Norway Travel Podcast with Ingrid Solberg

Location

Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Terrain

Glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Climate

Temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

Elevation

Highest point

Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Lowest point

Norwegian Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

460 m

Area

Total

323,802 sq km

Land

304,282 sq km

Water

19,520 sq km

Size comparison

Slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico

Coastline

25,148 km

Land borders

Total

2,566 km

Border countries

Finland 709 km; Sweden 1,666 km; Russia 191 km

Natural resources

Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use

Agricultural land

2.7% (2023 est.)

Arable land

2.2% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops

0% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture

0.5% (2023 est.)

Forest

33.3% (2023 est.)

Other

64% (2023 est.)

Natural hazards

Rockslides, avalanches

Volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano

Note

About two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world

Population

Total

5,509,733 (2024 est.)

Male

2,780,972

Female

2,728,761

Nationality

Noun

Norwegian(s)

Adjective

Norwegian

Ethnic groups

Norwegian 81.5% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.9%, other 9.6% (2021 est.)

Languages

Languages

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Major-language sample(s)

Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian)

Religions

Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 67.5%, Muslim 3.1%, Roman Catholic 3.1%, other Christian 3.8%, other 2.6%, unspecified 19.9% (2021 est.)

Median age

Total

41 years (2025 est.)

Male

40.1 years

Female

41.5 years

Life expectancy

Total population

82.9 years (2024 est.)

Male

81.3 years

Female

84.6 years

Urbanisation

Urban population

84% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization

1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Where people live

Most people live in the south; population clusters are found along the North Sea coast in the southwest and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

Largest cities

1.086 million OSLO (capital) (2023)

Background

Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off after King Olav TRYGGVASON adopted Christianity in 994; conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Norway remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but Nazi Germany nonetheless occupied the country for five years (1940-45). In 1949, Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.

Government

Parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital

Oslo

Time zone

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Local name

Kongeriket Norge

Independence

7 June 1905 (union with Sweden declared dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union); notable earlier dates: ca. 872 (traditional unification of Norwegian kingdoms by HARALD Fairhair); 1397 (Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden); 1524 (Denmark-Norway); 17 May 1814 (Norwegian constitution adopted); 4 November 1814 (Sweden-Norway union confirmed)

National day

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Overview

High-income, non-EU economy with trade links via European Economic Area (EEA); key role in European energy security as leader in oil, gas, and electricity exports; major fishing, forestry, and oil(?) extraction industries; oil sovereign fund supports generous welfare system; low unemployment; inflation moderating but remains above target level

GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

$91,100 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$90,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$91,100 (2022 est.)

Inflation

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

3.1% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.8% (2022 est.)

Unemployment

Unemployment rate 2024

4% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.6% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.3% (2022 est.)

Exchange rate

Currency

Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

10.746 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

10.563 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

9.614 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

8.59 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

9.416 (2020 est.)

Main industries

Petroleum and gas, shipping, fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles

Agriculture

Milk, barley, potatoes, oats, wheat, pork, chicken, beef, eggs, carrots/turnips (2023)

Airports

146 (2025)

Railways

Total 3,848 km (2020) 2,482 km electrified

Ports

Total ports

141 (2024)

Large

1

Medium

10

Small

34

Very small

90

Size unknown

6

Ports with oil terminals

54

Key ports

Bergen, Drammen, Hammerfest, Harstad, Horten, Karsto, Mongstad, Oslo, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim

Internet domain

.no

Internet users

Percent of population 99% (2023 est.)

Mobile subscriptions

Total subscriptions

6.09 million (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

111 (2022 est.)

Environmental issues

Water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and affecting lakes and fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Fresh water

393 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

UNESCO Global Geoparks

Total global geoparks and regional networks

5 (2025)

Global geoparks and regional networks

Gea Norvegica; Fjord Coast; Magma; Sunnhordland; Trollfjell (2025)