About Norway

In May 2010, Norway will be the proud host of the Eurovision Song Contest. Having hosted Europe's favourite TV-show twice before, in 1986 and 1996, and the Olympic Winter Games in 1994, NRK has the expertise to organise a wonderful show for the whole of Europe! The basics Norway is one of the Nordic countries with a population of 4,660,539 happy people. It is bordered by the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea in the West, Russia, Finland and Sweden in the East, and the Skagerrak (an arm of the North Sea) in the south. Most of the country consists of mountains and plateaus. Forests are found almost as far north as Nordkapp (the North Cape). Summers are remarkably mild for the latitude, while winters are long and very cold, often with plenty of snow. History A number of small Norwegian communities were gradually organised into larger regions in the 9th century, and around the year 900 King Harald Fairhair (Harald Hårfagre) unified the realm and became its first supreme ruler. In the Middle Ages Vikings from Norway settled in England, France, Ireland and Iceland. Norway and Denmark subsequently formed one kingdom from 1380 to 1814 when, in the wake of the Napoleonic wars, Norway was united with Sweden, adopting a modern constitution in the process. I 1905 Norway and Sweden went their separate ways peacefully and Norway has been independent since. Modern Norway Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. The monarchy holds a strong position in Norway, and the present monarch, King Harald V, enjoys great popularity. The country is of great socio-economic equality with a high standard of living and a homogeneous population. Apart from Oslo and adjacent suburbs, there are no metropolitan cities in Norway. Norwegians usually live in small communities with well developed road, air and ferry communication. Did you know? The sea along the coast is rich in natural resources like oil and fish; Norwegian per capita income ranks among the world's highest; Norway is now the world's leading producer of salmon; North of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set between the middle of May and end of July; conversely the sun does not rise between the middle of November and the end of January; More than 30 stave churches are well preserved and open to the public at the original cite of building, or at the folk museums in Oslo and Lillehammer: Norway if very known for its beautiful fjords; Skiing originated in Norway. Words like ski and slalom are Norwegian. Ski jumping and slalom competition started in the county of Telemark. The 1994 Olympic Winter Games were held in Lillehammer; NRK hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2004; According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Norwegians read more than any other population in the world, spending an average of 500 kroner a year per capita on books! Famous Norwegian people include the playwriter Henrik Ibsen, the composer Edvard Grieg and the band A-ha whose leadman Morten Harket was the host of the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest; Norway has rejected joining the European Union twice, in referendums in 1972 and 1994. Source: eurovision.tv/