Norway – Land of Fjords and Mountains

Norway is a country in northern Europe, part of Scandinavia. It shares borders with Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The Arctic Ocean lies to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean is to the west. The North Sea lies to the south. Its area is 324,220 square kilometers. Its official name is Kingdom of Norway.
Norway is covered with mountains and fjords. The longest and deepest fjord is Sogne Fjord. The two highest peaks are Galdhø Peak and Mount Glitter. Glaciers can be found in some mountain ranges. The country also contains more than 1,500 glaciers and the Jostedals Glacier is the largest in Europe.

The movements of glaciers created most of the cave areas in Norway. Svarthammergrotta has the largest chamber of any cave in Norway. “Glacier Hall”, as the chamber is called, has a width of 30 to 50 meters, a height of 5 to 10 meters and a length of 200 meters.

Most Norwegians are Nordic, a European people with German roots. There are small groups of Asians and other Europeans. Several thousand Sami, or Lapps, live mainly in the north. Most of the people of Norway speak either Bokmal or Nynorsk, though many also speak English.
The Evangelical Lutheran branch of Christianity is the national religion.
Norway is one of the world’s largest suppliers of oil. The country also has rich deposits of natural gas and minerals.
Painter Edvard Munch, playwright Henrik Ibsen, and composer Edvard Grieg are famous Norwegians.

The Sami arrived in what is now Norway at least 10,000 years ago. During the AD 800s–1000s the Vikings controlled the country. In the late 1300s Norway, Sweden, and Denmark came under the rule of one king. In 1905 Norway declared its independence. During World War II Nazi Germany invaded Norway and at the end of the war left it.
In 1949 Norway joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Galdhøpiggen is the highest point (2,469 m).
Glåma River is the longest river (598 km).
Lake Mjøsa is the largest lake (362 sq km).
Oslo is the capital of the country.

Norway – Land of Fjords and Mountains