Norway

Kingdom of NorwayKongeriket Norge

constitutional monarchyIndependence 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)

Norway as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 101 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalOslo
Position62 00 N, 10 00 E
Area324,220 sq km
LocationNorthern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North
1998

Every edition of Norway

Populationas each edition published it
4.42 million July 1998 est. · 4.25m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.44% 1998 est. · 0.41% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 37.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
78.23 years 1998 est. · 77.16 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.8 children per woman 1998 est. · 1.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
5.01 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 7 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$27,400 1997 est. · $17,700 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.5% 1997 est. · 2.9% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 324,220 sq km

arable land 3%permanent pastures 0%forests and woodland 27%other 70% (1993 est.)irrigated 970 sq km (1993 est.)permanent crops: NA%
Area
324,220sq km
land: 307,860 sq kmwater: 16,360 sq kmslightly larger than New Mexico
Coastline
21,925km
(includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)contiguous zone: 10 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 4 nm
Highest point
2,472m
Glittertindenlowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
2,515km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

62 00 N, 10 00 E

Climate

  • temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;
  • colder interior;
  • 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

Natural resources

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

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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, 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;
  • Norway only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia

People

15 fields
Population
4,419,955
(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 0.44% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth
12.9Death
10.17Net migration
1.64

Religions(1980)

Evangelical Lutheran 87.8% (state church)other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3.8%none 3.2%unknown 5.2% (1980)
Literacy
99%
(1976 est.)definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:
20% (male 444,373; female 420,940)
15-64 years:
65% (male 1,454,733; female 1,407,395)
65 years and over:
15% (male 288,056; female 404,458) (July 1998 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.71 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

5.01 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
78.23 years
male:
75.42 years
female:
81.21 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.8 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Norwegian(s)
adjective:
Norwegian

Ethnic groups

Germanic (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Lapps (Sami) 20,000

Languages

Norwegian (official) note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Government

Constitutional monarchy; King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 15 October 1997)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

35%
Labor 35%Center Party 7.9%Conservatives 14.3%Christian People's 13.7%Socialist Left 6%Progress 15.3%Liberal Party 4.4%other parties 1.6%last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September 2001)

Legislature, 165 seats, elected 15 September 1997one dot, one seat

Labor 65Center Party 11Conservatives 23Christian People's 25Socialist Left 9Progress 25Liberal Party 6other parties 1

Percent of vote

Labor 35%Center Party 7.9%Conservatives 14.3%Christian People's 13.7%Socialist Left 6%Progress 15.3%Liberal Party 4.4%other parties 1.6%

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

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

26 October 1905 (from Sweden)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution

17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS (born 20 July 1973)
head of government:
Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 15 October 1997)
cabinet:
State Council appointed by the king with the approval of the Parliament
elections:
  • none;
  • the king is a hereditary monarch;
  • following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the king with the approval of the Parliament

Legislative branch

modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September 2001)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party-Labor 35%, Center Party 7.9%, Conservatives 14.3%, Christian People's 13.7%, Socialist Left 6%, Progress 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%;
  • seats by party-Labor 65, Center Party 11, Conservatives 23, Christian People's 25, Socialist Left 9, Progress 25, Liberal Party 6, other parties 1

note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting; the 39-member Saami assembly has advisory functions on regional control of natural resources and decision-making capacity on matters relating to the preservation of the Saami culture

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by the king

Political parties and leaders

  • Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND];
  • Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN];
  • Center Party [Anne ENGER LAHNSTEIN];
  • Christian People's Party [Valgerd HAUGLAND];
  • Socialist Left [Kjellbjoerg LUNDE];
  • Norwegian Communist [Kare Andre NILSEN];
  • Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN];
  • Liberal [Odd Einar DORUM];
  • Left Party;
  • Red Electoral Alliance [Erling FOLKVORD]

International organization participation

AfDB,AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC,CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUA, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Tom-Erik VRAALSON
chancery:
2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 333-6000

FAX

[1] (202) 337-0870; consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador David HERMELIN
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

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)

Economy

Norway is a prosperous bastion of welfare | capitalism.

28 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
-$120.5billion
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
-$27,400
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
Real growth rate
3.5%
(1997 est.)industrial production growth: 3% (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector(1991)

agriculture 2.9%industry 34.7%services 62.4% (1991)

Budget

Revenues
$48.6 billionExpenditures
$53 billion (1994 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA
Fixed lines
2.39 million
(1994 est.); 470,000 mobile phones in use in 1994

Economy-overview

Norway is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism. The economy consists of 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), and extensively subsidizes agriculture, fishing, and areas with sparse resources.

Norway maintains an extensive welfare system that helps propel public sector expenditures to more than 50% of GDP and results in one of the highest average tax levels in the world. A small country with a high dependence on international trade, Norway is basically an exporter of raw materials and semiprocessed goods, with an abundance of small- and medium-sized firms, and is ranked among the major shipping nations.

The country is richly endowed with natural resources-petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals-and is highly dependent on its oil sector. Only Saudi Arabia exports more oil than Norway. Norway imports more than half its food needs. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994.

Economic growth in 1998 should be about the same as in 1997. Inflation probably will move up toward 3% because of tightness in labor markets. Despite their high per capita income-outstripped among major nations only by the US-and their generous welfare benefits, Norwegians worry about that time in the 21st century when the oil and gas run out.

Labor force

total:
2.13 million
by occupation:
services 71%, industry 23%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 6% (1993)

Unemployment rate

2.6% (yearend 1997)

Industries

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

Electricity-capacity

26.431 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production

121.375 billion kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

  • oats, other grains;
  • beef, milk;
  • livestock output exceeds value of crops;
  • among world's top 10 fishing nations;
  • fish catch of 2.33 million metric tons in 1994

Exports

total value:
$49.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products 43%, metals and products 11%, foodstuffs (mostly fish) 9%, chemicals and raw materials 25%, natural gas 6.0%, ships 5.4%
partners:
EU 77.2% (UK 19.8%, Germany 12.7%, Netherlands 9.1%, France 7.8%, Sweden 9.8%), US 6.0% (1995)

Imports

total value:
$35.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities:
machinery and equipment and manufactured consumer goods 54%, chemicals and other industrial inputs 39%, foodstuffs 6%
partners:
EU 71.0% (Sweden 15.4%, Germany 13.8%, UK 9.7%, Denmark 7.5%, Netherlands 4.4%), US 6.6% (1995)

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $1.014 billion (1993)

Currency

1 Norwegian krone (NKr) = 100 oere

Exchange rates

Norwegian kroner (NKr) per US$1-7.4875 (January 1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996), 6.3352 (1995), 7.0576 (1994), 7.0941 (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Telephone system

high-quality domestic and international telephone, telegraph, and telex services

domestic:
NA domestic satellite earth stations
international:
  • 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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 46, FM 493 (350 private and 143 government), shortwave 0

Radios

3.3 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

54 (repeaters 2,100)

Televisions

1.5 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

10 fields

Merchant marine, 762 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,042,709 GRT/33,839,476 DWT

bulk 102cargo 128chemical tanker 91combination bulk 9combination ore/oil 38container 18liquefied gas tanker 91multi-function large load carrier 1oil tanker 145passenger 13passenger-cargo 1refrigerated cargo 13roll-on/roll-off cargo 52short-sea passenger 23vehicle carrier 37note: the government has created an internal register, the Norwegian International Ship register (NIS), as a subset of the Norwegian register; ships on the NIS enjoy many benefits of flags of convenience and do not have to be crewed by Norwegians (1997 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
28
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
32
total: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 5

Networkskm

Highways
91,323Railways
4,023Waterways
1,577
Highways: paved: 65,753 km (including 106 km of expressways) · unpaved: 25,570 km (1996 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 4,023 km 1.435-m gauge (2,422 km electrified; 96 km double track) (1996) · Waterways: ; 2.4 m draft vessels maximum

Railways

total:
4,023 km
standard gauge:
4,023 km 1.435-m gauge (2,422 km electrified; 96 km double track) (1996)

Highways

total:
91,323 km
paved:
65,753 km (including 106 km of expressways)
unpaved:
25,570 km (1996 est.)

Waterways

1,577 km along west coast; 2.4 m draft vessels maximum

Pipelines

refined products 53 km

Ports and harbors

Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim

Airports

102 (1997 est.)

Heliports

1 (1997 est.)

Military

Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes | Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home | Guard

7 fields

Military branches

Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 1,107,727 (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes-international

territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land); Svalbard is the focus of a maritime boundary dispute in the Barents Sea between Norway and Russia

Illicit drugs

  • minor transshipment point for drugs shipped via the CIS and Baltic states for the European market;
  • increasing domestic consumption of cannabis and amphetamines OMAN

Central Intelligence Agency. “Norway.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/norway/1998.

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