin

Hovin, Telemark

Hovin is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway.It was created on 1 January 1886 by a split from Gransherad. Gransherad, which consisted of the parishes Hovin and Gransherad, had already been formed as a border adjustment between Tinn and Hjartdal in 1860. Hovin parish had 815 inhabitants...

 municipality was created by a split from Gransherad in 1886, and Notodden by a split from Heddal in 1913. In 1964 Heddal and Gransherad were incorporated into Notodden whereas Hovin was incorporated into Tinn.

Notable people from Øst-Telemark include Myllarguten

Myllarguten

Targjei Augundsson , better known as Myllarguten , is arguably the most acknowledged Norwegian folk musician to this day, and by far the most legendary.-Childhood:...

 (1801-1872), legendary fiddler from Sauherad, Klaus Egge

Klaus Egge

Klaus Egge was a Norwegian composer and music critic. His music, often called a stream of will, is characterized by polyphony and a strong rhythmical energy.-Music:...

 (1906-1979), composer from Gransherad and Hans Herbjørnsrud

Hans Herbjørnsrud

Hans Herbjørnsrud is a Norwegian author of short stories. His works frequently play with the differences between Norwegian languages Bokmål and Nynorsk and the various Norwegian dialects...

(1938-), author from Heddal.