For administrative purposes, Norway is divided into twenty districts,
viz.: The cities of Christiania and Bergen and eighteen "Amts" or
provinces, which coinside with the diocese of the church, and there
is a very close relation between the ecclesiastical and the civil
authorities. The chief magistrate in each of the counties, nominated
by the king, is known as an "Amtmand." His duties are similar to
those of the French prefects, although the theory of home-rule and
self-government is carried into each county and each municipality and
parish, where every magistrate is responsible to a council elected by
the people from among their own number. They make the laws for the
magistrate to administer. There are few countries in which the theory
of self-government is carried to such an extent as in Norway. The
sovereignty of the people is absolute and their rights are jealously
guarded. Norway is divided into ecclesiastical parishes, which are the
voting districts, as in England, and are governed in a similar way.

The Norwegian constitution of 1814, based upon the principle of
popular self-government, declared these municipalities completely
independent in the management of their own affairs, placing the
administrative authority, with the power of taxation and the
disbursement of revenues in the hands of the taxpayers and
householders, so that they could not be coerced by the national
government, if there ever was any disposition in that direction.

This authority is exercised through a council called a "bystyre,"
composed of from twelve to forty-eight members, according to the
population of the parish, who are elected for terms of three years,
and serve gratuitously. The council elects from its own number a
chairman who is the head of the whole municipal organization, and is