The Kingdom of Norway is a country in Europe’s north-western corner, covering the western and northern flanks of the long-stretched Scandinavian peninsula.
Norwegian history and knowledge
Norway has the second longest coastline in the world
With its 102,937 km, Norway’s mainland coastline, including its many fjords and islands, is the second longest in the world, next only to Canada.
Norway’s 5 largest lakes
Norway is a land of water, with almost 1 million lakes and ponds of all sizes. Join us in exploring the 5 largest of her lakes, and some more Norway facts.
Oslo is the capital city of Norway
Oslo is the capital city of Norway. It was founded in AD 1048 by the Viking king Harald Hardråde. Historically, the city is also known as Christiania or Kristiania.
Only 3 percent of mainland Norway is agricultural land
The most significant sections of Norwegian productive soil can be found in the counties of Trøndelag, Hedmark, Oppland and Rogaland.
Heddal stave church | A divine building built by a troll
The Heddal stave church – stavkirke – is Norway’s largest remaining building of its kind. It is a wooden masterpiece, with a history that stretches back more than 800 years.
The Norwegian mountain safety code | Always be prepared
The majestic Norwegian mountains can be treacherous – and they steal human lives every year. Study the Norwegian mountain code – and be prepared for your next journey.
Norwegian censuses | The 1769 census was the first
1769 was the year of the first complete Norwegian census – and the population was 723,618. Today, Norway has a population of more than 5 million.
Bergen – Norway | Historical city once plundered by pirates
Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city and one of the country’s oldest urban locations. The first post-viking king, Olav Kyrre, gave it market-town-status around AD 1070.
Skibladner | Norway’s oldest paddle steamer still in service
Skibladner is one of the world’s oldest paddle steamers still in regular service. Her launch was in 1856, and she sails on Norway’s largest lake, Mjøsa.
Norwegian ice export | a booming business for more than a century
From the early 1800s and well into the 1900s, Norway was a significant exporter of natural ice. But how did they prevent the ice from melting?
A Norwegian’s take on the lead-up to the Black Death
The Black Death – mother of all plagues – ravaged humankind in the mid-1300s. A Norwegian scholar takes us through the lead up to the disaster.
The global seed vault | An Arctic Noah’s ark
On an island in the Arctic Ocean, deep inside a mountain, we find the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – a treasure trove of food-plant seeds from all over the world.
The old Norwegian farm | When the old Norway changed
Between 1850 and 1950, Norwegian society transformed. The age-old fishing, hunting, and farming society gradually turned into a modern, industrialised country.
Norwegian landscapes | On the coastal path along the Oslofjord
Whether it be on a rainy day – or a beautiful summer’s day like this one – the coastal paths take us through some pleasing stretches of Norwegian scenery.
The Kingdom of Norway
The Kingdom of Norway – as we know it today – was born on 17 May 1814. That was when the Norwegians created their very own constitution. But Norway, as a distinct rural culture, has been around for 12,000 years.