Quick answerBergen is a city in Norway, with 294,029 people inside the city limits in 2024. The wider metropolitan area had about 0.4 million people in 2024. It is best known for the Bryggen, the Fløibanen and the Fish Market. Its official language is Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami, and its currency is the Norwegian krone.
Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway, with 294,029 people (1 January 2024) and about 438,000 in the wider Bergen region. It stands on the west coast between the fjords and seven mountains and is famous for the Bryggen wharf.
Key facts
| Country | Norway |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 294,029 (2024) |
| Population (metro) | 437,998 (2024) · Bergen Region (SSB, 2024) |
| Time zone | Europe/Oslo |
| Language | Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami |
| Currency | Norwegian krone (NOK, kr) |
| Coordinates | 60.3894° N, 5.33° E |
Overview
Bergen is Norway's second-largest city, with 294,029 people on 1 January 2024, and the centre of a region of about 438,000 people. It stands on the west coast, between the fjords and seven mountains, and it is one of the rainiest cities in Europe. Bergen is the gateway to the fjords and the busiest cruise port in Norway.
King Olaf Kyrre founded Bergen in 1070, and for centuries it was Norway's largest city and a trading hub of the Hanseatic League. The Bryggen wharf, with its wooden warehouses, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979. Today Bergen is known for its fish market, the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen, and its university and music scene. Rain falls on roughly 240 days a year, and Bergen's weather is a standing joke in Norway.
What Bergen is known for
- Bryggen
- Fløibanen
- Fish Market
- Fjords
- Rain
Landmarks
- Bryggen
- Fløibanen
- Bergen Cathedral
- St Mary's Church
- Fish Market
- Mount Fløyen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bergen?
Bergen had 294,029 residents on 1 January 2024, according to Statistics Norway, making it the second-largest city in Norway. The wider Bergen region had 437,998 people in the second quarter of 2024. The city covers 465 square kilometres between the fjords and seven mountains.
Where is Bergen and what is it known for?
Bergen is on the west coast of Norway, between the fjords and seven mountains, about 460 kilometres west of Oslo. It is known for the Bryggen wharf, a UNESCO World Heritage site, for its fish market, for the Fløibanen funicular and for its rain.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Norway — the country Bergen is in
- Oslo — another city in Norway
- Trondheim — another city in Norway
- Stavanger — another city in Norway
- All cities in Norway
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.