Location: Europe
Capital City: Oslo
Population: 4, 800,000
Government: Norway is a constitutional monarchy but the King plays a mostly symbolic role. Executive power is held by the prime minister and the cabinet and legislative power resides in a democratically elected, multi-party parliament.
Currency: Norwegian Krone
Main Language: Norwegian
Main Religions: Nearly 80% of the country is Protestant (Lutheran), but many are non-practising. Islam represents a growing minority because of recent immigration patterns.
Other Facts
The per capita income in Norway is among the highest in the world. The country also rates highly on the scale of the world’s ‘most peaceful’ nations.
Norway is considered the birthplace of modern skiing and both cross country and Alpine skiing a very popular there. The word ‘ski’ is from Old Norse.
Historically the country was ruled by pagan Vikings who had a fearsome reputation and regularly attacked their neighbouring countries.
There is as large a population of Norwegian descendents in the United States as there is in Norway itself.
