A long, narrow country forming the western part of the Scandinavian peninsula, Norway shares its eastern borders with Sweden, Finland, and Russia.Its extensive coastline in the north is surrounded by the icy Arctic Ocean, and to the west is the North Atlantic Ocean and North Sea rich with fish, oil, and natural gas.Norway’s population enjoys equal rights and high living standards. Owing to better education facilities and consistently low rates of unemployment, the Nordic welfare model is hailed all across the globe. The Scandinavian country of northern Europe, Norway has an area of 125,182 sq mi (324,220 sq km). The panoramic city of Oslo is the capital of this enthralling nation and is home to the royal family.Read the article until the very end and who knows, Norway could be your next holiday destination after reading these interesting facts about this heart throbbing nation! Afterwards, also check out facts about Madagascar and facts about Japan.Fun Facts About NorwayIt’s surprising that the Svalbard area of Norway is a realm of polar bears and it’s said that they outnumber the human population in the region.Norway tops the United Nations Human Development Report and Global Peace Index.The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held every year in none other than the national capital, Oslo.Gro Harlem Brundtland became Norway’s first female prime minister in 1981.The Sun almost never sets in Norway during the summer and is reluctant to show up in winters, which are marked by dark gloomy days and nights.Ancestors of Norwegians invented skiing for cross-country travel, and now it is the national sport. Skiing has now become a favorite sport that everyone tries to take up at least once in their lifetime. Oslo has the world’s oldest ski museum, the Holmenkollen Ski Museum.Norway was not only a founding member of the UN but also had its Minister of Foreign Affairs Trygve Lie as its first UN Secretary-General.Every year, the Norwegian kingdom gifts a Christmas tree to the UK as a token of love for standing by them during the Second World War.King Penguin Nils Olav, who knighted Norway, was an honorary Colonel in Chief in the Norwegian king’s guard in 2008.More Facts About NorwayNorway is a country of diversity and adventure. You can find snow-capped mountains and palatial cities in the same visit. It encompasses fjords, the Arctic circle, and mighty rivers.The world-famous Geiranger fjord is considered the most beautiful fjord in the world and was declared to be one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.The resplendent Arctic archipelago of the Lofoten Islands is the largest coral reef, the Rost Reef, in the world. It has pristine beaches that kiss the skyline. One can even watch the northern lights from here.The northern lights are a great sight to see. Other than the Lofoten Islands, there is Tromso and Svalbard, points that lie in the northern lights belt of the world, where people travel and strike off this delight from their wish lists.It’s a wonder to know that the northernmost Svalbard area of Norway is an uninhabited marvel. There are national parks, sanctuaries, and reserves here to captivate the hearts of tourists. They have Arctic wildlife of walruses, polar bears, whales, Arctic foxes, and reindeer.Long-rugged coastlines of the country are surrounded by three seas: the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the Barents Sea.The royal city of Oslo is not just about sky-scraping towers but has a beautiful blend of modern and traditional architecture. This imperial city is crowned with innumerable art galleries and museums that attract tourists worldwide. The royal palace, the home to the Norwegian king and Queen, is also open to tourists.Rail journeys across Norwegian picturesque villages and pleasing cities are never to be missed out.Interesting Facts About NorwayDuring the ice age, glaciers carved steep-sided valleys in the rock along Norway’s western coast. The melting of ice resulted in the entry of the North Sea, creating spectacular fjords. The longest fjord in the country is Sognefjorden.Norway’s climate is mild, and most harbors remain ice-free, even on the Norwegian coast along the Arctic Sea because of the effect of warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Far north, in Norway’s more extreme Land of the Midnight Sun, the sun shines all night at mid-summer but hardly rises at all in the depths of winter.Only 9% of Norway’s land can be farmed; livestock farmers combine it with forestry. Like its neighbor Finland, the nation uses its rivers for hydroelectricity.95% of the people are ethnic Norwegians. About 75% of Norwegian settlers live in towns. In the Arctic north, ethnic groups of Sami or Lapps herd reindeer and preserve their own language and culture.Norway still depends largely on its abundance of natural resources. North Sea oil and gas are exported globally, and 99% of its own electricity needs are met by hydroelectricity. Despite being the world’s largest salmon supplier, Norway has to import much of its food. Shipbuilding is an important sector in the country and there is a large merchant fleet.A busy seaport and industrial center, Oslo is Norway’s largest city, as well as its capital. It was founded at the head of a fjord in 1050 and blends historic buildings with towering modern blocks. Over 500,000 people live in the suburbs, surrounded by forests and lakes.Books About NorwaySome of the best fiction plots set in Norway that capture the magnificence of the country are ‘Out Stealing Horses’ by Pet Petterson, ‘The Fellowship of Ghosts: Journey Through the Mountains of Norway’ by Paul Watkins, ‘The Snowman’ by Harry Hole and ‘Nordic Noir’ by Barry Forshaw.Apart from this, there are captivating must-reads from the non-fiction genre. This would include ‘Summer Light: A Walk Across Norway’, ‘The Social Guidebook to Norway’ and ‘The Xenophobe’s Guide to the Norwegians’. Rick Steves’ ‘Snapshot Norway’, ‘The Rough Guide to Norway’, and ‘Beautiful Norway Coffee Table Book’ are other travel guides on Norway.Find Out More About NorwayThe Norwegian government is constituted by a constitutional monarchy with a Parliament; Stortinget and Monarch is the head of the state and the Prime Minister is the head of the government. The country has no official religion.Norway’s official name is Koringet Norge, meaning the Kingdom of Norway. Norway belongs to Scandinavian countries as a part of the Scandinavian peninsula. Many Norwegians believe that the Sognefjord is the largest and deepest fjord while talking about Norwegian fjords.Norway’s economy is a highly developed mixed economy with state-ownership in strategic areas. They have cold winters and it’s not uncommon to see a polar bear.The country is the 15th highest in oil production, producing roughly 1.9 million barrels per day. Almost 70% of Norway is uninhabited. It is low on income inequalities and is one of the least corrupt countries in the world.In 1971, Norway abolished life imprisonment reducing the maximum sentence to 21 years.It’s fascinating that the country has won more medals in the Winter Olympics than any other country since 1924.As one-third of the country is under the Arctic Circle, Norway bears the sobriquet of ‘Land of the Midnight Sun’.The name Norway has the meaning, path to the north.Interesting Information About NorwayThis peaceful country has land borders with Sweden, Finland, and Russia. This picturesque country of Europe falls under the Fennoscandian shield of Europe.As per Viking history, the Viking age in Norway lasted from 793 BCE to 10 CE.Interestingly, it’s rude, intrusive, and downright weird to ask about going to church to people in Norway. This is because the majority of them don’t go to church and churches mostly appear barren.The Finnmark Plateau is the largest and northernmost county of Norway.The Kingdom of Norway has around 65,000 lakes. Mjosa is the largest of all. Glomma and Lagen are significant river systems that meander the country.The Jæren Plain is the most agriculturally productive plain in the country due to its broad valleys and plentiful precipitation.Compared to Alaska, which lies at the same latitude, Norway has a warmer and more pleasant climate throughout the year except for its harsh winters.Western and eastern Norway have diverse climatic conditions. Western Norway has a marine climate with mild winters and cool summers while eastern Norway has warm summers and cold winters being sheltered by lofty mountains. The annual precipitation varies from 30-90 in (76.2-228.6 cm) in either of these regions.Norway has around 2,000 species of plants and is home to dense spruce and pines. Glacial valleys and the Trondheim region showcase a wide variety of plant habitation. They have birches, ash trees, aspens, and rowans, all falling under the deciduous family. The birch zone is the willow belt of Norway. Western Norway has conifers and broad-leaved trees. The largest forests in Norway lie between the Swedish borders and the Glama river. Norway has wild berries, cranberries, blueberries, and yellow cloudberries.Animal species found here are vivid. Norway is home to reindeer, wolverines, lemmings, elk, wolves, bears, lynx, foxes, otters, badgers, beavers, and other Arctic animals. As well as having a large number of sea birds and migratory birds, Norway has partridges, grouse, and other game birds.Other than Oslo, major cities of Norway are Sorlandet in southern Norway; Vestlandet, the industrial city of Norway; Bergen; and Tromso.Did You Know…As well as there being many good things about Norway, there are also some potential downsides to Norway.The personal tax rate is highest in Norway, standing at a rate of 39%. Though the country has a high life expectancy, high living standards, good health, excellent education and infrastructure under the Nordic Welfare model, tax rates here are high.Norway might not be that pleasing for drinkers! A pint of beer costs around €7, which is the second most expensive in the world.The cost of living is skyrocketing in Norway. Prices of groceries, petrol, and other provisions are very high. People are head over heels in debt. The cost of living is high and so are people’s debts. The financial crisis and oil crises of 2008 put the economy under huge pressure, pushing a great chunk of the population into debt traps.Being under Denmark and Sweden initially, Norway has an identity crisis so they are still trying to recognize their ‘distinct culture’.Winters are not always pleasant. People find winter cold annoying, wet, and gloomy. Some regions are under utter darkness during winter.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for about Norway then why not take a look at facts about Israel or facts about fossils.
A long, narrow country forming the western part of the Scandinavian peninsula, Norway shares its eastern borders with Sweden, Finland, and Russia.
