|
Home
Missions
Ministries
Bible
Institute & School
Contact
Us
Careers,
Opportunities in Ministry
|
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 was to last for 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. Norway remained
neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the
outset of World War II. Nevertheless, it was not able to avoid
a five-year occupation by Nazi Germany (1940-1945). 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. |
|
Location:
|
Northern Europe,
bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Sweden |
|
Map references:
|
Europe |
|
Area:
|
total:
324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly larger
than New Mexico |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
2,544 km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km,
Russia 196 km |
|
Coastline:
|
21,925 km
(includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long
fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093
km) |
|
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:
2.94%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.06% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
1,270 sq km (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 world |
|
Population:
|
4,574,560 (July
2004 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
19.8% (male 462,899; female 440,725)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,520,481; female 1,473,101)
65 years and over: 14.8% (male 284,170; female 393,184)
(2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
37.9 years
male: 37 years
female: 38.8 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.41% (2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
11.89
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
9.51 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
1.74 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 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: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
3.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.11 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 79.25 years
male: 76.64 years
female: 82.01 years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.1% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
1,800 (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
less than 100
(2001 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Norwegian, Sami
20,000 |
|
Religions:
|
Evangelical
Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman
Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997) |
|
Languages:
|
Bokmal Norwegian
(official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official)
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: NA%
female: NA% |
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local short form: Norge
local long form: Kongeriket Norge |
|
Government type:
|
constitutional
monarchy |
|
Capital:
|
Oslo |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
19 provinces (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,
modified in 1884 |
|
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 |
|
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 Kjell Magne BONDEVIK
(since 19 October 2001)
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 (165 seats; members are
elected by popular vote by proportional representation to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held
NA September 2005)
note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides
itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its
membership to an upper house or Lagting
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor
Party 24.3%, Conservative Party 21.2%, Progress Party 14.6%,
Socialist Left Party 12.5%, Christian People's Party 12.4%,
Center Party 5.6%, Liberal Party 3.9%, Coastal Party 1.7%,
other 3.8%; seats by party - Labor Party 43, Conservative
Party 38, Progress Party 26, Socialist Left Party 23,
Christian People's Party 22, Center Party 10, Liberal Party 2,
Coastal Party 1 |
|
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 [Steinar BASTESEN]; Conservative Party [Jan
PETERSEN]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars
SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left
Party [Kristin HALVORSEN] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New
York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador John D. ONG
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63 |
|
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. The government has moved ahead
with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life
worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next
two decades when the oil and gas 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 $43 billion. GDP growth
was a lackluster 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003 against the
background of a faltering European economy. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $171.6 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
0.5% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $37,700 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
1.7%
industry: 34%
services: 64.3% (2002) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
2.6% (2003 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
2.4 million (2000
est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
services 74%,
industry 22%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4% (1995) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
4.5% (2003 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$71.7 billion
expenditures: $57.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
petroleum and
gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products,
metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
-1% (2003 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
120.1 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
0.4%
hydro: 99.3%
other: 0.4% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
115.3 billion kWh
(2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
3.408 million
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
171,100 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
54.6 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
4.1 billion cu m
(2001 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
barley, wheat,
potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish |
|
Exports:
|
$67.27 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
petroleum and
petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,
chemicals, ships, fish |
|
Exports - partners:
|
UK 19.4%, Germany
12.4%, France 11.5%, Netherlands 9.3%, US 8.6%, Sweden 7.3%
(2002) |
|
Imports:
|
$40.19 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery and
equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Sweden 15.7%,
Germany 13.4%, Denmark 8.1%, UK 7.4%, US 6.2%, France 4.8%,
Netherlands 4.8% (2002) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$0 (Norway is a
net external creditor) (2003 est.) |
|
Economic aid - donor:
|
ODA, $1.4 billion
(1998) |
|
Currency:
|
Norwegian krone (NOK) |
|
Currency code:
|
NOK |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Norwegian kroner
per US dollar - 7.08 (2003), 7.98 (2002), 8.99 (2001), 8.8
(2000), 7.8 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
3.343 million
(2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
3,840,400 (2002) |
|
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:
|
255,742 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
|
2.288 million
(2002) |
|
Railways:
|
total:
4,178 km
standard gauge: 4,178 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km
electrified) (2002) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
91,454 km
paved: 69,505 km (including 143 km of expressways)
unpaved: 21,949 km (2000) |
|
Waterways:
|
1,577 km (along
west coast)
note: navigable by 2.4 m maximum draft vessels |
|
Pipelines:
|
condensate 411
km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water 746 km; unknown
(oil/water) 38 km; water 96 km (2003) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Bergen, Drammen,
Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik,
Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 693
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,820,495 GRT/27,449,456 DWT
registered in other countries: 695 (2003 est.)
by type: bulk 62, cargo 128, chemical tanker 124,
combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 32, container 15,
liquefied gas 84, multi-functional large load carrier 1,
passenger 6, petroleum tanker 113, refrigerated cargo 5, roll
on/roll off 48, short-sea/passenger 22, specialized tanker 3,
vehicle carrier 43
foreign-owned: Cyprus 3, Denmark 23, Estonia 2, Germany
12, Greece 15, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 2, Japan 10, Lithuania 1,
Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Monaco 33, Poland 1, Saudi Arabia
3, Singapore 12, Sweden 31, United Kingdom 4, United States 5 |
|
Airports:
|
101 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 65
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
under 914 m: 26 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 14 |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 29 (2003 est.) |
|
Heliports:
|
(2003 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Norwegian Army,
Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast Artillery and Coast
Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske
Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
20 years of age
(2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 1,106,484 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age
15-49: 916,155 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males:
27,252 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$4,033.5 million
(2003) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
1.9% (2003) |
|
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 |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|