Haugesund is known as the birthplace of Norway, as it was the site where King Harald Fairhair unified the country in 872. In fact, Norway’s name comes from a shipping lane in Avaldsnes, the Viking settlement in the city, that was called “Way to the North,” which eventually morphed into Norway. In the past, Haugesund rose to prominence because of its profitable herring fishing industry, which allowed the town to develop rapidly into an important maritime town. Today, while the city remains an important trading center, most of the city’s economy is focused on offshore oil drilling and aluminum processing.

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