Travel Destination - Norway
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Norway, officially
Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy with a population of
about 4.5 million. Its 125,181 square miles in Northern Europe
occupy the western part of the Scandinavian peninsula. Extending
from the Skagerrak, which it borders in the south, about 1,100 mi
northeast to North Cape and Vardo on the Barents Sea in the extreme
northeast, the country forms a narrow mountainous strip along the
North Sea in the southwest and in the west the Atlantic Ocean, whose
local waters are also called the Norwegian Sea. It has a long land
frontier with Sweden in the east and in the northeast borders on
Finland and Russia. Oslo is the capital and largest city. The
nation's outlying possessions are Svalbard and Jan Mayen in the
Arctic Ocean and Bouvet and Peter I islands in the South Atlantic;
Norway also has claims in Antarctica.
The coastline, about 1,700 miles long, is fringed with islands and
is deeply indented by numerous fjords. Sognafjorden, Hardangerfjord,
Nordfjord, and Oslofjord are among the largest and best known. From
the coast the land rises sharply to high plateaus such as Dovrefjell
and the Hardangervidda. Galdhopiggen, in the Jotunheimen range, is
the high point (8,098 feet); west of it lies Jostedalsbreen, the
largest glacier field in Europe. The mountains and plateaus are
intersected by fertile valleys, such as Gudbrandsdalen, and by rapid
rivers, which furnish hydroelectric power and are used for logging.
The Glama, in the south, is the most important river. Because of the
North Atlantic Drift, Norway has a mild and humid climate for a
northern country.
Most of the population is concentrated along the southern coast and
valleys, where the chief cities of Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger,
Kristiansand, and Drammen are located. Farther north along the coast
is Trondheim, and in the extreme north are Narvik, Tromso, and
Hammerfest. The majority of Norwegians are of Scandinavian stock,
but in the northern county of Finnmark, Lapps and Finns predominate.
The official language of Norway is Norwegian with small Sami- and
Finnish-speaking minorities. English is a popular second language in
Norway.
The Lutheran Church is the state church, but all other religions
enjoy freedom of worship. The king nominates the nine bishops and
other clergy of the Lutheran Church. The educational level in Norway
is very high; the leading universities are in Oslo (founded 1811)
and Bergen (founded 1946).
Almost three quarters of Norway's land is unproductive; less than 4%
is under cultivation and the country imports over 50% of its food.
The vast mountain pastures are used for the grazing of cattle and
sheep, and, in the north, for reindeer raising. About one quarter of
Norway is forested; timber is a chief natural resource and is the
basis for one of the main industries. The beautiful Norwegian fjords
and the midnight sun of the far north attract many tourists. Fishing
(notably of cod, herring, and mackerel) is important, and fresh,
canned, and salted fish from Norway are exported to the entire
world.
The country's chief industries are petroleum and natural gas
production, shipping, and trading. Since the discovery of petroleum
in the Ekofisk field in 1969, the petroleum and natural gas
industries have become vital to Norway's economy, bringing increased
employment, but also increased inflation and a vulnerability to
fluctuations in the world petroleum market (most of the oil and gas
is exported). Other mineral resources include pyrites, copper,
titanium, and iron ore, which are heavily mined, and some coal,
zinc, and lead. Nickel, aluminum, ferroalloys, and semifinished
steel are produced. Almost all of Norway's electricity is supplied
by hydroelectric power, and the country exports hydroelectricity as
well. The food manufacturing, pulp and paper, electrochemical,
electrometallurgical, and shipbuilding industries are important to
the economy. The great Norwegian merchant fleet carries a large part
of the world's trade. The chief trading partners are the United
Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United
States.
Norway is a constitutional monarchy; executive power, while
nominally held by the monarch, is exercised by a council of
ministers led by the prime minister. Legislative power is vested in
the 165-member parliament or Storting. The three main parties are
the moderately socialist Labor party, the pro-free enterprise
Conservative party, and the Christian Democratic party.
Source: taedge destinations & norway.org
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