Fun Easy English - Travel abroad Norway.

OFFICIAL NAME: Kingdom of Norway

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION

Norway is a highly developed stable democracy with a modern economy. The cost of living in Norway is high and tourist facilities are well developed and widely available.

PEOPLE

Ethnically, Norwegians are predominantly Germanic, although in the far north there are communities of Sami who came to the area more than 10,000 years ago, probably from central Asia. In recent years, Norway has become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum-seekers from various parts of the world. Immigrants now total over 300,000; some have obtained Norwegian citizenship.

Although the Evangelical Lutheran Church is the state church, Norway has complete religious freedom. Education is free through the university level and is compulsory from ages 6 to 16. At least 12 months of military service and training are required of every eligible male. Norway's health system includes free hospital care, physician's compensation, cash benefits during illness and pregnancy, and other medical and dental plans. There is a public pension system.

Norway is in the top rank of nations in the number of books printed per capita, even though Norwegian is one of the world's smallest language groups. Norway's most famous writer is the dramatist Henrik Ibsen. Artists Edvard Munch and Christian Krogh were Ibsen's contemporaries. Munch drew part of his inspiration from Europe and in turn exercised a strong influence on later European expressionists. Sculptor Gustav Vigeland has a permanent exhibition in the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo. Musical development in Norway since Edvard Grieg has followed either native folk themes or, more recently, international trends.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS

A valid passport is required. Norwegian entry visas are governed by the rules of the Schengen Agreement. U.S. citizens may enter Norway for tourist or general business purposes without a visa for up to 90 days. That period begins when you enter any of the Schengen countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Contact the Royal Norwegian Embassy at 2720 34th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008-2714, tel:1-202-333-6000, web site: http://www.norway.org or the nearest Norwegian Consulate. Consulates are located in Houston, Minneapolis, New York City, and San Francisco. Information can also be obtained from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration at http://www.udi.no.

Note: Although European Union regulations require that non-EU visitors obtain a stamp in their passports upon initial entry to a Schengen country, many borders are not staffed with officers carrying out this function. If an American citizen wishes to ensure that his or her entry is properly documented, it may be necessary to request a stamp at an official point of entry. Under local law, travelers without a stamp in their passports may be questioned and asked to document the length of their stay in Schengen countries at the time of departure or at any other point during their visit, and could face possible fines or other repercussions if unable to do so.

QUICK FACTS

Geography
Area* (including the island territories of Svalbard and Jan Mayen): 385,155 sq. km. (approx 150,000 sq. mi.); slightly larger than New Mexico.
Cities* (2004): Capital--Oslo (pop. 521,886). Other cities--Bergen (237,430), Trondheim (154,351), Stavanger (112,405).
Terrain: Rugged with high plateaus, steep fjords, mountains, and fertile valleys.
Climate: Temperate along the coast, colder inland.
*(Source: Central Bureau of Statistics Norway 2004).

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Norwegian(s).
Population (2006 est.): 4,640,219.
Annual growth rate (2006): 0.38%.
Density: Approx. 12 per sq. km.
Ethnic groups: Norwegian (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Sami, a racial-cultural minority of 20,000; foreign nationals (315,147) from Nordic and other countries.
Religion (2006): Church of Norway (Lutheran), 84.9%; Pentecostal Christian, 1%; Roman Catholic, 1%; Other Christian, 2.4%; Muslim, 1.8%; other, none, or unknown, 8.1%.
Languages: Bokmaal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities, English is widely spoken.
Education: Years compulsory--10. Literacy--100%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2006)--3.67/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 77 yrs; women 82 yrs.
Work force (2006, 2.45 million): Government, social, personal services--36.5%; wholesale and retail trade, hotels, restaurants--18.5%; manufacturing and mining--11.7%; transport and communications--7.4%; financing, insurance, real estate, business services--12%; agriculture, forestry, fishing--3.2%; construction--6.9%; oil extraction--1.4%.

Government
Type: Hereditary constitutional monarchy.
Independence: 1905.
Constitution: May 17, 1814.
Branches: Executive--king (chief of state), prime minister (head of government), Council of Ministers (cabinet). Legislative--modified unicameral parliament (Storting). Judicial--Supreme Court, appellate courts, city and county courts.
Political parties: Labor, Progress, Conservative, Socialist Left, Christian Democratic, Center, Liberal.
Suffrage: Universal over 18.
Administrative subdivisions: 19 fylker (counties), and Svalbard.
National holiday: May 17.

Economy (Source: CIA World Factbook 2007)
GDP (2006 est.): $261.7 billion.
Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 0.7%.
Per capita GDP (2006 est.): Purchasing power parity $47,800.
Natural resources: Oil, gas, fish, timber, hydroelectric power, mineral ores.
Arable land: 3%.
Agriculture: Products--dairy, livestock, grain (barley, oats, wheat), potatoes and other vegetables, fruits and berries, furs, wool.
Industry: Types--food processing, pulp and paper, ships, aluminum, ferroalloys, iron and steel, nickel, zinc, nitrogen, fertilizers, transport equipment, hydroelectric power, refinery products, petrochemicals, electronics.
Trade: Exports (f.o.b.)--$122.6 billion. Major markets: U.K., Germany, Netherlands, France, U.S., Sweden. Imports (f.o.b.)--$59.9 billion. Major suppliers: Sweden, Germany, Denmark, U.K., U.S., France, Netherlands.
GDP by activity (2005): Agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing, and fish farming--0.8%; oil and gas extraction incl. services and mining and quarrying--23.5%; manufacturing--8.5%; electricity, gas, and water supply--2.2%; construction--6.4%; wholesale and retail trade, motor vehicle repair, hotels and restaurants--10.7%; transport industries--9.7%; post and telecommunications, financial intermediation, dwellings, business services--20.4%.

USEFUL LINKS

U.S. Government

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