Etne is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland, although it is also sometimes considered to be part of the district of Haugaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Etnesjøen. Other villages in the municipality include Skånevik and Fjæra. The two largest villages in the municipality are Etnesjøen with 1,159 residents and Skånevik with 594 residents.
Kvinnherad is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland, along the Hardangerfjorden. The municipality was the 5th in size in former Hordaland county.
The Hardangerfjord is the fifth longest fjord in the world, and the second longest fjord in Norway. It is located in Vestland county in the Hardanger region. The fjord stretches 179 kilometres (111 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean into the mountainous interior of Norway along the Hardangervidda plateau. The innermost point of the fjord reaches the town of Odda.
Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glaciers in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. They are located on the Folgefonna peninsula in the municipalities of Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne. The three glaciers are:
Folgefonna National Park is a 545.2-square-kilometre (210.5 sq mi) national park in Vestland county, Norway. The park is located on the Folgefonna peninsula and it spans the municipalities of Kvinnherad, Etne, and Ullensvang. The national park was opened by Queen Sonja on 14 May 2005.
Blådalsvatnet is a glacial lake in the municipality of Kvinnherad in Vestland county, Norway. The 2.89-square-kilometre (1.12 sq mi) lake lies just outside the Folgefonna National Park, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the village of Indre Matre. The lake is formed by the glacial runoff from the large Folgefonna glacier located just north of the lake. The lake is part of the water system used to power the Blåfalli kraftverk hydroelectric power station.
Juklavatnet is a lake on the border of the municipalities of Kvinnherad and Ullensvang in Vestland county, Norway. The 3.61-square-kilometre (1.39 sq mi) lake lies just outside Folgefonna National Park and immediately to the west of the Nordre Folgefonna glacier. The only road access comes from the small village of Nordrepollen in the Mauranger area of Kvinnherad municipality, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of the lake. There is a dam on the western end of the lake which regulates the depth of the water so that it can be used for hydroelectric power generation. The lake is the largest reservoir that feeds into the Mauranger power station.
Gjetingsdalen is a village in the Mauranger area of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located in the Gjetingsdalen valley, on a hillside overlooking the Maurangsfjorden. The village of Austrepollen lies about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the east, across the fjord. There is only one road leading into and out of the village, making it rather isolated, but its close proximity to the Jondal Tunnel and Folgefonna Tunnel, give it good access to nearby urban areas. There is a hydroelectric power plant located along the river which runs through this valley.
Husnes is the largest village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden on the Folgefonna peninsula, about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of the village of Herøysund and immediately north of the villages of Sunde and Valen. The lake Onarheimsvatnet lies along the southwestern part of the village between Husnes and Sunde.
Austrepollen is a village in the Mauranger area of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the end of the Maurangsfjorden, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east of the village of Gjetingsdalen and about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northeast of the village of Sundal. The western end of the Folgefonna Tunnel is located in Austrepollen, taking it from an isolated rural village before the opening of the tunnel, to a village along a main regional highway. The village of Nordrepollen and the Jondal Tunnel are located just a short distance to the northwest. The Mauranger power station is also located in the village.
Midtre Folgefonna is a glacier located in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. It is one of the three glaciers that make up the large Folgefonna glacier. It is located on the border of Ullensvang and Kvinnherad municipalities between the Nordre Folgefonna and Søndre Folgefonna glaciers on the Folgefonna peninsula. In 1969, the glacier was listed at 13 square kilometres (5.0 sq mi). In a book by glaciologist Olav Orheim from 2009 the area is listed as only 9 square kilometres (3.5 sq mi). The glacier drains partly to the Maurangerfjord to the west, and partly to the Sørfjorden to the east.
Valen is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the mainland coast overlooking the island of Halsnøy to the south. The undersea Halsnøy Tunnel connects Halsnøy island to the mainland just to the west of Valen, in the neighboring village of Sunde.
Uskedal or Uskedalen is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located in a small valley along the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southwest of the village of Dimmelsvik and about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of the village of Herøysund. The village is the site of Uskedalen Church.
Jondal is a village in Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It was the administrative centre of the former Jondal municipality prior to its dissolution in 2020. The village is located on the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden, about 55 kilometres (34 mi) southeast of the city of Bergen. It is located on the Folgefonna peninsula, about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) northwest of the Folgefonna glacier in Folgefonna National Park. The village of Kysnesstranda lies about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the south.
Åkrafjorden is a fjord in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Etne and Kvinnherad. The 32-kilometre (20 mi) long fjord reaches a maximum depth of 650 metres (2,130 ft). The fjord flows from the southern part of the Folgefonna National Park, draining the huge Folgefonna glacier. The fjord then flows to the southwest before emptying into the Skånevikfjorden near the village of Utåker. The Langfossen waterfall runs down the steep cliffs on the south side of the fjord, just west of Fjæra.
Skånevik is a village in Etne municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Skånevikfjorden, near the entrance to the Åkrafjorden. The village lies across the fjord from the village of Utåker in neighboring Kvinnherad municipality. The municipal centre of Etnesjøen lies about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) straight south across a mountain, although one must drive about 22 kilometres (14 mi) around the mountain to get there.
Sæbøvik is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the narrow, western part of the island of Halsnøya, about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) west of the village of Høylandsbygd and immediately east of the village of Eidsvik. The village is located at the southern end of the Halsnøy Tunnel.
Eidsvik is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the northwestern end of the island of Halsnøya, just west of the village of Sæbøvik. The village lies on a thin, narrow isthmus-like peninsula sticking out into the Hardangerfjorden.
Dimmelsvik is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the south shore of the Hardangerfjorden, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south of the municipal centre of Rosendal and about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) northeast of the village of Uskedal.
Herøysund is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southeastern shore of the Hardangerfjorden, about half-way between the villages of Husnes and Uskedal. The 0.47-square-kilometre (120-acre) village has a population (2019) of 506 and a population density of 1,077 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,790/sq mi).
