Bergen is located in western Norway, on the Bergen Peninsula, near the North Sea, protected by the islands of Askøy, Holsøy, and Sutra. The central part of the city lies along the shores of Vågen Bay.
Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway, the capital of the Hordaland region, and the largest city in Western Norway. It covers just over 460 square kilometers in area, second only to Oslo, with which it competes much like St. Petersburg does with Moscow. Bergen's population is approximately 250,000.
Bergen was founded between 1066 and 1093 by King Olaf the Silent. During the Middle Ages, it enjoyed favor from the Hanseatic League due to its strategic location at the crossroads of trade routes. Consequently, the city became the capital of Medieval Scandinavia. Until the twentieth century, it was Norway's largest city and the most significant commercial and industrial hub.
