Jostedalsbreen National Park

Written by Astri Knudsen

Norwegian Glacier Museum is an authorized visitor center for Jostedalsbreen National Park, a landscape shaped by ice and water. The national park was established by royal decree on October 25, 1991. The area is 1315 km², half of which is glacier and 90% of the national park is higher than 800 meters above sea level. Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier on the European mainland with an area of 458 km².

The purpose of the national park is:

  • To protect a large, varied and valuable glacier area with associated areas of plant and animal life and geological deposits from lowlands to high mountains

  • To provide opportunities to experience nature by engaging in outdoor activities that are less dependent on technical facilitation

  • Protecting cultural heritage and cultural landscapes


Facts about Jostedalsbreen

  • Area: 458 km²

  • Length: 60 km

  • Greatest altitude: 1957 m a.s.l. (Høgste Breakulen)

  • Minimum altitude: 60 m above sea level (foot of Supphellebreen)

  • Maximum thickness: ~630 m (accumulation area of Tunsbergdalsbreen

  • Largest measured annual snowfall: 12 m

  • Total excavation of rock material: 400,000 tons/year (equivalent to around 40,000 truckloads)

  • Brevolum: 70.6 (±10.2) km³. Fresh water content: 70.6 - 10¹² liters = approx. 300 thousand million bathtubs of water = All of Norway's water consumption for 100 years

Astri Knudsen

Astri is a content producer and day-to-day manager at Gasta Design and Communication. She is keen to find the good stories and give you targeted content.

astri@gasta.no

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