Askim, Norway

Historie

Askim is a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Askim. Askim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).Askim is the largest population centre in Indre Østfold with 15 315 inhabitants (2012), and serves as a regional center for 9 municipalities in Indre Østfold. It lies next to the longest river in Norway, Glomma, which forms the border with Spydeberg to the north and west, and Skiptvet to the south. Askim also borders Trøgstad to the northeast and Eidsberg to the southeast.Askim produces large amounts of hydroelectricity at three dams. From upstream to downstream: Solbergfoss, Kykkelsrud, then Vamma. There was nickel mining at Kykkelsrud at the turn of the 20th century. These mines are also one of the few places where "Spheroidal Norite" is found.An industrial city for most of the 20th century, the main employer, Viking, shut down its rubber product production in 1991. Glava is the main employer today.