Western Norway consists of four counties: Møre and Romsdal, Sogn and Fjordane, Hordaland and Rogaland.

Western Norway with its mild coastal climate is known for its fantastic scenery with deep fjords, fertile valleys, mountains, glaziers, and waterfalls, and the opportunities for glacier hiking, boating, fishing, bicycling, and camping.

The Hanseatic city of Bergen is the largest city of the region and is designated one of the European Cities of Culture 2000. Bergen is the gateway to the fjords and the starting point for the Coastal Express to Northern Norway, known as one of the most beautiful and exciting voyages in the world.

The western coastal culture is visible in the old trade centers along the coast from Stavanger to Ålesund. Although they have lost the role they once played, they are now gaining growing interest by tourists. The coastal cities of western Norway are, however, still closely tied to marine and maritime activities including the fish industry with research, fish farming, processing, trading, and export of fish products.

Another major industry is related to the oil and gas exploration and production activity from building of huge concrete and steel platforms and oilrig supply vessels to providing services and support of operations, research and development, and shipyards for maintenance and repairs.

The coastline with the many fjords, islands and mountains to cross and areas to connect has made Western Norway the region of bridges and tunnels. The sub-sea tunnels have many places along the coast become alternatives to bridges and ferries. Improvements in technology and methods of tunneling have, over the last 30 years made the Norwegians experts in constructing safe road tunnels at low costs.

Of the about 900 road tunnels with a total length of about 700 km (435 miles), 23 are sub-sea road tunnels with a total length of 90 km (56 miles). The world's longest road tunnel (The Laerdal Tunnel) is located on the main road between Bergen and Oslo and is 24.5 km (15.2 miles) long. The Boemlafjord Tunnel in Western Norway is the second deepest (262m or 860 feet below sea level) and longest sub-sea road tunnel in the world by its 7.9 km or 4.9 miles.

Many high consuming electric power industries are located in Western Norway due to the accessibility of relatively inexpensive hydro generated electricity.

Attractive and famous tourist destinations are many in the region. To mention a few, Lysefjorden with its majestic mountain formation called Pulpit Rock, Stavanger with Europe's largest concentration of old wooden houses, the Hardangerfjord with fruit tree blossom, the world's longest fjord Sognefjorden, and Geirangerfjorden with steep mountains and many waterfalls. Bergen with the old Hanseatic buildings, the fish market and the funicular to the top of Mt. Fløyen, Ålesund the old herring town and known for its Jugend (Art Nouveau) architecture, and Molde, the city of roses and jazz festivals.