Arendal city centre

Arendal, town and port, southern Norway. Its excellent harbour is on Tromøy Sound, a protected sound sheltered by the offshore island of Tromøy. A port since the 14th century, Arendal had the largest fleet in Norway before the steamship era. From the 16th century it prospered from timber exports. Some timber is still floated down the Nidelva River, which empties into the Skagerrak at Arendal. Besides sawmilling, the town’s chief industries include metal processing and fabricating and food and tobacco processing.