Statistical information Norway 1998

Norway in the World
top of pageBackground: Norway gained its independence from Sweden in 1905. As a separate realm, Norway stayed free of World War I but suffered German occupation in World War II. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s gave a strong boost to Norway's economic fortunes. Norway is planning for the time when its oil and gas reserves are depleted and is focusing on containing spending on its extensive welfare system. It has decided at this time not to join the European Union and the new euro currency regime.
top of pageLocation: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map reference:
EuropeAreaTotal: 324,220 km²
Land: 307,860 km²
Water: 16,360 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundariesTotal: 2,515 km
Border countries: (3) Finland 729 km;
, Sweden 1,619 km;
, Russia 167 kmCoastline: 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 claimsContiguous 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land useArable land: 3%
Permanent crops: NA%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 27%
Other: 70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 970 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: NA
GeographyNote: 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 only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia
top of pagePopulation: 4,419,955 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 0.44% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Norwegian(s)
Adjective: Norwegian
Ethnic groups: Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami) 20,000
Languages: Norwegian (official)
Note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%, none 3.2%, unknown 5.2% (1980)
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 20% (male 444,373; female 420,940)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,454,733; female 1,407,395)
65 years and over: 15% (male 288,056; female 404,458) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.44% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 12.9 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.17 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.64 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 5.01 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 78.23 years
Male: 75.42 years
Female: 81.21 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99% (1976 est.)
Male: NA%
Female: NA%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
Conventional short form: Norway
Local long form: Kongeriket Norge
Local short form: Norge
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Oslo
Administrative divisions: 19 provinces (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:
(3) Bouvet Island,
Jan Mayen,
SvalbardIndependence: 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884
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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS (born 20 July 1973): ead of
Government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 15 October 1997)
Cabinet: State Council appointed by the king with the approval of the Parliament
Elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the king with the approval of the Parliament
Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September 2001)
Election results: percent of vote by party_Labor 35%, Center Party 7.9%, Conservatives 14.3%, Christian People's 13.7%, Socialist Left 6%, Progress 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%; seats by party_Labor 65, Center Party 11, Conservatives 23, Christian People's 25, Socialist Left 9, Progress 25, Liberal Party 6, other parties 1
Note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting; the 39-member Saami assembly has advisory functions on regional control of natural resources and decision-making capacity on matters relating to the preservation of the Saami culture
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by the king
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINUGUA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Tom-Erik VRAALSON
In the us chancery: 2,720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 333-6,000
In the us fax: [1] (202) 337-0870
In the us consulates general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David HERMELIN
From the us embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
From the us mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 9,707
From the us telephone: [47] 22 44 85 50
From the us fax: [47] 22 44 33 63
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)
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Norway is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism. The economy consists of 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), and extensively subsidizes agriculture, fishing, and areas with sparse resources. Norway maintains an extensive welfare system that helps propel public sector expenditures to more than 50% of GDP and results in one of the highest average tax levels in the world. A small country with a high dependence on international trade, Norway is basically an exporter of raw materials and semiprocessed goods, with an abundance of small- and medium-sized firms, and is ranked among the major shipping nations. The country is richly endowed with natural resources_petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals_and is highly dependent on its oil sector. Only Saudi Arabia exports more oil than Norway. Norway imports more than half its food needs. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. Economic growth in 1998 should be about the same as in 1997. Inflation probably will move up toward 3% because of tightness in labor markets. Despite their high per capita income_outstripped among major nations only by the US_and their generous welfare benefits, Norwegians worry about that time in the 21st century when the oil and gas run out.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 3.5% (1997 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $27,400 (1997 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 2.9%
Industry: 34.7%
Services: 62.4% (1991)
Agriculture products: oats, other grains; beef, milk; livestock output exceeds value of crops; among world's top 10 fishing nations; fish catch of 2.33 million metric tons in 1994
Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
Labor forceTotal: 2.13 million
By occupation services: 71%
By occupation industry: 23%
By occupation agriculture forestry and fishing: 6% (1993)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (yearend 1997)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $48.6 billion
Expenditures: $53 billion, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1994 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$49.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: petroleum and petroleum products 43%, metals and products 11%, foodstuffs (mostly fish) 9%, chemicals and raw materials 25%, natural gas 6.0%, ships 5.4%
Partners: EU 77.2% (UK 19.8%, Germany 12.7%, Netherlands 9.1%, France 7.8%, Sweden 9.8%), US 6.0% (1995)
Imports: total value:$35.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment and manufactured consumer goods 54%, chemicals and other industrial inputs 39%, foodstuffs 6%
Partners: EU 71.0% (Sweden 15.4%, Germany 13.8%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.5%, Netherlands 4.4%), US 6.6% (1995)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1_7.4875 (January 1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996), 6.3352 (1995), 7.0576 (1994), 7.0941 (1993)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 26.431 million kW (1995)
Production: 121.375 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 26,547 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 2.39 million (1994 est.), 470,000 mobile phones in use in 1994
Telephone system: high-quality domestic and international telephone, telegraph, and telex services
Domestic: NA domestic satellite earth stations
International: 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)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $3.7 billion (1995)
Percent of gdp: 2.9% (1995)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 102 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 65
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 14
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 11
With paved runways under 914 m: 28 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 37
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 32 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
Pipelines: refined products 53 km
RailwaysTotal: 4,023 km
Standard gauge: 4,023 km 1.435-m gauge (2,422 km electrified; 96 km double track) (1996)
RoadwaysWaterways: 1,577 km along west coast; 2.4 m draft vessels maximum
Merchant marineTotal: 762 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,042,709 GRT/33,839,476 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 102, cargo 128, chemical tanker 91, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 38, container 18, liquefied gas tanker 91, multi-function large load carrier 1, oil tanker 145, passenger 13, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 13, roll-on/roll-off cargo 52, short-sea passenger 23, vehicle carrier 37
Note: the government has created an internal register, the Norwegian International Ship register (NIS), as a subset of the Norwegian register; ships on the NIS enjoy many benefits of flags of convenience and do not have to be crewed by Norwegians (1997 est.)
Ports and terminalsNorway - Transnational issues 1998
top of pageDisputes international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land; Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: minor transshipment point for drugs shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market; increasing domestic consumption of cannabis and amphetamines