Background: 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. The current
focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and
planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda
held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital: Oslo
Currency: 1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere
Geography of Norway
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
west of Sweden
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
Area:
total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 2,515 km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long
fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 10 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 4 nm
Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder
interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile
valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in
north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggeh 2,469 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore,
zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: rockslides, avalanches
Environment - current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging
forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air
pollution from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands
off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes
and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
in world; Norway is the only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia.
People of Norway
Ethnically, Norwegians are predominantly Germanic, although in the far
north there are communities of Sami (Lapps) who came to the area more than
10,000 years ago, probably from central Asia. In recent years, Norway has
become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and
asylum-seekers from various parts of the world. Immigrants now total
nearly 150,000; some have obtained Norwegian citizenship.
Although the Evangelical Lutheran Church is the state church, Norway
has complete religious freedom. Education is free through the university
level and is compulsory from ages 7 to 16. At least 12 months of military
service and training are required of every eligible male. Norway's health
system includes free hospital care, physician's compensation, cash
benefits during illness and pregnancy, and other medical and dental plans.
There is a public pension system.
Norway is in the top rank of nations in the number of books printed per
capita, even though Norwegian is one of the world's smallest language
groups. Norway's most famous writer is the dramatist Henrik Ibsen. Artists
Edvard Munch and Christian Krogh were Ibsen's contemporaries. Munch drew
part of his inspiration from Europe and in turn exercised a strong
influence on later European expressionists. Sculptor Gustav Vigeland has a
permanent exhibition in the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo. Musical
development in Norway since Edvard Grieg has followed either native folk
themes or, more recently, international trends.
Population: 4,593,041 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.99%
15-64 years: 64.91%
65 years and over: 15.1%
Population growth rate: 0.49%
Birth rate: 12.6 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 9.83 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: 2.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 3.94 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.79 years
male: 75.87 years
female: 81.92 years
Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups: Norwegian (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Sami 20,000
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman
Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997)
Languages: Norwegian (official)
note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
SOURCES: The World Factbook, U.S. Department of State |