| Background: |
Despite its
neutrality, Norway was not able to avoid occupation by
Germany in World War II. 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 |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
62 00 N, 10 00 E |
| 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:
2,515 km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619
km, Russia 167 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) |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 10 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 4 NM |
| Climate: |
temperate along
coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior
with increased precipitation and colder summers causing
glaciers to grow; 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,
copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead,
fish, timber, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
3%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 70% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
970 sq km (1993
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-Sulphur
85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
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: Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol |
| 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 is the only NATO member having a
land boundary with Russia |
| Population: |
4,503,440 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
19.99% (male 462,673; female 437,514)
15-64 years: 64.91% (male 1,482,346; female
1,440,832)
65 years and over: 15.1% (male 282,307; female
397,768) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.49% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
12.6 births/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
9.83 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
2.11 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.07 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
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
3.94 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 78.79 years
male: 75.87 years
female: 81.92 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.81 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
1,600 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
8 (1999) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Norwegian
(Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Sami 20,000 |
| Religions: |
Evangelical
Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman
Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997) |
| Languages: |
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 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: |
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); note - 17 May 1814 is the date of
independence from Sweden, 7 June 1905 is the date Norway
declared the union with Sweden was dissolved |
| 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 |
| 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 March 2000)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch
with the approval of the Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
following parliamentary elections, the leader of the largest
party or leader of a coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the monarch 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 10 September 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party -
Labor Party 35%, Center Party 7.9%, Conservative Party
14.3%, Christian People's Party 13.7%, Socialist Left Party
6%, Progress Party 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties
1.6%; seats by party - Labor Party 65, Center Party 11,
Conservative Party 23, Christian People's Party 25,
Socialist Left Party 9, Progress Party 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 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or
Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Center Party [Odd
Roger ENOKSEN]; Christian People's Party [Kiell Magne
BONDEVIK]; 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 |
| 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,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM
(guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET,
UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, 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 Robin Chandler DUKE
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
FAX: [47] (22) 43 07 77 |
| 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
- 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; in 1999, oil and gas accounted
for 35% of exports. Only Saudi Arabia exports more oil than
Norway. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum
in November 1994. Growth picked up in 2000 to 2.7%, compared
to the meager 0.8% of 1999, but may fall back in 2001. The
government moved ahead with privatization in 2000, even
proposing the sale of up to one-third of the 100%
state-owned oil company Statoil. Despite their high per
capita income and generous welfare benefits, Norwegians
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: |
purchasing power
parity - $124.1 billion (1999 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
2.7% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $27,700 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
2%
industry: 25%
services: 73% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
4.1%
highest 10%: 21.8% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2.9% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
2.4 million (2000
est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 74%,
industry 22%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4% (1995) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
3% (2000 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: |
3% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
121.084 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
0.63%
hydro: 99.11%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.26% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
110.795 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
8.28 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
6.467 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
barley, other
grains, potatoes; beef, milk; fish |
| Exports: |
$59.2 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
petroleum and
petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,
chemicals, ships, fish |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 73% (UK 17%,
Germany 11%, Netherlands 10%, Sweden 9%), US 5% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$35.2 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs |
| Imports
- partners: |
EU 66% (Sweden
15%, Germany 12%, UK 9%, Denmark 7%), US 10%, Japan (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$0 (Norway is a
net external creditor) |
| Economic
aid - donor: |
ODA, $1.4 billion
(1998) |
| Currency: |
Norwegian krone (NOK) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Norwegian kroner
per US dollar - 8.7784 (January 2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992
(1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
2.735 million
(1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
2,080,408 (1998) |
| 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: 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) |
| Radios: |
4.03 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
360 (plus 2,729
repeaters) (1995) |
| Televisions: |
2.03 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.no |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
13 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
2.36 million
(October 2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
4,012 km
standard gauge: 4,012 km 1.435-m gauge (2,530
km electrified; 96 km double track) (1998) |
| Highways: |
total:
91,180 km
paved: 67,838 km (including 109 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 23,342 km (1999) |
| Waterways: |
1,577 km (along
west coast)
note: navigable by 2.4 m maximum draft vessels |
| Pipelines: |
refined petroleum
products 53 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Bergen, Drammen,
Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik,
Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
764 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,667,370 GRT/32,100,208
DWT
ships by type: bulk 89, cargo 139, chemical
tanker 114, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 37,
container 15, liquefied gas 84, passenger 10, petroleum
tanker 151, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 45,
short-sea passenger 22, specialized tanker 1, vehicle
carrier 38
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Japan
1, Mexico 1, Sweden 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
103 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
67
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 28 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
36
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 31 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Norwegian Army,
Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coast Artillery and Coast
Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
20 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 1,101,384 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 913,534 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
27,341 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$3.113 billion
(FY98) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.1% (FY98) |
| Disputes
- international: |
territorial claim
in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land); Svalbard is the focus of a
maritime boundary dispute between Norway and Russia |
|
