Norway

A Country Built on Fish, Oil, and an Astonishingly Long Coastline

Norway has a coastline that, when measured to include all the fjords, is roughly 100,000 km long — almost two and a half times the circumference of the Earth at the equator. This is the geographical fact that has shaped almost everything about the country: maritime trade, fishing, shipping, and offshore oil have built the Norwegian economy for over a thousand years. The country’s modern wealth — among the highest per-capita in the world — was constructed in just two generations after the discovery of North Sea oil in 1969, transforming what had been one of Europe’s poorer countries into one of its richest.

What Norway did with that oil money is its second defining political achievement. Rather than spend the windfall, the country saved most of it in the Government Pension Fund Global — known internationally as the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund — which by 2024 has accumulated over $1.7 trillion, owning approximately 1.5% of all the world’s listed equities. The fund is structured to invest oil revenues for the long term so that future generations benefit from a non-renewable resource.

Norway has chosen to remain outside the EU despite two failed referendums on membership (1972, 1994) — joining the European Economic Area in 1994 instead, which gives it access to the single market without political integration. The country is a NATO founding member and one of the alliance’s most strategically important Nordic states given its long border with Russia.

The dramatic peaks of the Lofoten Islands rising from the sea with red rorbu fishermen's cabins on the shore

A Brief History

The Vikings

The Viking Age (793-1066) is Norway’s defining historical period. Norwegian Vikings sailed west to discover Iceland (874), Greenland (985), and briefly North America (Vinland, around 1000). The first Norwegian state coalesced around 872 under Harald Fairhair.

Medieval and Early Modern

Norway was united with Denmark from 1380 to 1814 in successive personal unions. The “400-year night” (as Norwegian nationalists later called the Danish period) saw Danish administration, Danish-derived written language, and limited Norwegian autonomy. The 1814 Treaty of Kiel transferred Norway to Sweden, but Norwegians declared independence and adopted a constitution before reluctantly accepting personal union with Sweden.

Independence and the Modern Era

Norway peacefully separated from Sweden in 1905. The new country invited Prince Carl of Denmark to become King Haakon VII. Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany (1940-1945); the resistance was significant.

The discovery of North Sea oil in 1969 transformed the country. Norway became one of the world’s largest oil and gas exporters, but unlike many petrostates, channelled the wealth into long-term savings rather than current consumption.

Geography and Climate

Norway covers 385,207 km² — about the size of Montana — but most of the country is mountainous, glacier, or fjord. The country has roughly 240,000 islands, of which 280 are inhabited.

Regional Geography

• Eastern Norway (Østlandet) — Oslo, the inland valleys, the gentlest landscape.
• Western Norway (Vestlandet) — Bergen, Stavanger, the dramatic fjord coast.
• Trøndelag — Trondheim, the historical capital, the agricultural heart of mid-Norway.
• Northern Norway (Nordland, Troms, Finnmark) — the Arctic coast, the Lofoten Islands, the Sami homeland in the far north.

Climate

Norway’s climate is strikingly mild for its latitude thanks to the Gulf Stream. Coastal Bergen has average winter temperatures around 1°C; northern Tromsø averages -3°C in January. Inland temperatures can be much colder. The Arctic regions experience polar night (the sun never rises) for several weeks in midwinter and midnight sun (the sun never sets) for several weeks in summer.

Culture, Language and Society

Two Written Norwegians

Norway has two official written forms of Norwegian:

• Bokmål (literally “book language”) — used by ~85% of Norwegians, derived from Danish.
• Nynorsk (literally “new Norwegian”) — used by ~15%, constructed in the 19th century from rural dialects as a more authentically Norwegian alternative to Danish-influenced Bokmål.

Both are official; government documents, schools, and broadcasters provide both. Sami languages (Northern, Lule, Southern) are co-official in several northern municipalities.

Religion

Norway is approximately 65% Lutheran (Church of Norway, formally separated from the state in 2017) but church attendance is very low. About 30% are unaffiliated.

Friluftsliv

The Norwegian concept of friluftsliv — literally “free-air life” — is a cultural devotion to outdoor activity (hiking, skiing, camping) regardless of weather. The saying “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing” (det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær) captures the national attitude.

The Economy

Norway has the world’s highest GDP per capita among non-microstate countries (~$92,000 in 2024). Key sectors:

• Oil and gas — Equinor (formerly Statoil) is one of Europe’s largest oil companies; Norway is Western Europe’s largest oil and gas producer.
• Maritime industries — shipping, shipbuilding, aquaculture (Norway is the world’s largest exporter of farmed salmon).
• Hydroelectric power — Norway generates approximately 90% of its electricity from hydropower; the country is also one of the world’s largest electric vehicle adopters per capita.
• Aluminum — Norsk Hydro is one of the world’s largest aluminum producers.
• Tourism — around 6 million international visitors annually.

Cuisine

Norwegian cuisine reflects the country’s coastal geography and short growing season:

• Salmon — both fresh and gravlax (cured)
• Stockfish (tørrfisk) — air-dried cod, a centuries-old preservation method, traditionally exported to southern Europe
• Smalahove — boiled and salted sheep’s head, a Voss specialty
• Lutefisk — dried fish reconstituted in lye solution; an acquired taste, eaten at Christmas
• Brunost — sweet brown caramelised whey cheese
• Fårikål — Norway’s national dish, mutton and cabbage stew
• Lefse — soft potato flatbread, often eaten with butter and sugar

Nature and UNESCO Sites

Norway has 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the West Norwegian Fjords (Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord), the Vega Archipelago, the Bryggen (Bergen’s wharf area), the Urnes Stave Church, and the Røros mining town.

Travel Guide

Entry

Schengen visa-free for 90 days for most Western visitors. Norway is not an EU member but is in the Schengen Area.

Best Seasons

• June-August — midnight sun, hiking, fjord cruises, lush landscapes
• September-March — northern lights season in northern Norway (best September-March)
• December-April — skiing season

Transport

The Norwegian railway includes some of the world’s most scenic train journeys (Oslo-Bergen via Flåm, the Arctic Circle Express to Bodø). The Hurtigruten coastal express sails the entire coast from Bergen to Kirkenes in 6 days.

Budget

Norway is extremely expensive — daily mid-range budgets of NOK 2,000-3,500 ($180-$320) are typical. Self-catering reduces costs significantly.

Surprising Facts

1. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund holds equity stakes in approximately 9,000 companies — making it one of the largest single shareholders in the global stock market.⁵
2. Roughly 90% of new car sales in Norway are electric or plug-in hybrid as of 2024 — the highest share in the world.⁴
3. Norwegian fjords were carved by glaciers during the last ice age; Sognefjord, the deepest, reaches 1,308 metres below sea level.⁶
4. The knighthood of the Order of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav is the highest civilian honour Norway grants — non-Norwegians who have received it include Nelson Mandela and Henry Kissinger.⁶
5. Norway gives Britain a Christmas tree every year — the tree erected in London’s Trafalgar Square is an annual gift from Norway thanking Britain for support during WWII.³
6. Norwegian salmon farming produces around 1.4 million tonnes annually — about 50% of global farmed salmon.⁴

Sources and References

See the list of cited sources in the page frontmatter — UNESCO, World Bank, Visit Norway, Statistics Norway, Norges Bank, and Encyclopaedia Britannica.