Map of Norway | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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Location: Northern Europe bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N 10 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 323,802 km²
Rank: 67
Land: 304,282 km²
Water: 19,520 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries
Total: 2,542 km
Border countries: (3) Finland 727 km; Sweden 1619 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: 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
Extremes 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: 1270 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 381.4 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: rockslides avalanches
Volcanism: Beerenberg (elev. 2,227 m 7,306 ft) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano

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


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Population: 4,676,305 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 118
Growth rate: 0.334% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 170
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Norwegian
Adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups: Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami about 60,000) other European 3.6% other 2% (2007 estimate)

Languages: Bokmal Norwegian (official) Nynorsk Norwegian (official) small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities

Religions: Church of Norway 85.7% Pentecostal 1% Roman Catholic 1% other Christian 2.4% Muslim 1.8% other 8.1% (2004)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.5%
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,564,482/female 1,522,519)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 305,120/female 404,860) (2010 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 39.7 years
Male: 38.8 years
Female: 40.5 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.334% (2010 est.)
Rank: 170

Birth rate: 10.9 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 180

Death rate: 9.26 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 69

Net migration rate: 1.7 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 44

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 77% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current 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-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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.054 male/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.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.55 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 211
Male: 3.88 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.19 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.08 years
Rank: 25
Male: 77.42 years
Female: 82.89 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 161

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 130
People living with hivaids: 3,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 132
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 134

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 6.7% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 27

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 (2008)

Youth unemployment


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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: (1) 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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King HARALD V ; 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: 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]

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 MONUSCO 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 WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Wegger C. STROMMEN
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 consulate general: Houston New York San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Barry B. WHITE
From the us embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future
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 22 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)

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'Ja vi elsker dette landet'
Lyricsmusic: 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

National heritage


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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 second-largest gas exporter; its position as an oil exporter has slipped to ninth-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 the world's second largest sovereign wealth fund valued at over $500 billion in 2010. 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 1.8% in 2008 and the economy contracted by 1.4% in 2009 as a result of the slowing world

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 43
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 167

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 6
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.1%
Industry: 40.1%
Services: 57.8% (2010 est.)

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: 0.3% (2010 est.)
Rank: 154

Labor force: 2.59 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 110
By occupation agriculture: 2.9%
By occupation industry: 21.1%
By occupation services: 76% (2008)

Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2009 est.)
Rank: 32

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.9%
Highest 10: 23.4% (2000)

Distribution of family income gini index: 25.8 (1995)
Rank: 133

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 49.8% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 55

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.1% (2009 est.)
Rank: 70

Central bank discount rate: 6.25% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 72

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 7.28% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 123

Stock of narrow money: $118.3 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 27

Stock of broad money: $243.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 33

Stock of domestic credit: $379.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 26

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 31

Current account balance: $53.53 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 5

Exports: $122 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 31
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products machinery and equipment metals chemicals ships fish
Partners: UK 24.28% Germany 13.4% Netherlands 10.87% France 8.55% Sweden 5.76% US 4.82% (2009)

Imports: $66.68 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 37
Commodities: machinery and equipment chemicals metals foodstuffs
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:

Debt external: $475.9 billion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 7
Note: Norway is a net external creditor

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $128.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 27

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $206 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 18

Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 6.1533 (2010) 6.2883 (2009) 5.6361 (2008) 5.86 (2007) 6.418 (2006)


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Electricity
Production: 142.7 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 26
Consumption: 128.8 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 26
Exports: 17.29 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 3.414 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 103.5 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 6
Consumption: 4.62 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 60
Exports: 98.85 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 2
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 107
Proven reserves: 2.313 trillion m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 17

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.9 million (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 57
Mobile cellular: 5.336 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 93

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)

Broadcast media: state-owned public radio-TV broadcaster operates 3 nationwide television 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 are available; nearly 75% of households have access to multi-channel cable or satellite TV systems; 2 privately-owned radio stations broadcast nationwide and another 240 stations operate locally (2008)

Internet
Country code: .no
Hosts: 3.352 million (2010)
Hosts rank: 27
Users: 4.431 million (2009)
Users rank: 53

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 79

Military and security forces

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)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 98 (2010)
Rank: 61
With paved runways total: 67
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 12
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 18
With paved runways under 914 m: 25 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 31
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 25 (2010)

Heliports: 1 (2010)

Pipelines: condensate 31 km; gas 64 km (2009)

Railways
Total: 4,114 km
Rank: 40
Standard gauge: 4,114 km 1.435-m gauge (2,552 km electrified) (2009)

Roadways
Total: 92,946 km
Rank: 52
Paved: 72,033 km (includes 664 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 20,913 km (2007)

Waterways: 1577 km (2008)
Rank: 53

Merchant marine
Total: 632
Rank: 19
By type: bulk carrier 43 cargo 133 carrier 5 chemical tanker 139 combination ore/oil 12 container 1 liquefied gas 53 passenger 3 passenger/cargo 116 petroleum tanker 58 refrigerated cargo 14 roll on/roll off 9 vehicle carrier 46
Foreign owned: 104 (Bermuda 5 Canada 1 China 25 Cyprus 1 Denmark 11 Estonia 1 Finland 1 France 4 Iceland 3 Italy 3 Lithuania 1 Monaco 1 Poland 2 Saudi Arabia 3 Sweden 33 US 9)
Registered in other countries: 940 (Antigua and Barbuda 9 Australia 1 Bahamas 198 Barbados 41 Belize 3 Bermuda 5 Brazil 3 Canada 4 Chile 1 Comoros 2 Cook Islands 6 Croatia 2 Cyprus 12 Denmark 2 Dominica 1 Equatorial Guinea 1 Estonia 2 Faroe Islands 6 Finland 2 France 1 Gibraltar 42 Hong Kong 49 Indonesia 4 Ireland 3 Isle of Man 26 Italy 6 Japan 1 Liberia 42 Libya 1 Malta 84 Marshall Islands 57 Netherlands 18 former Netherlands Antilles 2 Panama 89 Portugal 1 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12 Singapore 132 Spain 10 Sweden 3 UK 39 US 10 Vanuatu 1 Venezuela 1 unknown 4) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Bergen Haugesund Maaloy Mongstad Narvik Sture


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Disputes international: Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); Russia and Norway reached an agreement on how to align Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean boundaries over EEZ and continental shelf in an agreement signed on 15 September 2010; this agreement is pending ratification by the respective national assemblies

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs