Ski, Norway Facts for Kids

This page is about the town in Norway. For the federation, see Norwegian Ski Federation. For skiing, see Category:Skiing in Norway.

Quick facts for kids

Ski kommune

Municipality

Ski

Coat of arms

Ski within Akershus

Country

Norway

County

Akershus

District

Nordre Follo

Administrative centre

Ski

Area

• Total

165.5 km² (63.9 sq mi)

• Land

161.5 km² (62.4 sq mi)

Area rank

#351 in Norway

Population

(2013)

• Total

29,307

• Rank

#31 in Norway

• Density

164/km² (420/sq mi)

• Change (10 years)

13.7%

Skiung

• Summer (DST)

NO-0213

Official language form

Neutral

Website

Data from Statistics Norway

Ski (Norwegian pronunciation: [ʂiː]) is a town in Norway. It is located in Akershus county, within the Follo region. Since January 1, 2020, Ski is part of the new Nordre Follo Municipality.

Ski is the biggest town in the Follo area. It has the most people living there. Ski is also the main center for Nordre Follo. Important places like the hospital, police station, and local court are in Ski. Many public services for the region are found here too.

What's in a Name? The History of "Ski"
A Look Back: The History of Ski Town
Ski's Official Symbol: The Coat of Arms
Where is Ski? Geography and Nature
How Ski Makes Money: Economy and Business
People of Ski: Diversity and Backgrounds
The Ground Beneath Us: Geology of Ski
Sports in Ski
Famous People from Ski
Sister Cities: Ski's International Friends
Images for kids
See also

What's in a Name? The History of "Ski"

The town of Ski gave its name to the municipality. This happened when it became a separate area with Ski as its main town. The name "Ski" comes from an old farm called Skeidi. In Old Norse, Skeiði means a "running track for horse racing." This suggests that horses might have raced there long ago.

So, the name "Ski" is about horse racing. It is not about skiing, which many people think.

A Look Back: The History of Ski Town

People have lived in the Ski and Ås areas for a very long time. Archeologists have found signs of settlements from 11,000 years ago. Even today, Stone Age tools are found when fields are plowed. Ski has over 300 old artifacts that have been recorded.

From the Middle Ages, the areas of Kråkstad and Ski were church parishes. Each had a stone church built around the 1150s. In the 1800s, Kråkstad was the main political center.

On July 1, 1931, the area of Kråkstad was divided. The village of Ski became the center of the northern part. This new area was named Ski municipality. The village of Kråkstad stayed the center of the southern part.

By 1964, Ski had grown into a busy town. It became a trading place for the areas around it. Ski municipality was much bigger and richer than its southern neighbor. So, on January 1, Kråkstad officially joined Ski municipality. Today, "Kråkstad" is just the name of a village. It is southeast of the larger town of Ski.

Ski's Official Symbol: The Coat of Arms

Ski's current coat of arms was approved on December 19, 1986. It was based on a symbol used since 1979. The design shows three silver horse heads. They are arranged in a special pattern called a triskelion on a blue background. This design shows the original meaning of the name "Ski," which relates to horses.

Where is Ski? Geography and Nature

Ski is in Akershus county, south of Oslo. It shares borders with several other municipalities. These include Oppegård Municipality to the west and Enebakk Municipality to the east. Ås Municipality is to the southwest, and Hobøl Municipality is to the southeast. Ski is not on the coast. It is separated from the Oslofjord by Oppegård and Ås.

The area has rolling hills. These hills are covered with forests and farmland. There are also towns and villages mixed in. A large part of Ski municipality is forest. Out of 165.5 square kilometers of land, 102.12 square kilometers are forest. Besides the town of Ski, other important places are the villages of Kråkstad and Siggerud. There is also a larger suburban area called Langhus.

Two major roads from Oslo to Sweden, the E6 and E18, pass through Ski. The main railway line going south also runs through the town.

How Ski Makes Money: Economy and Business

Ski was traditionally a farming area. Agriculture is still important today. However, Ski's location has made it a key business and transport center. It is in the middle of the district. Norway's two most important main roads and the main railway line are nearby. This has made many companies set up their offices and factories here. This has helped the economy grow.

Ski town is a regional train hub for the national rail service, Vy. Many people live in Ski and travel to Oslo for work. This number has grown fast over the last 30 years. It is expected to keep growing. This is because more people are moving to the Oslo/Akershus region. Also, housing in Oslo is expensive and hard to find.

Ski town is still a market town and trading center. It has the biggest shopping center in the district. It is also one of the largest in Norway, called Ski Storsenter. Ski town is also the main political and administrative center for the Follo region. The local police headquarters, hospital, and district court are all located there.

People of Ski: Diversity and Backgrounds

**Number of minorities (1st and 2nd generation) in Ski by country of origin in 2017**
Ancestry	Number
Poland	541
Sweden	390
Iraq	367
Kosovo	323
Pakistan	272
Somalia	221
Lithuania	202
Denmark	179
Iran	171
Eritrea	168
Vietnam	154
Germany	153

The Ground Beneath Us: Geology of Ski

Ski, like most of Follo, sits on very old rock. There is a moraine across the area from east to west. This moraine was left behind from the Ice age.

Sports in Ski

Ski municipality has many sports clubs. They cover a wide range of sports. Most are for younger players or amateurs. The most famous sports team is the football team Follo FK. This team is based in Ski town. Follo FK is a team made up of players from several local sports clubs in the Follo district. This helps them compete at a national level. Follo FK currently plays in the 2nd division of the national football league. They have played in higher and lower divisions before. They have also played in the national cup finals twice.

Famous People from Ski

Borghild Holmsen (1865 in Kråkstad – 1938) was a Norwegian pianist and composer.
Gunhild Ziener (1868 in Ski – 1937) was a Norwegian politician. She was a leader in Norway's women's movement.
Ingrid Bjoner (1927 in Kråkstad – 2006) was a Norwegian opera singer. She was known for playing strong female roles.
Alf Magne Austad (1946–2013) was a realist painter who lived in Ski.
Anne Kristine Linnestad (born 1961) is a politician. She was the Mayor of Ski from 2011 to 2015.
Trude Mostue (born 1968) is a veterinary surgeon and TV presenter. She grew up in Siggerud.
Martin Andresen (born 1977 in Kråkstad) is a former footballer. He played many games for clubs and 43 for Norway.
Tuva Moflag (born 1979) is a Norwegian politician. She was the Mayor of Ski from 2015 to 2017.
Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth Koren (born 1984 in Ski) is a retired handball player. She played 279 games for Norway women and won three Olympic medals.
Fredric Aasbø (born 1985 in Ski) is a professional drifter and stunt driver.