Bergen is one of the largest cities in Norway. The municipality of Bergen has a population of 279,792. A municipality may include rural areas as well as the urban center. Bergen lies at the head of By Fiord and is the chief seaport of western Norway.
Bergen has a mild climate and an average annual precipitation of 80 inches (200 centimeters). The city carries on a large trade in dried fish, herring, and machinery. Bergen was founded in A.D. 1070. It became a trading center of the Hanseatic League during the Middle Ages (see Hanseatic League ). The city has many wooden houses that are hundreds of years old. The University of Bergen was founded in 1948.
