{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off after King Olav TRYGGVASON adopted Christianity in 994; conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted 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, but Nazi Germany nonetheless occupied the country for five years (1940-45). In 1949, Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness." } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "62 00 N, 10 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Europe" }, "Area": { "total ": { "text": "323,802 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "304,282 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "19,520 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "2,566 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Finland 709 km; Sweden 1,666 km; Russia 191 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km)" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "10 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "continental shelf": { "text": "200 nm" } }, "Climate": { "text": "temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast" }, "Terrain": { "text": "glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Galdhopiggen 2,469 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Norwegian Sea 0 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "460 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "2.7% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 2.2% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 0.5% (2022 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "33.5% (2022 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "63.8% (2022 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "337 sq km (2016)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "most Norwegians live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "
rockslides, avalanches
volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano
" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "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 the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "total": { "text": "5,509,733 (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "2,780,972" }, "female": { "text": "2,728,761" } }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Norwegian(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Norwegian" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Norwegian 81.5% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.9%, other 9.6% (2021 est.)" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "Center Party or Sp
Christian Democratic Party or KrF
Conservative Party or H
Green Party or MDG
Labor Party or Ap
Liberal Party or V
Patient Focus or PF
Progress Party or FrP
Red Party or R
Socialist Left Party or SV