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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Northern
Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Sweden |
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Geographic coordinates:
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62 00 N,
10 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
larger than New Mexico |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,542 km
border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619
km, Russia 196 km |
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Coastline:
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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) |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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temperate
along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder
interior with increased precipitation and colder
summers; rainy year-round on west coast |
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Terrain:
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glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains
broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains;
coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in
north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc,
titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.13% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,270 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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rockslides, avalanches |
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Environment - current issues:
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water
pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely
affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution
from vehicle emissions |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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4,593,041
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total:
38.17 years
male: 37.29 years
female: 39.07 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.4%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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11.67
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.45
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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1.73
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 79.4 years
male: 76.78 years
female: 82.17 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.78
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1%
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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2,100
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
100 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Norwegian, Sami 20,000 |
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Religions:
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Church of
Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other
Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004) |
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Languages:
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Bokmal
Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official),
small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge |
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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Oslo |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Dependent areas:
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Bouvet
Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard |
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Independence:
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7 June
1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved);
26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the
union) |
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National holiday:
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Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) |
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Constitution:
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17 May
1814; amended many times |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
following parliamentary elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with
the approval of the parliament |
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Legislative branch:
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modified
unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members
are elected by popular vote by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to
be held September 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party -
Labor Party 32.7%, Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative
Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party 8.8%, Christian
People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal Party
5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by
party - Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative
Party 23, Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's
Party 11, Center Party 11, Liberal Party 10
note: for certain purposes, the parliament
divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth
of its membership to an upper house or Lagting |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Center
Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party
[Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE];
Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens
STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress
Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin
HALVORSEN] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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AfDB,
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest),
NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New
York, and San Francisco |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63 |
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Flag description:
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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) |
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Economy - overview:
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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 and international oil
prices, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of
exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil
than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a
referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it contributes
sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead
with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of
life worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time
in the next two decades when the oil and gas will begin
to run out. Accordingly, Norway has been saving its
oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum
Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more
than $150 billion. After lackluster growth of 1% in 2002
and 0.5% in 2003, GDP growth picked up to 3.3% in 2004.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$183
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.3%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 36.3%
services: 61.6% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.38
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%,
services 74% (1995) |
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Unemployment rate:
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4.3%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 21.8% (1995) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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25.8
(1995) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1% (2004
est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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17.5% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $134 billion
expenditures: $116.8 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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33.1% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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barley,
wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish |
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Industries:
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petroleum
and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper
products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles,
fishing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5.2%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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125.9
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 0.4%
hydro: 99.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.4% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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107.4
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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15
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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5.3
billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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3.31
million bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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171,100
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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3.466
million bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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88,870
bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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9.859
billion bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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54.6
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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4.1
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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50.5
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.716
trillion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$30.52
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$76.64
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum
and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,
chemicals, ships, fish |
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Exports - partners:
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UK 22.4%,
Germany 12.9%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.6%, US 8.4%,
Sweden 6.7% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$45.96
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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Sweden
15.7%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.5%, China 5%,
US 4.9%, Netherlands 4.4%, France 4.3%, Finland 4.1%
(2004) |
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Debt - external:
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$0
(Norway is a net external creditor) (2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $1.4
billion (1998) |
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Currency (code):
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Norwegian
krone (NOK) |
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Currency code:
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NOK |
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Exchange rates:
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Norwegian
kroner per US dollar - 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003),
7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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3.343
million (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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4,163,400
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: modern in all respects; one of
the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system;
moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the
wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of
fixed-wire systems
international: country code - 47; 2 buried
coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables;
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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 5, FM
at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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4.03
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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360 (plus
2,729 repeaters) (1995) |
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Televisions:
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2.03
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.no |
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Internet hosts:
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593,850
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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13 (2000)
|
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Internet users:
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2.288
million (2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
4,077 km
standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km
electrified) (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
91,852 km
paved: 71,185 km (including 178 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 20,667 km (2002) |
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Pipelines:
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condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km;
oil/gas/water 746 km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km (2004)
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Ports and harbors:
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Borg
Havn, Bergen, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo,
Sture |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
740 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,820,495 GRT/27,449,456
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 51, cargo 168, chemical
tanker 142, combination ore/oil 20, container 3,
liquefied gas 81, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 113,
petroleum tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll
off 30, vehicle carrier 42
foreign-owned: 174 (Belgium 1, China 3, Cyprus 5,
Denmark 28, Estonia 2, Finland 5, Germany 4, Hong Kong
52, Iceland 3, Italy 3, Japan 3, Lithuania 1, Monaco 1,
Netherlands 4, Poland 2, Saudi Arabia 7, Singapore 10,
Sweden 24, United States 16)
registered in other countries: 1,117 (2005) |
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Airports:
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101 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
65
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
36
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
|
1 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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Norwegian
Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coastal Rangers and
Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force
(Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age
in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18
years of age for women; 16 years of age for volunteers
to the Home Guard; conscript service obligation - 12
months (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 1,014,592 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 827,016 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males:
29,179 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$4,033.5
million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.9%
(2003) |
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Disputes - international:
|
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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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