SORLANDET

geographical region, southern Norway. Occupying some 6,368 square miles (16,493 square km), it embraces the fylker (counties) of Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. Its base runs along the southern coast of Norway, and it extends inland to the Bykle Hills. Like most of Norway, Srlandet 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, the administrative centres of Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder, respectively, 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 Srlandet's southern location, the coastal areas have the warmest climate in Norway as well as fine bathing beaches, and the region is a major tourist centre. Pop. (1992 est.) 243,782.