Eastern Norway compromises eight counties: Oslo, Akershus, Østfold, Vestfold, Buskerud, Telemark, Hedmark and Oppland.

Oslo, the capital city of Norway lies at the end of the Oslofjord and is surrounded by green hills and a vast forest area. The name Oslo may have meant «the meadow of the gods». Besides its functions as the capital city, Oslo is a business and cultural center and considered one of the world's foremost shipping cities.

Many cultural institutions are located in Oslo with diverse selections of concerts, theatre and opera, museums and galleries. With all its sidewalk cafés, restaurants and well-appointed shops, Oslo has as much to offer as any other European city.

Among the cities and towns around the Oslofjord and further south along the coast are Tønsberg, Norway's oldest city founded in 871 AD, today a busy administrative, trade and shipping center. The city had during the Middle Age a Franciscan cloister and the country's largest fortress.

The three counties along the Oslofjord, Akershus, Østfold and Vestfold, have large agricultural areas, and 1/5 of Norway's population. Besides agriculture and forestry, activities in these counties are based on industry, business, and service. The new international airport - Gardermoen - is in Akershus country. Vestfold is filled with Viking history and the Viking ships Oseberg and Gokstad were found buried in the county, and Østfold has the greatest concentration of historical monuments in Eastern Norway.

Telemark County is one of Norway's oldest tourist districts. The area has vast forest and mountain areas and many small farms. The county is rich in hydropower, which has supported several different industries. Morgedal, a mountain village that has the distinction of being the cradle of skiing, is today the home of an adventure park called Norwegian Ski Adventure.

The Bandak Canal stretches inland from the coast and is the only watercourse in Europe that has been awarded Europe Nostra's highest award for restoration and preservation. A trip through the canal on your own boat or on the old «Victoria» is a true adventure.

The 1994 Olympic city Lillehammer in Gudbrandsdalen Valley in Oppland is famous for winter sports, and the home of one of Norway's greatest authors, Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset. Valdres is another large valley much visited by tourists for its folk art and old buildings. There are still active mountain farms in the area, especially up around the spectacular Jotunheimen, a popular recreation and tourism area summer and winter.

Hamar on Lake Mjøsa has cathedral ruins of one of the country's oldest churches built nearly 1000 years ago. Mjøsa is Norway's largest lake and extends into Oppland and Hedmark counties. Hedmark is the farming and forestry county, and stretches along the Swedish border from Central Norway and south past Kongsvinger. Farming and forestry has been the most important industries and forestry is well documented at the Forestry Museum at Elverum.

Glomma, Norway's longest river run through Østerdalen Valley, and feeds into the Oslofjord at Fredrikstad.