Norway | History, Capital, Language, Flag, Facts & Geography of Norway
History of Norway:
Norway’s history is best known for its Viking Age, which lasted from the 9th to the 11th century. The Viking Age began in the late 8th century when the first Viking King, Harald Fairhair, united the Vikings into a single nation. The Vikings were a maritime people who expanded their territory and raided northern Europe. Vikings settled most of Greenland and parts of Great Britain and Ireland. In the 11th century, Olav I became Norway’s first Christian king. During his reign he converted most of Norway to Christianity.
In 1397 Norway joined Denmark and Sweden as part of the Kalmar Union. Sweden withdrew from her alliance in 1521, but by 1586 Norway had become part of the Kingdom of Denmark. After the Napoleonic Wars, Norway was conquered by Denmark and annexed by Sweden in the Peace of Kiel in 1814. In 1905 Norway became an independent country again. Norway remained neutral in World War I, but was occupied by German forces in World War II. After the war, Norway became a founding member of the United Nations. Norway is not a member of the European Union.
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Information about Norway:
| Capital | Oslo |
| Population | 5,480,712 (Source: 2023 worldometer) |
| Major Cities | Oslo (capital), Bergen, Stavanger, Ålesund, Trondheim, Kristiansand, Tromsø, Drammen, Fredrikstad |
| Borders | Sweden, Finland, and Russia |
| Gross Domestic Product (GDP) | $579,267,000,000 (2022 worldometer) |
| Currency | Norwegian krone (NOK) |
Flag of Norway:
Norway Economy Key Industries:
Norway Major Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing
Norway Agricultural Products: barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish
Norway Natural Resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower
Norway Major Exports: petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish
Norway Major Imports: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs
The Geography of Norway:
Total Size of Norway: 323,802 sq km (source: 2022 The world factbook)
Geographical Low Point of Norway: Norwegian Sea 0 m
Geographical High Point of Norway: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m
Climate of Norway: Temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast
General Terrain of Norway: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
World Region or Continent of Norway: Europe
Geographical Coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E
The People of Norway & Culture
Norway Government Type: constitutional monarchy
Norway Nationality: Norwegian(s)
Norway National Holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)
Norway Independence: 7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)
Norway National Symbol: lion
Norway National Anthem or Song: Ja, vi elsker dette landet (Yes, We Love This Country)
Norway Languages Spoken: Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note – Sami is official in six municipalities
Norway Religions: Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)
Interesting Facts about Norway:
National Symbol: The national symbol is a rather exotic animal – The Lion.
Norwegians invented skiing about 4000 years ago. On the island of Rhodoy in northern Norway, there is a 4,000-year-old rock carving of a ‘skier’. Winter Olympics. Norway has won more medals at the Winter Olympics than any other country, with 368 medals to date since the first Winter Olympics in 1924.
In fact, Vikings did not wear horned helmets. But they drank from polished horns. In particular, her favorite drink is mead, a type of fermented beverage similar to beer.
In fact, the Viking diet was more diverse and healthier than most people think. Their journey was not only intended for plunder and murder, but also for trade, which allowed them to acquire various spices. They also enjoyed drinking skyle, a fermented, creamy yogurt-like cheese now considered a “superfood.”
Today, alcohol consumption is somewhat more regulated than it was in the Viking Age, with wine and stronger spirits sold only in official state-controlled stores called Vinmonopolets (“wine monopoly”).
Norwegians tend to prefer alcoholic beverages, but appreciate coffee (usually black) even more. Per capita coffee consumption per year is 9.9kg, only Finns (12kg) are higher.
The Norwegians founded Dublin, Ireland in 836 AD.
Minnesota is the unofficial Norwegian capital of the United States and is home to more Norwegians than any other state. But Prince wasn’t one of them.
The Northern Cape claims to be the northernmost point of Europe. This settlement is closer to the North Pole than Oslo.
On the island of Spitsbergen, 2,030 kilometers north of Oslo and 1,050 kilometers south of the North Pole, you are legally required to be armed when leaving your home due to the danger of encountering polar bears.
Sognefjord is Norway’s largest and his second largest fjord in the world. It is the longest ice-free fjord in the world, stretching 205 km from the sea to the interior.
At 24.5 km long, the Laerdal Tunnel is the longest road tunnel in the world. Opened in November 2000, it is bright and comfortable.
The Hardangerwiden plateau is the largest plateau of its kind in Europe. It is also home to the continent’s largest reindeer.
Half of the world’s Sami population lives in Norway. They are of the Finn-Ulgo people who live in an area called Sapmi, which includes northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and much of the Murmansk region of Russia. Perhaps Norway’s most famous architectural ‘invention’ is the stave church. It features a medieval wooden church that looks like something straight out of a fantasy novel. Only 28 remain today (out of more than 1,000) and are a must-see when visiting the country.
Speaking of stave churches, we have to mention black metal. In 1990s Norway, heavy metal, “satanic worship” and the burning of stave churches (now rebuilt in Oslo and Bergen) formed an unholy symbiosis. Thankfully, ‘Norwegian black metal’ is now synonymous with the worldwide success of groundbreaking bands like Satyricon and Dimmu Borgir.
The troll car. Don’t worry if you didn’t know there was a car brand called Troll. Only five were made, and fortunately they are all kept in places such as the Automobile Museum. This car was produced at the Lunde plant in Telemark from 1956 to 1958. The pioneering electric car Thinkcar was another Norwegian car project that was permanently shelved (after being bought by Ford).
Brown cheese is a staple on the Norwegian breakfast and lunch table. If you’re a cheese lover and aren’t tempted by caramel-like brown cheeses, don’t worry. Norway is home to many first-class artisanal cheese producers, including Ostegården, winner of the World Cheese Award in 2018, and Tingvoll, winner of the same in 2016. Norwegians invented the cheese slicer.
Chocolate factory. Norwegian-British author Roald Dahl wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a story about Oslo’s Freya Chocolate Factory.
Speaking of inventions, the paper clip was patented in 1890 by Norwegian Johan Farrar.
The king on the trams. King Olaf V rode public trams during the December 1973 oil crisis. The King paying the ticket is one of Norway’s most iconic photographs.
According to the Happiness Institute, Norway is her second happiest country on earth, surpassed only by Finland (which is probably due to overconsumption of coffee!).