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Arendal is a town and municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. Arendal is part of the traditional region of Sørlandet, and was established in the mid -16th century. For many centuries, shipping, shipbuilding and the timber trade, as well as mining and ironworks, were the most important industries in the county of Aust-Agder, especially in the Arendal region. Frequent contacts with the outside world put their mark on our culture and traditions. In 1880, Arendal was Norway’s biggest port in terms of tonnage handled. At the end of the 19th century it remained a major shipping centre with many wealthy shipowners. In 1939, it had the 4th largest Norwegian tanker fleet; only those of Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger were larger.

The atmosphere of those bygone days can still be sampled at Tyholmen, an area of wooden buildings that is reckoned to be one of the most picturesque and best preserved of its kind in Norway. In 1992 it was awarded the much coveted EUROPA-NOSTRA prize. Today the most important industries are electronics, maritime industries, leisure boat building and a growing tourist industry. Arendal and the surrounding areas are popular tourist destinations during summer, primarily for the pleasant climate, idyllic small islands and beautiful coastline.