Norway is a Northern European country. Located in the western part of the Scandinavian peninsula, it covers an area of 324 220 km2. Norway is bathed in the north by the Barents Sea and in the west by the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea. It borders Russia and Finland to the northeast and Sweden to the east. The most important cities are Oslo, the capital, with 799 200 residents (2004), Bergen (213 100 residents) And Trondheim (145 100 residents). Norway is quite mountainous and has an indented coast, with fjords that penetrate deep into the interior of the country. Mountainous massifs, sometimes covered with snow for most of the year, reach an altitude of over 2000 meters. The only flat areas are located around the Oslo fjord, where a large part of the population is concentrated. The Glomma River is the main river and has a 599 km course.
Climate
Norway’s climate is considerably milder than latitude would have predicted. A branch of the warm gulf current eases temperatures and favors precipitation, which occurs following the circulation of winds blowing from the west.
Economy
Oil exploration in the North Sea and natural gas resources give Norway a high standard of living. Aluminum production is equally important. Fishing is also an important activity in the economic context. Fish exports continue to grow. Norway controls 10% of the world fleet. Norway’s main trading partners are the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Population
In 2006, the population was 4 610 820 residents. Birth rates and death rates are respectively 11.46% and 9.4%. Average life expectancy is 79.54 years. Most residents are of Norwegian origin (96%), but Danish (0.4%), Swedish (0.3%), British (0.3%), Pakistani (0.2%) also live in this country, Americans (0.2%), Yugoslavs (0.2%) and Iranians. In religious terms, they mostly follow the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The official language is Nynorsk (New Norwegian).
History
The country has been inhabited by Germanic populations since prehistory. It was unified in 872 by Harald Fairhair, a military chief, who reigned until 933 and made the country a fiefdom. The Vikings, medieval warriors who appeared in Europe between the eighth and eleventh centuries, invaded Norway. Christianity was introduced in the 11th century by Olavo II. With Haakon III (1217-1263) real power was definitely established. In 1380 the country joined Denmark and in 1397 Denmark and Sweden joined under the same sovereignty. Sweden broke the agreement in 1523 but Norway remained under Danish rule until 1814, when it was ceded to Sweden. Norway revolted and Sweden invaded it; it was then that a compromise was established between the two territories, in which Norway remained with its independent parliament but under the monarchy common to both countries. The conflict between the Norwegian parliament and the Swedish crown lasted until 1905, when the Norwegian parliament was declared completely independent and confirmed by plebiscite. Prince Charles of Denmark was elected king, Haakon IV. He reigned for 52 years until he died in 1957. He was succeeded by his son Olavo V, who died in 1991, and who, in turn, succeeded his only heir, Harald V. For Norway democracy and rights, please check intershippingrates.
The experience of German occupation between 1940 and 1945 persuaded Norwegians to abandon their traditional neutrality policy and join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, the Nordic Council in 1952, the European Trade Association Free (EFTA) in 1960. Norway was accepted as a member of the European Economic Community in 1972, but after a referendum held that year, the proposal to join the EEC was rejected.
During the Cold War he managed to maintain good relations with the former Soviet Union without jeopardizing his relationship with the West. He managed to achieve political stability after several coalition governments. In November 1988, Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland was awarded the third world prize for his work for the environment. In 1992, Norway joined Iceland to defend animal life, namely by banning whaling. Norway, through a referendum, spoke out against joining the European Union in 1994. The king is the head of state. The form of government is a constitutional monarchy with a parliament. The Norwegian Constitution dates from 1814.
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Provides most commonly used abbreviations and initials containing the country name of Norway. Listed by popularity.
1UpTravel.com – Maps of Norway
Browse a collection of city, country, political and shaded relief maps of this Northern European country. Check out the maps of Oslo city and the overseas territories.
Website: http://www.1uptravel.com/worldmaps/norway.html
Expedia.com Maps – Norway
Discover an interactive map that allows users to zoom in and out of specific areas. Includes a map of Oslo.
Website: http://maps.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=mrdr&lats1=64.442
Norway – Atlapedia Online
Click to view a pair of high-quality maps of Norway – one political, the other physical. Also, read country facts and a historical overview.
Website: http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/norway.htm
Norway – Infoplease.com Map
Features a large, eye-friendly color map of Norway and its neighbors. Find cities and land features.
Website: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/norway.html
Norway – Merriam-Webster Atlas
Find a high-quality map of Norway great for visitors. Plus, access country facts and figures, a historical summary, and diagrams.
Website: http://www.m-w.com/maps/norway.html
Norway – National Geographic Map Machine
Satellite imagery combined with computer graphic map editing present this interactive map with zoom and print capabilities.
Website: http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/index.html?i
Norway – University of Texas Library
Explore political and shaded-relief maps from the CIA, and look at regional and city maps from various sources.
Website: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/norway.htm
Norway – WorldAtlas.com
Provides maps, quick facts and figures, a country profile, and external links to related resources.
Website: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/no.htm
