Fjærland is the area that surrounds the 30 km long Fjærland fjord. Most people in Fjærland live in the valleys at the head of the fjord, Horpedal, Supphelle, Bøyay, Mundal, Distad and Jordal. The centre of Fjærland is Mundal with the school, church, ferry quay, shops and Hotel Mundal.

Farming is the main source of income. Conditions are good for efficient farming, with level, easily-worked fields. Milk and meat are the main products. The farms average 30 acres of cultivated land, which is fairly large by West Norway standards. Cultivated land covers altogether about 1000 acres, in addition Fjærland has large areas of land that can easily be cultivated and large areas consisting of fjord, glacier and mountains.

About 300 persons live in Fjærland the year round. From the middle of 1950 the number of inhabitants declined strongly until 1986, when Fjærland got its first road. This connected Fjærland to the outside world northwards through the Fjærland tunnel to Skei. In 1994 the road was continued southwards from Fjærland to Sogndal, and route 5 through Fjærland is to day the most important road between the West coast and the Eastern part of the country.

Fjærland has long traditions in tourism, due to the spectacular Bøya and Supphelle glaciers and to the scenery and the environment in general. The village has for more than 100 years been a center for mountain and glacier activities. Scheduled glaciers tours as well as individual tours (guide for hire) are available.

More than thirty former “saeters” are found in Fjærland. There are small roads or paths leading up the the saeters for the most part situated between 500 and 2000 ft above sea level.

An informative map of Fjærland shows all the walks that can easily be done without a guide.

The Norwegian Glacier Centre opened in Fjærland in May 1991. The glacier centre is a "hands-on" museum informing on how the glaciers shape landscape, how glaciers are our most important "archives" on climate and many other glacier related topics. The building is created by Norway's most acknowledged architect, professor Sverre Fehn.

- The Norwegian Glacier Centre home page

Since 1996 Fjærland has also housed the Norwegian Book Town. Between 10 and 15 second hand book shops are situated in Mundal giving new life to second hand books as well as to old barns, boat sheds and other buildings that are no longer needed for their original purpose. The Norwegian Book Town is part of the international book town movement.

- The Norwegian Book Town home page

Home arts and crafts have always been important in Fjærland. To day most of the production is sold through local shops.