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Introduction - Norway
Background:
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. 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. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy
losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World
War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45).
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.
Geography - Norway
Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Sweden
Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 323,802 sq km
country comparison to the world: 67
land: 304,282 sq km
water: 19,520 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 2,542 km
border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km
Coastline:
25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small
islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133
km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
Current Weather
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with
increased precipitation and colder summers; 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: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel,
fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 2.7%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.3% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,270 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
381.4 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.4 cu km/yr (23%/67%/10%)
per capita: 519 cu m/yr (1996)
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-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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 the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world
People - Norway
Population:
4,676,305 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 436,506/female 417,567)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,567,433/female 1,527,126)
65 years and over: 15.6% (male 314,983/female 412,690) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.7 years
male: 38.8 years
female: 40.5 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.334% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Birth rate:
10.9 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Death rate:
9.26 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Net migration rate:
1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Urbanization:
urban population: 77% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.054 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 213
male: 3.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.08 years
country comparison to the world: 23
male: 77.42 years
female: 82.89 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.77 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Nationality:
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups:
Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami, about 60,000), other European 3.6%, other 2%
(2007 estimate)
Religions:
Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%,
Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)
Languages:
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and
Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 17 years
female: 18 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
7.2% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 20
Government - Norway
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Oslo
geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in
October
Administrative divisions:
19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark,
Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo,
Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder,
Vestfold
Dependent areas:
Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
Independence:
7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905
(Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
Constitution:
17 May 1814; amended many times
Legal system:
mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme
Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown
Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of parliament
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually
appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament
Legislative branch:
modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members elected by
popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 14 September 2009 (next to be held in September 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - DNA 35.4%, FrP 22.9%, H 17.2%, SV
6.2%, Sp 6.2%, KrF 5.5%, V 3.9%, other 2.7%; seats by party - DNA 64, FrP 41, H
30, SV 11, Sp 11, KrF 10, V 2
note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers and
elects one-fourth of its membership in the Lagting and three-fourths of its
membership in the Odelsting
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Center Party (Senterpartiet or Sp) [Liv Signe NAVARSETE]; Christian People's
Party (Kristelig Folkeparti or KrF) [Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Conservative Party (Hoyre
or H) [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party (Det norske Arbeiderpartiet or DNA) [Jens
STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party (Venstre or V) [Trine SKEI-GRANDE]; Progress Party (Framstegspartiet
or FrP) [Siv JENSEN]; Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti or SV)
[Kristin HALVORSEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Norwegian Aid Committee or NORWAC; Norwegian Association of the Disabled; Pure
Salmon Campaign; The Consumer Council (consumer advocacy group)
other: environmental groups; media; reform movements
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NATO, NC,
NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wegger C. STROMMEN
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Barry B. WHITE
embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to
Huseby in the near future
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51
Flag description:
red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag;
the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the
Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors recall Norway's past political unions with
Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue)
Economy - Norway
Economy - overview:
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-majority-owned enterprises. The country is richly endowed with natural
resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly
dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounts for nearly half of exports and
over 30% of state revenue. Norway is the world's third-largest gas exporter; its
position as an oil exporter has slipped to seventh-largest as production has
begun to decline. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in
November 1994; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it
contributes sizably to the EU budget. In anticipation of eventual declines in
oil and gas production, Norway saves almost all state revenue from the petroleum
sector in a sovereign wealth fund. After lackluster growth of less than 1.5% in
2002-03, GDP growth picked up to 2.5-6.2% in 2004-07, partly due to higher oil
prices. Growth fell to 2.1% in 2008, and the economy contracted by 1% in 2009 as
a result of the slowing world economy and the drop in oil prices.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$273.1 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
$275.8 billion (2008 est.)
$270.2 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$373.3 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
2.1% (2008 est.)
5.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$58,600 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
$59,400 (2008 est.)
$58,400 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 39.5%
services: 58.3% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
2.59 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 21.1%
services: 76% (2008)
Unemployment rate:
3.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
2.6% (2008 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 23.4% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 133
25.8 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Budget:
revenues: $208.6 billion
expenditures: $171.3 billion (2009 est.)
Public debt:
60.6% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
56.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
3.8% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 71
6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.28% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 151
3.5% (1st quarter 2009)
Stock of money:
$NA
Stock of quasi money:
$NA
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$142.5 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 32
$125.9 billion (31 December 2008)
$357.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish
Industries:
petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products,
metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
-2.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity - production:
142.7 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Electricity - consumption:
128.8 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Electricity - exports:
17.29 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
3.414 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
2.35 million bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
Oil - consumption:
204,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Oil - exports:
2.383 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
Oil - imports:
104,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
Oil - proved reserves:
6.68 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Natural gas - production:
103.5 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
Natural gas - consumption:
4.62 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - exports:
98.85 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.313 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Current account balance:
$55.32 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
$88.34 billion (2008 est.)
Exports:
$122.8 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
$173.6 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals,
ships, fish
Exports - partners:
UK 24.28%, Germany 13.4%, Netherlands 10.87%, France 8.55%, Sweden 5.76%, US
4.82% (2009)
Imports:
$65.84 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
$85.95 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Sweden 13.86%, Germany 12.89%, China 7.8%, Denmark 6.78%, US 6.16%, UK 6.01%
(2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$48.86 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
$50.95 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$548.1 billion (30 June 2009)
country comparison to the world: 18
$475.9 billion (31 December 2008)
note: Norway is a net external creditor
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$123.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
$121.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$194.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
$171.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 6.3988 (2009), 5.6361 (2008), 5.86
(2007), 6.418 (2006), 6.445 (2005)
Communications - Norway
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.928 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 57
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.287 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 85
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced
telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; the prevalence of rural areas
encourages the wide use of mobile-cellular systems
international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; submarine
cables provide links to other Nordic countries and Europe; satellite earth
stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic
and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with
the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 160, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
69 (2008)
Internet country code:
.no
Internet hosts:
3.198 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 25
Internet users:
3.935 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 52
Transportation - Norway
Airports:
98 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 63
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 67
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 25 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
condensate 31 km; gas 64 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 4,114 km
country comparison to the world: 40
standard gauge: 4,114 km 1.435-m gauge (2,552 km electrified) (2009)
Roadways:
total: 92,946 km
country comparison to the world: 53
paved: 72,033 km (includes 664 km of expressways)
unpaved: 20,913 km (2007)
Waterways:
1,577 km (2008)
country comparison to the world: 53
Merchant marine:
total: 688
country comparison to the world: 15
by type: bulk carrier 46, cargo 141, carrier 3, chemical tanker 137, combination
ore/oil 12, container 4, liquefied gas 65, passenger/cargo 117, petroleum tanker
85, refrigerated cargo 14, roll on/roll off 13, specialized tanker 1, vehicle
carrier 50
foreign-owned: 199 (Canada 10, Chile 2, China 36, Denmark 25, Estonia 1, Finland
1, France 3, Germany 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 20, Iceland 3, Italy 4, Japan 29,
Lithuania 1, Malaysia 1, Monaco 5, Poland 3, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 1, Sweden
34, UK 5, US 8)
registered in other countries: 923 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Australia 1, Bahamas
189, Barbados 38, Belize 3, Bermuda 5, Brazil 5, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 1,
China 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 5, Cyprus 18, Denmark 3, Dominica 1, Estonia 2,
Faroe Islands 4, Finland 3, France 5, Gibraltar 33, Hong Kong 40, Indonesia 1,
Isle of Man 20, Italy 2, South Korea 2, Liberia 40, Libya 1, Malta 93, Marshall
Islands 66, Netherlands 12, Netherlands Antilles 3, Panama 89, Philippines 10,
Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Singapore 143, Spain 5, Sweden 7,
Tuvalu 1, UK 31, US 9, unknown 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bergen, Borg Havn, Haugesund, Maaloy, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo, Sture
Military - Norway
Military branches:
Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret,
RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air
Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV)
(2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-44 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age in
wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women;
12-month service obligation, in practice shortened to 8 to 9 months; although
all males between ages of 18 and 44 are liable for service, in practice they are
seldom called to duty after age 30; reserve obligation to age 35-60; 16 years of
age for volunteers to the Home Guard, who serve 6-month duty tours (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,078,562
females age 16-49: 1,049,529 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 888,310
females age 16-49: 864,344 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 32,045
female: 30,610 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Transnational Issues - Norway
Disputes - international:
Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its
continental shelf); despite dialogue, 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
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