Kongeriket Norge
(Kingdom of Norway)
In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence (declaring the union with Sweden dissolved. Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union in October of the same year).
Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Despite its neutrality, Norway was not able to avoid occupation by Germany in World War II. In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO.
Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone.
In referenda (held in 1972 and 1994), Norway rejected joining the EU.
Chief of State: King Harald V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973).
Capital of Norway is Oslo, and Constitution Day, 17 May is the National holiday.
Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav Tryggvason in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades.
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Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden.
About two-thirds mountains. Some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in the world. Norway is the only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia. The area is approximately 323,802 sq km (307,442 sq km land. 16,360 sq km water). Terrain is glaciated. Mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys. There are small, scattered plains, but the coastline is deeply indented by fjords. To the north you will find arctic tundra. Natural hazards include rockslides and avalanches. Climate is temperate along coast, modified by the North Atlantic Current. Norway has a colder interior with increased precipitation, and colder summers causing glaciers to grow. Also, rainy year-round on west coast.
Population:About 4,691,849 people live in Norway.
The majority of residents are Norwegian. Approximately 20,000 are of the Sami ethnic group. Main language spoken is Norwegian (official). Also, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities.
Religious Denomination: Church of Norway (85.7%), Roman Catholic (1%), Pentecostal (1%), other Christian (2.4%), Muslim (1.8%), and other (8.1%).
Agriculture: Products include barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal; fish; milk.
Exports (commodities): Petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, and fish.
Economy: The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises). The country is richly endowed with natural resources (petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals) and is highly dependent on its oil production. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway's economy remains buoyant. Domestic economic activity is, and will continue to be, the main driver of growth, supported by high consumer confidence and strong investment spending in the offshore oil and gas sector.
Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK).
This page was last updated on 18 July, 2011