[These new divisions have been reorganised and been implemented by the Norwegian Storting (Parliament), with effect from 1st January, 2020]. Oslo is the capital of Norway, a place you likely never think about unless you have to. Although sensitive to global business cycles, the economy of Norway has shown robust growth since the start of the industrial era. In Norway, elderly people have a higher low-income risk than comparative age groups, compared to other European countries. The hundreds of deep fjords that cut into the coastline give Norway … The bedrock, exposed in about 40 percent of the area, was scoured and polished by the movements of these materials. Where would you travel to to see the running of the bulls? It is bounded by the Barents Sea in the north, the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea in the west and the Skagerrak (Skager Strait) in the south. News. How Many Time Zones Are There in Norway? The language belongs to the North Germanic branch of the Germanic languages. However, it is important to note that private health insurance is virtually nonexistent as there is a very small market for it. Nearly 70% of Norway is uninhabitable and covered by mountains, glaciers, moors, and rivers. Plant and animal life. Located in the northwest of Oslofjord and surrounded by forested hills is, Oslo – the capital, the largest and the most populous city of Norway. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Norway is a Nordic country, but it is affected by the Gulf Stream, so its climate is not as cold as you might think, especially along the west coast.However, the country is very extended in latitude, and it has a rugged coastline, as well as plateaus and mountain ranges, so there are different climates to be taken into account. With rich glacier-formed soils, exceptionally mild winters, long growing seasons, and plentiful precipitation, the Jæren Plain boasts the highest yields of any agricultural area in Norway. Not only is the midnight sun an incredible sight, it leaves more hours in the day for fishing, boating, climbing and exploring. When that ice finally retreated (or melted) its movement across the land formed islands, lakes, rivers and mountains. Norway uses a 10.5 month system of taxation, rather than a 12 month one. Norway is one of Europe's most mountainous countries and dominated north to south by the many ranges of the Scandinavian Mountains as observed on the map above. Norwegian is spoken as a first language by nearly 95% of the population of Norway. Norway is a popular tourist destination year-round, thanks to its gorgeous green fjords in the summer and the northern lights in the winter. Norway is a Northern European country located on the western half of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway now has 32,000 electric cars which is the highest rate per capita in the whole world. As observed on the physical map of Norway, the country is highly mountainous and has a heavily indented coastline. The map above represents Norway, one of the northernmost countries of the world. The country has an elongated shape with a highly rugged coastline. Significant rivers include the Glama, the country's longest, and the Dramselva, Lagen (two of them) and the Tana in the far north. From the Cambrian through the Silurian geologic period (i.e., from about 540 to 415 million years ago), most of the area was below sea level and acquired a layer of limestone, shale, slate, and conglomerate from 330 to 525 feet (100 to 160 metres) thick. The public healthcare system and health insurance in Norway are both options for expats in this country. Small enclaves of immigrants, mostly from southeastern Europe and South Asia, established themselves in the Oslo region in the late 20th century, but the overwhelming majority of the country’s inhabitants are ethnically Nordic. In alphabetical order, the regions are: Agder, Innlandet, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Oslo, Rogaland, Troms og Finnmark, Trondelag, Vestfold og Telemark, Vestlandet and Viken. There has been a significant drop in air pollution. The northern part of the country, particularly the rugged Finnmark Plateau, is home to the Sami (also called Lapps or Laplanders), a Uralic people whose origins are obscure. 12. The Lofoten Islands are draped across the turbulent waters of the Norwegian Sea, far above the Arctic Circle. Norway is a northern European country covering an area of 385,207 sq. The only other long river is the 224-mile- (360-km-) long Tana-AnarjÃ¥kka, which runs northeast along part of the border with Finland. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Norway, in the Scandinavia region of Europe, is the both the northern most and western most country of the region. Weakened by plague and economic deterioration in the late Middle Ages and dominated by neighbouring Denmark and Sweden, Norwegians turned to trading in fish and lumber, and modern Norway, which gained its independence in 1905, emerged as a major maritime transporter of the world’s goods as well as a world leader in specialized shipbuilding. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Indo-European peoples settled Norway’s coast in antiquity, establishing a permanent settlement near the present capital of Oslo some 6,000 years ago. While you may stumble upon polar bears (in Svalbard), Arctic foxes, Eurasian lynx, wolverine, reindeer and other species, dedicated safaris in the Norwegian interior will take you within sight of the otherworldly musk ox, as well as the rather loveable elk (moose). The country has a very high standard of living compared with other European countries, and a strongly integrated welfare system. The southern coast touches the Oslofjord, Skagerrak, and the North Sea.. Before the last ice age ended about 10,000 years ago, Norway was covered by a thick ice sheet. That month is when you receive the holiday pay accrued from the year before. The narrow coastal zone of Vestlandet has many islands, and steep-walled, narrow fjords cut deep into the interior mountain region. In the large areas covered by forests, the main soil has been stripped of much of its mineral content, and this has created poor agricultural land. km on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norwegians are notoriously informal, particularly in clothing. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Norway’s new High North policy is a complex mix of initiatives and statements. Its toothy-edged western coastline is a jagged expanse of ( over 50,000 ) islands and dozens of long, deeply indented fjords; the most significant of which include Baknafjord, Geirangerfjord, Hardangerfjord, Moldefjord, Sognefjord, … With the Barents Sea to the north, the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea to the west, and Skagerrak (Skager Strait) to the south, Norway has land borders only to the east—with Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Add to favorite locations. It spreads out between the Baltic Sea and the Arctic Ocean and has some of Europe's most breathtaking landscapes. Norway's only Antarctic research outpost has two clock changes per year, alternating between GMT and CEST. Oslo is also an important maritime industries and trading center in Europe. There are four traditional regions of Norway, three in the south and one in the Arctic north. Folding processes in the Earth then gave rise to a mountain system that is a continuation of the Caledonian orogenic belt. Norway’s oil wealth has given its inhabitants an unparalleled amount of prosperity. According to the Constitution, which was adopted in 1814, Norway is a monarchy in which the power is divided between three branches: a legislative branch which is also responsible for appropriations, the Storting; an executive branch, the Government; and a judicial branch, the courts. The weather in Norway is warmer than might be expected considering how far north it is. In fact, most employees don't receive normal salary in June. Norway is the last refuge for some of Europe's most intriguing wildlife. You pay half the normal monthly tax in December and zero tax in June. Omissions? Well, unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Time difference from Norway. The government has offered incentives such as tax breaks and free parking to these car owners. … Lying on the northern outskirts of the European continent and thus avoiding the characteristics of a geographic crossroads, Norway (the “northern way”) has maintained a great homogeneity among its peoples and their way of life. Norway has about 65,000 lakes with surface areas of at least 4 acres (1.5 hectares). Norway shares land borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia in the east and an extensive coastline facing the North Atlantic Ocean on the west. Norway Tourism: Tripadvisor has 1,124,082 reviews of Norway Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Norway resource. Enormous masses of soil, gravel, and stone were also carried by glacial action as far south as present-day Denmark and northern Germany. In Norway, a "sunday walk" is not a 15 minutes walk to the pub, it is rather a 5 hour+ walk in forest and hills (particularly in the country-side, less so in the city). Thick forests of spruce and pine predominate in the broad glacial valleys up to 2,800 feet (850 metres) above sea level in eastern Norway and … The country is blessed with natural resources. The interior was more sparsely settled, owing to extremes of climate and difficult terrain, and even today the country’s population is concentrated in coastal cities such as Bergen and Trondheim. How is Norway governed? The GlÃ¥ma (Glomma) River, running south almost the entire length of eastern Norway, is 372 miles (600 km) long—close to twice the length of the two other large drainage systems in southern Norway, which meet the sea at the cities of Drammen and Skien. Dog found alive in Norwegian landslide rubble. The contrast is even starker in oil-rich Norway, where the poorest 38 percent of the people fare better, on average, than the poorest 38 percent of Americans, despite a lower median per capita GDP. Most of the region is above the Arctic Circle, and much of it is filled with mountains with jagged peaks and ridges, even on the many islands. Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Norway, Norway - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Norway - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Finland cancelled indoor leisure activities in the Helsinki region at the end of November. The map can be downloaded, printed, and used for coloring or educational purpose like map-pointing activities. This article is about the demographic features of the population of Norway, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. About two-thirds of Norway is mountainous, and off its much-indented coastline lie, carved by deep glacial fjords, some 50,000 islands. It also etched-out deep valleys that then filled with seawater forming Norway's fjords. Scenic fjord, or sea inlet, winding deep into the mountainous coast of western Norway. This natural phenomenon -- 24 hours of visible sun -- occurs during the summer in northern Norway, which sits above the Arctic Circle. Norway first nation to sell more electric cars than petrol vehicles. The economy of Norway is a highly developed mixed economy with state-ownership in strategic areas. Its position on the planet has been beneficial to Norway in many ways. Rivers running westward acquired tremendous erosive power. In the interior of the Østlandet region, farms are located along the sides of the broad valleys, the bottoms of which contain only washed-out deposits of soil. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Of his country and its ruminative people, Ibsen observed, “The magnificent, but severe, natural environment surrounding people up there in the north, the lonely, secluded life—the farms are miles apart—forces them to…become introspective and serious.…At home every other person is a philosopher!”. Image Credits: V. Belov/shutterstock.com Norway’s emissions of gree… You would think all financial worries could just go out the window. Following fracture lines marking weaknesses in the Earth’s crust, they dug out gorges and canyons that knifed deep into the jagged coast. Read about Norway in Wikipedia. There are reportedly over 150,000 (counted) lakes, most quite small, with the largest being Lake Mjosa. Northern Norway, or Nord-Norge, begins almost exactly at the midpoint of the country. These counties are further subdivided into 356 municipalities. Norway is a vast country with a relatively small population A helping hand from nature. In the far northeast above the Arctic Circle, frozen arctic tundra dominates the landscape, from Vardo, south and west. Glaciation and other forces wore down the surface and created thick sandstone, conglomerate, and limestone deposits known as sparagmite. Legends include references to trolls, elves, witches, and other non-human characters alongside human heroes and heroines. What is the Difference Between the Vatican City and the Holy See. Norway has only 1 time zone.The country has observed the same local time as standard time since time was standardized there in 1895.. Troll Station follows a different local time during parts of the year. Norwegians take great pride in being sporty and fit. The cold waters all around the country have for centuries provided rich fishing opportunities, and this continues through to the present day. It is closely related to Danish and Swedish. Updates? Norway also has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. A south-central plateau slopes into the Trondelag, a hilly and mountainous farming area with strips of fertile land on the edges of the Trondheim Fjord. In the 1970s the exploitation of offshore oil and natural gas became the major maritime industry, with Norway emerging in the 1990s as one of the world’s leading petroleum exporters. Thick layers of clay, silt, and sand were deposited along the present coast and in large areas in the Oslo and Trondheim regions, which rise as high as 650 feet (200 metres) above sea level today. The Nynorsk and the Bokmål are the two written standards of the Norwegian language. The three main regions of the south are defined by wide mountain barriers. How Much Are Movie Tickets Around The World? Geography and Population. What currency will you use in Russia? Norway has an average elevation of 1,600 feet (500 metres), compared with 1,000 feet (300 metres) for Europe as a whole. By far the largest is Mjøsa, which is 50 miles (80 km) north of Oslo on the LÃ¥gen River (a tributary of the GlÃ¥ma). Brexit because of the level of opposition in the UK parliament to the draft agreement signed off by the EU and UK Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Acco… Los Angeles The lowest point is sea level at the coast. This rare wilderness outpost offers an untrammeled landscape of majestic mountains, deep fjords, squawking seabird colonies and long, surf-swept beaches. Norwegian is the official language of Norway. Its toothy-edged western coastline is a jagged expanse of (over 50,000) islands and dozens of long, deeply indented fjords; the most significant of which include Baknafjord, Geirangerfjord, Hardangerfjord, Moldefjord, Sognefjord, Trondheimfjord and Vestfjord. Remains of these include the Hardanger Plateau—3,000 feet (900 metres) above sea level—Europe’s largest mountain plateau, covering about 4,600 square miles (11,900 square km) in southern Norway; and the Finnmark Plateau (1,000 feet [300 metres] above sea level), occupying most of Finnmark, the northernmost and largest county of Norway. Dog found alive raises hopes in deadly Norway landslide. Norway time now. Nearly half of the inhabitants of the country live in the far south, in the region around Oslo, the capital. Norway is the world's biggest producer of salmon and its market share in China dropped by around 70 per cent four years into the diplomatic deep freeze. Norway is one of Europe's most mountainous countries and dominated north to south by the many ranges of the Scandinavian Mountains as observed on the map above. The Monarchy of Norway has been independent since 1814. 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