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. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.

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

62 00 N, 10 00 E

Europe

slightly larger than New Mexico

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)

temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

1,180 sq km (2008)

381.4 cu km (2005)

rockslides, avalanches

water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

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

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

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

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

4,691,849 (July 2011 est.)

0.329% (2011 est.)

10.84 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

9.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

OSLO (capital) 875,000 (2009)

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)

1.77 children born/woman (2011 est.)

9.7% of GDP (2009)

4.076 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

3.52 beds/1,000 population (2008)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population (2008)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population (2008)

0.1% (2009 est.)

4,000 (2009 est.)

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)

10% (2009)

6.8% of GDP (2007)

constitutional monarchy

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

Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

17 May 1814; amended many times

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

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]

Norwegian Aid Committee or NORWAC; Norwegian Association of the Disabled; Pure Salmon Campaign; The Consumer Council (consumer advocacy group)

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, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), 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, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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)

lion

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 state revenue from the petroleum sector in the world's second largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $500 billion in 2010. After solid GDP growth in 2004-07, the economy slowed in 2008, and contracted in 2009, before returning to positive growth in 2010.

$255.3 billion (2010 est.)

$254.2 billion (2009 est.)

$257.9 billion (2008 est.)

$414.5 billion (2010 est.)

0.4% (2010 est.)

-1.4% (2009 est.)

0.8% (2008 est.)

$54,600 (2010 est.)

$54,500 (2009 est.)

$55,500 (2008 est.)

2.602 million (2010 est.)

3.6% (2010 est.)

3.2% (2009 est.)

NA%

25 (2008)

25.8 (1995)

20.3% of GDP (2010 est.)

56.3% of GDP (2010 est.)

11.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

49.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

49.1% of GDP (2009 est.)

2.5% (2010 est.)

2.1% (2009 est.)

6.25% (31 December 2010 est.)

1.75% (31 December 2009 est.)

4.6% (31 December 2010 est.)

4.525% (31 December 2009 est.)

$134.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$128.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$280.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$264.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$584.4 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$556.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$250.9 billion (31 December 2010)

$227.2 billion (31 December 2009)

$125.9 billion (31 December 2008)

barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

-5.5% (2010 est.)

129.9 billion kWh (2009 est.)

115.6 billion kWh (2008 est.)

14.63 billion kWh (2009 est.)

8.983 billion kWh (2009 est.)

2.134 million bbl/day (2010 est.)

221,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)

2.184 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

118,200 bbl/day (2009 est.)

5.67 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

106.3 billion cu m (2010 est.)

6.6 billion cu m (2010 est.)

99.75 billion cu m (2010 est.)

0 cu m (2010 est.)

2.039 trillion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

$53.46 billion (2010 est.)

$44.54 billion (2009 est.)

$132.7 billion (2010 est.)

$116 billion (2009 est.)

petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish

UK 26.7%, Netherlands 12.1%, Germany 11.4%, Sweden 7%, France 6.6%, US 5% (2010)

$74.3 billion (2010 est.)

$67.21 billion (2009 est.)

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Sweden 14.1%, Germany 12.4%, China 8.5%, Denmark 6.3%, UK 5.9%, US 5.4% (2010)

$52.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$48.86 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$644.5 billion (30 June 2011)

$148.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$136.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$213.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$201.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -

6.044 (2010)

6.288 (2009)

5.6361 (2008)

5.86 (2007)

6.418 (2006)

1.702 million (2010)

5.525 million (2010)

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)

.no

3.352 million (2010)

4.431 million (2009)

98 (2010)

1 (2010)

condensate 31 km; gas 64 km (2010)

1,577 km (2010)

Bergen, Haugesund, Maaloy, Mongstad, Narvik, Sture

Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2011)

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)

1.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010