Norway

I

Introduction

Norway, officially Kingdom of Norway (in Norwegian, Kongeriket Norge), constitutional monarchy in northern Europe, occupying the western and northern portions of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It is bordered on the north by the Barents Sea, an arm of the Arctic Ocean, on the north-east by Finland and Russia, on the east by Sweden, on the south by the Skagerrak Strait and the North Sea, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, which in Norway is also called the Norwegian Sea. Norway’s deeply indented and glaciated coastline measures about 25,148 km (15,626 mi) including all the fiords and offshore islands. The passageway between the screen of more than 150,000 offshore islands—known locally as the skerry guard—and the mainland is naturally protected. “Norway” means “northern way”, which reflects the importance of the sheltered coastal waters in linking the many small fiord and valley communities that are otherwise separated by rugged mountains. Including inland waterways Norway has an area of 384,802 sq km (148,573 sq mi). Oslo is Norway’s capital and largest city.

Svalbard, an archipelago, and Jan Mayen, a volcanic island north-east of Iceland, are Norwegian possessions in the Arctic Ocean. Bouvet Island, another Norwegian possession, is an uninhabited island in the southern Atlantic Ocean, south-west of the Cape of Good Hope. Norway also claims Peter I Island, off Antarctica, and the portion of the Antarctic continent, lying between longitude 20° west and 45° east, known as Queen Maud Land.

II

Land and Resources

Norway is an extremely mountainous land, nearly one third of which lies north of the Arctic Circle. Its coastline is, in proportion to its area, longer than that of any other major country in the world. These geographical facts have been especially significant in the historical and economic development of the nation.

Since ancient times the Norwegian people have recognized four main regions: Vestlandet (West Country), Østlandet (East Country), Trøndelag (Trondheim region), and Nord Norge (North Norway). More recently, a fifth region, Sørlandet (South Country), has been added.

The broad bulge that constitutes the southern part of Norway contains the highest parts of the Scandinavian mountain system. These mountains, which extend in a generally south-westerly to north-easterly direction, separate the Vestlandet from the Østlandet. The mountains are a complex system of sharp and rounded peaks, called fjell, and high plateaux, called vidder. The ranges include the Dovrefjell in the north, and the Jotunheimen (“realm of the giants”) in the central region. This latter range contains Galdhøpiggen, at 2,469 m (8,100 ft), the highest peak in Scandinavia. In the south is the Hardangervidda, a vast mountain plateau averaging about 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in elevation. The Vestlandet is characterized by the steep descent of the mountains to the sea. During the Quaternary Ice Ages, glaciers cut deeply into former river valleys, creating a spectacular fiord landscape. One of the largest, Sogne Fjord, is 200 km (120 mi) long; in places, its rock walls rise abruptly from the sea to heights of 1,000 m (3,300 ft) or more.

Three lowland areas contain most of the Vestlandet’s population and agriculture: the southern coast of Boknafjorden, the lower parts of Hardanger Fjord, and the coastal islands. These islands are formed by the strandflate, a rock shelf lying in some places just above—in others, just below—the level of the sea.

The Østlandet comprises the more gentle eastern slopes of the mountains. This is a land of valleys and rolling hills. The lower parts of the valleys, particularly around the Oslofjord, contain some of Norway’s best agricultural land. The Østlandet and Vestlandet are connected by a number of valleys, the most important being Hallingdal. The Sørlandet comprises the extreme southern tip of Norway, the focus of which is the city of Kristiansand. It is characterized by particularly pleasant summer weather.

The Trøndelag, located north of the highest mountains, resembles the Østlandet, with a landscape of valleys that cut through hills and converge on fiords. The focus of this region is the broad Trondheimsfjord, which is sheltered from the sea by peninsulas and islands. A great deal of very productive agricultural land is located around this body of water.

Nord Norge, a vast region of fiords and mountains, is the “land of the midnight sun”. Most of the population is settled on the strandflate coast and islands. The archipelago of the Lofoten and Vesterålen islands, Norway’s major coastal island grouping, is formed by the partially submerged glaciated peaks of an ancient volcanic mountain range. In the northernmost part of this region the fiords face the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean. From the fiord heads the land rises to the vast Finnmarksvidde, a bleak mountain plateau. This region contains some of the largest glaciers in Europe.

A

Rivers and Lakes

The Glåma (Glomma) in the south-east is Norway’s longest river. With its tributaries it drains about one eighth of the country’s area. Rivers flowing in a south-westerly direction along the steep western slope are generally short and have many rapids and falls. Those flowing south-east, along the gentle eastern slope, are generally longer. Norway has many thousands of glacial lakes, the largest of which is Lake Mjøsa in the south-east.

B

Climate

Norway is in roughly the same northerly latitude as Alaska, but has a much milder climate thanks to the moderating effects of the warm waters of the North Atlantic Drift (an extension of the Gulf Stream), which flow along the country’s Atlantic coast. A maritime climate prevails over most of the coastal islands and lowlands. Winters are mild and summers are normally cool. At Trondheim the mean January temperature is -3° C (27° F), and the mean July temperature is 14° C (57° F). Moisture is plentiful all year round. The average annual precipitation on the coast is about 870 mm (34 in). In the interior, a more continental climate prevails; winters are colder, and summers warmer. At Oslo the January mean temperature is -5° C (23° F) and the July mean is 17° C (63° F). Precipitation is generally lower here than on the coast, averaging less than 730 mm (29 in) annually. In the highlands of Nord Norge the climate is subarctic. The coastal areas of this region, however, have a moderate maritime climate and most ports, even in the far north, are ice-free in winter.