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, Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
62 00 N, 10 00 E
Europe
total: 323,802 sq km
land: 304,282 sq km
water: 19,520 sq km
slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico
total: 2,566 km
border countries (3): Finland 709 km, Sweden 1,666 km, Russia 191 km
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)
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
mean elevation: 460 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower
agricultural land: 2.7%
arable land 2.2%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0.5%
forest: 27.8%
other: 69.5% (2011 est.)
900 sq km (2012)
rockslides, avalanches
volcanism: Beerenberg (elev. 2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano
water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
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
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
5,265,158 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian
Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami, about 60,000), other European 3.6%, other 2% (2007 est.)
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
note: Sami is an official language in nine municipalities
Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 82.1%, other Christian 3.9%, Muslim 2.3%, Roman Catholic 1.8%, other 2.4%, unspecified 7.5% (2011 est.)
0-14 years: 18.02% (male 486,408/female 462,178)
15-24 years: 12.8% (male 345,785/female 327,969)
25-54 years: 40.98% (male 1,112,006/female 1,045,791)
55-64 years: 11.7% (male 311,528/female 304,267)
65 years and over: 16.51% (male 398,203/female 471,023) (2016 est.)
total dependency ratio: 52.2%
youth dependency ratio: 27.3%
elderly dependency ratio: 24.9%
potential support ratio: 4% (2015 est.)
1.07% (2016 est.)
total: 39.1 years
male: 38.4 years
female: 40 years (2016 est.)
12.2 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
most Norweigans live in the south where the climate is more mild and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated
urban population: 80.5% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
OSLO (capital) 986,000 (2015)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
5 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 81.8 years
male: 79.8 years
female: 83.9 years (2016 est.)
1.86 children born/woman (2016 est.)
88.4%
note: percent of women aged 20-44 (2005)
9.7% of GDP (2014)
4.28 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
3.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 98% of population
rural: 98.3% of population
total: 98.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2% of population
rural: 1.7% of population
total: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)
0.15% (2014 est.)
5,800 (2014 est.)
less than 100 (2014 est.)
24.8% (2014)
7.4% of GDP (2013)
total: 18 years
male: 17 years
female: 18 years (2014)
28.5
note: data is calculated based on actual age at first births (2012 est.)
total: 7.9%
male: 9.1%
female: 6.6% (2014 est.)
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge
etymology: derives from the Old Norse words "nordr" and "vegr" meaning "northern way" and refers to the long coastline of western Norway
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
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
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
Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)
Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
history: drafted spring 1814, adopted 16 May 1814, signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814
amendments: proposals submitted by members of Parliament or by the government within the first three years of Parliament's four-year term; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in the next elected Parliament; amended over 400 times, last in 2015
mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Norway
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
18 years of age; universal
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 Erna SOLBERG (since 16 October 2013)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch, approved by Parliament
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament
lion; national colors: red, white, blue
description: unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 9 September 2013 (next to be held in September 2017)
election results: percent of vote by party - Center-Right Coalition 54.0% (H 26.3%, FrP 16.3%, KrF 5.6%, V 5.2%), Red-Green Coalition 40.6% (Ap 30.8%, SP 5.5%, SV 4.1%), MDG 2.8, other 2.7%; seats by party - Center-Right Coalition 96 (H 48, FrP 29, KrF 10, V 9), Red-Green Coalition 72 (Ap 55, Sp 10, SV 7), MDG 1
Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (Naeringslivets Hovedorganisasjon) or NHO [President Tore ULSTEIN; CEO Kristin SKOGEN LUND]
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisasjonen i Norge) or LO [Gerd KRISTIANSEN]
other: environmental groups; media; digital privacy movements
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (consists of the chief justice and 18 associate justices)
judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the monarch (King in Council) upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Board; justice retirement mandatory at age 70
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal or Lagmensrett; regional and district courts; Conciliation Boards; ordinary and special courts; note - in addition to professionally trained judges, elected lay judges sit on the bench with professional judges in the Courts of Appeal and district courts
Center Party or Sp [Trygve Slagsvold VEDUM]
Center-Right Coalition (includes FrP, H, KrF, V)
Christian Democratic Party or KrF [Knut Arild HAREIDE]
Conservative Party or H [Erna SOLBERG]
Green Party or MDG [Rasmus HANSSON and Hilde OPOKU]
Labor Party or Ap [Jonas Gahr STORE]
Liberal Party or V [Trine SKEI GRANDE]
Progress Party or FrP [Siv JENSEN]
Red-Green Coalition (includes Ap, Sp, SV)
Socialist Left Party or SV [Audun LYSBAKKEN]
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
chief of mission: Ambassador Kare Reidar AAS (since 22 August 2013)
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 459-3990
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco
chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel HEINS (since 10 March 2016)
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] 21-30-85-40
FAX: [47] 22-44-33-63, 22-56-27-51
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)
name: "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country)
lyrics/music: lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK
note: adopted 1864; in addition to the national anthem, "Kongesangen" (Song of the King), which uses the tune of "God Save the Queen," serves as the royal anthem
Norway's has a stable economy with a vibrant private sector, a large state sector, and an extensive social safety net. Norway opted out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes
The country is richly endowed with natural resources in addition to oil and gas, including hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals. The government manages the country’s petroleum resources through extensive regulation. The petroleum sector provides about
In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves state revenue from petroleum sector activities in the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $800 billion as of early 2016. The government allows itself to use up
$376.3 billion (2015 est.)
$364.7 billion (2016 est.)
$361.7 billion (2015 est.)
$356 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
0.8% (2016 est.)
1.6% (2015 est.)
2.2% (2014 est.)
$69,300 (2016 est.)
$69,500 (2015 est.)
$69,100 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
35.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
37.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
40.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
household consumption: 44%
government consumption: 24.3%
investment in fixed capital: 23.3%
investment in inventories: 5.4%
exports of goods and services: 36.1%
imports of goods and services: -33.1% (2016 est.)
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 34.7%
services: 63.5% (2016 est.)
-0.5% (2016 est.)
barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish
petroleum and gas, shipping, fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles
2.794 million (2016 est.)
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 18.3%
services: 79% (2015 est.)
4.8% (2016 est.)
4.4% (2015 est.)
NA%
lowest 10%: 3.8%
highest 10%: 21.2% (2014)
26.8 (2010)
25.8 (1995)
revenues: $199.8 billion
expenditures: $188.8 billion (2016 est.)
53.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
2.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
32.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
31.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data exclude treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as i
calendar year
3.5% (2016 est.)
2.2% (2015 est.)
6.25% (31 December 2010)
1.75% (31 December 2009)
1.4% (31 December 2016 est.)
1.75% (31 December 2015 est.)
$206.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$200.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$323.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$310 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$549.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$527.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$193.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$219.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$265.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$26.23 billion (2016 est.)
$35.04 billion (2015 est.)
$92.4 billion (2016 est.)
$102.9 billion (2015 est.)
petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish
UK 22.2%, Germany 17.9%, Netherlands 10.2%, France 6.6%, Sweden 6.1%, Belgium 5%, US 4.5% (2015)
$73.02 billion (2016 est.)
$75.79 billion (2015 est.)
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs
Sweden 12%, Germany 11.8%, China 10.9%, UK 6.7%, US 6.6%, Denmark 6% (2015)
$57.46 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$64.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$642.3 billion (31 March 2016 est.)
$640.1 billion (31 March 2015 est.)
note: Norway is a net external creditor
$206.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$201.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$195.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$192.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -
8.615 (2016 est.)
8.0646 (2015 est.)
8.0646 (2014 est.)
6.3021 (2013 est.)
5.82 (2012 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
142 billion kWh (2014 est.)
126.4 billion kWh (2014 est.)
21.9 billion kWh (2014 est.)
6.3 billion kWh (2014 est.)
33.7 million kW (2014 est.)
4.7% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
92.7% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
2.5% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
1.61 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
1.255 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
22,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)
5.1 billion bbl (1 January 2010 es)
352,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)
218,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
403,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
98,760 bbl/day (2015 est.)
108.8 billion cu m (2014 est.)
5.87 billion cu m (2014 est.)
114.4 billion cu m (2015 est.)
0 cu m (2014 est.)
1.922 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 es)
41 million Mt (2012 est.)
total subscriptions: 1,029,545
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (July 2015 est.)
total: 5.841 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (July 2015 est.)
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 (2015)
state-owned public radio-TV broadcaster operates 3 nationwide TV stations, 3 nationwide radio stations, and 16 regional radio stations; roughly a dozen privately owned television stations broadcast nationally and roughly another 25 local TV stations broad (2008)
.no
total: 5.042 million
percent of population: 96.8% (July 2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 3
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 106
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 12,277,220
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)
LN (2016)
95 (2013)
total: 67
2,438 to 3,047 m: 14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 21 (2013)
total: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 22 (2013)
1 (2013)
condensate 578 km; condensate/gas 220 km; gas 8,044 km; oil 3,794 km; oil/gas/water 457 km; water 96 km (2013)
total: 4,250 km
standard gauge: 4,250 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2014)
total: 93,870 km (includes 393 km of expressways)
paved: 75,754 km
unpaved: 18,116 km (2013)
1,577 km (2010)
total: 585
by type: bulk carrier 55, cargo 105, carrier 5, chemical tanker 121, combination ore/oil 12, liquefied gas 47, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 54, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 49
foreign-owned: 81 (Bermuda 24, Canada 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, France 5, Iceland 2, Lithuania 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Sweden 27, US 10)
registered in other countries: 974 (Antigua and Barbuda 9, Bahamas 186, Barbados 38, Belize 2, Bermuda 5, Brazil 3, Canada 4, Chile 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 8, Croatia 2, Curacao 2, Cyprus 14, Denmark 2, Dominica 1, Equatorial Guinea 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 13, Gibraltar 46, Hong Kon (2010)
major seaport(s): Bergen, Haugesund, Maaloy, Mongstad, Narvik, Sture
LNG terminal(s) (export): Kamoy, Kollsnes, Melkoya Island
LNG terminal(s) (import): Fredrikstad, Mosjoen
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) (2013)
19-35 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; 1-year service obligation followed by 4-5 refresher training periods through ages 35-60, totaling 18 months (2012)
1.59% of GDP (2015)
1.58% of GDP (2014)
1.4% of GDP (2013)
1.4% of GDP (2012)
1.47% of GDP (2011)
Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010
refugees (country of origin): 13,490 (Eritrea); 8,600 (Somalia); 5,684 (Afghanistan) (2015)
stateless persons: 2,561 (2015)
