AALESUND, seaport of Norway, in MOre fylke (county), 16om. N. by E. of Bergen by sea. Pop. (1930) 18,373. It is built on three islands, NOrv0, Asp0 and Hissen, enclosing the harbour. Founded in 1824, Aalesund is one of the most important export towns of Norway for fish and fish products. It lies in a very pro ductive fishing district; to the north-west lie the great cod-banks of Storeggen and Nyeggen. Vessels also fish off Iceland, while a fleet of sealing boats is sent to the Arctic ocean. There are numer ous factories connected with the fish industry and oil refineries, en gineering works and a seining factory. Aalesund is a port of call for the Norwegian South American Line (on account of the ex port of klip-fish) and for the routes Trondhjem–Hamburg, Trond hjem–France and Trondhjem–England, and also for most coasting vessels trading in Western Norway. There is some tourist industry connected with the adjacent centres of Geiranger and jOrund fjords. In 1904 Aalesund was wasted by a terrible fire, a fate which has befallen many Norwegian towns, built largely of wood. In the following years the town was planned on new lines and the houses in the centre were built of brick.