Approximately one third of the country's population is concentrated in the Oslofjord area, therefore it is the region with the highest density - 1404 people / km². Moreover, in the actual urban agglomeration of Oslo, 906 681 people live (as of January 1, 2011). Other major cities are Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Kristiansand, Fredrikstad, Tromsø and Drammen.

Age and sex structure

Norway has a predominantly working-age population between the ages of 16 and 67. The pyramid reflects not only an increase in life expectancy, but also an increase in fertility. The numerical superiority of men is small and is replaced by the prevalence of women from 55-59 years old. This factor is typical for a number of northern states.

Ethnic composition

More than 90% are Norwegians. The largest national minority is the Arabs - several hundred thousand people. Also, the Sami live in Norway (about 40 thousand people, exact calculations are difficult), Kvens (Norwegian Finns), Poles, Swedes, Russians, Gypsies, etc.

Migration

Throughout most of its history, Norwegian society has been ethnically homogeneous. However, since the 1980s, immigration to Norway has increased dramatically, with many of the newcomers settling in the Norwegian capital Oslo and its suburbs. By 2008, the number of immigrants was 10% of the total population of the country, with 70% of them from non-Western countries. This statistic does not include children of migrants born in Norway. The total number of people who came to Norway in 2010 is 73,852, of which 65,065 are foreign nationals. A large influx of migrants is observed in the northern provinces, which is associated with the government's policy to attract labor to these regions that are unfavorable from a climatic point of view. The migration balance is positive, despite the fact that the number of emigrants is increasing every year and already in 2010 reached 31,506.

In addition to external migration, there is also internal migration in Norway, both between municipalities and districts, the former of which is twice as developed as the latter. In 2010, the number of people who moved to another municipality reached a record high of 214,685 people. Migration does not depend on gender and mainly occurs in the direction from the north and northwest to southeast.

Languages

The official language is Norwegian. In a number of communes in Troms and Finnmark, Sami has equal status. The classic literary Norwegian language - Bokmål (Norwegian bokmål - "book language"), or Riksmol (Norwegian riksmål - "state language") - developed on the basis of the Danish language during the Danish domination over Norway (1397-1814). At the end of the 19th century, in contrast to Bokmål, a new literary language was created on the basis of rural Norwegian dialects with an admixture of medieval Old Norse - Lannsmål (Nynorsk landsmål - “language of the country” or “rural language”), or Nynorsk (Nynorsk nynorsk - “New Norwegian”). Lannsmole received formal recognition in the 19th century. Its creator was the linguist Ivar Osen. Both Bokmål and Nynorsk are considered equal literary languages, but the former is much more widespread and is the main language for about 85-90% of Norwegians. Nynorsk is most common in Vestland, where about 87% of its speakers live, and is widely used in rural areas. In the first half of the 20th century, the “policy of rapprochement” (Norwegian tilnærmingspolitikken) of Nynorsk and Bokmål was officially pursued with the aim of creating a “common Norwegian” norm (samnoshk, Norse samnorsk) in the future, but in 1966 it was decided to abandon this policy.

Religion

Main articles: Church of Norway, Catholicism in Norway, Orthodoxy in Norway

Only from 21.05.2012 the church of Norway is separated from the state - a kind of record for Europe. See Church of Norway

Article 2 of Section A of the Constitution of Norway guarantees every citizen of the country the right to freedom of religion. at the same time, the same article still indicates that Evangelical Lutheranism is the state religion of Norway. By law, the king of Norway and at least half of the ministers must be Lutheran. As of 2006, according to official statistics, 3,871,006 people or 82.7% of the population belong to the State Church of Norway (Norwegian Den norske kirke). As of January 1, 2014, according to the church itself, 75% of the country's population belonged to the Church of Norway. However, only about 2% of the population attend church regularly. Many of the Norwegians are “registered” as parishioners of the Church of Norway “by default”. If at least one of the parents in the family is a member of this official church, then the child automatically "receives" the faith of the registered parent, therefore the vast majority of the members of the Norwegian church did nothing to join this religion.

A 2005 Eurobarometer poll shows Norway to be at the bottom of the list of believers in Europe: only 32% of Norwegians believe in God, 47% believe in any spirit or life force, 17% do not believe in God or in any - either spirit or life force.

In Norway, there are 403,909 people, or 8.6% of the population as of 2007, belonging to other religions and teachings.

Among them, the most numerous are adherents of Islam (79,068 people or 1.69% of the population), the Roman Catholic Church (51,508 people or 1.1%) and the Pentecostal Movement of Norway (40,398 people or 0.86%).

The Foreningen Forn Sed neo-pagan community is officially registered in the country.

History

Main article: History of Norway

Prehistoric period

In the early Mesolithic, two related cultures of hunters and gatherers, later named after the main monuments of Fosna and Koms, penetrated into the territory of Norway after the retreating glacier to the north. The climate in Norway after the end of the ice age was exceptionally favorable, and Norway was one of the most densely populated areas during this period of the Earth's history.

During the Neolithic period in the south of Norway there was a megalithic, presumably pre-Indo-European culture of funnel-shaped cups, and in the east - a culture of pit-comb ceramics (the latter was presumably Finno-Ugric).

Ancient history

Traditional Norwegian house

The ancestors of the modern Norwegians, who pushed the nomadic Finnish tribes to the north, belonged to a separate Scandinavian tribe, related to the Danes and Angles.

It is not fully understood how Norway was settled. According to one version, Norway was settled from the north, but then the settlers settled on the west coast and in the center. Some historians, on the other hand, suggest that settlement took place from south to north - an opinion supported by archaeological excavations. It is even possible that the settlement took place from several sides at once, since the tribes of settlers very quickly spread across the territory of Norway. It is reliably known that the very first people came to Norway more than 10,000-9,000 years ago, settling in the area of ​​the village of Komsa in Finnmark and Vosna in Nurmør. These places gave their name to the first Norse hunter-gatherer cultures. According to the sagas, the Norwegians occupied an area from the southern part of Vike Bay to Drontheim, (formerly called Nidarose), but, like the Goths and Swedes, did not have a centralized authority. The population split into 20-30 separate groups called fylke (Norse fylke, people). Each fylk had its own king, or jarl. In order to create a single state, several fülks were united into one general meeting - Thing. The Ting was convened at a certain place, and all free members of society were present, but affairs were conducted by delegates appointed by each king separately, who made up the supreme assembly, or supreme court. the ranks of the commissioners were not admitted to persons dependent on the king.

Later, the country was divided into four large districts, each with its own separate division, with its own separate laws and customs; namely: Frostating, which included the county located north of the Sognefjord; Gulating, covering the southwestern county; The Opplandna and Vika tinges, located to the south and east of the Central Mountain Range, first gathered together at Eidzatinga, but the Vik County subsequently separated and became a separate ting.

Inside the fylk there was a division into hundreds (herad); at the head of the herad was hersir, who held this position by inheritance law. He was in charge of the civil and religious affairs of the district. The kings, called yngling, were considered to be descended from God and were representatives of fylk in foreign affairs and leaders of troops during wars, but their rights were determined by their personal qualities and the size of their personal possessions; the most important matters were decided by the people themselves at the tinge.

The peasants paid the king Viru in the event of a violation of the peace and brought him free gifts. If the king "introduced violence instead of law", then an arrow was sent to all inhabitants of the fylk as a sign that the king should be seized and killed. If it was not possible to kill, the king was expelled from the country forever. The rights to the throne were, along with legitimate, and illegitimate children, the origin of which was proved by a test with iron.

Ancient Norwegian society thus consisted of two estates: princes and free villagers, or peasants. unfree people, or slaves, with whom they treated, however, not severely, were strictly dependent on them. They were mostly prisoners. After death, they were not allowed into Valhalla, where only free people who died in battle were accepted. The two free estates did not constitute castes isolated from each other. The title of a peasant was considered honorable. Entry into the service of the king was considered shameful for the peasants and was imposed in some cases as a punishment.

The king was the largest landowner and ruled his lands with the help of persons called armadr. At the court of the king lived a detachment of warriors - hirdmann. They were dependent on the king, although they enjoyed complete personal freedom. The activities of the vigilantes were wars, predatory raids, military exercises and hunting. They threw feasts, which were attended by women, loved to have fun, but at the same time longed to die a heroic death. Belief in a destiny that no one can escape elevated the courage of the Norwegians. They believed that Odin gives victory, and therefore they boldly went into battle.

Age of the Vikings

Due to the scarcity of the soil, with the thirst for fame and enrichment, the passion for expeditions to foreign lands increased, so that already in the 8th century, the Norwegians began to terrorize neighboring countries with their raids. When, at the end of the 9th century, vast states began to form in Norway, whose kings hindered the freedom of individual districts, the number of those who left for long voyages increased even more. Sometimes the kings themselves set out on a campaign, for conquest or plunder, wishing to glorify their name. Only those expeditions that were undertaken under the command of princes, who were called sea kings, were called honorary. There are two periods of Viking expeditions: in the first, the Norwegians swim across the sea in small detachments, attack only the shores and islands, and retire home when winter comes; in the second period, they gather in large troops, go far from the coast, stay for the winter in the country that they plunder, take possession of it, build fortifications there, settle in them. This period begins in some of the lands visited by the Vikings earlier, in others later - in Ireland in 835, at the mouth of the Loire - about the same time, in England and along the lower Seine - in 851.

Viking ship at the Oslo Museum

The Norwegians even attacked the territory of present-day Turkey, where they were attracted by the riches of Constantinople, which they called Mykklgård. At the end of the 9th century, Norway rallied into one kingdom, and since then there is more reliable information about its fate. On the western bank of the Vik, present-day Christiansfjord, was the small region of Westerfüld, ruled by the descendants of the kings who, according to popular tradition, once reigned in Uppsala. The first king of Westerfjord, who left a memory of himself, was Halfdan the Black, who, partly thanks to family ties, partly through conquest, annexed to his kingdom all the areas near the upper end of the bay and extended inland to Lake Miesen. Halfdan died early, leaving a ten-year-old son, Harald (863). The latter continued the work started by his father, subordinating neighboring jarls and kings to his power and establishing autocracy in Norway. He succeeded, but the proud ancestors were reluctant to submit to the king, to whom they had previously been equal; very many noble people were expelled by Harald for resisting him and sailed to look for new lands. The area to the south of the Sognefjord was subjugated later. Her leaders gathered a significant army, but in the fierce battle of Gafursfjord, Harald defeated (885). Harald made a complete revolution in the economic and social order of the country. Masses of dissatisfied with the destruction of the old liberties left for Iceland, the Shetland, Hebrides and Orkney Islands. From there they made frequent raids on the shores of Norway, but Harald defeated them and placed the Norse Jarls on the islands. At the end of his life, Harald betrayed the principle of autocracy: he divided the country between his sons, allocating a kingdom to each, and gave the descendants of the female line a county along with the title of Jarl. Only 16 kingdoms were formed, the connection between which Harald thought to preserve, declaring his eldest son Eirik the senior king. Harald was still alive when Erich made an attempt to reassert a unified monarchy and was nicknamed the Bloody Ax for the extermination of his brothers. His harsh, tyrannical nature helped revitalize the reaction fueled by Harald's strict rule. the year of the latter's death (936), his youngest son Haakon appeared on the scene, born of a slave and given to the education of Athelstan of England. Haakon was elected king after he solemnly promised the peasants to restore their ancient rights and return their ancestral lands. Eirik had to leave for England. Haakon the Good kept his promises. Baptized at the court of thelstan, Haakon made an attempt to establish Christianity in Norway, but the peasants abruptly refused and stubbornly insisted that the king unswervingly perform pagan rituals, so that a break almost occurred between him and the people.

Olaf II, miniature

After Haakon, a number of kings, of which the most famous - Olaf I Tryggvason (995-1001) and Olaf II the Tolstoy (1015-1024), tried to introduce Christianity, withstanding a stubborn struggle with the people. Due to his personal qualities, Olaf Tryggveson has become a favorite hero of Norwegian history. Olaf II the Tolstoy, named after his death as a Saint and considered the patron of Norway, was the great-grandson of Harald the Fair-haired. He united all Norway under his rule, rebuilt Nidaros, founded by Olaf Tryggveson and then destroyed, and made it the capital of the state. He was a zealous Christian; the age-old resistance of the people to the new faith was suppressed. Having established Christianity, Olaf changed the laws of the country in accordance with the new conditions of life and drew up the church code. Powerful families, who enjoyed complete independence under his ancestors, had to submit to him. He eliminated the inheritance of the positions of landers and verziers. Even the rank of Jarls was destroyed; Jarl began to call the king's closest assistant in war and in peacetime. Under other kings, the yarls entered into a struggle with the royal power and received tremendous importance, which most often happened in the early childhood of kings. The neighboring kings, Swedish and Danish, did their best to harm the Norwegian king. Although the Swedish king Olaf the Beloved, was forced, in the end, to reconcile with him at the insistence of his peasants and even marry his daughter to him, but the Danish Knud constantly instigated revolts against him and supported the insurgents. Olaf took advantage of Knud's departure to Rome to attack his state, but Knud returned, drove away the enemies and sailed to Norway the next year. The people, irritated against Olaf for his willful rule, swore allegiance to Knud. Olaf was forced to flee and found shelter with Yaroslav in the Old Russian state. In 1029 he gathered an army and sailed to Norway, but at Stiklestad he was met by a Norwegian army three times more numerous, and he was killed. Knud appointed his son Sven as governor in Norway; but the intolerable oppression which the Norwegians had to endure under the Danish yoke aroused their irritation, and everyone remembered Olaf with bitter regret. The very people who killed Olaf brought his ten-year-old son Magnus from Russia and proclaimed him king. Sven fled to Denmark, with which a treaty was concluded: Magnus was to become king of Denmark after the death of Hardeknud. When the latter died, Magnus's authority was indeed recognized in Denmark. He appointed Sven as his governor, but a year later Sven refused to obey him. Magnus was victorious in several battles, but, after winning a big battle on the island of Zealand (1047), he was killed. His successor, Harald the Severe, fought incessant wars with the Danes: he was called the northern lightning, the destroyer of the Danish islands. He was carried away by the hope of conquering England, sailed there and died. This was followed by a more peaceful reign of Olaf the Peaceful, who ruled Norway peacefully for 27 years. his reign Norway has achieved significant prosperity. After the death of Olaf, in 1095, Norway was again divided into two states, and strife began again, until one of the kings, Magnus Barfud, became the reign of the united Norway. He made expeditions to foreign countries, conquered the Hebrides and Orcadian islands and the English Isle of Man, and fell in Ireland in 1103. He was succeeded by his sons, Erich and Sigurd. The first wise management contributed to the peaceful annexation of new regions to Norway, built churches, monasteries, etc. Sigurd, on the contrary, was distinguished by the brave, restless spirit of the ancient Vikings. 1107-1111, he undertook a crusade to St. Land and returned with many looted treasures. Jerusalem, he pledged to the patriarch to establish a bishopric in Norway and establish church tithes, which he did. After his death (1130), a long period of internecine wars begins. The state was sometimes fragmented between several sovereigns, sometimes united under the rule of one. The clergy managed to take advantage of the times of troubles to expand their rights and privileges. This significantly weakened royal power, which in Norway could never have gained such great importance as in the rest of Europe, because the rights of the Norwegian people were very extensive, and they stubbornly defended them, defending themselves against any attempts to subjugate them. The Norwegian aristocracy moved more and more away from the people and after the introduction of Christianity began to draw closer to the clergy, striving, together with them, to concentrate the government of the country in their hands. 1161, during the reign of Haakon II Broad-shouldered, Norway was visited by the papal legate, who forced to recognize the prohibition of marriages of priests and introduced various other reforms. Bergen he anointed 8-year-old Magnus, who was elected king in 1162, to reign. Magnus was descended from Harald the Fair-haired by his mother; the church, by consecrating his hereditary rights, enabled a number of descendants of the royal daughters to lay claim to the Norwegian throne. King Magnus in 1174, on the conviction of the Archbishop of Nidaros Eystein, promulgated a law called the Diploma of the Golden Pen and gave the Norwegian clergy very great rights. Magnus, who in this charter called himself the king of God’s mercy, promised to establish tithes in favor of the church, refused any interference in the election of bishops and other church dignitaries, and gave the Archbishop of Nidaros and his spiritual advisers the predominant influence in deciding which of the sons or relatives the king must be given the crown. Thus, the appointment of the king by the popular assembly was replaced in Norway by the influence of the clergy and the crowning. This was explained by the fact that each king received Norway, as it were, in flax from St. Olaf. The people could not endure such a violation of their rights and rebelled under the leadership of Eystein Moyle, who called himself the grandson of one of the Norwegian kings, Harald Gille. A struggle arose between two parties, one of which was called the Birch-Legged (birkebeiners), and the other Krivozhezlova (baglers), from the crooked bishop's baton. The birch-legged opposed the expansion of the rights of the clergy and defended the rights of the people, and the crooked-stems were clerics. The struggle lasted for over a century and caused a number of coups. The Birkebeiners were already close to death when they were headed by the former priest Sverrir, an Icelander by birth, posing as the son of King Sigurd Munds. 1184 Magnus was killed and Sverrir was elected king. His reign marks a new era in the history of Norway; he dealt a decisive blow to both allies - the clergy and the aristocracy - and approved the democratic principles on which the Norwegian state was based. He destroyed the power of the nobility, appointing to rule the country new persons who depended exclusively on him; the titles were preserved, but now they represented nothing more than an empty phrase. He also destroyed the predominance of the clergy on the grounds that the king receives his title from God and rules over all his subjects. The clergy revolted against him, Pope Innocent III excommunicated him, all the bishops left Norway, but Sverrir remained adamant. If he failed to bring the matter of centralization to the end, it was only because he had to fight all the time not only with internal, but also with external enemies. The struggle continued after his death (1202), both under his son Haakon III, and during the interregnum period that followed, when the birkebakers appointed one king and the spiritual party another, until Sverrir's side grandson, Haakon, was recognized as king. both parties at a meeting in Bergen, which was attended by the higher clergy, the Yarls and the peasants. A period of peaceful development has come for Norway. Haakon did not agree to recognize the letters of the Golden Pen, but at the same time he acted as a conciliator between the peasants and the clergy. in the case of jurisdiction, the clergy were given full independence from the civil court; it elected its dignitaries without royal interference, and church estates were declared free from military service. thanks for that the clergy helped Haakon to conquer almost all of Iceland and Greenland. His son Magnus VI ascended the throne (1263) no longer by choice at the Thinge, but at the request of his father, who offered the people to swear allegiance to him before the proposed campaign to Denmark and promulgated in 1257 the law on succession to the throne, which destroyed the influence of bishops on this matter and prevented fragmentation of the state into parts. Magnus maintained peace within the state and peace with his neighbors and earned the title of Law Improver (Laegebaetr); he established a general law for the entire kingdom, based on the old legislation of the country, gulating, frostating, etc. The punishments were softened, more precise rules of succession were established, which completely eliminated the election of the king. Significant changes made in the state system consisted in the increase in the importance of the royal servants and the rise of the power of the king himself.

King Hakon V the Saint (1319) completely destroyed the title of Lendermen, without encountering any resistance: the Lendermen ceased to be the leaders of the people, representing only large free landowners. Norway remained a country of peasants - small landowners. Hakon died without male heirs, and since the minor Swedish king Magnus Eriksson was the grandson of Hakon by his mother, the Norwegians elected him their king: the throne of Norway passed to the Swedish line, and both countries retained their laws and their supreme councils. Norway had 4 local councils (Orething) and one general council, which met mostly in Bergen. Larger cities had their own self-government.

Union with Denmark and Sweden

See also: Kalmar Union, Danish-Norwegian Union, and Swedish-Norwegian Union

Since the election of Magnus Eriksson, the history of Norway is inseparably linked with the history of other Scandinavian states and is losing its independent significance. Norway is being towed by Sweden, participating, among other things, in the wars between Sweden and the Hansa, which strengthened the latter's domination and delayed the development of Norwegian trade for a long time. In Norway, all power was concentrated in the hands of officials; there was no aristocracy, no permanent assembly of the people that could oppose them, although the peasants and cities retained their primordial liberties. In 1349, a plague broke out, claiming more than a third of the country's population. The Norwegians strongly demanded the presence of the king, and Magnus in 1350 sent his youngest son Gakon, 12 years old, as king. In 1376, the Swedish State Council, upon the termination of the male line of the reigning dynasty, elected four-year-old Olaf, the son of the Norwegian king Gakon and his wife Margarita, as king, and Margarita was appointed regent. Following this, the Hansa recognized Olaf as the Danish king. Thus, all 3 Scandinavian states merged into one. When Gakon of Norway died in 1380, Margaret of Denmark was recognized as the Norwegian regent. But her power in Denmark and Norway was very weak. Olaf died in 1387, and both the Danish and Norwegian Seimas elected Margaret queen, and in 1388 the Swedes also elected her queen of Sweden. When electing Margarita, the Norwegian Sejm recognized her as the heir to her sister's grandson, Erich Pomeranian. In July 1396, the Danish and Swedish Sejms promised that Erich, upon reaching adulthood, would be given control of their states and that the Scandinavian states would not wage war among themselves. To strengthen the position of her heir, Margarita convened the councils of state of all three kingdoms in Kalmar; they in June 1397 worked out a law called the squid union. On the basis of it, Denmark, Norway and Sweden should have always had one king, elected from the Erich dynasty along the line of the primogeniture; the Scandinavian states should not fight among themselves, but should defend each other when attacked by enemies; treaties with foreign states must be common to all three states; declared a rebel in one of them should be prosecuted in the other two, but each of the three Scandinavian states retains its own special laws.

The Kalmar Union brought little benefit to the Scandinavian states; they were drawn into the policy of conquest by her, which the reigning dynasty adhered to and which did them much harm. Norway had to make sacrifices for several decades for purposes completely unknown to it, to pay huge taxes for the costs of wars alien to its interests. The Norwegians never saw the king, and his officials oppressed the people, pulled all the juice out of the country, forced them to take a badly minted coin at the face value. The Norwegians asked to send them a governor, if the king could not come himself; having neither aristocracy, nor a common Diet, they needed the king's direct concern for their state affairs - but they did not pay attention to their requests. “We are ruled by foreign cruel Fochts, we have no order in the coin, no governor, or even a seal, so the Norwegians must run abroad for their seal,” the Norwegians complained in 1420. From here came the hostile attitude towards the dominion of foreign kings and a whole series of troubles arose; the people refused to obey foreigners and vigorously resisted all kinds of encroachments on local laws and customs. The troubles in Denmark gave the Norwegians the opportunity to defend their independence and turn the union into a personal and equal union (1450). Each state retained its separate name and its own laws, was governed by its compatriots, had its own separate finances and treasury. Karl Knudson, chosen by the Norwegians, ceded his rights to the Danish king Christian I. It was decided that Norway would always have a king in common with Denmark; the choice of the king must take place in Halmstad, and if the king of Christians leaves behind his sons, they must first of all be elected. From that time until 1814, Norway and Denmark had common kings.

Throughout the 15th century and until 1536, when the liberties of Norway were finally suppressed, the Norwegians did not cease to worry and resent any encroachment on their rights. They recognized Danish kings only after long hesitation and resistance. The Norwegians were especially outraged by the fact that the most important and ancient of their colonies, the Orkney and Shetland Islands, were given by Christian I in 1468 as a pledge to the Scottish king and since then have not been redeemed, so they remained in the possession of Scotland. There were constant armed uprisings against foreigners.

After the Danish king Christian II, expelled from Denmark and supported by Norway, was captured by the Danes and deposed, the Danish rigsdag in 1536, in spite of the Kalmar Union, turned Norway from an equal member of the union into a governed province. A separate Norwegian Sejm, a separate army and navy, separate finances, etc. were destroyed. The Norwegian Supreme Court was destroyed; all trials were decided in Copenhagen by Danish judges; Bishops were ordained there, and youths studied there and devoted themselves to the state and church service. Norwegian soldiers and sailors joined the ranks of the Danish fleet and troops. The administration of Norway was entrusted to the Danish vogts, sent by the Danish government and completely independently in charge of it. The only thing that the Danes did not dare to touch upon was the peasants' land rights, "odelsret". The loss of political independence had a depressing effect on the development of Norway. She seemed to have frozen in place, especially after the reformation, which was introduced in Norway in almost the same violent ways as Christianity. Norway's trade was destroyed by the almighty Hansa; the industry did not develop. Both the country's finances and its population suffered from constant wars with Sweden, whose soldiers ravaged its border areas. At the same time, Sweden captured three Norwegian regions: Jämtland, Herjedalen and Bohuslän. mental life is completely stagnant. Even the rewriting of the old manuscripts has ceased; one might think that the Norwegians even forgot to read, says one writer. But if in these relations the domination of Denmark had an unfavorable effect on Norway, but in others it acted beneficially, directing the life of Norway along the course on which it began to go, and strengthening the democratic principles that were at the foundation of its political system. The last remnants of feudalism disappeared in the 17th century, and a new aristocracy could not be formed due to the absence of a court, the absence of a king and the constant change of officials, who were an alien element and could not take firm roots in the country. After the end of dependence on the Hansa, in 1613, Norway's trade developed greatly, as well as shipping, fishing and forestry, and the population increased significantly, with all population growth rushing to the cities, contributing to their prosperity. At the end of the 18th century, when Norway had to suffer a lot during the wars between Denmark and England, the spirit of nationality and love of freedom awakened among the Norwegians. British cruisers and the fleet interrupted communication between Denmark and Norway for whole years, and the latter would have already separated from Denmark, if not for the affection for the stadtholder Prince Augustus Christian of Holstein-Glüsburg, who managed to win popular love with his management. After his death, in 1809, the idea of ​​restoring independence appeared again. A society for the good of Norway was formed, actively working in this direction. He succeeded in 1811, after long resistance from the Danes, to found a university in Christiania, thanks to which Copenhagen ceased to be the center of Norwegian culture. The spirit of national independence began to speak with particular force when the Norwegians learned that the Danish king, forced by Sweden, after a stubborn struggle, ceded his rights to Norway to the Swedish king, according to the Treaty of Kiel in 1814.

19th century

The Treaty of Kiel was signed in 1814. They decreed the following: "Norway should belong to the king of Sweden and constitute a kingdom united with Sweden, and the new king undertakes to rule Norway as an independent state, according to its own laws, freedoms, rights and privileges." Norwegian historians pay special attention to the fact that it was not Denmark that ceded its rights to Norway to Sweden, because the Danish state did not have any rights to Norway, which it could cede: Norway and Denmark were twin brothers who constituted legally equal parts the same monarchy. The king of Denmark ruled in Norway not by someone else's will, but by virtue of the ancient hereditary law of Norway. He could dispose of her as her legitimate sovereign, but only within the limits of legality, therefore, he had no right to transfer her to anyone without her consent. He could do only one thing - to renounce the throne, and then Norway received the right to independently control its fate. For these reasons, the Norwegians opposed the Treaty of Kiel. In 1814, Norway thus entered into a personal union with Sweden.

Christian VIII

The ruler of Norway at the time was Prince Christian Friedrich, a 28-year-old man who, according to his contemporaries, was distinguished by determination and energy. Convinced of the unshakable determination of the Norwegians to prevent the country from turning to the Swedish province, the prince summoned the highest dignitaries of Norway, provided them with all the documents regarding the Swedish-Danish agreement, declared himself regent for the interregnum and invited the Norwegians to elect representatives to the Diet in Eidswold, authorized to draw up a new constitution. After that, the troops and civil guards in the square solemnly vowed to defend the independence of Norway: this oath was repeated for them by the people and the prince-regent, who swore allegiance in the churches. Elections were held for a national constituent assembly. On April 10, the meeting was opened, and in a committee of 15 persons, chaired by Falsen, a draft constitutional bill was worked out, which was then adopted in the general meeting. the following can be distinguished as its main provisions:

• Norway forms a free, independent and undivided kingdom. Legislative power belongs to the people, who exercises it through representatives.
• Taxation is the exclusive right of the representatives of the people.
• The right to declare war and make peace belongs to the king.
• The judiciary is separate from the legislative and executive branches.
• Freedom of the press.
• The Evangelical Lutheran faith is recognized as the state religion, but complete freedom of religion is allowed; only Jesuits are not allowed to enter the state; Monastic Orders and Jews are also not allowed.
• The king can, for outstanding services to the state, give orders, but he does not have the right to elevate to any rank or rank unrelated to the position held by this person. No personal and hereditary benefits can be accorded to anyone. This was a preparation for the complete destruction of the nobility, since the hereditary nobility turned into a personal one. Falsen said at the same time that, not wanting to have, even by name, any advantage over his fellow citizens, he for himself and his descendants renounces his nobility and all the advantages associated with it.
• The king is granted veto suspensivum, but not absolutum.
• The king has no right to accept any other crown without the consent of the ⅔ Storting.
• The king must live within the present limits of the state.

On May 19, 1814, Prince Regent Christian Friedrich was unanimously elected King of Norway. The Swedish government did not obey the decision of the Norwegian people; the Swedish army was ordered to march to capture Norway. Attempts were made by foreign powers to settle the matter diplomatically, but they did not lead to anything. The Norwegian troops were led by inexperienced people, as a result of which the Norwegian soldiers soon began to lose confidence in victory and talk about treason. On the other hand, the Swedish crown prince Karl-John acted with extreme caution and, after long hesitation, agreed to enter into direct relations with the Norwegian people, to negotiate with them as with a completely independent nation. The offer was accepted; The Maritime Convention was signed on August 14, and the Kiel Treaty was destroyed by the Swedish government itself. King Christian convened the Storting on October 7, 1814. During the debate, the need for unification became more and more clear, since Norway was unable to continue the costly struggle. The King of Christians conveyed a message to the congregation in which he finally renounced the authority given to him and freed Norway from the oath. Swedish commissioners were dispatched to negotiate with the Storting regarding the unification of Norway with Sweden, with instructions to show the greatest possible courtesy and compliance. The following agreement was worked out: Norway forms a free and independent kingdom, which has a king in common with Sweden. In all its own affairs, Norway should be governed independently, and in general it should enjoy equal influence with Sweden. The same idea lay at the basis of the structure of external relations. Norway was to have its own management of foreign affairs, but foreign affairs concerning both states were to be decided in a joint Norwegian and Swedish state council, according to the principle: equal influence or complete equality. Norway could, in the person of two members of the state council who were with the king, participate in the Swedish state council whenever an issue of national importance was discussed in it. In such a case, the consent of the Norwegian government was required to resolve it. Only when the commissioners agreed on behalf of the king to the terms of the union set by the Storting, the Storting accepted the resignation of King Christian and elected Charles XIII as the constitutional king of Norway, not by virtue of the Treaty of Keel, but by virtue of the Norwegian constitution. The crown prince gave the king's written oath to "govern Norway in accordance with its constitution and its laws"; the members of the Storting, for their part, swore an oath of allegiance to the constitution and to the king, and the debate ended with a dignified speech by the president in which he expressed the hope that the sacred bond connecting the two peoples would increase the common good and security and that “the day of unification will be celebrated by descendants ".

Beautiful hopes were not destined to come true. Sweden began to pursue its favorite idea - the conquest of Norway, and Norway - to defend its independence. at first the Swedes were very happy about the agreement with Norway; most were convinced that Norway had already been conquered, others hoped for a voluntary merger of both nations. But since things did not go well, discontent and disappointment began to arise in Sweden. Norway's first clash with Sweden erupted in 1815, when the Storting destroyed the nobility and hereditary privileges. Karl-John did not agree with the decision of the Storting. The law passed through a three-fold vote and became binding without the king's sanction, which terribly outraged the latter. One threatening rescript was sent to the Storting after another; even an attempt was made to restrict freedom of the press, they threatened with the intervention of foreign powers, but democratic Norway insisted on its way. in the same spirit, the people's representatives of Norway continued to act further. The king proposed, in 1824, a series of restrictive constitutional changes. All these proposals were rejected by the Storting. Great difficulties were created by the question of the external representation of Norway. After a series of escalating negotiations in 1836, it was established that a Norwegian member of the Council of State was "present" whenever general diplomatic matters were discussed; when discussing purely Norwegian affairs, he expressed his opinion, but his voice was not decisive. This concession did not satisfy anyone. Several unionskomité were convened to discuss this issue and revise the act of union; but the revision met with unfavorable treatment in the Norwegian Storting. The July Revolution had revitalized Norway's democratic aspirations even earlier. In 1836, the last land tax was abolished. In 1838, rural self-government was transformed, the influence of the administration on it was eliminated. Rejected in 1839 were the government's proposals to replace the restraining royal veto with an absolute one, to restrict the Storting's right to naturalize, etc. In 1842, the Storting decided that the king's sanction was not required for the naturalization of foreigners in Norway. In the 1840s, the struggle for stadtholding arose. § 14 of the Constitution determined that a stadtholder in Norway could be indifferent to a Norwegian or a Swede. Soon, the Norwegians felt all the inconvenience of this decree and began to ask for the destruction of the stadtholder post. Charles XV, on his accession to the throne in 1859, promised to fulfill their desire, but the Swedish Rigsdag opposed this, and the king confirmed the decision of the Rigsdag. This angered the Norwegians terribly; The Storting protested against the interference of the Swedish Rigsdag in purely Norwegian affairs. Since the Rigsdag, in his address to the king, proposed to revise the constitution in order to expand the scope of issues considered by the general council, and, consequently, to increase the supreme power of Sweden, the Storting also protested against this kind of revision of the constitution, which violates its basic principle - equality. Nevertheless, the unionskomité was convened and decided to establish a new union council, and with it general ministers for both states, with a common constitution superior to the individual constitutions of this or that kingdom, and with a general range of actions, very extensive and embracing the most significant issues. concerning both nations. The Storting continued to stand for the previous state of affairs, but 17 votes were in favor of the new: this was the first indication that it was impossible to rely on Norwegian officials, so persistent in the past, during the struggle with the government for independence. Upon his accession to the throne in 1872, King Oscar II managed to win over the Norwegian Storting with various concessions, so that the latter agreed to transform the customs business (1874), to introduce a common Scandinavian coin (1875), etc. In 1880, the struggle flared up again. Back in 1872, a bill was introduced to the Storting that the ministers, at his first request, were at its meetings. In 1880, the Storting began to insist on the implementation of this law; Stang's ministry did not agree and was forced to resign. Then new reasons for disagreement appeared on the scene: the government demanded an increase in the fleet and army, the Storting rejected this demand and adopted a project to establish a militia like the Swiss. The king did not approve this project. The Storting put the ministers on trial, and they were convicted, but the king casted the verdict. After the resignation of Selmer's ministry, the radical ministry of Sverdrup was formed, which, having yielded to the king questions of absolute veto, etc. Union surfaced again in 1885, when Sweden independently changed its foreign affairs administration without asking Norway's consent. The king has ceased to be the head of Sweden's foreign policy: it is governed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is entrusted with constitutional responsibility. But since the Swedish foreign minister was at the same time the head of Norwegian foreign affairs, the right of the Norwegian king to rule Norway's foreign policy thus passed to Sweden. In addition to its ideological significance, the question seemed very important from a practical point of view: an awkward step in foreign policy could threaten the country's political and national existence. Foreign policy was particularly important for Norway, as a predominantly trading country, as opposed to Sweden, a predominantly agricultural country. Negotiations began between the Norwegian ministry of Sverdrup and the Swedish one. the result was the protocol of May 15, 1885: it was decided that the ministerial council should include as many Norwegian officials as Swedish; The Norwegians will participate in the decision of affairs and bear responsibility to the Storting, but in return Norway must recognize that the leadership of foreign policy belongs to Sweden. The Storting became so indignant that Sverdrup was forced to resign; after that the negotiations also ceased. In the next elections, both the right and left parties of the Norwegian Storting introduced the question of foreign policy to the House. The left won, but since its two groups, pure and moderate, could not come to an agreement in any way, the right became the head of the department, forming the Stang ministry, and negotiations with Sweden resumed, but did not lead to any results. The fruitlessness of all negotiations and all kinds of joint political action became more and more obvious and things moved on to a new stage, expressed in the program for the elections of January 30, 1891: “a new order of management of diplomatic affairs, which would impose more fundamental constitutional responsibility on the Norwegian state authorities ". The left won the elections, and Minister Sten became the head of the department, who expressed a direct demand for the appointment of a separate Norwegian foreign minister. The Storting, not wishing to act too harshly, has limited itself for the time being to the establishment of separate Norwegian consulates, which are of great practical importance for a country that lives almost exclusively by seafaring and trade. On June 10, 1892, the Storting appointed money to make the required changes, but the king refused to approve this decision and dismissed the Sten ministry, which had a majority of 64 votes; Stang was appointed minister, which in itself constituted a violation of the parliamentary regime. The radicals passed in 1893 a decree on the reduction of the king's civil list and the maintenance of ministers; the majority of the Storting set the date for the separation of the Norwegian consulates from the Swedish on January 1, 1895 and assigned 340,450 crowns for their maintenance. The government responded by refusing to separate the consulates and used the money assigned to the individual consulates for general consulates. The country was divided between two parties: the right and the left. The right wants to carry out the principle of equality within the boundaries of the now existing agreement, but from the point of view of the left, this is nothing more than a chimera; the left sees only one way out of the humiliating and unsatisfactory state of affairs for Norway - the separation of both countries, the abolition of the alliance regarding everything that was not included in the treaty.

The hope of Stang's conservative cabinet to achieve a majority in the elections to the Storting in 1894 was in vain: the left lost several seats, but still had a majority of 59 in the new Storting against 55 moderates and conservatives. Stang's cabinet filed a letter of resignation on January 31, 1895. The king entered into negotiations with the left side of parliament, demanding from her some obligations regarding her further course of action, and when such obligations were not given, he categorically refused to accept Stang's resignation (April 3, 1895). As a result, the opposition to the left side of the Storting became extremely acute; speeches were heard so harsh in tone and content, which could not be heard in it before. However, Stang's cabinet managed to get the Storting to agree to negotiate with Sweden, for which a committee of agreement of 7 Swedes and 7 Norwegians was chosen by the parliaments (in November 1895). Earlier, in October, the Stang ministry finally resigned, giving way to Gagerup's coalition cabinet, which consisted of representatives of all Storting parties. However, the reconciliation business was not going well. In 1896, the Storting, by an insignificant majority of votes (41 to 40), decided to replace the Swedish-Norwegian flag exclusively with the Norwegian one. The decision was made a second time, and the king again refused his sanction. In response to this, the Storting, again by an insignificant majority (58 against 56), rejected the proposal made by the Conservatives to raise the civil list of the king and crown prince to the previous level of 326,000 crowns for the first and 88,000 crowns for the second, on which he stood until 1893. The participation of Norway in the Stockholm exhibition, proposed by the Swedish government, was also accepted by an insignificant majority (58 against 56). Discussion of the Swedish-Norwegian trade agreement with Japan gave rise to sharp attacks against Gagerup, who, according to the radicals, neglected the interests of Norway in favor of Sweden; nevertheless, the treaty was approved, albeit by a tiny majority. At a time when in other European countries the conservatives are usually for strengthening the army, and the liberals and radicals are fighting against it, in Norway the opposite happened: the strengthening and rearmament of the army proposed by the Gagerup government was not only accepted by the Storting, but even the reform costs were significant increased in comparison with the government's requirement, because Norway seriously considered the possibility of war with Sweden. In 1896-1897, the Storting passed several important bills in the field of constitutional and social legislation. The right to vote in elections to the Storting is granted to persons outside Norway. The electoral right in elections to local self-government bodies has been significantly expanded. The radicals' demand to extend the right to vote to women was rejected. A law of 1897 imposed a criminal sanction in addition to the constitutional provision, by virtue of which the Storting has the right to summon every person on public affairs, with the exception of the king and members of the royal family. Persons summoned in this way and failing to appear at the summons of the Storting are subject to a fine of 1,000 to 10,000 kroons; any statement made by the summoned person, in its legal consequences, is equivalent to a statement made under oath. This law was already voted on in 1894, but then the king denied him his authorization; this time he gave it. In 1897, a significant number of commercial and industrial enterprises were closed on holidays. in the same 1897, a short story to the 1894 law on insurance of workers against accidents was developed.

The elections to the Storting in 1897 brought triumph to the left, which held 79 representatives, while the number of members on the right dropped from 55 to 35. Thus, the left had a sufficient majority both to revise the constitution and to convict members of the council of state (ministry) ... The first election result was the resignation of the Gagerup ministry. On February 18, 1898, a radical cabinet was formed, chaired by former Prime Minister Steen. In 1898, a reform of the electoral law was carried out. The number of voters, which in the 1880s did not exceed 6% of the population, had risen to 11% by 1897, was immediately raised by this reform to 20%. In March 1898, the Swedish-Norwegian committee of the agreement presented its report to the parliaments of both countries, from which it turned out that the agreement did not follow. The Swedes insisted on retaining a common Swedish-Norwegian foreign minister. Disagreements emerged among the Norwegian members; the majority (moderate) agreed to the temporary retention of general consuls, so that after a few years separate Norwegian consuls would be appointed; the (radical) minority, influenced by the electoral triumph of the radicals, insisted on the immediate appointment of a Norwegian foreign minister and Norwegian consuls. In November 1898, the Storting passed a decree for the third time to replace the Swedish-Norwegian flag with the Norwegian flag. The king again refused to authorize this law, and the draft became law without his sanction, as adopted in a row by three Storting. The members of the Norwegian Council of State (ministry) strongly advised the king not to undermine his authority by refusing to approve this project, which was practically completely useless; but the king stubbornly stood his ground, referring to the fact that the Swedish-Norwegian flag was received at one time by the Norwegian people with enthusiasm and that it fluttered with honor on all oceans. On February 15, Gustav announced that at the Hague Peace Conference, Sweden and Norway will be represented by one common delegate, and not by two delegates, as the Norwegian Storting wishes. This decision was one of the immediate reasons for the fact that when Gustav entered Christiania, he was met with a hostile demonstration from the people; on the contrary, on his return to Stockholm, he was greeted with enthusiasm by the Swedish people. More sharply than ever, it has been said here that the struggle between Sweden and Norway is being waged not only by governments, but also by peoples, each of whom was almost unanimous on this issue. In May 1899, the Storting unanimously voted without debate an extraordinary loan for the army and navy in the amount of 11.5 million crowns. On May 11, King Oscar again took control of the country.

XX century

In early 1905, Gagerup retired and was replaced by Michelsen. In May 1905, a new electoral law passed through the Storting, which introduced direct elections, established individual election by districts and the number of members of the Storting increased from 114 to 123. (over 2,000 inhabitants) a separate deputy; as a result, towns with 2,000 inhabitants have a deputy, while Christiania with a population of over 200,000 has only 5 deputies. At the beginning of 1905, King Oscar, due to illness, ceded the royal power to his heir Gustav, the antipathy Norwegians. A law passed through the Storting on the division of the Swedish-Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs into two special ones and on the creation of special Norwegian consulates; Gustav refused to authorize it; Michelsen's ministry responded by resigning. The Regent, after unsuccessful attempts to form a new cabinet, refused to accept it. Then the Storting unanimously, on June 7, 1905, adopted a resolution to dissolve the union with Sweden. Not wanting, however, to bring the matter to war, the Storting, with all votes against 4 Social Democrats, decided to ask Oscar II to allow one of his younger sons to take the place of King of Norway; the Social Democrats who voted against this proposal wanted to seize the opportunity to declare Norway a republic. The resolution adopted by the Storting read: “in view of the fact that all members of the ministry have resigned from their posts; in view of the king's declaration that he is not in a position to form a new government; in view of the fact that the constitutional royal power thereby ceased to fulfill its functions, the Storting instructs the members of the ministry, which has now resigned, to temporarily assume the power belonging to the king and, under the name of the Norwegian government, to rule the country on the basis of the constitution of the Kingdom of Norway and the laws in force, introducing in them those changes that are inevitably caused by the breakdown of the union that linked Norway with Sweden under the rule of one king, who ceased to fulfill his functions as king of Norway. " Simultaneously with this resolution, the Storting decided to draw up an address to King Oscar, where the idea was persistently carried out that the nature of the union was being misinterpreted by Sweden. Solidarity of interests and direct unity are more valuable than political ties; union has become a danger to this unity; the destruction of the union is not associated with hostile feelings either towards the Swedish people or towards the dynasty. In conclusion, the Storting expressed the hope that the new choice of the king would prepare for Norway a new era of calm work and truly friendly relations with the people of Sweden and its king, towards whose personality the Norwegian people will invariably retain feelings of respect and loyalty. the proclamation of the Storting to the Norwegian people, the hope was expressed that the Norwegian people will live in peace and harmony with all peoples, especially with the Swedish, with whom they are bound by numerous natural ties. The ministry drew up an address to the king, in which, mentioning his decision not to accept their resignations, stated that by virtue of the constitution, the king was obliged to give the country a constitutional government. From the moment the king prohibits the formation of a responsible cabinet, the Norwegian royal power ceases to function. The king's policy on the reorganization of consular law is incompatible with the constitutional regime; no other government is willing to take responsibility for this policy, and the current cabinet cannot take part in it. King Oscar protested against the behavior of the Storting and did not agree to the accession of one of his sons to the Norwegian throne, citing a violation of the constitution made by the Storting. From a formal point of view, such a violation undoubtedly took place, since the act of union with Sweden is a constitutional act in Norway and as such could be changed or canceled only after it was twice adopted in two successive Stortings and the consent of the crown. The Norwegian side responded to this that the king was the first to enter the road of violation of the constitution, who refused to authorize the law adopted by the Storting, who resigned the ministry and was unable to form a new one, so that all his activities took place without the countersignature of the ministry responsible to the Storting. In response to this statement, the king turned with a message to the president of the Norwegian Storting, in which he argued that he did not go beyond the rights granted to him by the constitution, and the Norwegian Storting committed a revolutionary act. the first time after these negotiations, the king was clearly leading the case to war; in turn, the Norwegian interim government, headed by Michelsen, was energetically preparing for it. The name of the king ceased to be remembered at divine services in churches; justice began to be administered on behalf of the interim government, to which the entire army unanimously swore allegiance. All Norwegians in the diplomatic service of Sweden and Norway have retired; only the envoy to Washington, Grip, remained in office. A ministry of foreign affairs was organized by the provisional government, but it could not appoint consuls until it was recognized by the European powers. The session of the Swedish Riksdag opened on June 20. The President of the Swedish Council of Ministers said that it was not in Sweden's interests to resort to violence and spoke in favor of negotiations with Norway. The danger of war was averted. The Norwegian interim government, wishing to find support among the people, turned to a referendum, which had not been practiced in Norway until then. On August 13, 1905, a popular vote was held to break the union with Sweden; the referendum was preceded by passionate agitation. The result exceeded the most fervent expectations: 321,197 votes were cast for the break with Sweden, against - only 161 votes; 81% of all persons entitled to vote took part in the voting. A conference of Swedish and Norwegian delegates, elected by the parliaments of both countries, opened on 31 August. At the conference, both sides came to an agreement on the basis of which Norway undertook to tear down the fortifications located near the border. Storting, this caused discontent on the extreme left, but the Karlstad Convention was ratified by a majority vote and, after ratification by the Swedish Riksdag, entered into force. This was followed by the question of whether Norway should be a monarchy or a republic. a lively campaign was conducted in the country; the establishment of the republic was supported by social democrats and radicals. The entire right, on the contrary, insisted on a monarchical form of government, indicating that the Norwegian constitution is the most republican in the world and even as a kingdom, Norway will remain in reality a republic, only with a hereditary president, whose power is more limited than the power of the English king or the French. president of the republic. The republic can seclude Norway politically, while the king, especially if Prince Charles of Denmark is elected king, will bring with him an alliance with a number of powers. Apparently, this consideration had a decisive influence; both the Storting and the people established a monarchical form of government in a referendum and elected Charles, Prince of Denmark, as king, who ascended the throne under the name of Haakon VII. In November 1905, Michelsen made a proposal to the Storting to establish the civil list of the Norwegian king at 700,000 crowns for the entire period of his reign (until now, the civil list was established for a year). The extreme left protested both against doubling the size of the civil sheet and against fixing it for a long time. Nevertheless, both measures were taken by a majority of 100 votes to 11.

In international relations, the independence of Norway was finally enshrined in the Christian Convention, signed by representatives of the four great powers, who pledged to respect the borders of the new kingdom and provided their guarantees of its territorial integrity.

XXI Century

Economy of Norway

Main article: Economy of Norway Norwegian oil platform Statfjord

Advantages: the largest producer of oil and gas in Northern Europe. Hydropower covers most of the energy needs, which allows the export of most of the oil. Oil funds serve for the development of future generations. Mineral reserves. Large merchant fleet. Low inflation (3%) and unemployment (3%) compared to the rest of Europe.

Weak sides: very high dependence on oil. Small domestic market, peripheral location. There are too few highly qualified personnel. The harsh climate restricts agricultural development, high taxes and very expensive labor also inhibits development.

In terms of GDP, it is currently ranked 26th in the world (2006). to a large extent, well-being depends on the gas and oil refining industries. Since the mid-1990s, Norway has become the world's second largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia. This industry employs almost 80 thousand people, many work in industries related to oil and gas production. About half of export revenues and 1/10 of government revenues come from oil and gas trade, which is one third of government revenues as a whole (according to 2005 data). More than a quarter of all Norwegian investments are in the construction of drilling platforms in the North Sea, west of Bergen, where one of the largest natural gas fields is located. The Norwegians built the world's largest drilling platform with a displacement of 1 million tons and a height of 465 meters. The value of the remaining hydrocarbon resources on the Norwegian continental shelf is estimated in the state budget at 4,210 billion kroons (for 2006). less than a third of Norway's proven hydrocarbon reserves have been produced so far. At the same time, Norway is the world leader in technologies that ensure the safety of oil and gas production. The main achievement of the country is the adoption of measures to create a system for preventing carbon dioxide emissions. Today, the leading deposits are Snow White (Snevit) and Ormen Lange.

The country has large reserves of timber, deposits of iron, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, titanium, molybdenum, silver, marble, granite. Norway is the largest producer of aluminum and magnesium in Europe. The largest titanium ore deposit in Europe is located in the southwest of Norway.

In the chemical industry, Norsk Hydro stands out, which is a leading European supplier of nitric acid and complex fertilizers, urea and saltpeter. Norway is also a supplier of vinyl chloride monomer and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which are used as raw materials for the production of synthetic paints. Norway also produces other technical goods. Paints, adhesives, detergents and fine chemicals are another sector of the Norwegian chemical industry.

Mechanical engineering specializes in the production of equipment for the oil and gas production and oil refining industries. Platforms are supplied to other countries as well. Another important branch of mechanical engineering is shipbuilding. The main part of the industrial potential of Norway is concentrated in the south of the country (4/5 of industrial production); about 9/10 of the country's industrial enterprises are concentrated in port cities.

The fish processing industry is almost as important to Norway as the extraction of oil and gas. The main fish processing centers are Stavanger, Bergen, Alesund, Trondheim. A significant part of Russian fishermen give their catch to Norway for processing. Russia is also one of the largest consumers of finished fish products. Norwegian aquaculture has developed rapidly over the past three decades. The country has accumulated rich experience in the production of equipment for fish farming (including feeding and breeding), monitoring and various production technologies in the field of fish processing.

Forests cover 27% of the country's area. And forestry is a small but very important industry for local farmers.

Rich forest resources and the availability of affordable electricity have made Norway a leading role in the global pulp and paper market. About 90% of the pulp and paper produced in the country is exported. Norwegian mills produce various types of pulp, including short-fiber and long-fiber kraft pulp, which is an important component of newsprint and magazine paper.

The Norwegian maritime economy encompasses a widespread network of maritime transport and aquaculture industries, providing an ever-increasing variety of goods and services.

Agriculture

Crops, Ediswall, Norway

The share of agriculture in the Norwegian economy declined with the development of the manufacturing industry; in 1996, agriculture and forestry accounted for only 2.2% of the country's total production. The development of agriculture in Norway is difficult due to natural conditions - the country's high-latitude position, a relatively short growing season, cool summers and low soil fertility.

Agriculture in Norway is in dire straits despite government subsidies. As of 1996, the share of cultivated land did not exceed 3% of the total area of ​​the country, and 5.6% of the country's working-age population was employed in agriculture and forestry. The number of farms reaches 200,000, and most of them are small in size: about half of all farms have plots of no more than 10 hectares, and only 1% of farmers own more than 50 hectares of land. The main agricultural regions are Trøndelag and the Oslofjord region.

The leading industry is intensive animal husbandry, which provides about 80% of all agricultural products, mainly meat and dairy products. In connection with this, as well as with climatic conditions, mainly fodder crops are grown. Sheep breeding is well developed. In the second half of the 20th century, wheat production increased many times, from 12 thousand tons in 1970 to 645 thousand tons in 1996. Despite this, Norway provides itself with agricultural products of its own production by only 40% and is forced to import grain crops.

Energy

Wind farm Hundhammarfjellet, Norway

In terms of electricity production per capita, Norway ranks first in the world. At the same time, despite the presence of large reserves of hydrocarbons, 99% of electricity is generated at hydroelectric power plants, due to the presence of significant hydro resources in Norway. A third of the electricity produced in Norway is consumed by the metallurgical industry.

There is no nuclear power in Norway. Nevertheless, the laws of the country leave the possibility of building nuclear power plants. Since the 2000s, the idea of ​​using nuclear energy has been seriously considered and supported by most of the country's industrial leaders. Statkraft, Vattenfall, Fortum and Scatec are considering the possibility of building a nuclear power plant with thorium fuel cells. It is not excluded that Russian partners will join the project.

Wind power plants are becoming widespread.

Salary level in Norway

In 2011, the average monthly salary in Norway was 38,100 kroons, an average of 3.8% more than in 2010. on average, men earned 6,000 kroons more than women - 40,800 and 34,800 kroons, respectively. The share of women's wages for the year increased from 85% to 85.3%. In the public sector, the gap in the wages of women and men remained practically unchanged, and the increase was mainly due to the private sector.

Transport

Railway transport

Main article: Rail transport in Norway

Norway's railway network consists of several main lines diverging from Oslo, connecting it with the main cities of the country - Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim and Bodø, as well as with Sweden. Another line, small in length in Norway, connects Narvik with Sweden. The total length of the railways in Norway is 4,087 km (of which 2,528 km are electrified) as of 2005.

Automobile transport

The total length of roads in Norway as of 2007 is 92,946 km, of which 27,343 km are national roads, 27,075 km are regional roads and 38,528 km are local roads. Of these, 74% have a hard surface.

The total vehicle fleet in Norway as of 2006 totals 2,599,712 vehicles, including 2,084,193 cars, 26,954 buses and 488,655 trucks and others.

Air Transport

Norway has 53 airports with regular flights, of which 8 have international status - Gardermoen (Oslo), Flesland (Bergen), Sula (Stavanger), Värnes (Trondheim), Thorp (Sandefjord), Tromsø (formerly Langnes), Rygge (Moss ), Wigra (Alesund). The country's civil aircraft fleet as of 2005 is 888 aircraft and 168 helicopters. The total volume of external and internal passenger traffic in 2005 amounted to 34 803 987 people, and almost half of this number, 15 895 722 people, falls on the Oslo airport.

Sea transport

Culture

Main article: Norwegian culture

mass media

• Media concern Schibsted

Among the largest newspapers in Norway are the daily Verdens Gang (365 thousand copies), Aftenposten (250 thousand), Dagbladet (183 thousand), which widely presents foreign policy materials, and others. Norway has one of the leading places in the world in terms of the number of periodicals per capita. The Norwegian Newspapers Union united 152 newspapers in 1998. Most of the publications are supported or controlled by the Conservative Party - 44 publications, with a total circulation of 800 thousand copies.

National News Agency - Norwegian Telegraph Bureau - NTB (joint stock company). Founded in 1867. NTB is the premier news provider for Norwegian newspapers, radio and television stations. Norway's public radio and television broadcasting (excluding cable and commercial television) is operated by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (Norsk Rikskringkasting, NRK), which includes radio channels NRK P1, NRK P2, NRK P3, TV channels NRK1, NRK2 and NRK3. The commercial TV channel TV2 in Bergen, which began broadcasting on September 5, 1992, rivals NRK in popularity. This is followed by TVNorge and TV3. The new Norwegian TV channel MEtropol has recently opened, specializing in films and entertainment.

Holidays

date	Name	Norwegian name	Notes (edit)
January 1st	New Year	Nyttårsdag	day off
January 21	Princess Ingrid Alexandra's birthday	HKH Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandras fødselsdag
February 6	Sami people day	Samefolkets dag
21 february	King Harald's birthday	HM Kong Haralds fødselsdag
varies	Palm Sunday	Palmesøndag	day off
varies	Maundy Thursday	Skjærtorsdag	day off
varies	Good Friday	Langfredag	day off
varies	1st day of Easter	1.påskedag	day off
varies	2nd day of Easter	2.påskedag	day off
The 1 of May	Public holiday	Offentlig høytidsdag	day off
May 8	Liberation Day 1945	Frigjøringsdag 1945
May 17	Constitution day	Grunnlovsdag	day off
varies	Ascension of Christ	Kristi himmelfartsdag	day off
varies	1st day of Trinity	1.pinsedag	day off
varies	2nd day of Trinity	2.pinsedag	day off
June 7	Day of dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905	Unionsoppløsningen 1905
4th of July	Queen Sonya's birthday	HM Dronning Sonjas fødselsdag
July 20	Crown Prince Haakon's birthday	HKH Kronprins Haakons fødselsdag
July 29	Day of death of King Olaf the Saint	Olsok
August 19	Birthday of Crown Princess Mette-Marit	HKH Kronprinsesse Mette-Marits fødselsdag
December 24	Christmas
December 25	1st day of Christmas	1.juledag	day off
December 26	2nd day of Christmas	2.juledag	day off

Sport

Norway has participated in almost every Summer Olympics since the 1900 Paris Games and all the Winter Olympics since the 1924 Chamonix Games. With about one and a half hundred total (including more than fifty gold) medals at the summer games and more than three hundred (including more than a hundred gold) medals at the winter games, in the overall medal standings of the Olympic Games, Norway closes the top twenty countries in the summer games and is third in the Winter Games.

Norway has twice hosted the Winter Olympics itself. The 1952 Olympics were held in Oslo, and in 1994 - in Lillehammer.

The Norwegian National Olympic Committee was formed in 1900.

Winter species are predominantly developed. The Norwegians won the most medals in cross-country skiing and speed skating. The biathlon team, along with Russia and Germany, is one of the strongest in the world. The most outstanding modern biathlete is Ole Einar Bjørndalen, the world's only eight-time Olympic champion in biathlon and multiple medalist in other competitions. Hockey, however, is underdeveloped and inferior to the more popular football. The highest achievement of the national football team is reaching the 1/8 finals of the 1998 World Cup in France. Most of the national team players play in the English Championship. The Norwegian Championship is traditionally led by Rosenborg (20-time champion), Brann, Valerenga, Viking and others. In the 1990s, Rosenborg successfully played in the Champions League, reaching 1 / 4 finals, and in 2008 won the Intertoto Cup. Famous footballers - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Touré André Flo, John Carew, Jon Arne Riise and others.

Music

Archaeological excavations on the territory of the country reveal the ancient origins of Norwegian music. There are many folk instruments - different varieties of violins, harps and flutes. Ethnic music in Norway is extremely diverse. in particular, it includes lyric-epic motifs created during the time of the Vikings.

A-ha in 2005

Norwegian academic music began to develop somewhat later than in most other Western European countries, which is largely due to more than 400 years of dependence on Denmark. late 18th century the Linnemann family of organists-composers ("Norwegian Bachs") is becoming famous. Halfdan Hjerulf, the creator of the Norwegian romance, is often called the founders of the national music school; Ole Bull, composer-improviser and virtuoso violinist; Ricardo Nurdrok, promoter of national music, author of the national anthem. The most significant Norwegian composer can be called Edvard Grieg, who laid the basic traditions of Norwegian romanticism. In addition, a significant contribution to the development of Norwegian music was made by Christian Sinding, officially named "the largest national composer after Grieg"; F. Walen (student of Arnold Schoenberg), who applied the principles of dodecaphony in his work; Alf Hurum, Harald Severud and others. Homeland of the composer and performer Kötil Björnstad and Axel Kolstad.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a new wave emerged in Norway, represented by bands such as Kjøtt, De Press, The Aller Værste !, Blaupunkt.

The most popular and recognizable Norwegian musical group is a-ha, formed in 1983 in Oslo. A-ha is one of the leading electro-pop bands that emerged at the end of the "new wave".

The American press has dubbed the opera and popular singer Sissel Shirshebo “the songbird of Norway”, best known for her participation in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway and for her vocals in James Cameron's movie Titanic.

There is a well-developed metal scene in Norway, especially the black metal and viking metal scene. A large number of black metal bands, including the founders of this style, are originally from Norway. Among the most famous are: Antestor, Burzum, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Immortal, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Gorgoroth, The Kovenant, Satyricon, Storm, Windir. In addition, symphonic metal and gothic metal are very popular in Norway: Theater of Tragedy, Leaves "Eyes, Tristania, Sirenia, Mortemia, etc.

The most significant musician in Norwegian jazz is saxophonist Jan Garbarek, who works in a huge stylistic range: free jazz, ethno-jazz, symphonic music.

Roy Khan, owner of a unique velvet voice and former vocalist of the power metal band Kamelot, is also from Norway.

Among the musical groups that combine several styles, Katzenjammer can be distinguished.

Norway won the Eurovision Song Contest three times (1985, 1995, 2009).

There are many folk bands that take their inspiration from the days of the Vikings. The most significant folk group today is Wardruna.

Literature

Main article: Norwegian literature Henrik Ibsen

Norwegian literature traces its rich history back to the Old Icelandic sagas created by settlers from Norway. However, after the conclusion of the union with Denmark, the written Norwegian language was gradually replaced by Danish, and until the beginning of the 20th century, Norwegian writers created their works in a language practically indistinguishable from Danish. The revival of the Norwegian literary language was largely promoted by Henrik Vergeland, who fought for the cultural independence of Norway. His work influenced the great writers of the second half of the 19th century - Henrik Ibsen and Björnstierne Björnson.

At the end of the 19th century, Norwegian modernists began to assert themselves. Knut Hamsun and Sigbjörn Obstfeller became prominent representatives of modernism. Modernism flourished in the 1960s. The student magazine Profil, published at the University of Oslo, gathered around itself a group of young authors who experimented with different literary forms. Many of them subsequently made outstanding contributions to Norwegian literature: Dag Sulstad (Norwegian) Russian, Tour Obrestad (Norwegian) Russian, Eldrid Lunden and others. Playwright Jun Fosse is also a prominent representative of modernism.

Among the prominent Norwegian writers of the 20th century are Johan Borgen and Axel Sandemuse. In the new millennium, Lars Soby Christensen, Nikolai Frobenius and Erlend Lu are very popular, including in Russia.

Three of the Norwegian writers received the Nobel Prize for Literature: Björnstierne Björnson in 1903, Knut Hamsun in 1920, and Sigrid Undset in 1928.

Norway is also famous for its children's literature. In 1874 Peter Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Mu published a collection of folk tales “Norske Folkeeventyr” based on the Norwegian folklore they had collected and processed, earning themselves the fame of the “Norwegian Brothers Grimm”. Modern children's writers Anne-Katarina Vestli and the rising star of Norwegian children's literature Maria Parr have gained immense popularity all over the world.

Kitchen

Lutefisk Main article: Norwegian cuisine

Norwegian cuisine is primarily due to the cold Scandinavian climate. The main ingredients of Norwegian cuisine are fish, meat, cereals, bread and dairy products.

To preserve stocks for the winter, canning of food is widely used, such as: drying, pickling, fermentation. The most typical dishes include lutefisk (dried fish soaked in an alkaline solution and then soaked in water), forikol (lamb meat with cabbage and potatoes), rakfisk (fermented trout), smurbred (open sandwiches). Aquavit is a traditional Norwegian alcoholic drink.

Travelers

Norway is famous for its many travelers. The most famous of them, who have made the greatest contribution to the geographical and other sciences are:

• Eric the Red (950-1003) - navigator and discoverer who founded the first settlement in Greenland. He got the nickname "redhead" for the color of his hair and beard. Father of Leif and Thorvald Eriksson, pioneers of America;
• Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) - polar explorer, zoologist, founder of a new science - physical oceanography, politician, Nobel Peace Prize laureate for 1922;
• Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) - polar traveler and explorer. First person to reach the South Pole (December 14, 1911). The first explorer who made a sea passage both by the North-East (along the coast of Siberia) and by the North-West sea route (along the straits of the Canadian archipelago). Killed in 1928 while searching for the expedition of Umberto Nobile;
• Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002) - one of the most famous travelers of the XX century, made a number of expeditions on ships built according to the technologies of the ancient world. The first major expedition of Heyerdahl was sailing on the Kon-Tiki raft. The next achievement of the Norwegian was the expedition on the papyrus boats "Ra" and "Ra-II". The success of "Ra-II" was regarded as evidence that even in prehistoric times, Egyptian sailors could make voyages to the New World. Both expeditions were attended by the famous Russian traveler and TV presenter Yuri Senkevich. In addition to these projects, Tour, together with like-minded people, conducted research on about. Easter, Maldives and Canary Islands, USSR and other regions of the world. His research has made significant contributions to history, ethnography and other sciences.

see also

• Norway Health Inspectorate
• Norway possessions
• Social projects of Norway in Russia
• Norway awards
• Postage stamps and postal history of Norway
• Norway in World War II
• Philosophy in Norway

Notes (edit)

1. 1 2 Brief information about Norway. Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå) (January 2013). Retrieved September 3, 2013.
2. Statistical Yearbook of Norway 2012, Table 19: Total area, distribution of area and length of coastline, by county. 2011 (English). Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå). Retrieved September 3, 2013.
3. Population, by age. Per 1 January (eng.). Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå). Retrieved September 3, 2013.
4. Human Development Index and its components
5. 1 2 Statistical Yearbook of Norway 2011
6. Kuznetsov A. E., History of Norway. Moscow. 2006 .-- S. 183
7. CIA - The World Factbook
8. Statistical Yearbook of Norway 2012, Table 19: Total area, distribution of area and length of coastline, by county. 2011 (English).
9. Statistisk sentralbyrå
10. Shot down multicultural
11. Fakta om norsk språk
12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Norway - encyclopedia "Krugosvet"
13. Statistisk sentralbyrå
14. Kirken.no - Medlemskap i kirken
15. KOSTRA: kirke, 2010 (norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.20 June 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011. Archived from the original February 18, 2013. (English)
16. http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf Special EUROBAROMETER 225 "Social values, Science & Technology" (p. 9)
17. Statistisk sentralbyrå
18. Statistisk sentralbyrå
19. Community site Foreningen Forn Sed
20. Economy Statistics> GDP (most recent) by country. Retrieved November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011.
21. 1 2 3 Geographical Encyclopedic Dictionary - Moscow: Great Russian Encyclopedia, 2003
22. 5ballov.ru | Education in Russia
23. Nuclear legislation in OECD countries - Regulatory and Institutional Framework for Nuclear Activities. Norway
24. The Norwegian Post - Norwegian industry wants nuclear energy
25. Green nuclear power coming to Norway - Cosmos magazine
26. Who lives well in Norway? - CFO Russia
27. 1 2 Statistisk sentralbyrå
28. Statistisk sentralbyrå
29. Statistisk sentralbyrå
30. Statistisk sentralbyrå
31. Aftenposten newspaper website
32. Dagbladet newspaper website

Links

• Official website of Norway in Russia
• Holidays in Norway - Official travel portal for Norway
• All Norway in Russian
• Russian Portal in Norway
• Cultural articles about Norway
• Closer to Norway, together with Norvegus.ru
• Norway Wiki

European countries

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When writing this article, material was used from the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary (1890-1907).

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Norway Information About

They are considered one of the most prosperous in the world. Their level of development and social security can be the envy of many states on the planet. Therefore, this article will focus on a country called Norway, whose name translated from Old Norse means "road to the north." The state is located in the western region of Scandinavia, and also absorbed many neighboring small islands and the Svalbard archipelago. We will also find out what is Norway's area and population.

Geographic features

The territory of the state stretches in a narrow strip along the coast in the northwest. The widest part of the country is only 420 kilometers. Also, the Norwegians own all the rocks, islands located in its territorial waters. The area of ​​the territory of Norway is 3,850,186 sq. km. At the same time, the water surface occupies only 5%.

Neighbors

In the east and southeast, Norway neighbors Sweden (the length of the border is 1,630 km), Russia (the intersection of the countries is 196 km) and Finland (736 km). In the south, Norway is washed by the North Sea, in the northwest by the Norwegian Sea, and in the northeast by the Barents Sea.

Locals

Area, population of Norway - values ​​are insignificant. The country is home to only 5,245,041 people as of 2015. According to this indicator, the state is one of the smallest. As for the population density, it is equal to 16 people per square kilometer. At the same time, the placement of people is very uneven. Almost half of the citizens live near the Oslofjord and Trondheimsfjord, on a rather narrow coastal strip. Another 20% of the population lives in the southern part of the country.

78% of people live in cities, of which a fifth is near the capital. It is important to note that the area of ​​Norway provides for the name of the urban area of ​​such a settlement, where more than two hundred people permanently live. In addition, houses should be no more than 50 meters apart.

In terms of gender and age, the country is very able-bodied, since the bulk of people are between 16 and 67 years old. 90% of the population is Norwegians, and the largest national minority is considered to be from Arab countries, of which there are hundreds of thousands of people. There are also Sami (about 40 thousand people), Kvens, Swedes, Gypsies, Russians and others.

Regions

The area of ​​Norway is divided into 19 counties, which in turn are united into five large-scale regions:

• Northern Norway (Nur Norge):

Nordland;

Finnmark.

• Central Norway (Trendelag):

Nur-Trøndelag;

Sør-Trøndelag.

• Western Norway (Westland):

Rugaland;

Hordaland;

Sogn og Fjordane;
- More-o-Rumsdal.

• Eastern Norway (Estland):

Oppland;
- Hedmark;

Telemark;

Westfall;

Buskerud;

Ostfall;

Akershus;

• Southern Norway (Sørland):

West-Agder;

Aust-Agder.

In turn, the county is divided into communes, of which there are 432 in the state.

Economic life

Norway, with an area of ​​385,186 square kilometers excluding Svalbard and Jan Mayen Island, is one of the largest oil and gas producers in Europe. The country is seeking most of the energy it needs from hydropower, which in turn makes it possible for it to export the lion's share of petroleum products. Compared to other European powers, Norway has a very low rate of inflation and unemployment (both are 3%).

Also, the northern country is rich in rather significant deposits of copper, zinc, titanium, nickel, silver, granite, marble, iron, has an impressive area of ​​forest. In addition, Norway is the largest producer of magnesium and aluminum in the Old World.

Also the leading European supplier of nitrate, urea and fertilizers is the Norwegian company Norsk Hydro.

In fact, the entire area of ​​Norway is involved in the economic sector. Machine building is also quite well developed in the state, which specializes in the production of machines for the oil and gas industry. Shipbuilding plays a significant role, since Norway is a maritime power with a powerful fishing fleet.

Speaking of agriculture, one cannot fail to note the fact that its share in the country's economy has largely decreased due to the development of the industrial sector. It should also be understood that the development of farmland in Norway is very difficult due to the harsh climate. Therefore, even the allocation of significant subsidies by the government does not help fully revive agriculture, in which livestock is in the first position, providing 80% of all production of rural workers in the state. In this regard, Norway is forced to buy in other countries a variety of crops and many other products, which it is not able to fully provide itself.

Note to the traveler - in detail about the country, resorts and hotels, reviews of tourists

Norway

Norway is an ancient harsh Scandinavian state. Norway is a country teeming with mountainous landscapes, glaciers and deep fjords. Hence, Norway is often called the "kingdom of the fjords". Norway is also called "the country of the midnight sun", since a third of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle, and the sun does not set there all summer long. And in winter, on the contrary, it is night almost all day and night. The very name of the country, translated from Old Scandinavian means "way to the north". Norway got this name because of its location along an important trade route.

The territory of Norway lies on the western coast of the Scandinavian Peninsula. In terms of its area (about 385 km2), Norway cannot be called a large country. However, among the Scandinavian countries, it occupies an honorable second place, behind only Sweden. Norway shares borders with Finland, Sweden and Russia. An interesting fact: the length of the coastline is 2,650 km, but if you take into account all the fjords and a huge number of islets, the length of the coastline will be 25,148 km. On three sides, Norway is surrounded by water. In the west, it is washed by the Norwegian Sea. In the southwest of the country, the North. In the northeast, Norway is washed by the Barents Sea.

History

It is reliably known that the ancestors of modern Norwegians came to these lands from the south, pushing back the local Finnish tribes. Soon after resettlement, the Norwegian people split into several groups, at first failing to put together a cohesive state.

Due to the climatic and geographical features, namely, the low fertility of the soil, the culture of the Norwegians followed a harsh military path. This was reflected in the famous Norse Vikings' raids on neighboring peoples. The leaders of the Viking squads were kings, the rulers of individual districts, who made predatory campaigns on other districts and annexed them to their possessions. But the Vikings were not only robbers. They were famous all over the world as unsurpassed navigators, traders and discoverers. It was the Norse Vikings who settled Greenland, Iceland and founded the Duchy of Normandy in France. And the Norwegian Life Ericsson was the first European to enter the shores of America.

In the 10th century, King Harald the Fair-haired captured most of the territory of Norway, and declared himself the first king. At the same time, the active spread of Christianity in the kingdom began.

In the XIV century, Norway concludes a union with the stronger Sweden. At the same time, two-thirds of the population of Norway perishes during the spread of the plague. And in 1397, she concludes a new, Kalmar Union, which survived until the 19th century. The weakened state lost some of its lands. However, the patriotic sense of freedom has never betrayed the Norwegians.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Norway found itself embroiled in the Anglo-Danish war. After that, a devastating famine begins in the country. All this overflowed the patience of the Norwegians. And on May 17, 1814, Norway draws up its own constitution. This day in Norway is still considered the day of national independence.

During World War I, Norway remains neutral. And during the Second World War, its territory was occupied by German troops. In 1949, Norway joins NATO. And since 1969, when large deposits of oil were discovered in Norway, the country began a rapid economic recovery.

State structure

Today, the form of government of the Kingdom of Norway is a democratic constitutional monarchy. The monarchy of Norway is hereditary. Officially, the king is present at all political events and ceremonies. And also, the king is the link in the country's political system.

The official language of the kingdom is Norwegian, which, however, is divided into two varieties: book (derived from Danish-Norwegian) and New Norwegian (created in the 19th century by Autumn). A program is currently underway to merge the two languages ​​into one.

The monetary unit of Norway is the Norwegian krone. The kroon exchange rate varies, depending on world oil prices. To exchange your money for local currency, it is best to use the services of local banks or exchange offices.

Norway is dominated by the Lutheran Evangelical Church, which has the status of the official state religion. By law, the king is obliged to practice the state religion. The Church of Norway takes an active part in the social and political life of the kingdom. Despite absolute freedom of religion and tolerance of other religions, 86% of the country's population is Lutheran.

Climate and tourism

Many people think that the northern location of Norway greatly influences its climate. Which means it's terribly cold there. But this is not the case. The climate in the kingdom is moderately cool in winter. In January, the average temperature hovers around 0 degrees Celsius. In summer, the climate is mild and not stuffy. The average July temperature is 15 - 17 degrees Celsius. Therefore, summer is the most popular time to visit Norway. The average annual rainfall in the kingdom varies from 250 to 3330 mm. Such a favorable climate is explained by the action of the warm current of the Gulf Stream.

Customs - visa regime

In order to get to Norway, you will need to obtain a visa. To do this, contact the Norwegian Embassy, ​​whose offices are located in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Murmansk. Since Norway, like other Scandinavian countries, has signed the Schengen Agreement, then the type of visa she will have will be the same. What is the difference between a Schengen visa and a traditional one? Yes, because it allows you to freely cross the borders of countries that have entered into the Schengen Agreement. One nuance, you need to get such a visa at the embassy of the country through which you are going to enter abroad.

To obtain a visa to Norway, you must submit the following documents to the embassy of the country: personal and foreign passports (the latter must be valid for at least three months); two photos; statement from the place of work; certificate from the bank about the availability of an account with the required amount of funds; a certificate of your place of residence in Norway (if you were officially invited - the address of this inviting person, if not - a hotel or hotel reservation) and medical insurance (the set of documents must be checked with our managers).

When crossing the border of the state, you should remember that customs duties are paid for some types of things. At the border crossing point to Norway, you will see two corridors, "red" and "green". If there are things in your luggage for which you need to pay a fee, then you are in the "red" corridor. If not, go to "green". If you are not sure if your belongings need to be paid duty, check with the customs officer. Otherwise, your mistake will be regarded as an attempt to evade payment of the duty.

Duty is not levied on personal items with a value not exceeding 6,000 kroons. Medicines, if you have provided a certificate for them from the attending physician. And also, a limited amount of tobacco and alcohol. It is strictly forbidden to import drugs, weapons, explosives, products weighing more than 10 kg, rare and endangered animals into the country without special permission. And yet, when importing funds over 25,000 NOK into the kingdom, the amount is declared.

How best to get there

The fastest, but by no means the cheapest, way to get to Norway is by plane. You can get there from Russia by direct flight or with a transfer, taking off from one of the airports in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Murmansk or Arkhangelsk. Also, by plane you can get to Norway through other European countries. You can also get to Norway from some European countries by crossing the water area by ferry. Ferry passenger service connects Norway with Denmark, Germany, Great Britain and Iceland. Or by rail from other Scandinavian countries. The most popular and, moreover, the only direct way to get from Russia to Norway is via highways. The route starts in Murmansk, passes through Kirkenes, and ends in Oslo.

sights

The most important attraction of Norway is its nature. This country is just crammed with picturesque corners. What are the only fjords surrounding the territory of Norway. Sung in the Scandinavian sagas, they are a kind of visiting card of the country. The fjords are especially beautiful, framed by the seething ribbons of waterfalls, with fishing villages located above them. The most popular fjords in Norway are Jairangerfjord, Sognefjord, Glomfjord and many others. Enjoy the beauty of the fjords, best of all during sea cruises.

Mountains are another unchanging part of the Norwegian flavor. They are not particularly high, but are covered with pine and spruce forests, clean, deep lakes and mountain river valleys. The Norwegians themselves are very fond of their mountains, and for most of them, they have prepared a lot of legends and stories. If these legends are to be believed, there is simply no mountain in Norway that was not previously a troll petrified in the sun. And one of the most famous sights of the country even bears the name "Troll Ladder".

The most visited natural attraction in Norway is rightfully considered the Vøringsfossen waterfall. Part of the Bjøreya River, this 182-meter waterfall has a vertical drop of 145 meters. You can enjoy the splendor of this natural phenomenon by following the famous Hardanger hiking trail.

Nothing brings out the beauty and harshness of Norwegian wilderness as well as the National Parks. The National Parks of Norway are one large reserve for rare and endangered animal species. They are also a favorite outdoor activity destination for tourists coming to Norway. In most of the country's National Parks, routes have been developed, following which tourists can see the pristine beauty of Scandinavian nature and meet rare animals, predators, birds and reindeer.

Norway is a country that is somewhat magical. And the best proof of this is the northern lights. You can see it during the polar night. The most likely months when you can see this miracle of nature are October, February, March. The Northern Lights can be seen in many parts of Norway, but the most likely location is North Cape.

For tourists - extreme people, Norway has its own entertainment. For example, they can climb one of the many glaciers in Norway. It is clear that this is associated with a certain degree of risk, since the glaciers are in constant motion. Glaciers have been moving for thousands of years and are responsible for the ever-changing landscape of Norway. And, just, they owe their origin to the famous fjords of Norway. Continuously changing and moving, Norwegian glaciers continually change their size and color.

It is clear that going to conquer the Norwegian glaciers alone, without a professional guide, is just crazy! One careless step, and you will perish forever in an invisible crevice ... In addition, the spalling of large blocks of ice and avalanches do not stop throughout the life of the glacier. And if this kind of rest is for you, we recommend that you visit the Austfonna Glacier - the largest glacier in Europe.

Another beautiful and at the same time frightening phenomenon of Norwegian nature is the Maelstrom Maelstrom. Formed by the rise of tidal waters, the whirlpool from ancient times terrified fishermen and sailors of Scandinavia. And there was something to be afraid of! No wonder, even modern ships are not recommended to sail in these waters at high tide. Even standing on the safe shore of the island of Feure, the whirlpool makes an eerie impression, emitting a low and loud rumble. In addition, this area of ​​the bay is prone to frequent storms. And then the hum of the whirlpool becomes truly deafening.

Norway is one of four located in the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula and in the North of Europe, respectively. The kingdom also owns the Svalbard archipelago, Bouvet Island in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Bear Island and Jan Mayen in the waters of the Arctic Ocean.

The area of ​​the territorial boundaries is 385 thousand square kilometers. Along the eastern border of Norway are the Scandinavian mountains, which are the natural border with. Also in the far north, the country borders on Russia and. The population of the kingdom, as of 2013, is 5.064 million. For comparison, there are 5.192 million inhabitants in St. Petersburg alone. The capital of Norway is Oslo, the largest city in the country with a population of 624 thousand people, that is, one eighth of the population of the entire kingdom.

The form of government in Norway is a constitutional monarchy. From January 17, 1991 to the present day, Harald V. rules. The previous king named Harald ruled in the first half of the twelfth century from 1130 to 1136. Norway is divided into 19 regions. The official language is Norwegian, the language of the Germanic group is closest to Faroese and Icelandic. Although in the remote northern regions, the Sami language is used in everyday life.

History of Norway

Modern Norwegians are descendants of the formidable Vikings. Which in the early Middle Ages kept half of Europe at bay. Mostly they came from poor peasant families. But, meanwhile, the Vikings were famous for their skilled shipbuilders and fearless warriors.

At the end of the fourteenth century, in 1397, the Kalmar Union, a union of the kingdoms of Norway and Sweden, was created. All union territories were ruled by Danish kings. The union existed for over 100 years until 1523. The main reason for the collapse is dissatisfaction within Norway and Sweden with the Danish rule.

However, after the collapse of the Kalmar Union, Denmark and Norway formed a new Danish-Norwegian union in 1536. And again, all the supreme power belonged to Denmark, and Norway was only a province in the Danish kingdom. But, after the Anglo-Danish war in 1807-1814, Denmark collapsed and ceded Norway to Sweden, so a new Swedish-Norwegian union was formed, which lasted until 1905, after which Norway gained independence.

Norway on the map

Most of the territory of Norway is made up of the Scandinavian mountains and plateaus, heavily indented by river and lake valleys. The most picturesque sea bays with steep rocky shores deeply protruding into the land are world famous. The kingdom is extremely mountainous and the average elevation of the surface of Norway above sea level is almost 500 meters.

Weather in Norway

The climate of Norway in most of the territory is temperate maritime. Despite such a northerly location, even in winter, the temperature in the kingdom rarely drops below zero, with the exception of the highlands and the far north. So in Moscow the average temperature in February is -7 degrees, and in the more northern Bergen +2.

Such warm and mild weather is due to the proximity of the Gulf Stream - the current that brings warmth to Europe. So at 59 degrees north latitude is the Norwegian tropical garden.

Flights

There are several international airports in the country, the most important are located within the borders of the capital - Oslo, direct flights from Moscow to Oslo and back are made quite often. Public transport is constantly running between the main airport and the capital, and buses also go to other major cities in Norway, which is very convenient for the traveler.

Kingdom Nature Videos

Contemporary furnishings

Norway can be spoken of as a mono-national country, because almost 95 percent of the population is indigenous Norwegians - the North German people.

Since 2009 and at the moment, Norway has been at the top of the Human Development Index. The Kingdom is a developed and urbanized country with significant natural resources. And at the moment it is also the largest oil and gas producer in Northern Europe.

Fishing is one of the oldest and traditional industries in Norway. Fishing is carried out by both large companies and individual family farms. Fish is a traditional dish in Norway and is served in a wide variety of variations. And it plays an essential role in the diet of Norwegians.

The kingdom is rich in forests, mostly coniferous, although in the south there are also mixed and pure deciduous ones. Forests play the role of home for such animals: bears, lynxes, wolverines and deer. Birds nest here, forming numerous bird colonies. And in the tundra, the lemmings found refuge.

The content of the article

NORWAY, Kingdom of Norway, state of Northern Europe, in the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The area of ​​the territory is 385.2 thousand square meters. km. It ranks second in size (after Sweden) among the Scandinavian countries. The length of the border with Russia is 196 km, with Finland - 727 km, with Sweden - 1619 km. The length of the coastline is 2,650 km, and including fjords and small islands - 25,148 km.

Norway is called the country of the midnight sun, since 1/3 of the country lies north of the Arctic Circle, where the sun hardly sets below the horizon from May to July. In the middle of winter, in the far north, the polar night lasts almost round the clock, and in the south, daylight hours lasts only a few hours.

Norway is a land of picturesque landscapes, with jagged mountain ranges, glacier-ridden valleys and narrow fjords with steep banks. The beauty of this country inspired the composer Edvard Grieg, who tried to convey in his works the mood changes, inspired by the alternation of light and dark seasons of the year.

Norway has long been a country of seafarers, and most of its population is concentrated on the coast. The Vikings, experienced sailors who created an extensive overseas trade system, ventured across the Atlantic Ocean and reached the New World approx. 1000 AD In the modern era, the role of the sea in the life of the country is evidenced by the huge merchant fleet, which ranked sixth in the world in terms of total tonnage in 1997, as well as a developed fish processing industry.

Norway is a hereditary democratic constitutional monarchy. She received state independence only in 1905. Prior to that, she was ruled first by Denmark and then by Sweden. Union with Denmark existed from 1397 to 1814, when Norway passed to Sweden.

The area of ​​the mainland of Norway is 324 thousand sq. km. The length of the country is 1,770 km - from Cape Linnesnes in the south to North Cape in the north, and its width ranges from 6 to 435 km. The country's shores are washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, the Skagerrak in the south and the Arctic Ocean in the north. The total length of the coastline is 3420 km, and including the fjords - 21 465 km. In the east, Norway borders with Russia (border length 196 km), Finland (720 km) and Sweden (1660 km).

Overseas possessions include the Svalbard archipelago, which consists of nine large islands (the largest of which is West Svalbard) with a total area of ​​63 thousand square meters. km in the Arctic Ocean; Jan Mayen Island with an area of ​​380 sq. km in the North Atlantic Ocean between Norway and Greenland; small islands of Bouvet and Peter I in Antarctica. Norway claims Queen Maud Land in Antarctica.

NATURE

Terrain relief

Norway occupies the western, mountainous part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It is a large block, composed mainly of granites and gneisses and characterized by a rugged relief. The block is asymmetrically raised to the west, as a result, the eastern slopes (mainly in Sweden) are flatter and longer, and the western ones, facing the Atlantic Ocean, are very steep and short. In the south, within Norway, both slopes are represented, and between them there is a vast highland.

To the north of the border between Norway and Finland, only a few peaks rise above 1200 m, but towards the south, the heights of the mountains gradually increase, reaching maximum marks of 2469 m (Mount Gallhoppigen) and 2452 m (Mount Glittertinn) in the Jutunheimen massif. Other elevated areas of the highland are only slightly inferior in height. These include Dovrefjell, Ronnane, Hardangervidda and Finnmarksvidda. Bare rocks, devoid of soil and vegetation cover, are often exposed there. Outwardly, the surface of many highlands is more reminiscent of slightly wavy plateaus, and such areas are called "vidda".

During the great ice age, glaciation developed in the mountains of Norway, but modern glaciers are not large. The largest of these are Justedalsbre (the largest glacier in Europe) in the Jutunheimen mountains, Svartisen in northern central Norway and Folgefonni in the Hardangervidda region. The small Engabre glacier, located at 70 ° N, approaches the coast of the Kwenangenfjord, here at the end of the glacier small icebergs are calving. However, usually the snow line in Norway is located at altitudes of 900-1500 m. Many features of the country's relief were formed during the Ice Age. Probably, then there were several continental glaciations, and each of them contributed to the development of glacial erosion, deepening and straightening of ancient river valleys and their transformation into picturesque steep U-shaped troughs, deeply cutting the surface of the uplands.

After the melting of the continental glaciation, the lower reaches of the ancient valleys were flooded, where fjords were formed. The fjord shores are striking in their extraordinary scenic beauty and are of great economic importance. Many fjords are very deep. For example, the Sognefjord, located 72 km north of Bergen, reaches a depth of 1308 m in the lower part. The chain of coastal islands - the so-called. skergor (in Russian literature, the Swedish term skergord is more often used) protects the fjords from strong westerly winds blowing from the Atlantic Ocean. Some islands are bare cliffs washed by the surf, others are significant in size.

Most Norwegians live on the shores of the fjords. The most significant are Oslofjord, Hardangerfjord, Sognefjord, Nordfjord, Sturfjord and Tronnheimsfjord. The main occupations of the population are fishing in the fjords, agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry in some places along the shores of the fjords and in the mountains. In the fjord regions, industry is poorly developed, except for individual manufacturing enterprises that use rich hydropower resources. In many parts of the country, bedrocks come to the surface.

Water resources

The east of Norway is home to the largest rivers, including the 591 km long Glomma. In the west of the country, the rivers are short and fast. There are many picturesque lakes in southern Norway. The largest lake in the country is Mjosa with an area of ​​390 sq. km is located in the southeast. At the end of the 19th century. Several small canals have been constructed connecting the lakes with seaports on the southern coast, but these are currently little used. The hydropower resources of Norway's rivers and lakes make a significant contribution to its economic potential.

Climate

Despite its northern position, Norway has a favorable climate with cool summers and relatively mild winters (for the respective latitudes) as a result of the influence of the Gulf Stream. The average annual precipitation varies from 3330 mm in the west, where moisture-carrying winds primarily flow, to 250 mm in some isolated river valleys in the east of the country. An average January temperature of 0 ° C is typical for the southern and western coasts, while in the interior it drops to –4 ° C or less. In July, the average temperatures on the coast are approx. 14 ° C, and in the interior - approx. 16 ° C, but there are also higher.

Soils, flora and fauna

Fertile soils cover only 4% of the entire territory of Norway and are concentrated mainly in the vicinity of Oslo and Trondheim. Since most of the country is covered by mountains, plateaus and glaciers, opportunities for plant growth and development are limited. There are five geobotanical regions: a treeless coastal region with meadows and shrubs, deciduous forests to the east, coniferous forests further inland and to the north, a belt of dwarf birches, willows and perennial grasses higher and further north; finally, at the highest altitudes, there is a belt of grasses, mosses and lichens. Coniferous forests are one of Norway's most important natural resources and provide a variety of export products. Reindeer, lemming, arctic fox and eider are commonly found in the arctic region. In the forests all the way to the south of the country, there are ermine, hare, elk, fox, squirrel and, in small numbers, wolf and brown bear. Red deer are common along the southern coast.

POPULATION

Demography

Norway's population is small and growing at a slow pace. In 2004, 4,574 thousand people lived in the country. In 2004, per 1,000 people, the birth rate was 11.89, the mortality rate was 9.51, and the population growth rate was 0.41%. This figure is higher than the natural population growth due to immigration, which in the 1990s reached 8-10 thousand people a year. Improvements in health care and living standards have resulted in steady, albeit slow, population growth over the past two generations. Norway, along with Sweden, is characterized by record low rates of infant mortality - 3.73 per 1000 newborns (2004) against 7.5 in the United States. In 2004, life expectancy for men was 76.64 years and for women 82.01 years. Although Norway was inferior to some of the neighboring Nordic countries in terms of the share of divorces, after 1945 the figure rose, and in the mid-1990s, about half of all marriages ended in divorce (as in the United States and Sweden). 48% of children born in Norway in 1996 are illegitimate. After the restrictions introduced in 1973, for some time immigration was sent to Norway mainly from the Scandinavian countries, but after 1978 a significant stratum of people of Asian origin appeared (about 50 thousand people). In the 1980s and 1990s, Norway received refugees from Pakistan, African countries and the republics of the former Yugoslavia.

In July 2005, 4.59 million people lived in the country. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 15, 65.7% were between the ages of 15 and 64, and 14.8% were 65 and older. The average age of a Norwegian is 38.17 years. In 2005, per 1,000 people, the birth rate was 11.67, the mortality rate was 9.45, and the population growth rate was 0.4%. Immigration in 2005 - 1.73 per 1000 people. The infant mortality rate is 3.7 per 1000 newborns. The average life expectancy is 79.4 years.

Density and distribution of population

Norway was once the world's leading whale fishing power. In the 1930s, its whaling fleet in Antarctic waters supplied 2/3 of the world's production to the market. However, reckless fishing soon led to a sharp decline in the number of large whales. In the 1960s, whaling in Antarctica was discontinued. In the mid-1970s, there were no whaling vessels left in the Norwegian fishing fleet. However, small whales are still slaughtered by fishermen. The annual slaughter of approximately 250 whales caused serious international friction in the late 1980s, but as a member of the International Whale Commission, Norway stubbornly rejected all attempts to ban whaling. It also ignored the 1992 International Convention on the Cessation of Whaling.

Extractive industry

The Norwegian sector of the North Sea contains large reserves of oil and natural gas. According to 1997 estimates, industrial reserves of oil in this region were estimated at 1.5 billion tons, and gas at 765 billion cubic meters. m. 3/4 of the total reserves and oil fields in Western Europe are concentrated here. In terms of oil reserves, Norway ranked 11th in the world. The Norwegian sector of the North Sea contains half of all gas reserves in Western Europe, and Norway in this regard holds 10th place in the world. Prospective oil reserves reach 16.8 billion tons, and gas reserves - 47.7 trillion. cub. m. More than 17 thousand Norwegians are engaged in oil production. The presence of large oil reserves in the waters of Norway to the north of the Arctic Circle has been established. Oil production in 1996 exceeded 175 million tons, and natural gas production in 1995 exceeded 28 billion cubic meters. The main fields under development are Ekofisk, Sleipner and Tur-Walhall southwest of Stavanger and Troll, Oseberg, Gullfax, Frigg, Statfjord and Murchison west of Bergen, as well as Drougen and Haltenbakken further north. Oil production began at the Ekofisk field in 1971 and increased throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In the late 1990s, the rich new Heidrun deposits at the Arctic Circle and Buller were discovered. In 1997, oil production in the North Sea was three times higher than 10 years ago, and its further growth was constrained only by the reduction in demand in the world market. 90% of the oil produced is exported. Norway started gas production in 1978 from the Frigg field, half of which is in British waters. Pipelines have been laid from the Norwegian fields to Great Britain and the countries of Western Europe. The state-owned company Statoil is developing the fields in cooperation with foreign and private Norwegian oil firms.

The explored reserves of oil for 2002 are 9.9 billion barrels, gas - 1.7 trillion cubic meters. m. Oil production in 2005 amounted to 3.22 million barrels per day, gas production in 2001 - 54.6 billion cubic meters. m.

With the exception of fuel resources, Norway has a small amount of mineral resources. The main metal resource is iron ore. In 1995 Norway produced 1.3 million tonnes of iron ore concentrate, mainly from the Sør-Varangegra mines in Kirkenes near the border with Russia. Another large mine in the Rana area supplies the nearby large steel mill in Mu town.

The most important non-metallic minerals are cement raw materials and limestone. In 1996, 1.6 million tons of cement raw materials were produced in Norway. Development of deposits of building stone, including granite and marble, is also underway.

Forestry

A quarter of Norway's territory - 8.3 million hectares - is covered with forests. The densest forests are located in the east, where felling is mainly carried out. More than 9 million cubic meters are harvested. m of wood per year. Spruce and pine are of the greatest commercial value. The harvesting season is usually November-April. The 1950s and 1960s saw a rapid increase in mechanization, and in the 1970s less than 1% of all employed people in the country received income from forestry. 2/3 of the forests are privately owned, but all wooded areas are under strict state supervision. As a result of haphazard felling, the area of ​​overmature forests has increased. In 1960, an extensive reforestation program began to expand the area of ​​productive forest in the sparsely populated areas of the north and west up to the Westland Fjords.

Energy

Energy consumption in Norway in 1994 was 23.1 million tons in terms of coal or 4580 kg per capita. Hydropower accounted for 43% of all energy production, oil also accounted for 43%, natural gas - 7%, coal and wood - 3%. Norway's deep rivers and lakes have more hydropower reserves than any other European country. Electricity, almost entirely generated by hydroelectric power plants, is the cheapest in the world, and its per capita production and consumption is the highest. In 1994, 25,712 kWh of electricity were produced per person. In general, more than 100 billion kWh of electricity are generated annually.

Electricity production in 2003 - 105.6 billion kilowatt-hours.

Manufacturing industry

Norway developed at a slow pace due to a shortage of coal, a narrow domestic market and limited capital inflows. Manufacturing, construction and energy accounted for 26% of gross output and 17% of all employed in 1996. In recent years, energy-intensive industries have developed. The main industries in Norway are electrometallurgical, electrochemical, pulp and paper, radioelectronic, and shipbuilding. The highest level of industrialization is distinguished by the Oslofjord region, where about half of the country's industrial enterprises are concentrated.

The leading industry is electrometallurgy, which relies on the widespread use of cheap hydropower. The main product, aluminum, is made from imported aluminum oxide. In 1996, 863.3 thousand tons of aluminum were produced. Norway is the main supplier of this metal in Europe. Zinc, nickel, copper and high-quality alloy steel are also produced in Norway. Zinc is produced at a plant in Eitrheim on the coast of the Hardangerfjord, nickel - in Kristiansand from ore brought from Canada. A large ferroalloy plant is located in Sannefjord, southwest of Oslo. Norway is Europe's largest supplier of ferroalloys. In 1996, metallurgical products amounted to approx. 14% of the country's exports.

Nitrogen fertilizers are one of the main products of the electrochemical industry. The nitrogen required for this is extracted from the air using a large amount of electricity. A significant part of nitrogen fertilizers is exported.

The pulp and paper industry is an important sector of the Norwegian industry. In 1996, 4.4 million tons of paper and cellulose were produced. Paper mills are mainly located in the vicinity of the vast forested areas of eastern Norway, for example, at the mouth of the Glomma River (the country's largest timber artery) and in Drammen.

The production of various machines and transport equipment employs approx. 25% of industrial workers in Norway. The most important areas of activity are shipbuilding and ship repair, production of equipment for the production and transmission of electricity.

The textile, clothing and food industries supply few products for export. They meet most of Norway's own food and clothing needs. These industries employ approx. 20% of the country's industrial workers.

Transport and communication

Despite the mountainous terrain, Norway has a well-developed internal communication. The state owns railways with a length of approx. 4 thousand km, of which more than half are electrified. Nevertheless, most of the population prefers to travel by car. In 1995, the total length of highways exceeded 90.3 thousand km, but only 74% of them were paved. In addition to railways and highways, ferry services and coastal shipping operated. In 1946 Norway, Sweden and Denmark founded Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS). Norway has a well-developed local air service: it ranks one of the first places in the world for domestic passenger traffic. The length of railways in 2004 was 4077 km, of which 2518 km were electrified. The total length of highways is 91.85 thousand km, of which 71.19 km are paved (2002). The merchant fleet in 2005 consisted of 740 ships with a displacement of St. 1 thousand tons each. There are 101 airports in the country (including 67 runways are paved) - 2005.

Means of communication, including telephone and telegraph, remain in the hands of the state, but the issue of creating mixed enterprises with the participation of private capital is being considered. In 1996, there were 56 telephones per 1,000 inhabitants of Norway. The network of modern electronic communications is rapidly expanding. There is a significant private sector in broadcasting and television. The Norwegian State Broadcasting (NRC) remains the dominant system despite widespread use of satellite and cable television. In 2002 there were 3.3 million telephone line subscribers, in 2003 there were 4.16 million mobile phones.

In 2002, there were 2.3 million Internet users.

International trade

In 1997, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom were Norway's leading trading partners in both exports and imports, followed by Denmark, the Netherlands and the United States. The predominant export items by value are oil and gas (55%) and finished goods (36%). The products of the oil refining and petrochemical, timber processing, electrochemical and electrometallurgical industries, food are exported. The main import items are finished goods (81.6%), food products and agricultural raw materials (9.1%). The country imports some types of mineral fuels, bauxite, iron, manganese and chrome ores, cars. With oil production and exports growing in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Norway had a very favorable foreign trade balance. Then world oil prices plummeted, its exports fell, and for several years Norway's trade balance was in deficit. However, by the mid-1990s, the balance was back in positive territory. In 1996, the value of Norway's exports was $ 46 billion, and the value of imports was only $ 33 billion. The trade surplus is supplemented by large receipts from the Norwegian merchant fleet with a total displacement of 21 million gross tons, which received the new International Shipping Register. significant privileges that allow it to compete with other ships flying foreign flags.

In 2005, the volume of exports was estimated at 111.2 billion US dollars, the volume of imports - at 58.12 billion. Leading export partners: Great Britain (22%), Germany (13%), Netherlands (10%), France (10 %), USA (8%) and Sweden (7%), for imports - Sweden (16%), Germany (14%), Denmark (7%), Great Britain (7%), China (5%), USA ( 5%) and the Netherlands (4%).

Monetary circulation and the state budget

The unit of currency is the Norwegian krone. The exchange rate of the Norwegian krone in 2005 is 6.33 kroons per US dollar.

In the budget, the main sources of income were social security contributions (19%), income and property taxes (33%), excise taxes and value added tax (31%). The main expenditures were directed to social security and housing construction (39%), external debt service (12%), public education (13%) and health care (14%).

In 1997, government revenues amounted to $ 81.2 billion, and expenditures - $ 71.8 billion. In 2004, state budget revenues amounted to $ 134 billion, expenditure - $ 117 billion.

In the 1990s, the government created a special oil fund from oil surplus profits, intended as a reserve for the time when the oil fields are depleted. It is estimated that by 2000 it will reach $ 100 billion, most of it is located abroad.

In 1994, Norway's external debt was $ 39 billion. In 2003, the country had no external debt. The total public debt is 33.1% of GDP.

SOCIETY

Structure

The most common agricultural cell is a small family farm. With the exception of a few forest holdings, there are no large land holdings in Norway. Seasonal fishing is also often family-run and small scale. Motor fishing boats are mostly small wooden boats. In 1996, approximately 5% of industrial firms employed more than 100 workers, and even such large enterprises sought to establish informal relations between workers and management. In the early 1970s, reforms were introduced that gave workers the right to exercise greater control over production. At some large enterprises, work groups began to track the progress of individual production processes themselves.

Norwegians have a strong sense of equality. Such an equalizing approach is the cause and consequence of the use of economic levers of state power to mitigate social conflicts. There is a scale of income taxes. In 1996, approximately 37% of budget expenditures were directed to direct financing of the social sphere.

Another mechanism for equalizing social differences is strict state control over housing construction. Most of the loans are provided by the state-owned housing bank, and construction is carried out by cooperative companies. Due to the peculiarities of the climate and relief, construction is expensive, however, the ratio between the number of residents and the number of rooms they occupy is considered to be quite high. In 1990, there were an average of 2.5 people per housing, consisting of four rooms with a total area of ​​103.5 square meters. m. Approximately 80.3% of the housing stock belongs to individuals living in it.

Social Security

The State Insurance Scheme, a compulsory pension system covering all Norwegian citizens, was introduced in 1967. Health insurance and unemployment assistance were included in this system in 1971. All Norwegians, including housewives, receive a basic pension upon reaching 65 years of age. The supplementary pension depends on income and length of service. The average pension is roughly equivalent to 2/3 of the earnings in the highest paid years. Pensions are paid from insurance funds (20%), from employers' contributions (60%) and from the state budget (20%). Loss of income during illness is compensated by sickness benefits, and in case of long-term illness - by disability pensions. Medical services are paid, but social insurance funds cover all treatment costs in excess of $ 187 per year (medical services, stays and treatment in public hospitals, maternity hospitals and sanatoriums, the purchase of drugs for certain chronic diseases, as well as, in full-time employment - two-week annual allowance in case of temporary disability). Women receive free antenatal and postnatal health care, and full-time employed women are entitled to 42 weeks paid maternity leave. The state guarantees all citizens, including housewives, the right to four weeks of paid leave. In addition, persons over 60 years of age have an additional weekly leave. Families receive benefits of $ 1,620 per year for each child under 17. Every 10 years, all workers are entitled to annual leave with full pay for training in order to improve their qualifications.

The organization

Many Norwegians are involved in one or more volunteer organizations serving different interests and most often related to sports and culture. Of great importance is the Sports Association, which organizes and supervises tourist and ski routes and supports other sports.

The economy is also dominated by associations. The chambers of commerce control industry and entrepreneurship. The Central Economy Organization (Nøringslivets Hovedorganisasjon) represents 27 national trade associations. It was formed in 1989 through the merger of the Federation of Industry, the Federation of Craftsmen and the Association of Employers. The interests of shipping are expressed by the Association of Norwegian Shipowners and the Association of Scandinavian Shipowners, the latter being involved in collective bargaining agreements with seafarers' unions. Small business activities are mainly controlled by the Federation of Trade and Service Enterprises, which had approximately 100 branches in 1990. Other organizations include the Norwegian Forest Society for Forestry; The Federation of Agriculture, representing the interests of livestock, poultry and agricultural cooperatives, and the Norwegian Trade Council, which promotes foreign trade and foreign markets.

Trade unions in Norway are very influential, they bring together about 40% (1.4 million) of all employees. The Central Association of Trade Unions of Norway (CSPN), founded in 1899, represents 28 unions with 818.2 thousand members (1997). Employers are organized in the Norwegian Confederation of Employers, established in 1900. It represents their interests in collective bargaining agreements in enterprises. Labor disputes are often referred to arbitration. In Norway, during the period 1988-1996, there were an average of 12.5 strikes per year. They are less common than in many other industrialized countries. The largest number of union members are in the management and manufacturing sectors, although the highest enrollment rates are in the maritime sectors. Many local trade unions are affiliated with the local branches of the Norwegian Workers' Party. The regional trade unions and the CSPC provide funds for the party press and for the election campaigns of the Norwegian Workers' Party.

Local flavor

Although the integration of Norwegian society has increased with the improved means of communication, local customs are still alive in the country. In addition to the spread of the New Norwegian language (nynoshk), each district carefully preserves its dialects, as well as national costumes intended for ceremonial performances, the study of local history is supported and local newspapers are published. Bergen and Trondheim, as former capitals, have cultural traditions that differ from those of Oslo. Northern Norway is also developing a kind of local culture, mainly as a result of the remoteness of its tiny settlements from the rest of the country.

A family

A close-knit family has been a specific feature of Norwegian society since the days of the Vikings. Most of the Norse surnames are of local origin, they are often associated with some kind of natural features or with economic development of lands that took place during the Viking era or even earlier. Ownership of a clan farm is protected by the inheritance law (odelsrett), which gives the family the right to buy out the farm, even if it was recently sold. In rural areas, the family remains the most important unit of society. Family members travel from afar to take part in weddings, christenings, confirmations and funerals. This community often does not disappear even in the conditions of urban life. With the onset of summer, the favorite and most economical way of spending holidays and vacations with the whole family is living in a small country house (hytte) in the mountains or on the seashore.

Status of women

in Norway is protected by the law and customs of the country. In 1981, Prime Minister Bruntland introduced an equal number of women and men into her cabinet, and all subsequent governments were formed along the same lines. Women are widely represented in the judiciary, education, health care and government sectors. In 1995, approximately 77% of women between the ages of 15 and 64 worked outside the home. Thanks to the developed system of nurseries and kindergartens, mothers can work and manage the household at the same time.

CULTURE

The roots of Norse culture go back to the Viking tradition, the medieval "age of greatness" and the sagas. Although usually Norwegian cultural masters were influenced by Western European art and assimilated many of its styles and subjects, their work nevertheless reflected the specifics of their native country. Poverty, the struggle for independence, admiration for nature - all these motives are manifested in Norwegian music, literature and painting (including decorative). Nature still plays an important role in popular culture, as evidenced by the extraordinary passion of the Norwegians for sports and life in the bosom of nature. The mass media are of great educational value. For example, periodicals devote a lot of space to events in cultural life. The abundance of bookstores, museums and theaters is also an indicator of the keen interest of the Norwegian people in their cultural traditions.

Education

At all levels, education costs are covered by the state. The education reform launched in 1993 was supposed to improve the quality of education. The compulsory education program is divided into three stages: from preschool education to grade 4, grades 5-7 and grades 8-10. Teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 can complete the upper secondary education required to enter a trade school, high school (college) or university. In rural areas of the country there are approx. 80 higher national schools where general education subjects are taught. Most of these schools receive funds from religious communities, individuals or local authorities.

Higher education institutions in Norway are represented by four universities (in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Tromsø), six specialized higher schools (colleges) and two state art schools, 26 state colleges in county and continuing education courses for adults. In the 1995/1996 academic year, 43,700 students studied at the country's universities; in other higher educational institutions - another 54.8 thousand.

Education in universities is paid. Usually, loans are provided to students for education. Universities train civil servants, clergymen and university professors. In addition, universities provide almost entirely a cadre of doctors, dentists, engineers and scientists. Universities are also engaged in fundamental scientific research. The Oslo University Library is the largest national library.

Norway has numerous research institutes, laboratories and development bureaus. Among them are the Academy of Sciences in Oslo, the Christian Michelsen Institute in Bergen and the Scientific Society in Trondheim. There are large folk museums on the island of Bugdøy near Oslo and in Mayhugen near Lillehammer, where you can trace the development of building art and various aspects of rural culture since ancient times. In a special museum on the island of Bygdøy, three Viking ships are exhibited, clearly illustrating the life of the Scandinavian society in the 9th century. AD, as well as two ships of modern pioneers - the ship Fridtjof Nansen "Fram" and Thur Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki raft. Norway's active role in international relations is evidenced by the Nobel Institute, the Institute for Comparative Cultural Studies, the Institute for Peace Research and the International Law Society located in this country.

Literature and art

The spread of Norwegian culture was hampered by the limited audience, which was especially true for writers who wrote in the little-known Norwegian language. Therefore, the government has long begun to allocate subsidies to support the arts. They are laid down in the state budget and are directed to the provision of grants to artists, the organization of exhibitions and directly to the purchase of works of art. In addition, revenues from government-run football competitions are provided to the General Research Council, which funds cultural projects.

Norway gave the world outstanding figures in all fields of culture and art: playwright Henrik Ibsen, writers Björnsterné Björnson (Nobel Prize 1903), Knut Hamsun (Nobel Prize 1920) and Sigrid Unset (Nobel Prize 1928), artist Edward Edvard Munch and composer. The problematic novels of Sigurd Hul, the poetry and prose of Tarjei Vesos, and the pictures of rural life in the novels of Johan Falkberget also stand out as the achievements of Norwegian literature of the 20th century. Probably, in terms of poetic expressiveness, writers writing in the New Norwegian language stand out the most, among them the most famous - Tarjei Vesos (1897-1970). Poetry is very popular in Norway. In relation to the population in Norway, several times more books are published than in the United States, and there are many women among the authors. The leading contemporary lyricist is Stein Mehren. However, poets of the previous generation are much better known, especially Arnulf Everland (1889-1968), Nurdahl Grieg (1902-1943) and Hermann Villenevay (1886-1959). In the 1990s, the Norwegian writer Justein Gorder gained international recognition as a philosophical story for children. The world of Sofia.

The Norwegian government is supporting three theaters in Oslo, five theaters in major provincial cities and one traveling national theater company.

The influence of folk traditions can also be traced in sculpture and painting. The leading Norwegian sculptor was Gustav Vigeland (1869–1943), and the most famous painter was Edvard Munch (1863–1944). The work of these masters reflects the influence of abstract art in Germany and France. In Norwegian painting, a gravitation towards frescoes and other decorative forms manifested itself, especially under the influence of Rolf Nesch, who immigrated from Germany. At the head of the representatives of abstract art is Jacob Weidemann. The most famous propagandist of conventional sculpture is Dure Vaud. The search for innovative traditions in sculpture manifested itself in the work of Per Fallé Storm, Per Hurum, Yousef Grimeland, Arnold Höukeland and others. The expressive school of figurative art, which played an important role in the artistic life of Norway in the 1980s and 1990s, is represented by such masters as Björn Carlsen (b. 1945), Kjell Erik Olsen (b. 1952), Per Inge Bjørlu (b. 1952) and Bente Stokke (b. 1952).

Revival of Norwegian music in the 20th century noticeable in the works of several composers. Musical drama by Harald Severud based on motives Peer Gynt, Fartein Valen's atonal compositions, Klaus Egge's fiery folk music and Sparre Olsen's melodic interpretation of traditional folk music testify to the life-giving trends in contemporary Norwegian music. In the 1990s, the Norwegian pianist and classical music performer Lars Uwe Annsnes won world recognition.

Mass media

With the exception of the popular illustrated weeklies, the rest of the media is serious. There are many newspapers, but their circulation is small. In 1996, 154 newspapers were published in the country, including 83 daily ones; the seven largest accounted for 58% of the total circulation. Radio broadcasting and television are state monopolies. Cinemas are mostly communal-owned, and sometimes Norwegian-made films that are government-subsidized have been successful. Usually, American and other foreign films are shown.

In the end. In the 1990s, more than 650 radio stations and 360 television stations operated in the country. The population had over 4 million radios and 2 million television sets. Among the largest newspapers are the daily Verdens Ganges, Aftenposten, Dagbladet and others.

Sports, customs and holidays

Outdoor recreation plays an important role in the national culture. Football and the annual international ski jumping competitions in Holmenkollen near Oslo are very popular. In the Olympic Games, Norwegian athletes are most often distinguished in skiing and speed skating. Popular activities include swimming, sailing, orienteering, hiking, spending the night outdoors, boating, fishing and hunting.

All citizens in Norway are entitled to almost five weeks of paid annual leave, including three weeks of summer leave. Eight church holidays are celebrated, these days people try to leave the city. The same applies to two national holidays - Labor Day (May 1) and Constitution Day (May 17).

HISTORY

The oldest period

There is evidence that primitive hunters lived in some areas on the northern and northwestern coasts of Norway shortly after the retreat of the ice sheet. However, naturalistic drawings on the walls of caves along the west coast were created much later. Agriculture spread slowly in Norway after 3000 BC. During the Roman Empire, the inhabitants of Norway had contacts with the Gauls, the runic script appeared (used from the 3rd to the 13th centuries AD by Germanic tribes, especially the Scandinavians and Anglo-Saxons for inscriptions on tombstones, as well as for magic spells), and the settlement process territory of Norway was carried out at a rapid pace. Since 400 A.D. the population was replenished at the expense of migrants from the south, paving the "way to the north" (Nordwegr, from where the name of the country - Norway). At that time, in order to organize local self-defense, the first tiny kingdoms were created. In particular, the Ynglings, a branch of the first Swedish royal family, founded one of the most ancient feudal states west of the Oslofjord.

Age of Vikings and the middle of the Middle Ages

Period of peaceful development (1905-1940)

The achievement of full political independence coincided with the beginning of accelerated industrial development. At the beginning of the 20th century. the Norwegian merchant fleet was replenished with steamers, and whaling ships began to hunt in the waters of Antarctica. The liberal party Venstre was in power for a long time, which carried out a number of social reforms, including the full granting of voting rights to women in 1913 (Norway was a pioneer among European states in this regard) and the adoption of laws to restrict foreign investment.

During World War I, Norway remained neutral, although Norwegian sailors sailed on Allied ships that were breaking the blockade organized by German submarines. In 1920, the Entente gave Norway sovereignty over the Svalbard archipelago (Spitsbergen) as a token of Norway's support for its support. Wartime worries helped bring about reconciliation with Sweden, and Norway subsequently played a more active role in international life through the League of Nations. The first and last presidents of this organization were Norwegians.

In domestic politics, the interwar period was marked by an increase in the influence of the Norwegian Workers' Party (CHP), which originated among fishermen and tenants in the far north, and then received the support of industrial workers. Under the influence of the revolution in Russia, the revolutionary wing of this party gained the upper hand in 1918, and for some time the party was part of the Communist International. However, after the breakaway of the Social Democrats in 1921, the CHP broke off relations with the Comintern (1923). In the same year, the independent Communist Party of Norway (CPN) was formed, and in 1927 the Social Democrats reunited with the CHP. In 1935, a government of moderate representatives of the CHP was in power with the support of the Peasant Party, which cast its votes in exchange for subsidies to agriculture and fishing. Despite the failed experiment with Prohibition (abolished in 1927) and massive unemployment caused by the crisis, Norway has made strides in health care, housing, welfare and cultural development.

The Second World War

On April 9, 1940, Germany unexpectedly attacked Norway. The country was taken by surprise. Only in the Oslofjord area, the Norwegians were able to offer stubborn resistance to the enemy thanks to their reliable defensive fortifications. Within three weeks, German troops were dispersed throughout the hinterland of the country, preventing the individual formations of the Norwegian army from uniting. The port city of Narvik in the far north was recaptured from the Germans a few days later, but Allied support was insufficient, and when Germany launched offensive operations in Western Europe, the Allied forces had to be evacuated. The king and government fled to Great Britain, where they continued to lead the merchant marine, small infantry, naval and air forces. The Storting gave the king and government powers to govern the country from abroad. In addition to the ruling CHP, members of other parties were brought into the government to strengthen it.

A puppet government was created in Norway, headed by Vidkun Quisling. In addition to acts of sabotage and active underground propaganda, the leaders of the Resistance secretly established military training and sent many young people to Sweden, where they received permission to train "police units". The king and government returned to the country on June 7, 1945. The court was instituted ca. 90 thousand cases on charges of high treason and other offenses. Quisling, along with 24 traitors, was shot, 20 thousand people were sentenced to imprisonment.

Norway after 1945.

In the 1945 elections, the CHP received a majority of the votes for the first time and remained in power for 20 years. During this period, the electoral system was transformed by the abolition of the constitutional article granting 2/3 of the seats in the Storting to deputies from rural areas of the country. The regulatory role of the state has been expanded to include national planning. State control over the prices of goods and services was introduced.

The government's fiscal and credit policies helped to maintain fairly high growth rates of economic performance even during the global recession in the 1970s. The necessary funds for the expansion of production were obtained through large foreign loans against future revenues from oil and gas production on the shelf of the North Sea.

Norway has become an active member of the UN. The Norwegian Trygve Lee, a former leader of the CHP, served as secretary general of this international organization from 1946-1952. With the onset of the Cold War, Norway made its choice in favor of the Western Alliance. In 1949 the country joined NATO.

Until 1963, the Norwegian Workers' Party firmly held power in the country, although already in 1961 it had lost its absolute majority in the Storting. The opposition, dissatisfied with the expansion of the public sector, waited for an opportune opportunity to remove the CHP government. Taking advantage of the scandal connected with the investigation of the disaster at the coal mine in Svalbard (21 people died), she managed to form the government of J. Lünge from representatives of "non-socialist" parties, but it lasted only about a month. Returning to office, the Social Democratic Prime Minister Gerhardsen took a number of popular measures: a shift to equal pay for men and women, an increase in government spending on social security. The introduction of a monthly paid vacation. But this did not prevent the defeat of the CHP in the elections of 1965. The new government of representatives of the parties of the Center, Høire, Venstre and Christian People's Party was headed by the leader of the centrists - agronomist Per Borten. The Cabinet as a whole continued social reforms (introduced a unified social security system, including a universal old-age pension, child benefits, etc.), but at the same time carried out a new version of the tax reform in favor of entrepreneurs. At the same time, disagreements on the issue of relations with the EEC were aggravated in the ruling coalition. The centrists and some of the liberals objected to the plans to join the EEC, and their position was shared by many residents of the country, fearing that European competition and coordination would hit Norwegian fishing and shipbuilding. However, the Social Democratic minority government that came to power in 1971, led by Trygve Bratteli, sought to join the European Community and held a referendum on this issue in 1972. After the majority of the Norwegians voted against, Bratteli resigned and gave way to the minority government of the three centrist parties (KhNP, LC and Venstre), led by Lars Korwald. It signed a free trade agreement with the EEC.

After winning the 1973 elections, the CHP returned to power. Minority cabinets were formed by its leaders Bratteli (1973-1976). Odvar Nurdli (1976-1981) and Gro Harlem Bruntland (1981) are the country's first woman prime minister.

Center-right parties increased their influence in the September 1981 elections, and the leader of the Conservative Party (Høire) Kore Villok formed the first government since 1928 from members of this party. During this time, Norway's economy was booming thanks to the rapid growth in oil production and high prices on the world market.

In the 1980s, environmental problems took on an important role. In particular, the forests of Norway have been hit hard by acid rain caused by the release of pollutants from the UK industry. As a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, significant damage was caused to the Norwegian reindeer husbandry.

After the 1985 elections, negotiations between the socialists and their opponents stalled. The fall in oil prices gave rise to inflation, and problems arose with the financing of social security programs. Willock resigned and Bruntland returned to power. The 1989 election results made it difficult to form a coalition government. The conservative government of the non-socialist minority under the leadership of Jan Suse resorted to unpopular measures, which stimulated the growth of unemployment. It resigned a year later due to disagreements over the creation of the European Economic Area. The Labor Party, led by Brutland, re-formed a minority government, which in 1992 resumed negotiations on Norway's accession to the EU.

Norway at the end of the 20th century - the beginning of the 21st century

In the 1993 elections, the Workers' Party remained in power, but did not win a majority of the seats in parliament. Conservatives - from the most right (Progress Party) to the most left (People's Socialist Party) - increasingly lost their positions. The center party, which opposed joining the EU, won three times as many seats and moved up to the second place in terms of influence in parliament.

The new government has again brought up the issue of Norway's accession to the EU. This proposal was actively supported by voters from three parties - the Workers' Party, the Conservative Party and the Progress Party, living in cities in the south of the country. The center party, representing rural populations and mostly anti-EU farmers, has led the opposition, garnering support from the extreme left and Christian Democrats. In a popular referendum in November 1994, Norwegian voters, despite positive voting results in Sweden and Finland a few weeks earlier, again rejected Norway's participation in the EU. A record high number of voters (86.6%) took part in the voting, of which 52.2% were against membership in the EU, and 47.8% were in favor of joining this organization.

In the 1990s, Norway came under increasing international criticism for its refusal to end commercial whale slaughter. In 1996, the International Fisheries Commission confirmed a ban on the export of whaling products from Norway.

In October 1996, Prime Minister Bruntland resigned in the hope of giving her party the best chance in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The new cabinet was headed by the chairman of the CHP Thorbjørn Jagland. But this did not help the CHP win the elections, despite a stronger economy, lower unemployment and lower inflation. The prestige of the ruling party was undermined by internal scandals. The Minister of Planning, who was accused of previous financial manipulation during her tenure as a trade manager, the Minister of Energy (during her time as Minister of Justice, she authorized the practice of illegal surveillance), and the Minister of Justice, who was criticized for her position on the issue of granting the right asylum for foreign citizens. Defeated in elections in September 1997, Jagland's cabinet resigned.

Center-right parties still lacked a common position on EU membership. The Progress Party, which opposed immigration and for the rational use of the country's oil resources, this time gained more seats in the Storting (25 versus 10). The moderate center-right parties have refused to cooperate with the Progress Party. KNP leader Kjell Magne Bundevik, a former Lutheran pastor, formed a coalition of three centrist parties (KNP, Center Party and Venstre), representing only 42 of the 165 members of the Storting. On this basis, a minority government was formed.

In the early 1990s, Norway achieved an increase in prosperity through large-scale oil and gas exports. The sharp drop in world oil prices in 1998 hit the country's budget hard, and the government was so ripped apart that Prime Minister Bundevik was forced to take a month's leave to “restore peace of mind.” In the 1990s, Norway faced growing international criticism for with the refusal to terminate the commercial slaughter of whales. In 1996, the International Fisheries Commission confirmed a ban on the export of whaling products from Norway.

In May 1996, the largest labor conflict in recent years in shipbuilding and metallurgy broke out. After an industry-wide strike, the unions succeeded in reducing the retirement age from 64 to 62.

In October 1996, Prime Minister Bruntland resigned in the hope of giving her party the best chance in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The new cabinet was headed by the chairman of the CHP Thorbjørn Jagland. But this did not help the CHP win the elections, despite a stronger economy, lower unemployment and lower inflation. The prestige of the ruling party was undermined by internal scandals. The Minister of Planning, who was accused of previous financial manipulation during her tenure as a trade manager, the Minister of Energy (during her time as Minister of Justice, she authorized the practice of illegal surveillance), and the Minister of Justice, who was criticized for her position on the issue of granting the right asylum for foreign citizens. Defeated in elections in September 1997, Jagland's cabinet resigned.

In the 1990s, the royal family gained media attention. In 1994, the unmarried Princess Mertha Louise became involved in a divorce proceedings in Great Britain. In 1998, the king and queen were criticized for over-spending public funds on their apartments.

Norway is actively involved in international cooperation, in particular in resolving the situation in the Middle East. In 1998 Bruntland was named Director General of the World Health Organization. Jens Stoltenberg served as UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Norway continues to be criticized by environmentalists for ignoring agreements to restrict fishing for marine mammals such as whales and seals.

The 1997 parliamentary elections did not reveal a clear winner. Prime Minister Jagland resigned because his CHP lost 2 seats in the Storting compared to 1993. The far-right Progress Party increased its representation in the legislature from 10 to 25 deputies: since the other bourgeois parties did not want to enter into a coalition with it , this forced her to create a minority government. In October 1997, the leader of the KhNP, Kjell Magne Bondevik, formed a three-party cabinet with the participation of the "Party of the Center" and the liberals. The government parties had only 42 mandates. The government managed to stay in power until March 2000 and fell when Prime Minister Bondevik opposed a gas-fired power plant project that he believed could have adverse environmental impacts. The new minority government was formed by the leader of the CHP Jens Stoltenberg. In 2000, the authorities continued privatization, selling a third of the shares in the state oil company.

Stoltenberg's government was also destined for a short life. In the new parliamentary elections held in September 2001, the Social Democrats suffered a heavy defeat: they lost 15% of the vote, their worst result since the Second World War.

After the 2001 elections, Bondevik returned to power, who formed a coalition government with the participation of conservatives and liberals. Government parties had only 62 seats out of 165 in parliament. Representatives of the Progress Party were not included in the cabinet, but supported it in the Storting. However, this union was not stable. In November 2004, the Progress Party refused to support the cabinet, accusing it of insufficient funding for hospitals and hospitals. The crisis was averted as a result of intensive negotiations. The Bondevik government has also been criticized for its actions in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Southeast Asia, which claimed the lives of many Norwegian tourists. The left-wing opposition intensified its anti-government agitation in 2005, condemning the private school development project.

In the beginning. 2000s Norway experienced an economic boom associated with an oil boom. The entire period (except 2001) saw a steady economic growth, due to oil revenues, a reserve fund of USD 181.5 billion was accumulated, the funds of which were placed abroad. The opposition called for using part of the funds to increase social spending, promised to reduce taxes on people with low and middle income, etc.

The arguments of the left were supported by the Norwegians. The September 2005 parliamentary elections were won by an opposition left-wing coalition of the CHP, the Socialist Left Party and the Center Party. The leader of the CHP Stoltenberg took over as prime minister in October 2005. Disagreements persist between the winning parties over accession to the EU (the CHP supports such a step, the SLP and LC oppose), NATO membership, an increase in oil production and the construction of a gas power plant.

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