Norway

Kingdom of NorwayKongeriket Norge

constitutional monarchy

Norway as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 127 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalOslo
Position62 00 N, 10 00 E
Area324,220 sq km
LocationNorthern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
2004

Every edition of Norway

Populationas each edition published it
4.57 million July 2004 est. · 4.25m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.41% 2004 est. · 0.41% in 1993
Median ageyears
37.9 years 2004 est. · 37.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
79.25 years 2004 est. · 77.16 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.78 children per woman 2004 est. · 1.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
3.73 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 7 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$37,800 2003 est. · $17,700 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
0.6% 2003 est. · 2.9% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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. 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.

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 2.87%permanent crops 0%other 97.13% (2001)irrigated 1,270 sq km (1998 est.)
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)territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 10 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm
Highest point
2,469m
Galdhopiggenlowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
2,551km
border countries: Finland 736 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 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 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

Natural resources

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

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

People

19 fields
Population
4,574,560
(July 2004 est.)growth rate: 0.41% (2004 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth
11.89Death
9.51Net migration
1.74

Male · female(2004 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years79.25
76.64 · 82.01Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births3.73
4.11 · 3.34
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years37.9
37 · 38.8
MaleFemale

Religions(1997)

Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church)other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%other 1%none and unknown 10% (1997)

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.)

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.)

Total fertility rate

1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Norwegian(s)
adjective:
Norwegian

Ethnic groups

Norwegian, Sami 20,000

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

Government

Constitutional monarchy; King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 19 October 2001)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

24.3%
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%last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2005)

Parliament or Storting, 165 seats, elected 10 September 2001one dot, one seat

Labor Party 43Conservative Party 38Progress Party 26Socialist Left Party 23Christian People's Party 22Center Party 10Liberal Party 2Coastal Party 1

Percent of vote

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%

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 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, 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, 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)
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

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 [Steinar BASTESEN];
  • Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG];
  • Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG];
  • Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM];
  • Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN];
  • Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

International organization participation

AfDB, 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, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, 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, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco

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

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

The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention.

45 fields
Real growth rate
0.6%
(2003 est.)industrial production growth: -3.5% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate
4.7%
(2003 est.)
Public debt
22.1%of GDP
(2003)

GDP - composition by sector(2003)

agriculture 2.5%industry 36.2%services 61.2% (2003)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

21.3%
UK
7.2%
7.4%
Sweden
16.1%
13%
Germany
13.3%
9.6%
Netherlands
4.5%
8.7%
US
5.2%
8.2%
France
4.3%
Denmark
7.9%
China
4.4%
Italy
4%
Exports $67.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)Imports $40.19 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)(2003)

Budget

Revenues
$129.8 billionExpenditures
$105.5 billion (2003 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of NA

Electricity

Electricity production
120.1 billion (2001)Electricity consumption
115.3 billion (2001)Electricity exports
7.162 billion (2001)Electricity imports
10.76 billion (2001)

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 - $171.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $37,800 (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

17.8% of GDP (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
4.1%
highest 10%:
21.8% (1995)

Labor force

2.38 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%, services 74% (1995)

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

Oil - production

3.408 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

171,100 bbl/day (2001 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

54.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

50.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.716 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance

$29.34 billion (2003)

Exports

$67.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Imports

$40.19 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Debt - external

$0 (Norway is a net external creditor) (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Currency

Norwegian krone (NOK)

Exchange rates

Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
4,163,400
(2003)
Internet users
593,850
(2004)
Fixed lines
3.343 million
(2002) · country code .no

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 users

2.288 million (2002)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

13
2,438 to 3,047 m
12
1,524 to 2,437 m
14
914 to 1,523 m
7
26
under 914 m
29
Paved 65Unpaved 36

Networkskm

Highways
91,454Railways
4,077
Highways: paved: 69,505 km (including 143 km of expressways) · unpaved: 21,949 km (2000) · Railways: standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2003)

Railways

total:
4,077 km
standard gauge:
4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2003)

Highways

total:
91,454 km
paved:
69,505 km (including 143 km of expressways)
unpaved:
21,949 km (2000)

Pipelines

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

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
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
registered in other countries:
695 (2004 est.)

Airports

101 (2003 est.)

Heliports

1 (2003 est.)

Military

Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard

7 fields

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 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)

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.)

Transnational Issues

1 field

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Norway.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/norway/2004.

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