Norway

§1. Norway Introduction

Background:
  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. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive
  welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are
  depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the
  EU.

§2. Norway Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 324,220 km²
  land: 307,860 km²
  water: 16,360 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,542 km
  border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Coastline:
  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)

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 10 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

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

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

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

Land use:
  arable land: 2.7%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.3% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  1,270 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes,
  threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
    Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution- Sulfur 85, Air
    Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
    Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
    Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
    Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
    Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
    Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
    Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  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 most rugged and longest coastlines in the world

§3. Norway People

Population:
  4,610,820 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.3% (male 455,122/female 434,009)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,542,439/female 1,496,745)
  65 years and over: 14.8% (male 288,509/female 393,996) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.4 years
  male: 37.6 years
  female: 39.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.38% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.54 years
  male: 76.91 years
  female: 82.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Norwegian(s)
  adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups:
  Norwegian, Sami 20,000

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

Languages:
  Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and
  Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

§4. Norway Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
  conventional short form: Norway
  local long form: Kongeriket Norge
  local short form: Norge

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Oslo

Administrative divisions:
  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

Dependent areas:
  Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

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

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution:
  17 May 1814; amended many times

Legal system:
  mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions;
  Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown
    Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
    parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
    elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority
    coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the
    approval of the parliament

Legislative branch:
  modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%, Progress
    Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party 8.8%,
    Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal Party 5.9%, Red
    Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party - Labor Party 61,
    Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23, Socialist Left Party 15,
    Christian People's Party 11, Center Party 11, Liberal Party 10
  note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers
    and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn
  HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG];
  Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress
  Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Red Electoral Alliance [Torstein DAHLE]; Socialist
  Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
  ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
  UNMIS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
  chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ben K. WHITNEY
  embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to
    Huseby in the near future
  mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
  telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
  FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63

Flag description:
  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)

§5. Norway Economy

Economy - overview:
  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 enterprises). The country is richly
  endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and
  minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international
  oil prices, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only
  Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay
  out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it
  contributes sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with
  privatization. Norwegians worry about that time in the next two decades
  when the oil and gas will begin to run out; accordingly, Norway has been
  saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund,
  which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $150 billion. After
  lackluster growth of 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003, GDP growth picked up to
  3.3% in 2004 and to 3.7% in 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $194.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $257.9 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $42,400 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.2%
  industry: 37.2%
  services: 60.6% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  2.4 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%, services 74% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  4.2% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $176.1 billion
  expenditures: $131.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  36% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.9% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  105.6 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  106.1 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  5.6 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  13.5 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  3.22 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  257,200 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  9.859 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  73.4 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  4.14 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  50.5 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.118 trillion m³ (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $51.5 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $111.2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,
  chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners:
  UK 22.3%, Germany 12.9%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.6%, US 8.4%, Sweden
  6.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $58.12 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Sweden 15.7%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.5%, China 5%, US 4.9%,
  Netherlands 4.4%, France 4.3%, Finland 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $43.94 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $281 billion; note - Norway is a net external creditor (30 June 2005)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Currency (code):
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Exchange rates:
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802
  (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Norway Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.228 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,163,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced
    telecommunications networks in Europe
  domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence
    of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead
    of fixed-wire systems
  international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial
    submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat
    (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions);
    note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic
    countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:
  .no

Internet hosts:
  1,342,667 (2005)

Internet users:
  3.14 million (2005)

§7. Norway Transportation

Airports:
  100 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 67
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 29 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 33
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 27 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

Pipelines:
  condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water 746 km;
  unknown (oil/water) 38 km (2004)

Railways:
  total: 4,077 km
  standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 91,916 km
  paved: 71,235 km (including 213 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 20,681 km (2003)

Waterways:
  1,577 km (2002)

Merchant marine:
  total: 694 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,804,021 GRT/21,843,570 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 4, bulk carrier 45, cargo 145, chemical tanker 142,
    combination ore/oil 16, container 2, liquefied gas 80, passenger/cargo
    115, petroleum tanker 72, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 21,
    specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 44
  foreign-owned: 161 (China 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 31, Estonia 1, Finland 4,
    Germany 2, Hong Kong 50, Iceland 3, Italy 4, Japan 1, Lithuania 1, Monaco
    3, Netherlands 3, Poland 3, Saudi Arabia 7, Singapore 4, Sweden 22, UK 4,
    US 13)
  registered in other countries: 794 (Antigua and Barbuda 10, Australia 1,
    The Bahamas 258, Barbados 24, Bermuda 6, Brazil 2, Cambodia 1, Canada 1,
    Cayman Islands 2, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 14, Denmark 3,
    Dominica 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 4, Finland 1, French Southern and
    Antarctic Lands 3, Gibraltar 9, Hong Kong 22, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 23,
    Liberia 46, Malta 43, Marshall Islands 35, Mexico 1, Netherlands 6,
    Netherlands Antilles 2, Nigeria 1, Panama 57, Portugal 8, Russia 1, Saint
    Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Singapore 96, Spain 7, Sweden 8, Thailand
    30, Tonga 1, UK 40, US 2, unknown 3) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Borg Havn, Bergen, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo, Sture

§8. Norway Military

Military branches:
  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) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age in
  wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 16
  years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard; conscript service obligation
  - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,014,592 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 827,016 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 29,179 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4,033.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (2003)

§9. Norway Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its
  continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway continue
  to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing
  rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone


<Factbook 2006>
