Halland

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  • Hallandsleden

Halland

History
In the middle of the 11th century the borderline was set between Denmark and Sweden. The province of Halland was then recognized as a part of Denmark. There soon was rivalry between the two countries about the hegemony in the north of Europe. This led to cruel and devastating wars for many hundred years.

The earliest remains of human settlements in Halland have been found in the northern parts of the province, in Kungsbacka municipality just south of Göteborg. They are about 8000 years old. The settlers came across the sea from the southwest. Some of them remained on the coast, others settled in the valleys created by the rivers. The province have many archeological remains such as gravefields and old settlements.

Halland became Swedish in 1658. The province remained a poor part of Sweden until the middle of the l9th century, when big improvement happened thanks to better farming methods, beginning industrialisation and improved communications.

Area and population
The area of the province is 5.500 square kilometres. The population is around 276.000. For the last thirty years Halland shows the greatest percentage population growth of all Swedish provinces.

There are six municipalities in Halland:

• Halmstad
• Falkenberg
• Varberg
• Laholm
• Kungsbacka
• Hylte

The biggest municipality is Halmstad with 85.000 inhabitants and also the seat of government in Halland.

With its long and lovely beaches and beautiful rivers, lakes and forests Halland is a province which attracts many tourists both from Scandinavia and the continent. In July and August the population doubles in Halland because of the tourists.

Agriculture and forestry
Agriculture and forestry is of greater importance in Halland than the average in the rest of Sweden. About 4 % of the labour force here are occupied with agriculture and forestry compared to 2 % in the rest of Sweden.

Industries
Industries and other enterprises in Halland are small or of middle size, but they are numerous and you find them in many branches. As a result the labour market is more stable here than in provinces dominated by few big industries in few branches.

An exception from the rule of small and middle-sized industries is the nuclear power plan Ringhals in Varberg. It is biggest in Sweden and one of the biggest in Europe. In Hylte, situated 35 kilometres northeast of Halmstad there is a papermill, which produces newsprint for many newspapers in Sweden and abroad. It is one of the biggest papermills in the world. In Halmstad the English firm Pilkington has a plant, which produces so much window glass that in full production it covers the need of the whole of northern Europe. (bron: website provincie Halland)

Mer informatie

• website Halland (van het toeristenburo) 
• website provincie Halland

Wandelen in Halland

Door de provincie Halland loopt de Hallandsleden. Dit is een route van 380 km. Startpunt is Koarp even ten zuiden van Våxtorp. Eindpunt is Kungsbakka iets ten zuiden Göteborg.

De route sluit in het zuiden aan op de Kust till Kust leden (een onderdeel van de Skaneleden) en in het Noorden op de Bohusleden.

De route is beschreven in een boekje (29 paginas met routekaartjes) uitgegeven door de provincie Halland. Het heet Hallandsleden en is verkrijgbaar bij het lokale turistbyrå.

 

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