Norway

Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway (Norwegian: Kongeriket Norge (Bokmål), Kongeriket Noreg (Nynorsk); Norgga gonagasriika Sami:), is a country in Northern Europe. It is located on the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula and borders Sweden, Finland and Russia. The United Kingdom and the Faroe Islands are located to the West on the other side of the North Sea, and Denmark lies south across the Skagerrak. In the 1920s it occupied Norway- Jan Mayen and got in theSpitsbergen Treaty -the sovereignty over the Arctic archipelago of Spitsbergen. The Antarctic Lands Bouvet, Peter I Island and Queen Maud land fall under Norwegian administration but do not belong to the Kingdom.

Norway has an area of 385.155 km2 and a coastline of more than 25,000 km. by the relatively low population of 5 million[3]  the population density is less than 13 per km², Iceland and Norway after the least populated country in Europe. As a result, vast areas of the country dominated by nature: forests, fjords, glaciers and lakes are characteristic of the Norwegian landscape. The capital of Norway is Oslo. Other major cities are Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Kristiansandand Tromsø . Norway is rich in gas and oil fields, which, along with some other mineral resources, the shipping and trade the pillars of the national economy. Norway has the second highest GDP per capita in the world and was proclaimed by the UN on many occasions most developed country.

Norway is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The present King Harald Vis; premier is Erna Solberg, at the head of a right-wing coalition of the Norwegian conservatives and the progress party (Liberal). The country is divided into 19 administrative provinces and several hundred municipalities. On the international level, Norway one of the founders of the UN, the NATO, the Council of Europe and the Nordic Council and a member of the EEA, the OECDand the WTO . However, the country is not a member of the European Union.

Norway has two folk songs: a civil national anthem (Ja, vi elsker dette landet) and a Royal anthem (Kongesangen (Royal song), also called Gud sign var konge godcalled).



Content
[hide] *1 History  ==History[ Edit] == ===Prehistoric Times[ Edit] === The oldest artifacts on Norwegian territory date back to 10,500 BC; they were unearthed near Øygarden. Around this time was the West of Norway already ice-free, and so suitable for habitation. Stone tools that came with a dig near Rennesøy were found, be around 10,000 BC dated.
 * 1.1 Prehistory
 * 1.2 Viking age to the middle ages
 * 1.3 modern age
 * 2 Geography
 * 2.1 geographical overview
 * 2.2 Places
 * 2.3 national parks
 * 2.4 Climate
 * 3 administrative divisions
 * 4 Population
 * 4.1 composition
 * 4.2 Language
 * 4.3 Religion
 * 5 Politics
 * 6 Economy
 * 6.1 tourism
 * Education 7
 * 8 Culture
 * 8.1 national holiday
 * 8.2 Literature
 * 8.3 Music
 * 8.3.1 classical music
 * 8.3.2 Jazz
 * 8.3.3 Black metal
 * 8.4 Sport
 * 8.5 Media
 * traffic and transport 9
 * 9.1 Roads
 * 9.2 Rail
 * 9.3 aviation
 * 9.4 ferry services
 * 10 see also
 * 11 external links

In the counties of Finnmark and Møre og Romsdal are found traces of human habitation that date from 8000 to 9000 BC. Finds from a later period indicate that Norway entered a new group around 4000 BC. From the finds show that this were reindeer hunters. From this period comes also a memorial stone that is found in Østfold .Later groups of residents who were among the so-called Norway Nøstvet and lihult cultures in and still later the pitted Ware culturesettled, especially in the South of Norway, where also the corded Ware culture developed.

From archaeological finds have revealed that the residents of Norway during the Roman Empire traded with the Romans. During the gradual decline in the third to the fifth century the trade relations with South Europe were broken. ===Viking age to the middle ages<span class="mw-editsection" len="353" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The period from 800 to 1066 in Norwegian history is referred to as the Viking age, named after the Vikings, out there in that period with their Viking ships pulled out to explore the world, to trade, to wage war and plundering. Norwegian sources for this period are mainly from the twelfth and thirteenth century. The beginning of the Viking age coincides with the emergence of the Norwegian monarchy. To 872 there were on the current Norwegian territory about 30 realms, which at that time by the first Norwegian King, Harald clean hair were United. Historians take nowadays that Harald especially over the coastal areas of Norway reigned and that after his death his area again fell apart into smaller administrative units, which were ruled by various nobles.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the beginning of the eleventh century it was introduced Christianity in Norway. King Olaf Haraldsson (995-1030) sought to convert, but the Norwegians had to attempt with dies.He had set up a stone cross in 1023 in Voss, where it still is today. Olaf would later canonized and be the patron saint of Norway. At the end of the eleventh century was the Christian faith has become the only legal religion in these areas. Around that time the Norwegian Kingdom was a solid-albeit from an administrative point of view quite rudimentary unit. Some Norwegian cities at that time came to fruition: Oslo, Trondheim (Nidaros), Bergen (Bjorgvin) and Tønsberg. In 1066 came there-to historians generally believe-an end to the Viking age when Harald Sigurdsson undertook an unsuccessful attempt to conquer England, where he died. The misadventures of this Harald were recorded by Snorri Sturluson in the latter Morkinskinna .

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Norwegian King Sigurd Jorsalfare was the first European King who went on crusade . He left in 1107 from Norway and fought against the Muslims in Lisbon, Spain, theBalearic Islands and Palestine. In 1110 he took along with King Baldwin I of Jerusalem in the city of Sidon . After returning home he ruled with a strong hand and carried out under other tax system in. After his death, there was great disagreement around the follow-up of Sigurd, which only a daughter had failed. This was the introduction to a civil war, which Norway from 1130 to 1240 in its grip would like it. In that year, Haakon Haakonson settled the fight in his favor and became King of a United Norway again.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Norway was an independent Kingdom of the ninth century AD until 1397, after which it became part of the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Sweden. ===Modern time<span class="mw-editsection" len="328" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">When Sweden left the Kalmar Union in 1521, Norway soon became a province of Denmark. It remained under Danish authority to the passed in 1814 in Swedish hands. Norway then gave up an own Constitution and more self-government. In 1905 Norway became an independent State again with King Haakon VII as a head of State. During the first world war knew it to remain neutral thanks to a strong naval force that could defend the coasts.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In april 1940 the country was occupiedby nazi Germany . This occupation lasted until the surrender of Germany in May 1945.

<p lang="en" len="312" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Norwegian people has on two occasions in a referendum rejected the membership of the European Union . ==Geography<span class="mw-editsection" len="325" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===Geographical overview<span class="mw-editsection" len="337" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Norway is located in Northern Europe and covers the western part of Scandinavia. In the East there are land borders with Russia, klokgewijs, (196 km), Finland (727 km) andSweden (1,619 km). In the North, West and South borders the country to the Barents Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the North Sea and the Skagerrak. Norway also belong to the country the island group Svalbard and Jan Mayen island in the Arctic Ocean, as well as the island Bouvet in the Antarctic. Norway also claims part of Antarctica (Queen Maud land and Peter I Island). The distance between the southernmost and northernmost point of Norway is great. If Norway would be rotated, imaginary Lindesnes to the North Cape(the northernmost point) at Rome to lie. In Nordland is Norway at its narrowest. At Hellemobotn (Tysfjord) is the distance between the end of the fjord and the border with Swedenonly 6.3 km. <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Norway has an unusually long with 25.148 km coastline.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4" len="161" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [4]  this number includes fjords, small Islands and other coastal inlets. The coast is lined with Islands (particularly the Lofoten and VesterålenIslands groups) and numerous deep jaggedfjords. The Sognefjord, Hardangerfjord, Nordfjord and Oslofjord are the largest. The Geirangerfjord is the best known and makes, along with the Nærøyfjord, part of the UNESCO World Heritage list of the UNESCO. Norway has a large number of glaciers. Jostedalsbreen has side arms such as the Nigardsbreen and the glacier Briksdalsbreen and is the largest of the European continent. Other famous glaciers are Svartisen and the Folgefonnagletsjer.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Norway is almost entirely governed by the Scandinavian Hoogland. High plateaus include the Dovrefjell and theHardangerviddaplateau. The high mountains of Norway is the third highest mountain ranges with the Jotunheimen andBreheimen. In this part you will find the highest summits, such as the Galdhøpiggen 2469 metres and the Glittertind with of 2454 meter. The mountains and the plateaus are interspersed with fertile valleys Gudbrandsdalen, and by rapid, such as rivers, which supply hydro-electric energy. The river Glomma, also known as Glåma, in the South, is the longest river. Due to its location on the Atlantic Ocean at the end of the warm Gulf stream Norway has a mild and humid climate. The whole coast is ice free all year round. ===Places<span class="mw-editsection" len="324" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p lang="en" len="44" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The most important places in Norway are: ===National parks<span class="mw-editsection" len="332" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p lang="en" len="275" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There are several national parks in Norway, such as: ===Climate<span class="mw-editsection" len="323" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There are different climates in Norway. The west coast, the fjords area, has a gentle climate, moderated slightly cooler than Netherlands and Flanders. In the high North is a Tundra climate. East of the mountain ranges has a continental climate. In some areas in the Western Fjords and the Middle falls more than 4000 mm of precipitation per year, while the precipitation in the North and behind the mountains not more than 600 mm per year. ==Administrative divisions<span class="mw-editsection" len="338" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Norway is divided into 19 provinces (Norwegian: "fylker"). In each province there is a representative of the State ("County"), with the exception of Oslo and Akershus County that a share.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Further municipalities know Norway (Norwegian: "kommuner") and county municipalities (Norwegian: "fylkeskommuner"). The county municipalities come in terms of name and territory equivalent to a province. In Oslo there is no province municipality. The only municipality in the province of (Oslo kommune) therefore the tasks of a province municipality from.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In addition to the Division into fylker and municipalities know Norway distributions for specific purposes, such as case-law (six "Lagmannsretter"), the State Church (11 dioceses) and five lands. ==Population<span class="mw-editsection" len="326" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===Composition<span class="mw-editsection" len="330" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Norway has more than 5 million inhabitants and has a pretty fast growing population, particularly in the regionsAkershus and Oslo- Stavanger. The number is increasing with 0.73% per year (2005). Immigration in recent years have been responsible for more than half of the population growth and 8.3% of the population consists of immigrants (1 January 2006). However, the country only in a very limited number of asylum seekers and is willing to give these people as soon as possible to transfer to other countries. The largest immigrant groups are Pakistanis and Iraqis, Sweden.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" len="161" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [5]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Most of the population is concentrated along the southern coast and the valleys, where the main cities Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Kristiansandand Drammen are. Further in the North along the coast, and Trondheimin the far North are Narvik, Tromsø, Bodø and Hammerfest. The majority of Norwegians is of Scandinavian origin, but in the northern provinces of Troms and Finnmark is there a mixed population of Norwegians, Saami and Finnish minority (Kvenen). It differs from place to place where what population group dominating. ===Language<span class="mw-editsection" len="321" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The vast majority of Norwegians speaks Norwegian. In addition, the Sami minority speaks its own language, the Sami language. In the far North, in the municipalities near the Finnish border, Kveens is also spoken. The Norwegian has two official variants: the Bokmål, which originates from the Danish, and the Nynorsk, that on the basis of Norwegian dialects is formed. Municipalities and provinces (fylker) may have a preference for a Express målform . ===Religion<span class="mw-editsection" len="324" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Lutheran Church is the State Church, but all other religions enjoy freedom of Association. The King appoints the nine bishops and other clergy of the Lutheran Church. The number of adherents of the Lutheran Church has dropped to 3,874 million. With 83.684 followers form the Muslims the second largest religion in Norway. Of the Norwegian people regarded themselves as Luther's 31.4% in 2010, 1.1% said another Christian movement to hold, 2.6% confessed another faith and 64.9% indicated no religion to have.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A Christian movement that originated in Norway, is that of the Norwegian brethren. ==Politics<span class="mw-editsection" len="325" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == The Norwegian King Harald V<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Norway is a constitutional monarchy. Since 1991, Norway's King Harald V of Norway . The Executive, although these are in name at the monarch is exercised by a Council of Ministers, which is led by the Prime Minister . Legislative power is vested in the 169-Member Parliament or Deposit. <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Labour Party, Socialist Party and Centre party formed a coalition since the 2005 elections . They were the 2009 elections to be re-elected. Remained narrowly retain their majority. However, the Red-Green coalition In 2013 was relieved by a minority Government of Fremskrittspartiet, Høyre and which can count on the support of tolerance by the Kristelig Folkepartiet and Venstre. ==Economy<span class="mw-editsection" len="325" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Oil production is an important part of the Norwegian economy<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Nearly three quarters of the Norwegian territory is not productive; less than 4% is cultivated. The country imports more than 50% of its food. The huge mountain pastures are used for holding cattle and sheep, and, in the North, for reindeer. About a quarter of Norway is forested; wood is an important natural wealth and is the raw material for important industries. The fisheries (particularly on cod, herring and mackerel) is important, but is only 0.5% of the Norwegian GDP. Fresh, canned and salted fish is exported to the world.Norway is one of the few countries still whaling does.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The most important industries of the country are petroleum and natural gas production, shipping and trade. Since the discovery of Ekofiskfield in 1969, are the oil and gas industries is essential for the economy of Norway. In 2012, Norway was the third largest exporter of natural gas and the country stood at number 10 on the list of largest oil exporters.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FACTS10_6-0" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [6]  since the energy production at sea is started, it has a total contribution of NOK 11,000 billion to the Norwegian gross domestic product (GDP).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FACTS10_6-1" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [6]  In 2013 was a fifth in the petroleum sector's share of total GDP, nearly a third of the total government revenue and was the half of all export earnings.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FACTS10_6-2" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [6]  the Government stops the revenue from the petroleum sector in a separate fund. At the end of 2013 this Fund had assets of NOK 5000 billion NOK 1 million per either about Noor.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FACTS10_6-3" len="169" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [6]  this industry provides employment, but also increased inflation and a vulnerability to fluctuations in the world oil market (most of the oil and gas is running). Other minerals that are mined are pyrite, copper, titanium andiron ore, coal, and to a lesser extent zinc and lead.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Nickel, aluminium, ferro-alloys and semi-finished steel are produced. Almost all electricity in the country is provided by hydroelectric power plants and the country also carries electricity from. The NorNed cable carries current between Norway and Netherlands. Furthermore, food production, wood pulp and paper, electrochemical and shipbuilding industries important to the economy. The large Norwegian merchant fleet shipped a large share of world trade.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The main trade partners are Germany, the United Kingdomand Sweden. ===Tourism<span class="mw-editsection" len="325" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === The Handelskade Bryggen inBergen is on the UNESCO World Heritage list<p lang="en" len="253" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The fjords and the midnight sun of the far North attract many tourists.

<p lang="en" len="61" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Some of the popular tourist destinations in Norway are:

==Education<span class="mw-editsection" len="326" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The education level in Norway is very high. Universities are located in Oslo (founded in 1811), Ås (founded in 1859), Mountains (founded in 1946), Trondheim (founded in 1968), Tromsø (founded in 1972), Stavanger(founded in 2005) and Kristiansand (founded in 2007). ==Culture<span class="mw-editsection" len="324" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===National holidays & celebration<span class="mw-editsection" len="335" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The national day of Norway is on 17 may (Norwegian: Grunnlovsdagen, or also known as syttende mai what seventeenth may means) and is dedicated to the Norwegian Constitution. On that day, in 1814 the Norwegian Constitution ratified. Find children's day parades across the country place. That in Oslo, attended by the Royal family. The only military element of the day is provided by the bladder Chapel of the Royal Guard, marching through the streets of Oslo. On June 23, celebrate the Norwegians Jonsok (St. John's awakening), the beginning of the summer. ===Literature<span class="mw-editsection" len="327" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Norwegian literature starts with the pagan poets of the Poetic Edda from the ninth and tenth centuries. Bragi Boddason, Þjóðólfr of Hvinir and Eyvindr skáldaspillir are here the most important writers. From the ninth century is also the Ynglingatal, a mythical history of the first Viking Kings. After Norway around the year 1000 comes into contact with Christianity, a tradition of historical and hagiographical writings, which in the thirteenth century comes to an end. The mercy a Historia Norwegiæ from the twelfth century, theÞiðrekssaga, from around 1250 , Konungs skuggsjáa Princes and mirror from the middle of the thirteenth century. Ágrip af Nóregskonungasögum is also known the (a history of the Norwegian Kings), from about the same time. From this period dates the work of Snorri Sturluson, who was a skald and the writer of many kongingssaga's, collected in his work Heimskringla (Globe).
 * the stave churches such as the Urnes stave church (since 1979 on the World Heritage list) and the Heddal stave church
 * Bryggen, the medieval port of Mountains ( UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979 on the)
 * the rock art of Alta ( UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985)
 * The Viking Ship Museum Oslo (where excavated Viking ships are on display), the Munch Museum, the Fram Museum, the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Frogner Park-sculpture garden and the Castle Akershus
 * the fjords area in the West including the Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord
 * Flåm line, the railway from Flåm, one of the world's steepest train paths
 * the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim
 * Preikestolen, a high rock above the Lysefjorden in Forsand
 * the open air museum Maihaugen, Norway's largest open-air museum with 185 buildings, including the Garmo stave church from 1150
 * the North Cape

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The late nineteenth century and early twentieth century will be the golden age of Norwegian literature called. The playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) is the central figure. No less honored, but outside Norway none the less known, is Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910), who in 1903 the first Norwegian winner of the Nobel Prize in literature was. Of its historical tinted stage work is especially that about Sigurd fairly well-known. His other work has often Norway to the pastoral subject. After Bjørnson was Knut Hamsun (1859-1952) in 1920 the second Norwegian Nobel laureate. His work is also in the Dutch translation. Moreover, serious Hamsuns popularity had suffered from his pro-German stance during World War II. The third Norwegian Nobel Prize for literature in 1928 fell to Sigrid Undset whose work the woman at the bottom of society first. Her famous trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter plays in the middle ages and was filmed in Norway. No Nobel Prize winner, but an iconographic figure in Norwegian literature is Alexander KIELLAND (1849-1906), which together with Jonas Lie (1833-1908), Ibsen and Bjørnson the big four of the Norwegian literature are called.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In modern Norwegian literature are Jan Kjærstad Jostein Gaarder (1953) and the big names. Jonas Wergeland trilogy about Kjærstads was also in the Dutch translated andSofie's world of Gaarders were sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. In addition, Erik Fosnes Hansen , Lars Saabye Christensen (1965) (1953), Day Solstad (1941) andHerbjørg Wassmo (1942) big names from the post-war Norwegian literature. Jo Nesbø is a well known Norwegian crime writer. ===Music<span class="mw-editsection" len="323" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ====Classical music<span class="mw-editsection" len="333" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Norwegian music tradition is strongly connected to that of the other Scandinavian countries, in particular those of Denmark, with which the country some centuries formed a Union. To the eighteenth century the folk music in Norway had the upper hand. Only from the independence of Norway were looking for and found the Norwegians to join a more European music tradition. For what concerns the distinction should be made between folk music is the music of the Norwegians and the Saami. The Norwegian folk music is characterized by guided vocals, while those of the Sami is mostly a capella . A typical example of Norwegian music is the, a kind of improvised kveding-often courtly-ballad. For example, the music of the Sami joik, a song that often only by tambourine seeks essence of a person, an animal or a State to sing.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The first known Norwegian composer was the violinist Ole Bull (1810-1880), which as a violinist known as the Paganini of the North. His romantic compositions were geïnsprieerd on the folk music and inspired in turn the largest Norwegian composer, Edvard Grieg (1843-1907). The nineteenth century is considered the golden age of Norwegian music.Contemporaries of Bull were the organist Ludvig Mathias Lindeman, which is a compendium of the Norwegian folk music, and Halfdan Kjerulf (1815-1868). Grieg and Johan Svendsen (1840-1911), however, were the biggest names of the Norwegian golden age. Had the Norwegian music before World War II was then still often a nationalistic Nordic character, the Norwegian music becoming more and more international oriented. Composers like Egil Hovland and Knut Nystedt were inspired by French and American colleagues. ====Jazz<span class="mw-editsection" len="321" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In recent years, Norway has become a leading jazz country . One of the pioneers of the Norwegian jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarekis the, which knew a connection between Norwegian traditional music and jazz on the one hand and, on the other hand, between the jazz and electronic music. Another well-known name from the Norwegian jazz is an extremely productive Terje Rypdal, guitarist. The (bass) guitarist Eivind Aarset moves in the border area of the jazz and rock. In Norway will also find a number of leading jazz festivals, such as the Molde International Jazz Festival, the Oslo Jazz Festival and Vossa Jazz. In november 2008 the London Jazz Festival dedicated a retrospective to the Norwegian jazz scene.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" len="161" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"> [7] ====Black metal<span class="mw-editsection" len="328" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==== <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Norwegian black metal is considered one of the most important in the world. In the early 1990s, there was a large black metal scene in Norway. Major Norwegian groups are Darkthrone, Emperor, Immortal, Mayhemand Burzum. This scene came in the often negative image by numerous incidents including church burnings. ===Sports<span class="mw-editsection" len="322" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Sport plays a very large role in Norway. The country has in particular in the winter sports a very rich sports history. Main winter sport is cross-country skiing, with the absolute star Bjørn Dæhlie. Alpine skiing is also popular, although the country has achieved successes in sport significantly less. Historical ice skating is also a great sport, but the lack of appealing results has the popularity of that sport not well done. Norway organized the Olympic Winter Games in 1952 (Oslo) and 1994 (Lillehammer).

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Main summer sport is also the footballin Norway. For men, the position of the country hears in the modest women, Norway to the World Summit. Main hall sport is handball. Unihockey, also a form of indoor hockey, andvolleyball are very fast in popularity growing sports. ===Media<span class="mw-editsection" len="322" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Norwegian newspapers Aftenposten, Dagbladet include and Verdens Gang. The State broadcaster NRKis; TV2 is a commercial broadcaster in Norway. A majority in the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) has decided that all public tax lists of all inhabitants must be accessible on the internet. Newspapers may also release this information. These lists contain the detailed income as well as the capabilities of every person (with full name and address). There is a growing resistance against the Norwegians under<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" len="161" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" len="161" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" len="163" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10], but still to no avail. ==Traffic and transport<span class="mw-editsection" len="335" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == ===Roads<span class="mw-editsection" len="322" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The natural conditions of the country have a great influence on the infrastructure. Along the west coast are connections often depending on ferries, although more and morebridges and tunnels to be built. Also for the connections between the coast and the center of the country are often tunnels needed, the longest tunnel in Europe, connects Oslo with Bergen, Lærdal tunnel.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Motorways are quite rare. Around the big cities the roads are good, but the provincial roads are often poorly maintained and by suffering the roads very hard winters. The roads are often not wide and the maximum speed is generally 80 km per hour. Given the many nature in Norway, one needs to take into account big game (such as elk and deer) that can cross the road, and suddenly it happens not rarely choke the roads that sheep. Many roads are toll roads. The toll is collected at a bomstasjon. A large number of cities is surrounded by such toll, with the revenue is the local infrastructure.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There are several tourist roads such as the Peer Gyntweg, Atlantic road, Trollstigen, Lysebotnvegen, Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, Jotunheimvegen, Kystsriksveien and road marks.Some are only open during the summer when the roads are snow-free. ===Track<span class="mw-editsection" len="322" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The railway network consists mainly of connections between Oslo and some larger places. The longest line is the Nordlandsbanen to Bodø. Also there is the to Geilo to Bergen.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There are international connections from Oslo to Gothenburg and Stockholm and Trondheim-to Sundsvall. In the North of the country is Narvik, which is not connected to the Norwegian railway network, connected to Kiruna in Sweden.

<p lang="en" len="248" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Flåm is one of the most beautiful railways of Norway. ===Aviation<span class="mw-editsection" len="327" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The main airport is Oslo Gardermoen, North of Oslo. Gardermoen is both for foreign flights as the Centre for domestic flights. The domestic network of SAS and Norwegiancompetitor is very extensive.

<p lang="en" len="638" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;font-family:sans-serif;color:rgb(15,15,95);">In addition to Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim have Sandefjord and Kristiansand flight connections with the larger European cities. ===Ferry Services<span class="mw-editsection" len="329" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Hurtigruten is a ferry service that from Bergen to Kirkenes along the Norwegian coast. Also with foreign destinations are ferry services maintained: from Hanstholm inDenmark to Kristiansand and Stavanger and Egersund, Bergen; from Hirtshals to Kristiansand, Bergen and Larvik; from Kiel in Germany to Oslo; and from Fredrikshavn in Denmark to Oslo.