Document Actions

Facts about Norway

For many, Norway is synonymous with oil and mountains. Its dramatic, beautiful scenery stretches from the beaches and cliffs in the south through the mountainous areas in the middle to the midnight sun at the North Cape.

Photographer
Johannes Jansson/norden.org

Norway's abundance of mountains, forests and plains mean that only about 3% of the land is arable. The country has approximately 4.7 million inhabitants, of which about a million live in and around the capital city, Oslo.

Norway is a constitutional monarchy. King Harald V has no real political power, and the parliament, Stortinget, is the country's highest authority. Norway is not a member of the EU, but takes part in European economic co-operation through the EEA Agreement. Norway is a member of NATO.

The largest revenue sources for Norway are the extraction and export of oil and natural gas from the ocean floor. However, the metal industry, shipping and tourism are also important for the country's economy.

Per capita GDP is € 43,900 (2006).

Total area1 323,787 km2
Lakes and streams 18,312 km2

Land area

305,470 km2

Arable land and gardens

8,215 km2
Forests 123,840 km2
Largest lake Mjøsa 365 km2
Highest point Galdhøpiggen 2,469 m
Coast line, mainland 28,953 km
National borders 2,562 km (border to Sweden):  1,630 km, Finland: 736 km, Russia: 196)
Icecap and glaciers 3,133 km2
Population 1 January 2012 4,985,870 inh.
Population density1 01.01.12 16.5 pop./km2
Population, capital city 1 January 2012

1,169,539 inh. (Oslo municipality)2

National day 17. May (Constitution Day 17 May 1814)
Form of government Constitutional monarchy
Parliament Stortinget (169 seats)
Membership of the EU No
Membership of EEA From 1. January 1994
Head of State (as at September 2009) King Harald V
Head of government (as at September 2009) Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Social Democratic Party)
Currency: Norwegian crown (NOK)
Official website www.norge.no
Official language Norwegian

1) Excluding Svalbard and Jan Mayen

2) Oslo municipality + Akerhus county

Contact

Marita Hoydal
Phone: 29692915

Pictures from Norway