Key facts on the country of Norway
Location
Norway is situated in Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden.
Land Area
Norway is slightly larger than New Mexico and stretches over an total land area of 324 220 sq km, which 307,860 sq km is land and 16,360 sq km is water. Norway has a total coastline area of 25 148 km.
Climate
Norway has temperate climate along the coast, modified by the North Atlantic Current. It has a colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers. It is rainy year-round on the west coast.
Natural Resources and Hazards
Norway's main natural resources are petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber and hydropower. The only natural hazards are rockslides and avalanches.
Population and Employment
Norway has a total population of 4 593 041 (July 2005 est.), with an average life expectancy at birth of 79.4 years. It has a labour force of 2.38 million people that are mostly occupied in agriculture, forestry, fishing, industry and services. Norway has a fairly low unemployment rate of 4.3 % (2004 est.).
Religion
85.7% of Norway's population belongs to the Church of Norway, 1% are Pentecostal, 1% are Roman Catholics, 2.4% are other Christians, 1.8% are Muslims, and the other 8.1% have other religions.
Flag
Norway's flag is red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag, the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag).
Agricultural Products and Main Industries
Norway's main recognized agricultural products are barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk and fish. Their main industries are petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles and fishing.
Capital
Oslo is the capital of Norway, with a total population of 529 846 inhabitants.
Time Zone
GMT plus 2 hours
