NORWAY NOTES 1. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Norway, or Kingdom of Norway is a nation of northwestern Europe.

It forms the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, bounded on three sides by the waters of the Barents, Norwegian, and North seas and the Skagerrak, a strait between Norway and Denmark. The country adjoins Sweden for most of its length, and curves eastward at its northern tip to touch Finland and Russia. Norway includes thousands of offshore islands. Other Norwegian island possessions are Svalbard and Jan Mayen in the Arctic Ocean and Bouvet in the South Atlantic. Norway occupies the most elevated part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, which, in general, rises abruptly from the sea in the west and the north and slopes gradually downward toward the southeast. All of the area was glaciated during the last ice age. Norway's landforms consist mainly eroded, rounded mountains and plateaus and innumerable valleys. Many of the mountains reach elevations of 4,000 to 6000 feet (1,220 to 1,830 m); Galdhpiggen, the highest, rises 8,166 feet (2,489 m) above sea level. Some of the mountainous areas are capped by snow fields and glaciers. Probably the most spectactular landforms are the great fjords on the jagged west and north coasts. Some of these rather narrow, clifflined arms of the sea extend great distances inland. 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 Borders Norway is a country located in Northern Europe on the western and northern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, bordering the North Sea in southwest and the Skagerrak inlet to the south, the North Atlantic Ocean (Norwegian Sea) in the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. Norway has a long land border with Sweden to the east, a shorter one with Finland in the northeast and a still shorter border with Russia in the far northeast. Water Lakes and streams are abundant in virtually all parts of Norway. Few of the lakes are of impressive size; the largest, Lake Mjsa, covers roughly 140 square miles (360 k2 The longest river, the Glomma, is about 370 miles (600 km) in length. Many of Norway's swiftly flowing rivers are invaluable sources of waterpower for Norway's manufacturing industries. Scandinavian mountains It is one of Europe's most mountainous countries with large areas dominated by the Scandinavian Mountains; average elevation is 460 m. They are a mountain range that runs through the Scandinavian Peninsula. Galdhpiggen in southern Norway is the highest peak, at 2,469 metres. The current mountains are remnants of the Caledonian mountains.

The fjords A fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity. Virtually the entire country was covered with a thick ice sheet during the last ice age, as well as in many earlier ice ages. The movement of the ice carved out deep valleys, and when the ice melted, the sea filled many of these valleys, creating Norway's famous fjords

THE CLIMATE Norway lies at about the same latitude as Alaska and northern Russia, but its climate is far less severe. The warming effects of the Norwegian Current, a branch of the North Atlantic Current, are felt throughout the land, strongly along the southwest coast and less so inland, toward the north, and in the mountains. Winters are long and fairly cold, summers brief and cool. Average January and July temperatures at Oslo, for example, are about 23 and 63 F. (-5 and 17 C). The southwestern coast is slightly warmer, the north coast somewhat colder. Most of the fjords are ice-free all year. In general it is considered Continental climate (Cfb). Precipitation is heaviest along the west coast and on windward mountain slopes, reaching 40 to 80 inches (1,000 to 2,000 mm) or more a year. Annual amounts decrease toward the east. Most of Norway has much cloudy weather and abundant snow. VEGETATTION Forests cover about 25 per cent of the land, growing mainly in the central and southern sections. Elsewhere, tundra and bare rocky land prevail. The forests consist largely of conifers, such as spruce, pine, and fir. Deciduous treesoak, ash, maple, elm, and birchgrow mixed with conifers in some low-lying areas. Stunted birch trees are found in the far north on the edge of the tundra and beyond the limit of the conifers on the mountains. Vegetation in the tundra and above the timberline consists of low shrubs, mosses, and lichens.

2. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY Population: 4,593,041 (July 2005 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.5% (male 459,418/female 437,734) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 1,531,249/female 1,484,656) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 286,343/female 393,641) (2005 est.) The People The only significant minority group consists of the Sami (Lapps), who inhabit the extreme north. The greater part of the population lives along the southern and western coasts. Slightly more than one-fourth of the people live in sparsely populated areas Language and Religion Norway has two official languages. One is the traditional literary and commercial language called riksml, or bokml, which developed during the era of Danish, domination and which is based grammatically on Danish, although pronounced differently. The other is NeoNorwegian, created out of Norwegian dialects by Ivar Aasen in the mid-19th century. Agreement has not been reached on whether a common language amalgamating the two should be permitted to develop naturally or arbitrarily devised. Many dialects are still used in rural areas. The Sami maintain their own language, a Finno-Ugric tongue. English is widely spoken in the cities. The official church of Norway is the Evangelical-Lutheran, to which about 96 per cent of the population belongs. Of the remaining denominations, the largest are the United Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Education Schooling is free and compulsory from ages 7 to 16. Elementary education is divided into a lower stage (barneskolen), which lasts six years, and an upper stage (ungdomsskolen), which lasts three years. Beyond the ungdomsskoen are the gymnas, secondary schools that provide a course lasting one to three years. A student who completes three years may enter a university or other institution of higher learning. There is virtually no illiteracy. The University of Oslo (originally Royal Frederick University) was founded in 1811. Other schools include the universities of Bergen, Troms, and Trondheim, and the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration at Bergen, the Veterinary College of Norway at Oslo, and the Oslo, School of Architecture.

Culture In the Viking era Norwegian accomplishments in art and literature matched in vigor the feats of conquest and exploration. The period of Danish rule, from the 14th to the 19th century, was one of cultural stagnation. With the reconstitution of kingdom of Norway under the Swedish monarchy (1814) came a resurgence of art, letters, and science. Surviving examples of medieval culture include the artifacts found in Viking burial mounds, and the early churches. The mounds have produced Viking ships, carved dragon's-head prows, and elaborately carved furniture. Fine gold spurs and arms inlaid with silver have been found also. Most distinctive architecturally are the stave (wooden) churches, built in the 11th and 12th centuries. Rising in steep-roofed tiers to a pinnacle, their gables ornamented with dragon's heads, they are uniquely Norwegian in appearance. The revival of the arts in the 19th century was led by the poet Henrik Wergeland. Artists of major importance rose to prominence during the centuryIbsen in drama Grieg in music, Munch in painting, and Vigeland in sculpture. Scientists included Niels Henrik Abel, mathematician; Armauer Hansen, discoverer of the leprosy bacillus; and Michael Sars, biologist. Norwegians who have won Nobel Prizes include Sigrid Undset and Fridtjof Nansen. The Bergen International Festival of Music, Drama, and Folklore, held each year during May and June, is a major international event.

El Grito, de Munch.

Vigelands sculptures Sports and Recreation Skiing may be considered the national sport of Norway, with ice skating next in popularity. Holmenkollen Ski Week, held in Oslo each March, is an international meet. The Winter Festivalwith fairs, processions, and concertsis held in connection with it. Although summer is short, Norway's extensive coastline offers abundant opportunity for water sports. Sailing is traditional, and is a favorite activity. The Hank International Regattas, an annual yachting event, take place on the Oslo fjord in July. The International Sea Fishing Festival at Stavanger is in August. Rifle-shooting, track and field, and gymnastics are widespread organized sports. Soccer is the most popular spectator game. 3. HISTORY 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 was to last for 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. Quisling Quisling, Vidkun 18871945, was Norwegian fascist leader. An army officer, he served as military attach in Petrograd (191819) and Helsinki (191921) and later assisted Fridtjof Nansen in relief work in Russia. He was Norwegian minister of defense from 1931 to 1933. He then left the Agrarian party to found the fascist Nasjonal Samling [national unity] party. In 1940 he helped Germany prepare the conquest of Norway. Remaining at the head of the sole party permitted by the Germans, he was made premier in 1942. Despite his unpopularity and difficulties with his German masters and within his own party, he remained in power until May, 1945, when, after the Germans in Norway surrendered, he was arrested. He was convicted of high treason and shot. From his name came the word quisling, meaning traitor. 4. ECONOMY From the end of World War II until the late 1980's, Norway enjoyed steady economic growth. Shipping, fishing, forestry, agriculture, and manufacturing grew substantially during this period. Since the 1970's, when large-scale production of oil and natural gas began, the growth of the economy has gradually become tied to the production and export of these fuels. Declines in the oil and gas industries in the late 1980's resulted in a slight decline in the nation's gross domestic product. However, Norway maintains one of the highest per-capita incomes in the world.

Industrial growth before the 1970's was made possible mainly by large governmental expenditures on industrial-development programs and on an abundance of hydroelectric power. Among European countries, Norway ranks second only to Russia in the production of hydroelectric power.

Almost all of Norway's industrial facilities are privately owned and operated. Most transportation systems and public utilities are owned and operated by the government. Tourism is a large and growing industry. Many Norwegians are employed in the service industries and by government. Manufacturing forms an important part of the economy. A relatively wide range of consumer goods, such as processed foods (particularly fish), textiles and clothing, and household items, are produced for domestic use and export. Numerous industries produce largely for export. Among their products are pulp and paper; metals, especially aluminum, steel, and ferroalloys; fertilizers and other chemicals; machinery; and ships. Huge offshore oil-drilling platforms for use in the North Sea are made for petroleum companies. Increasingly, Norway has turned to the production of technologically advanced products. Manufacturing is concentrated in and around Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger. Some of the large chemical and metallurgical operations that require enormous amounts of electricity, such as a nitrogen fixation and aluminum refining, are located elsewhere, near the sites of hydroelectric power. Agriculture Less than 3 per cent of Norway's land is suitable for cultivation. The most productive areas are the valleys north of Oslo and the lowlands around Trond-heim. Farms are generally small, family owned, and affiliated with cooperatives. Crop yields are moderately high due to increasing use of fertilizer and machinery. Livestockchiefly sheep and beef and dairy cattleand fodder, especially hay, account for much of the nation's agricultural production. Food crops consist mainly of barley, oats, potatoes, and hardy fruits and vegetables. Much food is imported. Norwegian farmers traditionally supplement their incomes with secondary occupations, mainly in fishing, forestry, and farming.

Fishing

Norway has long been one of the world's leading fishing and fish-exporting nations. Coastal fishing in small boats accounts for much of the catch. Since World War II, fishing distant waters in large vessels has increased substantially. Whaling, once important, ceased in the late 1980's because of international opposition to whaling and the dwindling number of whales.

Forestry is one of Norway's oldest industries, dating back many centuries. Pine, spruce, and birch are the most valuable woods. Logging operations are modern and highly

mechanized. Rivers and coastal waters are still used for moving logs to the mills. Cutting of forests is strictly supervised by the government. Mining Until the 1970's Norway's mineral production consisted chiefly of iron ore, pyrite, and coal (on Svalbard). Of these, iron ore, mined in the far north, led in value and volume. Petroleum and natural gas are now the leaders. Both are produced in the North Sea and are largely exported by pipelines beneath the North Sea. Development is controlled by the government. Trade. Norway's prosperity depends heavily on foreign trade. Since the development of North Sea oil and gas, exports have usually exceeded imports in value. Revenues from shipping and tourism also contribute to Norway's favorable balance of payments. The Norwegian merchant marine is one of the world's largest and most modern. The fleet, operating largely between foreign ports, has long been one of the nation's leading earners of foreign exchange. Principal trading partners are Germany, Sweden, and Great Britain. Transportation Road and railway systems in Norway are relatively well developed, considering the difficult terrain. Most of the roads and railways are in the south. Only one railway and one major highway extend northward beyond Trondheim. Roughly 60 per cent of the railway mileage is electrified. The nation is served by several international airlines, including Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), jointly operated by Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Major airports are at Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger. Extensive coastal shipping supplements Norway's land transportation. The principal ports, which handle international as well as domestic traffic, are Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen, Trondheim, Narvik, and Troms. SOCIAL WELFARE Norway has an extensive social welfare system. One contributing factor to this system is the wealth that Norway has acquired from their extraction of petroleum in the North Sea. A compulsory National Pension plan provides citizens with benefits such as universal child support, one-year paid maternity leave, and pensions for old age, disability, rehabilitation, widow, and widower. Norway's extensive attention to the medical and financial needs of its people is perhaps one of the greatest contributing factors to Norway's long average lifespan.

Health insurance is mandatory for all inhabitants. The state, the employer, and the individual all contibute to the health fund. Health services are distributed based on need, not on the ability of the individual to pay. Norwegians that become ill are guaranteed to medical treatment. Medical treatments including hospitalization and medication are free of charge.

In Norway, all employed persons have the right to receive sick pay starting the first day of their absence. The employer covers the cost for the first sixteen days. After sixteen days, national insurance covers the cost of the sickness benefits.

The retirement age in Norway is 67. After the age of 67, retired Norwegians receive an old-age pension for the remainder of their lives. All Norwegian residents are guaranteed a minimum pension. The amount of one's pension is dependant on the previous income of an individual and the time duration of their work.

A pregnant woman is entitled to a one-year paid maternal leave is she has been working six out of the last ten months. Three weeks of the leave must be taken prior to the birth. Also, fathers must take four weeks leave after the birth of their children. It is not necessary for parents to take the one year leave in one consecutive period. They may use days or weeks in their leave within a two year period. Women that were not employed before pregnancy receive a grant upon giving birth. Norway was the first country in the world to appoint a special minister to attend to issues concerning children.

The health and social welfare system in Norway is mostly pubicly financed through taxation. All wage earners contribute a fixed percentage of their earnings to the national insurance tax. Employers contribute money in the form of a payroll tax.