Norway Facts

What you need to know

On our Norway Facts page, you will find information about what the average visitor is asking. This is not a page about history, but rather the facts about Norway today.

When learning about a foreign country, certain questions typically arise in a visitor’s mind. This web page will give you the facts about Norway that answer many of them.

If you have a question that’s not answered here, you can send us an e-mail to find out more. Our goal is to give you the information you want. Any suggestions about what Norway facts to include will be welcome.

Official Norway

Let's start Norway Facts with some facts about the official Norway.

The official name of the country is Kingdom of Norway. It has a system of Government that includes the Constitutional Monarchy and a Parliamentary Democracy.

To the left you can see the Norwegian Royal Standard. From the old days, it has been a symbol of Royal power.


Read more about The Norwegian Parliament

The Royal Family

The Norwegian monarchy goes back more than one thousand years, from around the year 885 when Harald Hårfagre (Fairhair) united the many kingships of Norway into one country.

Today, Norway has a modern monarchy that is well respected among it's people, much because the Norwegian King and his family are taking part in common people's life in a unique, and positive way.

Read more about the Royal Family here

Population in Norway

Norway had 4,908,100 inhabitants in September 2010, and is expected to pass 5. million people in March 2012.

There is the indigenous Sami population. And, there are five national minorities that has for long times been associated with Norway. Most of the population lives in the larger cities.

Read more about the Norwegian population here

Area and Geography

Norway Facts: The country covers an area of 385,199 square kilometers. Of this, 304,280 square kilometers comprise the mainland.

The Kingdom of Norway also includes Svalbard and Jan Mayen in the North, and the Bouvet Island, Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land in the Antarctic.

The Norwegian Mainland is 432 km at its widest point, and only 2 km at it's narrowest.

Learn more about Norwegian Geography

Official Languages

There are three official languages in Norway:

The Norwegian language which, has two forms

• Bokmål and
  
• Nynorsk
  
• the Sami language.

Learn more about Norwegian Language

Religion

The official religion in Norway is Protestant Christianity.

Christianity in Norway goes back to the Vikings, and the famous Norwegian King Olav the Holy who helped Christianize the country.

Read more about Religion in Norway here

Norwegian Economy

The Norwegian Oil Industry has made Norway one of the wealthiest countries in the world. The Norwegian Parliament has established a Government Pension Fund that at the end of 2011 is expected to reach an impressive 3.080 billion Norwegian Kroner, which is about US $ 531 billions.

Anyway, during the last years of financial crisis, these funds has helped us through the crises, so far at least, by making the Norwegian economy stabile.

The portfolio of shares and other equities is expected to have a market value of NOK 4.190 billion at the beginning of 2015, and NOK 5.866 when we enter 2020.

Here’s something that may surprise you. Did you know that each year in October the Tax Record for every adult Norwegian is published for anyone to read and see?

That’s right. We can check out what our neighbors and friends earned last year; how much they paid in taxes and how wealthy they are. Neighbors, colleagues, friends, politicians and ministers, all of them are in the public tax records, EXCEPT the King and the Royal family. Their wealth and income are not public.

Read more about Norwegian Economy

Read about Norwegian Household Expences

Read more about the Norwegian Oil Industy

Norwegian Currency

The Currency in Norway is Norwegian Kroner (NOK)

The Norwegian coins in use today is 1 krone (1 NOK), 5 kroner (5 NOK), 10 kroner (10 NOK) and 20 kroner (20 NOK).

The notes are 50 kroner, 100 kroner, 200 kroner, 500 kroner and 1000 kroner.

Read more about Norwegian Currency

Houses and buildings

The average house or apartment is 121.4 square meters.

Sixty-two percent of the houses or apartments are privately or jointly owned. Eighteen percent have one to two rooms and 82% have three rooms or more.

Only 10% of the houses were built before 1920. As much as 29% of the homes in Norway were built after 1981.

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Read more about houses and buildings

The Norwegian Climate

The climate in Norway is often believed to be very cold, because of it's northern location.

Compared to other countries as far north as we are, Norway has a rather pleasant climate.

Our location in the westerlies, on the east side of a vast ocean, with a warm and steady ocean near our shores, we actually have a much friendlier climate than the latitude indicates.

The western coastal Norway is extremely grateful to the effects of the Gulf Stream, this powerful and warm Atlantic ocean current, that brings us winters we can survive.

From Lindesnes at Norway's southernmost point, to North Cape at the northermost point, the span is 13 degrees of latitude.

Read more about Norwegian Climate here.

Norwegian Baby Names

The most popular baby names in Norway in 2007 were Sara for girls and Mathias for boys. In 2008 it was Linnea for girls and Lukas / Lucas for boys.

Trends of popular names has been changing a lot over time. Now, in 2012, the old names of our grandparents and great-grandparents are back in fashion.

In addition to the typical Norwegian names, we also bring you the old, Norse names, the Biblical names, and the Names of Braves.

Read more about Norwegian baby names


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