The emigration

We are now passing several buildings located on steep slopes without road connections. In the early 19th century, the population grew explosively along the small villages we are passing, and in the middle of the century, the first signs of overpopulation appeared. Life expectancy increased while the number of births remained consistently high. The farmers in the villages had secured the good plots for centuries, but new generations also needed a roof over their heads and a small patch of land. Therefore, they built homes "where no one would believe anyone could live", often on a small island or a mountain shelf on the steep fjord sides. It was certainly tough living, but when news about the klondike in America spread in the Norwegian villages, more and more people packed their bags. Between 1830 and 1920, 800,000 Norwegians left their homes and moved to another country. Most went to America, but many traveled to other continents. In some villages, up to 40% of the inhabitants emigrated. The result was, of course, that many buildings and places were left empty and without people. Today, many of these places have been fortunate enough to be restored and used for both recreation and tourism.