NORWAY

Geography :
Norway is located in Europe, beside Sweden and Finland. It is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. Norway's total area is 125,017 square miles (323,878 square km). More than160,000 lakes and many islands are found in this northern country. Norway's three major cities are : Oslo ( the capital city ) with a population of 530,000, Bergen, with a population of 240,000, and Trondheim, which is home to 157,000 people.

History :
The earliest traces of humans in Norway, archeologists say, had lived between 9000 and 8000 B.C. They were the earliest farmers, they lived in tent-like shelters and coastal mountain caves. They hunted and fished.

During the Viking age, (A.D 793-1066) Norwegian Vikings invaded places in Iceland, Greenland, Scotland, Ireland, and even the East coast of what is now known as Canada. These Vikings were very violent and pirate-like, they would ruthlessly slaughter anyone they saw as potential enemies, loot cities, and take prisoners.

Norway's Government :
Norway is a "Constitutional Monarchy". The king is head of state, but his power is more symbolic than real. The king of Norway is a symbol of national unity. He is also the supreme commander of the Norwegian armed forces, as well as the head of the Church of Norway. Norway has had three very good kings since the country's independence from Sweden in 1905. The poverty rate is very low in Norway because the taxation system takes more from they very wealthy and gives to the not so wealthy.

Economy :
Since WWII, Norway's economy has undergone rapid industrial growth. Norway is the third largest exporter of oil in world, after Saudi Arabia and Russia. Norway is also one of the worlds largest exporters of metal and one of the worlds biggest producers and exporters of chemical products. Other largely manufactured products include machinery, pulp, paper, aluminum, fish processing, and textiles.

Norway is one of the worlds top fishing countries, producing approximately 3% of the total global catch. Norwegian fishing crews catch about 2.7 million tons of fish per year, including cod, haddock, halibut, coal fish, and shrimp. They also fish farm salmon and trout.

Environment :
Norway is one of the least polluted nations. The country has very few major environmental issues. Air pollution, however, specifically nitrogen oxide, is still a concern. 90% of the emissions come from other European countries. The main causes of NO emissions are due to road traffic, oil and gas extraction, shipping, and wood-burning stoves during the cold winter months. Another major concern is global warming. The rise in temperature can cause very large amounts of sea ice to melt and flood the land in and around Norway, as well as contaminate fresh water supplies, and endanger countless species.

The people of Norway :
Consistently ranked the most liveable country in the world according to the U.N, Norwegians enjoy one of the highest living standards in the world. Most Norwegians are closely related to the Danes and Swedes. The ancestors of these three Scandinavian people's came from the lands east of the Baltic Sea, from around the Mediterranean Sea, or from the European Alps. Foreigners amount to approximately 7% of the total population in Norway.

Over 90% of Norwegians are Christian. Other minority religions in Norway include Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism. The main languages in Norway are Norwegian, Finnish, and English. There are many dialects of Norwegian, but they're all very similar.

NORWEGIAN LIFESTYLE

• Children in Norway begin school at age 7
• Most Norwegian movie theatres show foreign films, mainly from the US and Europe.
• Usual business hours are from 8am to 4pm
• Norway has a long tradition of music that includes folk songs, fiddling, and brass bands. Nearly every school has a marching band in Norway, which is where many of Norway's Jazz musicians got their start.

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• Almost every Norwegian owns a pair of skis. Most Norwegians begin skiing at the age of about 2 or 3.
• Other recreational activities that Norwegians enjoy include soccer, boating, fishing, rowing, swimming, hiking, and mountain climbing.
• Norwegians have no severe health problems apart from those common to wealthy countries, like heart disease and cancer.

CELEBRATIONS

• Christmas : "Jul", or Christmas, is a busy time for Norwegian churches, which hold special Advent services, and for households, as traditionally all the wood must be cut, food prepared, and beer brewed by December 21, St. Tomas's Day. Gifts are exchanged and opened and celebrations last for 20 days, until Saint Knut's Day, on January 13.

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• Easter : Easter celebrations are less of a religious occasion in Norway than a rejoicing in the lengthening of the days, a sign that summer is not too far away.
• Midsummer's Day : Midsummer, or the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year. Early Vikings often held their assemblies on Midsummer's Day.

Russ Celebrations : High school graduates celebrate their graduation in a unique style, wearing their "Russ" costumes and engaging in a three-week-long celebration. The term "Russ" comes from a Latin word that refers to those who were sent to the university to study.

Children's Day : Children's Day falls on May17, where thousands of schoolchildren participate in processions with their school bands in towns and villages all over the country.

Food :
You may have heard the word " Smørgåsbord (SMUHR-gas-boor) before in the English language. It is Swedish for "an overflowing buffet table and an opportunity to indulge oneself" Almost every Norwegian dish includes potatoes : sliced, boiled, fried, in stews, you name it! Norwegians eat a heavily meat and fish based diet. A children's favourite would be kjøttkoker ( shet-kah-ker ) which is meatballs in brown sauce. They also eat a large amount of mushrooms and mixed berries in Norway, families often pick their own by hand. Cheese is also a very popular food. Norwegians are the world's biggest consumers in coffee per inhabitants, averaging 12.25 pounds per person. Chocolate is also a Norwegian favourite. On average, each person consumes 17.6lbs of chocolate a year!