General characteristics of Norway.
Norway (Kingdom of Norway) is a state in the North of Europe, occupying the western and northern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Territory - 323895 sq. km.; together with the Svalbard archipelago, Jan Mayen Island and others - 387 thousand square meters. km. The population is about 4.3 million, Norwegians (98%), Sami, Kvens, Finns, Swedes, etc. The capital is Oslo. The official language is Norwegian. Religion - Lutheranism.
The monetary unit is the Norwegian krone.
Norway gained state independence in 1905
Norway is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the king. Administrative - territorial division (18 county). The supreme legislative body is the Storting (unicameral parliament). Executive power is exercised by the government appointed by the king.
Natural conditions and resources of Norway.
Norway is located in a maritime temperate climate with cool summers (+6 - +15 degrees Celsius) and fairly warm winters (+2 - -12 degrees Celsius). mm. The seas don't freeze.
Most of the territory of Norway is occupied by the Scandinavian mountains. Here is the highest mountain peak in Northern Europe - Mount Gallhöpiggen. The coastline of Norway is indented by long deep bays - fjords. During the last glacial epoch, a thick sheet of ice formed over Scandinavia. The ice, spreading to the sides, cut deep narrow valleys with steep banks. About 11,000 years ago, the ice sheet melted, the water level of the world ocean rose, and sea water flooded many of these valleys, creating the picturesque fjords of Norway (see cover photo).
Norway has large reserves of hydropower, forests (productive forest occupies 23.3% of the territory), deposits of iron, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, titanium, molybdenum, silver, granite, marble, etc. Proven oil reserves are more than 800 million tons, natural gas - 1210 billion. cubic meters. Total capital investment in the offshore oil sector hit a record $60bn. Norwegian kroner, or 7.5% of GDP, significantly contributed to the growth of other branches of material production, which produced equipment for oil production, and created the corresponding infrastructure. The purpose of this huge investment is to increase the profitability of the oil industry and improve the state of the country's macro economy. Investments are mainly focused on the giant Stotford field, discovered 20 years ago at the dawn of Norway's oil era.
If oil production tends to decrease, then gas production in Norway is on the rise. Norway is successfully turning into an important gas producing country. Its share in the Western European gas market is approaching 15%. Gas production is expected to reach 70 billion cubic meters by the end of the century, and contracts for the sale of gas have already exceeded a total of 50 billion cubic meters per year.
More than half of all discovered gas fields in Western Europe are located on the Norwegian continental shelf. According to representatives of the Norwegian state-owned company Statoil, unlike the 20th century, which was the century of oil, the 21st century is likely to become the century of gas, especially since concern for the cleanliness of the environment is becoming driving force growth in its consumption.
Economic and geographical position.
Northern Europe is united by many socio-economic characteristics: the proximity of industrial and company structures, high economic efficiency and living standards. In general, the region is a large economic complex, which, due to the specialization of production, occupies a special place in the world economy and the international division of labor. With a developed industry, intensive agriculture, an extensive service sector and extensive foreign economic relations, these countries, yielding to the major powers in terms of the overall scale of production and the size of labor resources, are ahead of them in many indicators per capita. If the share of the countries of Northern Europe in the capitalist world is less than 1% in terms of population, then in terms of gross domestic product and industrial production it is approximately 3%, and in terms of exports about 5%.
The strength of the countries of Northern Europe is not in quantity, but in quality and manufactured products, mainly exported. Norway is one of the most economically developed countries in the world. Having an advanced production base and a highly qualified force, Norway, with its dependence on foreign markets, for a long time went mainly along the path of finding and consolidating its “niches”, with respect to a narrow specialization in the production of certain products, systems, components, and assemblies.
At the same time, the Norwegian economy has always been characterized by the ability to quickly adapt to the changing situation in the global economy. Initially, specialization was based on natural resources and geographical location. The sea played an important role. Norway was famous for its international shipping, fishing and whaling. The presence of a large number of full-flowing and turbulent rivers brought Norway to the first place in Western Europe in terms of hydropower reserves.
In recent decades, industries that use modern technologies have come to the fore. At present, the focus on the production of science-intensive, high-tech products (electronics, industrial work, biotechnology, etc.) is becoming more and more intense. The combination of new industries with traditional ones that are undergoing or have already undergone a radical transformation lies the basis of the modern specialization of the Norwegian economy.
The economic crises of the mid-1970s and early 1980s, the intertwining of cyclical recessions and structural shifts almost nullified the benefits that Norway derived from specialization, made it difficult to maneuver due to the asynchrony, diversity of the economic cycle, as it was before. In the second half of the 1970s, according to a number of important indicators, Norway was supported only by oil.
With the transition to an intensive, resource-saving type of reproduction, modern technologies, Norway, taking into account its national needs and capabilities, the lessons of the crisis, embarked on the path of structural adjustment and the identification of new directions. Mainly in the field of exports, which are increasingly experiencing the blows of competition in world markets.
Norway is an industrial-agrarian country with a high share in the economy of energy-intensive industries, as well as shipping, fishing and, in recent years, the oil refining and petrochemical industries.
The dominant position in the economy is occupied by the private capitalist sector. In the post-war period, an intensive process of capital concentration takes place in the country. Large enterprises (500 or more employed), accounting for 1% of the total number of industrial enterprises (82% of enterprises are small, with up to 50 employees), account for about 25% of all employees; The 3 largest banks control about 60% of bank capital. The concentration of production is accompanied by the disappearance of a large number of small and medium enterprises. The number of small farms is also decreasing. The penetration of foreign capital into the country is constantly increasing, mainly American, English, Swedish (mainly in the oil industry and shipping)
Analysis of the economic development of Norway.
The formation of capitalist economic structures in Norway was distinguished by a certain originality: the later dates of industrialization, its significant dependence on the needs of the external market, the ability to achieve an advantageous position on it for their goods and services.
Almost participating in the territorial division of the world, Norway, and without colonies, thanks to industrial and financial ties to the profits of large powers, has become part of the world economic system. Already at the end of the last - the beginning of this century, on the basis of the concentration and centralization of production and capital, large companies arose, mainly in the export direction, and financial groups began to take shape.
In Norway, low economic conditions and crisis phenomena have been observed since 1986, when oil prices fell sharply, due to the transition to energy-saving technologies. Over the course of one year, the contribution of the oil industry declined from 18.5% of GDP to 11%. In subsequent years, a strong increase in oil production raised this figure to 16% of GDP, but, according to experts, oil production will begin to fall again in the near future. Natural gas revenues will fill the gap for at least a few years. But will the relatively weak oil side of the public-sector-dominated economy be strong enough to make up for shortfalls when the oil sector begins to shrink? These worries have been exacerbated in recent years by a sharp deterioration in the state of public finances. The generous fiscal policy adopted by the Labor Party government after 1990 in order to mitigate the difficulties of the recession, led to an increase in the state budget deficit to 12.5%. Realizing these long-term difficulties, the government in 1993. submitted to Parliament a program for 1994-1997, outlining a strategy for their elimination. It is based on a significant tightening of fiscal policy, a containment of transfer payments in favor of infrastructure investment, and a general shift in emphasis from the public sector to the private sector.
Personal consumption in 1992 was below the 1986 level. almost 3%. Gross capital investment is significantly lower than in 1988. Import in 1992 was lower than in 1986, by 3.5%, and the volume of production and manufacturing - even below the level of 1985. This bleak picture was hidden only thanks to oil production. The volume of gross capital investments is shown in Figure 2.
The inflation rate gradually decreased and in May 1993 amounted to 2.4% on an annualized basis, and in 1994 to 1.7%. But the level of wage costs was still noticeably higher than in other countries, although the competitiveness of Norwegian goods in 1993. exceeded the level of 1988 by 11%.
The state budget deficit is still large -50 billion kroons in 1993. By the spring of 1993 the level of interest rates dropped noticeably, the decline in employment stopped.
The first five months of 1993 exports amounted to 88 billion kroons, and imports 60 billion kroons. Oil accounts for 43% of all Norwegian merchandise exports.
The country's banking crisis is in its fifth year, although the worst is over. All major commercial banks, except for Den Norske Bank, were completely dependent on the state. The banking crisis began with a dramatic fall in oil prices and spread to all other sectors of the economy.
1994 marked the beginning of the revival of the economy. GDP grew by 3.5%. Inflation was less than 1%. The balance of payments is associated with a large surplus that exceeded 2.5% of GDP. Unemployment has established itself at the level of 5.5% of the economically active population of the country. The unemployment rate from 1989 to 1995 characterizes
1995 ended at approximately the same economic level. However, the pace of development of the oil economy is declining. Ten years ago, the manufacturing industry contributed 20% of GDP; now it provides only 13%. Norway, long backed by North Sea oil, may enter a critical phase that will determine whether it can maintain its position as one of Europe's most prosperous countries well into the 21st century.
In many respects, Norway can be compared to a developing country, since its main exports consist mainly of raw materials (oil and gas) rather than finished industrial products. The manufacturing industry does not exceed 15% of GDP, which is considered the minimum level for modern industrial countries. The government is taking a number of measures to change the structure of its exports towards the manufacturing industry.
Asked what the government is doing about the imminent oil production cut, Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Bruntland told the British Financial Times: “The government is pursuing a policy in which tax and structural measures are designed precisely to stimulate economic development and employment in the material economy. We actively use the state budget to increase employment, strengthen the private sector and invest in areas of expertise and other infrastructure. Now that the economy has entered a period of relatively vigorous growth, it is important to strengthen the financial position of the country.
Indeed, our oil production will decline in a few years, but given the growth in gas production, the exploitation of the Norwegian shelf will continue to be the backbone of the country's economy for many years to come. Therefore, increased production on the Norwegian mainland will help keep growth balanced. The cost-benefit ratio of the competitiveness of the Norwegian economy has improved significantly and the outlook for the mainland economy is now better than a few years ago. This means that we are becoming less dependent on oil.
Political and geographical position.
Norway as a single state was formed at the end of the 9th century AD. At an early stage, contacts were established with the Russian principalities. The sons of Norwegian kings grew up at princely courts in Russia, Russian princesses became queens of Norway. The Norwegians traveled around Russia, served in the protection of the Russian princes (they were called Varangians), an active exchange of goods was carried out. Subsequently, as a result of the devastating epidemic of the Black Death (plague) around 1350, the economic situation in Norway worsened, and the country fell under the rule of the Danish crown. In 1814, at the end of Napoleonic Wars, the victorious allies forced Denmark to cede Norway to Sweden in compensation for its loss of Finland in 1809. Norway took this opportunity to declare independence and adopted the most democratic constitution in Europe at that time, which is still in effect, albeit with significant amendments .
However, under the pressure of Sweden's military superiority and international isolation, Norway was forced to accept the inevitable. The Norwegian leadership voluntarily accepted the worthy offer of the Swedish crown to conclude a personal union with Sweden. Norway remained a separate state and retained its new Constitution. However, both kingdoms received one head of state and were supposed to pursue a single foreign policy.
Over the next century there was a continuous growth of the Norwegian national identity. Simultaneously with the progress in industry, trade and shipping, there was a revival of culture. In politics, radical and democratic sentiments led to the emergence of opposition to theKing of Sweden. A growing national consciousness emphasized the differences in living standards and lifestyles, as well as in political views between Norway and Sweden. Under the influence of divergent economic and foreign policy interests, the Norwegian parliament (Storting) voted in 1905 to break the union with Sweden. The referendum that followed supported this decision by an overwhelming majority, and the two kingdoms parted amicably. The first power to recognize the new and completely independent status of Norway was the Russian Empire.
In the post-war period, the political course of Norway is mainly determined by its participation in NATO (since 1949) and is aimed at close political and military-economic cooperation with the leading powers of this bloc (USA, Great Britain, Germany). Norway's relations with the EEC are governed by the Free Trade Agreement (1973).
Foreign policy
AT post-war years Northern European countries have occupied, as is well known, a special place political map peace. Sweden is characterized by its policy of active neutrality. The neutrality of Finland was combined with an agreement on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the USSR. The NATO member states - Norway, Denmark and Iceland have declared their refusal to deploy nuclear weapons on their territory in peacetime.
The difference in positions could not but affect the foreign policy behavior of the countries of the European North. At the same time, their role in international life has increased markedly. After all, from the object of history, which for a long time were small countries, constantly involved in the game and contradictions of large powers, they became its subject. They contribute to the course of the world historical process, actively participate in the formation of a new order in the spirit of the Helsinki Act and the Charter of Paris.
The new geopolitical situation that arose at the turn of the 90s - cardinal changes in Central and Eastern Europe, the collapse of the USSR into sovereign republics, the emergence of the CIS, the independence of the Baltic states, the new role of Russia - makes the Nordic countries rethink many important international problems.
The difficult, sometimes dramatically explosive progress in the renewal of our society is arousing great interest in the North of Europe. This interest is also dictated by business considerations, development prospects in the new conditions of mutually beneficial cooperation - after all, we are neighbors and its stagnation is unnatural. But to an even greater extent, it is dictated by the impact that changes in our country have on the development of pan-European and world processes, including those of a global nature.
Naturally, the attention of European northerners, as indeed of the entire West, is attracted by the amazing speed and scale of changes in Eastern Europe. The attitude of the northern European states towards them (in general, they support the ongoing changes) is ambiguous, just as the shifts and cataclysms in individual Eastern European countries are inherently ambiguous. Thus, the unification of Germany with general approval also causes certain concerns (past historical experience has not been forgotten). If not anxiety, then uncertainty is also generated by the far from stability of the situation in Poland, their southern neighbor.
A fundamentally new situation for the European North arose in connection with the further development of integration processes: the formation by 1993 of a single internal market of the EU and plans to create an economic and monetary, and subsequently a political union of the participating countries.
Refusal to join the EU - feature or regularity?
Particular attention should be paid to the issue of accession to the EU.
On the referendum on joining the EU, the Norwegians went against their northern neighbors and voted against. This caused surprise among other Europeans. The unwillingness of the Norwegians to join the EU looked somehow inexplicable against the background of the positive results of the referendums in Austria, Finland, and Sweden in the same year.
The successful development of the Norwegian economy in the 90s markedly improved the well-being and standard of living of its inhabitants. In 1994, the country ranked third in the ranking of states with the highest share of GNP per capita in the world, inflation was at the level of 2-3% per year, there was a noticeable decrease in the number of unemployed, and experts predicted bright prospects and stable economic development for the coming years. All these factors indicated a healthy state of the economy and overshadowed the attractiveness of participation in EU regional programs with the corresponding cash injections into the economic structures of the regions. Despite the fact that in the case of membership in the organization, the Arctic regions of Norway would have been covered by the program of assistance to the northern regions, it was the inhabitants of the North who spoke most negatively towards the EU, and the overwhelming majority of votes were cast against. Knowing the economic opportunities and development potential of their country, they were the last to think about possible financing from Brussels for local industries. In addition, according to estimates, in the first years of EU membership, Norway was waiting for a negative balance of financial receipts from the funds of the organization. Positive changes would begin to be observed only after a few years.
We must not forget about the oil factor. The production of oil and gas on the continental shelf of the Norwegian Sea, which began in the mid-1960s, radically changed the economic structure of society, giving the state treasury an invaluable source of income. Oil has become a kind of “insurance” in case of crisis situations, allowing cash injections into lagging sectors of the economy. European countries, greater self-confidence and allowed them to feel less dependent on Brussels.
The narrowness of the domestic market also played a certain role in such a negative decision of the Norwegians. In a country with a population of 4.5 million people, it is difficult to create conditions favorable for the successful competitive struggle of a large number of large enterprises. Limited demand leads to strict selection and the creation of monopoly companies that can dictate their terms and exist, as it were, away from the raging elements of the free market. It cannot be said that entire sectors of the economy are monopolized in Norway, but this trend is most pronounced in the field of telecommunications and electricity sales. In addition, the social policy of the state, aimed at protecting all segments of the population and providing for programs for the “rehabilitation” of employees in the event of bankruptcy of an enterprise, creates “hothouse” conditions for employees when they can be sure that even if they lose their jobs, they have good chances to get a new job. In the case of EU membership, such companies would face tough competition, new rules of the game, which would put them in a difficult position.
In Norway, you can immediately feel whether this or that company has experience in the international market; She stands out from the rest high level service, efficiency of decision-making, the ability to quickly adapt to new market conditions.
The certain vulnerability of agriculture, which operates in difficult northern conditions and requires constant state funding, and the features of the profitable functioning of the fishing industry, also played a role in the choice of the Norwegians. It was the province and the North, where fishing is the main source of income, that voted against joining the European Union (52.2% voted against and 47.8% for).
Immediately after the announcement of the results of the vote, Norwegian politicians began to notice some changes in their European colleagues' attitude towards Norway. Norwegian diplomats had to stand for a long time at the doors of the offices of EU officials, waiting for them to have a minute of free time to discuss (in addition to issues of accession of new countries to the EU) problems northern neighbor. In Norwegian newspapers, even the concept appeared - “country outside”.
Such inattention on the part of Brussels officials was only an illustration of the new situation in which Norway has placed itself. The country ceased to participate in the meetings of the committees and working groups of the organization (it had this right during the accession negotiations). Thus, on the one hand, Norway has lost a number of valuable sources of information, and, on the other hand, and more importantly, it has lost the ability to directly influence decisions taken in the EU from outside. Most of all, it was already faced with the fact of the adoption of any decision by the EU, without being able to influence its formation.
At the same time, Norway, being a member of the EEA (European Economic Area), is obliged to comply with EU directives concerning not only trade and exchange of goods, but also regulating issues of working conditions, social security, the production of a number of goods and the provision of services. It has been estimated that in the first half of 1996 alone, 47 domestic Norwegian rules and regulations were amended in accordance with EU directives. Most of these changes do not create big problems either for the legal system or for the lives of ordinary citizens of the country, however, the Norwegians are aware that within the existing SES, which includes, in addition to Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Malta and Liechtenstein, they do not have a real opportunity to influence on the decision-making process of the EU and are forced to accept them as a fait accompli.
More than 50% of Norwegian exports go to EU member countries, which indicates the direct dependence and, accordingly, Norway's interest in developing relations with these countries. Thus, Norway is doomed to contacts with the EU.
GovernmentT. Jagland (like the previous government of H. H. Brundtland) is doing everything possible to maintain the constructive climate that exists in relations with the EU and ensure the maximum possible participation in the work of the Union. Norway is involved in a number of regional programs, including the “Internet” program. In the conceptual plan, accession to the three directions of development of European economic structures is envisaged and is gradually being carried out. common policy in the field of fisheries, where the parties have both common interests and contradictions, which would be much easier to resolve within a single organizational structure. Norwegian experience in the field of fish regulation could be useful for European partners. The second formation is the formation of a unified EU energy policy. There are more ambiguities here, but Norway is directly interested in cooperation, given that the EU countries are the main consumers of Norwegian oil and gas, and by united efforts they can influence the price development trend and create unfavourable conditions for energy exports. Norway is more profitable to be an active participant in the game than a passive outsider. Finally, the third direction - cooperation within the framework of the passport union, the Schengen agreement.
On December 19, 1996, a document was signed in Brussels on the associated membership of Norway and Iceland in the Schengen Agreement, which provides for a single passport space and cooperation between law enforcement agencies of the participating countries. Formally, the Schengen Agreement applies only to the EU states, so these two countries were granted an associated status, providing for participation without voting rights in the working groups of the organization. Taking such a step, the Norwegian representatives proceeded from the fact that no decisions would be made within the Schengen framework that would contradict the position of Norway. The main reason for joining was the desire to preserve the northern passport union, which had existed long enough for people to get used to it and not want to lose. Denmark, Sweden and Finland, by their accession to the Schengen without Norway and Iceland, would have destroyed the established passport regime for crossing borders between the Nordic countries, in which none of the Nordics was interested. In this regard, through lengthy negotiations, a compromise formula of associate membership was developed, which suits all parties.
It can be said that, thanks to participation in the Schengen Agreement, Norway outside the EU has achieved its involvement in another important area of development of European integration.
There is currently a seeming lull in the Norwegian pan-European discussion about relations between Norway and the EU. The question of submitting a new application for membership before the year 2000 is not raised, and politicians to a lesser extent use the Brussels arguments to defend their positions. However, the topic of the EU is constantly present on the newspaper pages and remains relevant to the political establishment of the country.
Many observers believe that by placing itself outside the EU, Norway managed to preserve its own face and ability to act in the international arena, based on its own interests, without regard to European partners. Norway's activity in the Middle East and mediation in the peace process in Guatemala was evidence of this, when the country was perceived as an independent independent participant, and not a representative of the EU. However, despite the obvious successes of the Norwegian foreign policy, it is safe to say that, on a geopolitical scale, Norway's position after the referendum in 1994 has weakened rather than strengthened.
However, the country is of great interest to Russia as a trade and economic partner. Norway is not subject to EU rules and restrictions on imported goods. Cooperation between Russia, Norway, Sweden and Finland within the framework of the Barents Sea region is developing at an active pace. The intensification of contacts in the border areas of the North continues. Thus, based on the positive experience of a number of Russian enterprises operating on the Norwegian market, it can be assumed that trade and economic relations between our countries will turn out to be a kind of springboard for Russia to enter the European market.
The predictability and certain regularity of the negative result of the 1994 referendum lies in the peculiarity of Norway. The country preferred to maintain the status quo and did not want to give up part of its sovereignty in the name of the idea of European integration. It is possible that the Norwegians, in an effort to keep up with the development of the European system, will return to the issue of joining the EU at the beginning of the next century, but then the candidacy of Norway will be considered among the countries of Eastern Europe and it is unlikely that the conditions for its possible membership in the EU will be the same. same as in 1994
Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago beyond the Arctic Circle. Territory - 62 thousand square meters. km. There are over 1,000 islands in the archipelago. There is no native population.
Spitsbergen, together with Bear Island located to the south of it, form the administrative district of Svalbard, which is governed by a governor appointed by the king of Norway.
Until 1920, the archipelago was a "no man's land". In February 1920, in Paris, representatives of a number of European states, the United States and Japan signed an international treaty establishing Norwegian sovereignty over Svalbard. In accordance with this treaty, the use of the archipelago for military purposes is prohibited.
60% of the territory of the archipelago is covered with ice. Of the minerals, only coal is of industrial importance. In the waters of the archipelago, cod, halibut, haddock, harp seal, seal, white whale are found; on the islands - polar bear, arctic fox, deer. However, fishing and hunting are limited.
The Spitzbergren connection is carried out by sea through the ports of Tromso and Murmansk, since 1947, regular air traffic has been established between Norway and Svalbard
Industry in Norway
Norway's industrial production, including electricity, employs about 400,000 people. workers and employees, of which about 95% work in the manufacturing industry, and the rest - in the mining industry and the electric power industry.
In the sectoral structure, the so-called export industries stand out sharply for their large scale and high technical level, most of the products of which are exported. On the one hand, there are fish processing and pulp and paper enterprises operating mainly on local raw materials, and on the other hand, processing of imported raw materials with the help of abundant and cheap electricity, electrometallurgy and electrochemistry. The export industries should also include the mining industry - mines, the products of which are exported in the form of concentrates, and, of course, the oil and gas fields of the North Sea. In addition, mechanical engineering, especially large-tonnage shipbuilding, electrical engineering and electronics, which, as a rule, work in close industrial and economic cooperation with Swedish, Danish and other foreign partners, are becoming increasingly export-oriented.
The industries of the "domestic market" include, first of all, the light and food (non-fish processing) industries. These industries, due to strong foreign competition, are experiencing increasing difficulties from year to year. Industry in Norway is very unevenly distributed. The vast majority of the industrial potential of the country falls on the enterprises of the southern regions - Estlanna, Sørlanna and Vestlanna, which provide 4/5 of all industrial products. Approximately 1/10 falls on the Trenielag region. On the vast territory of Northern Norway, despite the construction of large state enterprises there, no more than 1/10 of the country's industrial output is now produced.
Almost 9/10 of Norway's industrial enterprises are concentrated in port cities. This facilitates and reduces the cost of the delivery of raw materials and the shipment of finished products.
One of the main factors of the entire industrial development of Norway is a highly developed energy industry. It is based mainly on hydropower and liquid fuels. Until recent years, Norway was rightly considered a classic country of hydropower. Ahead of all countries of foreign Europe in terms of hydropower reserves (120 billion kWh per year), it ranks first in the world in terms of electricity production per capita . Almost all of the electricity generated in the country comes from hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of more than 18 million kW. Thanks to numerous natural lakes-reservoirs on high plateaus, waterfalls and steeply falling rivers, it is not necessary to build expensive dams, which extremely reduces the cost of electricity. In Norway, water resources are distributed relatively evenly throughout the country, which makes it possible to build powerful energy complexes in the Estlanna valleys, on the Telepark plateau, in the Vestlanna fjords and in the rapids of northern Norway. Almost all large power plants are connected by power lines into a single power system, which in turn is connected with electrometallurgical and electrochemical enterprises and all cities. Back in the mid-1970s, hydropower accounted for more than half of Norway's energy balance. About 2/5 of the generated electricity is consumed by industry, including 1/3 by metallurgy. In some years, electricity surpluses are transferred to Denmark (via an underwater cable) and to Sweden. Hard coal plays an insignificant role in the country's energy balance. Its share, including about 0.5 million tons produced in Svalbard and about the same amount imported from abroad, does not exceed 3-4% southwest of Stavanger). as well as gas and oil - 200 km west of Bergen. In 1971, a first ton of oil was produced in the Ekofisk field, and in 1979 its production reached almost 40 million tons, which is four times higher than all the country's current needs for liquid fuel. Norway was the first of the developed capitalist countries to become a net exporter of oil. Oil from a whole complex of drilling platforms is supplied via a 335-kilometer pipeline to the coast of East Anglia, and the produced gasidet is supplied through pipes to the northern coast of Germany from the Frigga field located west of Bergen to Scotland. The operation of the state fisheries Sgatfjord (northwest of Bergen) is underway. The rapid development of oil and gas production led to the rise of the oil refining and petrochemical industry. Monopoly capital relies on forced production of oil and gas primarily for export to the countries of Western Europe. However, the Norwegian authorities are trying to control the growth rate of oil and gas production. The extraction of metal raw materials has received significant development in Norway: iron ore, titanium, molybdenum, copper, zinc, and pyrites. Enriched iron ore of one of the most northern world mines Sør-Varaiger - sent through the neighboring port of Kirkenes to Western Europe and partly to the smelter in Mo i Rana. It is also supplied with raw materials by the Dundermann mine. In total, more than 4 million tons of iron concentrate are produced, half of which is exported. For the extraction of titanium ore from the Haugs mine in the Titania deposit on the southwestern coast of the country (about 1 million tons of ilmenite concentrate), Norway is one of the first places in the world; while almost all products are exported. The Kiaben molybdenum mine in the Serlanna mountains is also one of the largest in the world. The extraction of copper and zinc ores is small - about 30 thousand tons each per year. Pyrites, mined mainly in Trennelag (Lekken mine), are used to extract copper from them. Zinc and sulfuric acid production.
One of characteristic features structure of the Norwegian industry - the broad development of electrometallurgy. The country occupies one of the leading places in the world in the production of aluminum, nickel, magnesium, and ferroalloys. In addition, a large amount of alloyed electric steel, zinc, and cobalt is smelted. For example, in the smelting of aluminum and nickel, it is in 5th place, as well. second only to the United States in magnesium production. Ferroalloys, zinc and cobalt smelted in Norway are considered to be the highest quality in the world. The main part of the products of electrometallurgy is made from imported raw materials and almost completely exported. Many electrometallurgical enterprises are located on the coast of the country - from the extreme south to the polar regions. With the development of powerful power transmission lines, the choice of a plant construction site is determined primarily by the favorable conditions for constructing berths for ships delivering raw materials and exporting finished products, as well as the availability of the necessary workforce. The country's only relatively large ferrous metallurgy plant (the northernmost in the world) was built by the state in the 50s years in the subpolar town of Mo i Rana. It smelts annually up to 700 thousand tons of electric iron and up to 900 thousand tons of electric steel.
A relatively young industry in Norway is mechanical engineering. In the post-war years, with the participation of foreign capital, large shipyards, factories for the production of offshore oil drilling platforms, hydraulic turbines, industrial and household electrical and electronic equipment, and production lines for the fish processing industry were created in Norway. At present, more than one-third of the country's industrial workers are employed in all branches of mechanical engineering and metal-working, and about one-third of the gross industrial output is produced, a significant part of which is exported. Norway also trades in projects and licenses, in particular for offshore drilling platforms. The main centers of engineering are Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Drammen. drastically reduced their range. Due to the growing competition from the richer wood of Sweden and Finland, Norway gradually began to rebuild on the production of more valuable products - mechanical wood pulp, pulp, cardboard and paper. Pulp and paper production is one of the main branches of the country's international production specialization. More than 1.5 million tons of wood pulp and pulp and more than 1.3 million tons of various grades of paper and cardboard are produced annually, the vast majority of which is exported. The main centers of sawmilling and pulp and paper production are located around the Oslo Fjord, usually in the estuaries of the rafting rivers flowing down the wooded slopes of Estland. These are, first of all, Sarpsborg, Halden, Mose, Drammen, Skien. Separate enterprises are located directly in the places of logging - in the large valleys of Estland and in Trennelag.
The formation of the modern chemical industry in Norway began at the beginning of the 20th century. in the province of Telemark for electrochemical production. These were the plants of the Norsch Hydro concern, which received electricity from a cascade of hydroelectric power plants, extracted nitrogen from the air and produced ammonia and its compounds, including the so-called Norwegian saltpeter. Now the capacity of the concern's plants for the production of "bound nitrogen" exceeds half a million tons. as "by-products" the concern's plant in Rjukan produces heavy water and noble gases - argon, neon, etc. Of the other electrochemical industries, the production of calcium carbide has been established. In recent years, petrochemistry has been rapidly developing and, on its basis, the production of plastics and other synthetic materials. Petrochemical enterprises are located mainly in the coastal towns of Estlan and on the west coast.
Agriculture
In agriculture, small farms (up to 10 hectares of land) predominate. Production and marketing cooperation is widespread. The leading industry is intensive animal husbandry of the meat and dairy direction, as well as the plant growing that serves it (forage grasses). Sheep breeding and pig breeding are developed. Grain crops are cultivated (mainly barley and oats). Approximately 40% of the population provides themselves with agricultural products of its own production.
An important place in the economy is occupied by fishing, which is an industry of international specialization in Norway (it is the second largest exporter of fish products in the world). Fish catches in 1985 amounted to 2.3 million tons. Forestry is of great importance, since large tracts of coniferous forests have long been a source of prosperity for the countries of Northern Europe.
Norway's agriculture is somewhat vulnerable due to the difficult northern climatic conditions, so it needs constant government funding.
Population
There are two indigenous, aboriginal peoples in Norway - the Norwegians, who make up 97% of the country's population (3,920 thousand), and the Saami (30 thousand).
The Norwegian language belongs to the Germanic group of the Indo-European family of languages. Until now, there are two of its literary forms - riksmol (or Bokmål) and lannsmol (or nynorshk). Norwegians live in forested and arable valleys and coastal regions. The traditional occupations of the Norwegians are agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, and now they work in a wide variety of industries.
In the mountain colors of northern and partly middle Norway, the Saami live in the forest-tundra and tundra. This nation has retained its national identity - its language and culture. The Saami language belongs to the Finno-Ugric group of the Ural family of languages. There are schools and teacher's seminaries where they teach from textbooks in the Nasaami language, and there are Saami cultural and educational societies that seek to preserve the original culture of the most ancient people of Northern Europe. As a result of active religious activity in the Middle Ages, the Saami Christian missionaries in Sweden, Norway and Finland adopted Lutheranism.
Traditional Sami activities are reindeer herding, fishing, and hunting. However, in modern Norway, only 6% of the Saami are engaged in reindeer herding. The rest of them go to work as laborers, logging, become farmers. They also make handicraft souvenirs. Increasingly, the Saami are settling in villages and towns. Only in summer do reindeer herders lead a nomadic life and then live in frame tents or in cats.
Long naturalized national minorities include Danes (about 15,000) and Swedes (about 8,000) related to Norwegians in language. The Danes do not live in the cities of Estlanna, not constituting compact communities, and the Swedes live mainly in the villages of Estlanna bordering Sweden.
Of the alien and naturalized foreign-speaking minorities, the earliest are the Kvens, or Norwegian Finns (20 thousand), apparently the descendants of Finnish settlers of the early Middle Ages, or, according to some sources, also of the 16th-17th centuries. They currently live in fishing villages and small towns in the north of Norway - around the Varangerfjord, Porsangerfjord, Altafjord. Their occupations are fishing and work in the local, especially in the construction industry.
Of religious affiliation, almost all believers in Norway are Protestants (Lutherans).
There are more than 50,000 permanently or long-term resident foreigners in the cities of Norway, many of whom have retained their national citizenship. These are emigrants from economically highly developed and developing countries who came to Norway after the war in search of work.
Emigrants from England (8 thousand), Iceland (1 thousand) and the USA (11 thousand) are predominantly highly qualified specialists. They communicate with Norwegians in English or have mastered the Norwegian language, rarely maintain compatriot contacts in Norway, and therefore do not constitute compact national minorities.
The situation is different with emigrants from the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, mostly low-skilled workers. Emigrants from these countries have retained their language and religion, which contributes to the unification of each ethnic minority into a separate community. Even with non-compact settlement, they maintain kinship and other compatriot ties within each ethnic group.
In Norway, within its current borders, at the first census in 1769, 723 thousand people lived. With a fairly high birth rate, there was also a very high death rate, so the natural increase was only 9 people per 1 thousand inhabitants per year. - After 45 years, after the formation of the national state in the framework of a personal union with Sweden, Norway began to pick up the pace of economic development. By 1825, slightly more than 1 million people lived in the country. From 1860 - 70s. began a rapid process of capitalist development in the countryside and the city, began to free up workers, the villagers were sent to the city in search of work. Those who did not find it in the city went abroad, mainly to the USA and Canada. From 1836 to 1915, about 750 thousand people emigrated. Despite emigration, good. giving a rather high birth rate in the beginning and middle of the 19th century - the number) of the country's population by 1890 reached 2 million. people, i.e. almost doubled. The ebb of emigrants brought in late XIX in. to a certain drop in the birth rate with still very high mortality. As a result of such a long emigration, over 1 million people of Norwegian origin turned out to be outside Norway by the beginning of more than a swarm of world wars. Nevertheless, due to natural growth, the population of Norway reached 3 million people by the beginning of the 1940s. After the war, the death rate dropped sharply, but the birth rate also fell at the same time. If the average annual natural increase before 1960 was from 8 to 12 people per 1,000, then by 1.978 it had dropped to 7 people. The sex ratio has evened out. In 1976, the population of Norway exceeded 4 million people. Now it is about 4.3 million people.
Almost a third of the economically active population of Norway is employed in industry. A little more than 1/10 of the economically active population works in fishing, agriculture and forestry. A relatively large share is employed in transport, especially in the navy. Norwegians are considered the most "seafaring" nation in the world. Employment in the service sector is growing every year, where almost half of the economically active population works.
Most of the economically active population of the country is made up of workers united in trade unions. The Central Association of Trade Unions of Norway (COPN) has 600,000 members. members.
At the top of the social ladder stands the financial oligarchy, whose representatives occupy leadership positions in industry and shipping.
Norway is one of the sparsely populated countries in Europe. The average population density here is 12.8 people per 1 sq. km. km. The most densely populated south-eastern part of Norway - Estland. Here, on 1/3 of the country, along the large valleys converging to the Oslo Fjord, half of the population of Norway lives. Its density reaches 50 people per 1 sq. km,
At the same time, the plateaus of the southern part of Norway are almost deserted. The northern part of Norway, which occupies about half of the country's area, is very sparsely populated. 10% of the population lives here. Its average density in the north is less than one person per 1 sq. km. The population is concentrated in coastal cities and towns. In summer, the Saami roam the mountains with herds of deer. Between the southern and northern parts of Norway, there is a low area around the Tronnheims Fjord, where the average density reaches 4-5 people per 1 sq. km. km. Norway in the past was a peasant country. In 1890, the rural population was over 70% and the urban population a little over 20%. By the end, since the 1970s, the proportion of city dwellers had tripled. Now the share of the urban population in Norway is 78%.
A city in Norway is a densely populated area in which the distance between buildings is more than 50 m, where at least 3/4 of the economically active population is employed in all “urban sectors of the economy” (i.e., in any non-forest and non-agricultural work) and where the number of inhabitants is at least 2 thousand Norway is characterized by large cities. There are 532 urban settlements, and only in 32 of them the number of inhabitants exceeds 10 thousand people. The most populated Norwegian cities: the capital of the country Oslo (720 thousand inhabitants), Bergen and Trondheim. Most Norwegian cities are located on the sea coast. Only a few small towns are found in the Estlann valleys.
The rural population lives either on farms or in small fishing villages. Rural residents often combine work on their plots with fishing or with work in enterprises in a nearby city.
Norway stands out for the equal participation of women in all spheres of public life. So, almost half of the country's parliament is women.
Transport.
Shipping plays a leading role in both internal and external transport links. This is due to the specifics of the geographic location, the strong indentation of the coastline, combined with the mountainous terrain and the historical seafaring skills of the Norwegians. By sea is 9/10 of foreign trade and more than 1/2 of domestic cargo turnover. Norway is one of the leading shipping powers in the world. In terms of merchant fleet tonnage, it is in 5th place.
After the Second World War, when the severely damaged Norwegian fleet was restored and modernized with the help of foreign, primarily American, loans, monopoly concerns occupied a dominant position in it, which own entire fleets of motor ships and turboships and serve lines encircling the entire Earth. Such, for example, are the Wilhelmsen, Ulsen, Bergen Shipping Company concerns. The Norwegian fleet is distinguished by a large proportion of tankers, which account for more than half of the total tonnage. It is an important source of foreign exchange to cover the usually deficit trade balance. More than 80% of the Norwegian fleet is employed transportation of goods between foreign ports, which brings the country several billion crowns of foreign currency per year More than 50 million tons of various cargoes pass through the seaports of Norway annually.About half of them are iron ore in transit from Sweden, which is exported through the port of Narvik.Other major ports are Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger.
The length and transport role of railways and motor roads is rather limited. Total length railways, as a rule, single-track, is 4.24 thousand km, of which slightly more than half is electrified. The most important railway junction - the capital of Norway Oslo is connected by lines with Stockholm, Gothenburg (Sweden) and the main cities of the country - Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger.
The length of roads is 79.8 thousand km. There are 1.3 million cars in the country, of which 1.1 million are cars.
Norway's main air gate is Forneby Airport, near Oslo. Norway is one of the first places in the world in terms of passenger transportation by aircraft (calculated per capita.)
Foreign economic relations
Foreign trade, which plays an exceptionally important role in the economic life of Norway, is characterized by a traditional large deficit: the value of imports of goods far exceeds the value of their exports. This deficit, in the conditions of favorable development of international trade, was usually almost completely covered by income from foreign shipping. However, now these revenues are often not enough, and the country is forced to resort more to foreign loans, as a result of which its external debt is growing rapidly.
The structure of exports reflects all the shifts in the structure of the Norwegian economy. The share of fish and fish products is systematically falling, which in the early 1950s accounted for up to 25%, and now - only a little more than 5% of the value of exports. The same can be said about timber products. There was a slight decrease (from 30% in 1960 to 20% at the end of the 1970s) in the share of products of electrometallurgy and electrochemistry. On the other hand, the share of engineering products is constantly growing. Now it has reached more than 30% and includes a wide range of products. In recent years, oil and gas exports (through pipelines) have risen sharply. However, the pace of development of the oil economy is declining, oil production is gradually declining, while gas production, on the contrary, is on the rise. Therefore, gas exports are increasing sharply, and contracts for the sale of gas have already exceeded the total volume of 50 billion cubic meters per year.
Imports are wider and more varied. The most significant import of various products of engineering, including ships and cars. 4/5 of all exports go to European countries and about 3/4 of imports come from there. Including trade with the Nordic countries accounts for approximately 1/4 of imports and exports.
Among Norway's largest trading partners are Great Britain, Sweden and Germany. Russian-Norwegian trade is developing.
Cooperation between Norway and Russia.
BARENTS COOPERATION was formalized on January 11, 1993 in Kirkenes by the adoption of a corresponding declaration by the Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region. In many ways, it represents a small revolution in our perception of the world around us and the opportunities for development that we have. For all who were born after the end of World War II, building relationships with our Russian neighbors that resemble our ties with other neighboring countries is groundbreaking. We are all children of the Cold War, the time when the Barents region was called the northern flank, and the border between Norway and Russia was the border between NATO and the Warsaw Pact and between two very different social systems.
Today there is an opportunity to develop contacts with neighbors in a way that was unthinkable just a few years ago. In the economic field, because trade with Russia can contribute to positive economic development. In the field of environmental protection - since we have finally approached how hazardous waste is handled in Russia and how harmful substances get into the soil, atmosphere and water, we can study this and influence the process.
Russia is a weakened country characterized by economic problems and political instability. We do not know what Russia's policy will be in ten years, even in ten months or ten days. Russia can be a good partner in cooperation and a source of positive development for Norway, but there are also dangerous signs ahead. Therefore, it is necessary to establish strong ties between both societies, to create a climate of cooperation that would exist even with setbacks in the Russian reform process.
The Barents region is a region of opportunities. Here, the necessary resources are available in large quantities: fish, oil and gas, minerals, timber, and so on. So far, these opportunities have been realized only to a small extent. For reasons of political order, the reasonable and rational use of large natural resources on the territory of Russia and their management. Nature has suffered great damage, the infrastructure is underdeveloped, the economy and the structure of the economy need to be transformed, modernized and made efficient. So far, there has been no way to link together the resources, economies, expertise, and markets across the east and west sides of the border.
What can the Norwegian economy offer Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe? Until now, the main emphasis has been on trade in goods. When settled in cash, such trading is less affected by the special problems that exist in Russia than those associated with investments. Opportunities are now opening up for the establishment of much closer and stronger ties between the Norwegian and Russian economies. Fisheries emerge as a central area for the implementation of cooperation projects. Large deliveries of Russian cod by Norwegian fishery companies to fish processing enterprises made it possible to establish important ties between them. Norwegian companies also have extensive experience in the supply of equipment for the fishing fleet, as well as in other areas of production. The reorganization in Russia of the former state fisheries companies and collective farms prompted the Norwegian and Russian sides to a very gratifying and beneficial cooperation for both sides.
Energy is another area that is marked by dynamism and in which the Norwegian economy is particularly perverse. As you know, Russia is experiencing a great need to develop its energy sector in order to achieve greater production efficiency. There is a large untapped potential in the oil and gas industry in Northwest Russia that will require significant expertise, investment and equipment supplies to unlock. There are also major tasks in the field of power supply, making markets more efficient, technical improvement and energy savings.
Norway has a very competitive maritime industry. This applies to enterprises in the field of both shipping and shipbuilding, as well as the supply of equipment, and research. There must be a good basis for economic cooperation between these industries of the two countries.
The proximity of Norway to the north-west of Russia, the similarity of climatic and soil conditions create favorable conditions for the development of cooperation in the field of agriculture. The agro-industrial complex of Northern Norway has experience that can be very useful for north-western Russia, for example, with regard to the processing, processing and distribution of agricultural products.
Norwegian companies are well positioned in important sectors such as construction, mining and mineral extraction, and not least in computer science.
The strength of the Norwegian economy is its ability to combine many functions in individual industries, which have a kind of enterprise complexes that complement each other in production, service, financing, insurance, marketing, research and development. The Norwegian economy, with such complexes, especially in the fields of energy, fisheries, shipping, shipbuilding, metallurgy and wood processing, has a particularly advantageous starting position in terms of constructively promoting transformation and making the Russian economy more efficient.
There is reason to believe that as results are achieved in economic reforms in countries of Eastern Europe indicators on trade operations with Norway will increase.
The capital of Norway is Oslo.
The capital of Norway - the city of Oslo is located in the south of Norway on the shores of the Oslo Fjord and the surrounding area. About 720,000 people live here. Territorially - the administrative center - Fyulke-Akershus.
Founded in 1048, this ancient city is now predominantly built up with modern houses; buildings” of the 19th century, and even more so of the 14th-18th centuries. little has been preserved. Oslo is located on both sides of the river. Akerselv, which flows into the Bay of Björkvik in the area of \u200b\u200bthe main - East railway station. From east to west, from this station to the royal palace, stretches the main street of the city - Karl Johansgate. On the eastern shore of Pipervika Bay, the remains of the Old Town with the Akershus Fortress, built around 1300 and rebuilt in the 15th-16th centuries, have been preserved. In the northern part of the same bay, behind the port, there is a town hall building, built in 1933-1950. and richly decorated with sculptures on the outside, and paintings on historical themes on the inside. Behind the town hall, on Karl-Juhansgate Street, there is the parliament building - the Storting, erected in 1886, and the National Theater, built in l891-l899 ... Between Karl-Juhansgate Street and the port, the entire business part of the city is concentrated.
Voslo is the gateway to Norway - Forneby International Airport.
Voslo has a subway, higher educational establishments-University, Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Literature, State Academy of Arts, Conservatory. Many theaters: National Norwegian, New, Opera.
Industrial enterprises are concentrated mainly in the eastern part of the city (Estkant). More than a quarter of the country's industrial production is concentrated here: mechanical engineering (including shipbuilding, electrical and radio-electronic industries), chemical, printing, food, and clothing industries.
In the western part of Oslo (Vestkant) there are bourgeois mansions and parks, among which is the famous Frogner Park with a giant sculptural ensemble created by the famous Norwegian sculptor Henrik Vigeland. Not far from the park is his memorial museum.
There are many museums in Oslo. In the city center, next to the old buildings of the university, stands the Historical Museum (Museum of National Antiquities) with many unique archaeological exhibits of the ancient early medieval history of the country. Near this museum is the National Gallery, created in 1837 with the participation of the famous painter and graphic artist Yu.-K.-K. Dahl and exhibiting, in addition to his paintings, the works of various Schools of the 19th and 20th centuries, for example, the genre painter A. Tiedemann, the landscape painter H. Goulet, the realists K. Krag and E. Verenschell. A separate museum was established for the outstanding artist, one of the founders of expressionism, E. Munch. In the center of the city is the Museum of Applied Arts, which contains works of folk craftsmen of the past - casting and forged metal products, figured vessels carved from wood, weaving, embroidery, knitting, lace.
One of the most interesting places in Oslo, which is most readily visited by those arriving in the capital of the country, is the Bygde peninsula with its numerous museums. The largest and most significant of them is the Norwegian Folk Museum. Its exhibits characterize the culture and life of the country's population. In the park zone of the peninsula, which is spread around, in areas relatively similar in landscape to individual peculiar regions of the country, log buildings of its branch - an open-air museum are scattered. Log buildings of old peasant estates were brought here from all over the country.
There are three unique museums in the vicinity of the Norwegian Museum of Folk Life. The oldest of them is the Viking Ship Museum, which contains amazing archaeological exhibits - ancient graceful keel ships, on which the ancestors of Norwegians plied the seas around Europe and crossed the Atlantic to the shores of America.
In another museum, which is called "Fram", is kept as the main exhibit of the eponymous keel ship with an egg-shaped bottom, built according to the calculations of Fridtjof Nansen specifically to withstand ice compression in the Arctic. A quarter of a century later, another Norwegian traveler, Roald Amundsen, sailed on the Fram to the shores of Antarctica and then reached the South Pole on skis of the first people.
But perhaps the most visited museum in Bygd is “Kon-Tiki”. This is not a state museum, unlike those named here, but a private one, owned by Thor Heyerdahl. There are two main exhibits - the balsa raft “Kon-Tiki” and the papyrus boat “Ra-2”, on which the brave Norwegian made his famous voyages.
There is also a Ski Museum in Oslo, where types of skis are exhibited from ancient times to the present day.
The northwestern part of Oslo is the ski "Mecca" of Norway - Holmenkollen with a large springboard. Here, on one of the Sundays of March, the largest sports festival of the year is held. In Holmenkollen ski jumping competitions take place in the country.
It is significant that in train cars and in buses making domestic flights around the country, special places are reserved for skis - according to the number of passenger seats. Oslo, like other cities in Norway, is empty in the winter on weekends: fathers and mothers with children, grandparents with little grandchildren ski and go away from the city. In Holmenkollen and in the hilly and wooded recreation area of Nurmark, north of Oslo, the snowy slopes are full of tens of thousands of skiers. The whole nation is on skis! There is no more common item in Norwegian everyday life than skis. “Norwegian, born with skis on his feet!” - says the Norwegian proverb.
The famous Bishlet Stadium is located in the center of Oslo. In the last half century, skating has become no less popular hobby for Norwegians than skiing, and this stadium is a place of glory and many bright victories of Skorokhodov on ice at the world and European championships held here.
Bibliography
1. Starikovich G. Refusal to join the EU - Feature or regularity? MEIMO. 1997. No. 6 p.75.
2. Sergeev P. Norwegian Petroleum Directorate and its educational program. MEiMO. 1994 No. 3 p.140
3. Burnaeva E. Northern Europe in the international division of labor. // MEiMO. 1994. No. 12 p. 100.
4. "Greetings from Norway" Economy and life. 1992. No. 36 (supplement).
5.Geographical Encyclopedic Dictionary (Moscow 1984)
6. Economic geography foreign countries(Moscow 1992)
7.Countries of the World. Reference books (1992-1993)
8. Journal "International Life" (1991-1994)
9. Gunderson T. Norway - economic and other development in the Barents region.// MEiMO. 1994. No. 7-8.
10. Great Soviet Encyclopedia 1990
For the preparation of this work, materials from the site referat2000.bizforum.ru/
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The Kingdom of Norway is located in the northeastern part of Europe. Part of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle. Part of the country is washed by the waters of the North, Barents and Norwegian Seas.
Administratively, Norway consists of 19 provinces and three independent territories.
Largest cities: Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger.
The capital of Norway is the city of Oslo.
Borders and area
Norway shares land borders with Russia, Sweden and Finland.
The country covers an area of 386,000 square kilometers.
Norway map
Timezone
Population
4,902,000 people.
Language
The official language is Norwegian.
Religion
About 90% of the Norwegian population are evangelical Lutherans.
Finance
The official currency is the Norwegian krone.
Medical care and insurance
Before visiting the country, be sure to purchase international health insurance. Otherwise, you will feel all the high cost
communication with Norwegian doctors.
Mains voltage
220-230 Volts. Frequency 50 Hz.
International dialing code
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Despite the northern position, Norway is inherent favorable climate with cool summers and relatively mild winters - the result of the influence of the Gulf Stream. Average annual rainfall varies from 3330 mm in the West, where moisture-carrying winds first arrive, up to 250 mm in some isolated river valleys in the east countries. January average temperature 0°C characteristic of the southern and western coasts, while in the interior it drops to -4°C and less. In July, average temperatures on the coast approx. 14°C, and in the interior - approx. 16°C, but there are higher.
Visas, entry rules, customs rules
Norway is included in the countries Schengen Agreement.
When applying for a tourist visa, the applicant must provide the following documents:
Two copies of the completed application form. The questionnaire is completed in English or Norwegian.
- Two color photographs pasted on visa application forms (light background, size 3x4 cm.)
- A foreign passport valid for at least three months from the date of return.
- Booking a hotel, camping, etc.
- Booking tickets (round trip).
- Medical insurance, as well as green card car insurance and a copy of the driver's license if the tourist visa applicant plans to travel in a private car.
- Confirmation that the visa applicant has sufficient funds to cover travel expenses (bank statement).
- Certificate from the employer.
- Description of the route with a daily indication of overnight stays.
- When applying for a visa for children (under 18), the package of documents is the same as for an adult.
Consular fee for processing a visa application is 1250 Russian rubles for citizens of Russia and Ukraine.
Children under 17 released from the payment of the consular fee
In addition to general documents necessary present:
For children accompanied by one of the parents - a notarized permission to travel abroad from the other parent. For children traveling unaccompanied by their parents - a notarized permission to travel abroad from both parents.
Deadline for submission of documents- not less than 10 business days before the start of the trip.
Import and export of foreign currency not limited. Import of national currency limited the amount of 25 thousand crowns. Importing larger amounts necessary be accompanied by the completion of a special customs declaration. About traveler's checks no restrictions.
duty free up to 2 liters of beer, up to 1 liter of spirits (up to 60%), up to 1 liter of wine (up to 22%) or up to 2 liters of wine if spirits are not imported, as well as up to 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco (subject to the importer reaching the age of 18), household items and items - within the limits of personal needs, food - up to 10 kg, motor gasoline - no more than 200 liters (including no more than 10 liters in a canister). The total value of imported items and products must not exceed 5 thousand crowns. Import of spirits allowed only for persons over 20 years old, beer and wine - over 18 years old. Importation of medicines for personal use is possible only with written permission(prescription) doctor.
Forbidden transit of weapons, drugs, some medicines without the appropriate permits from the customs authorities and prescription escort, as well as the import of raw meat, fresh vegetables and dairy products. Forbidden export of protected species of animals and birds, items of artistic, cultural and historical value. Violation of customs rules leads to the cancellation of a visa and a ban on entry into the country for a sufficiently long period.
Population, political condition
Except for Iceland, Norway - least populated country in Europe. In addition, the distribution of the population is extremely uneven. In the capital of the countryOslo resides 495 thousand people, a in the Oslo Fjord concentrated approximately one third of the country's population. Other big cities - Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Berum, Kristiansand, Fredrikstad, Tromsø and Drammen.
metropolitan city located at the top of the Oslofjord, where ocean-going ships dock close to the town hall. Bergen also occupies an advantageous position at the top of the fjord. Almost all major cities are located either on the shores of the sea or fjord, or close to them.
The strip, confined to a winding coastline, has always been attractive for settlements due to its access to the sea and temperate climatic conditions. With the exception of large valleys in the east and some areas in the west of the central highlands, all interior highlands are sparsely populated. However certain areas are visited in certain seasonshunters, Sami nomads with reindeer herds or Norwegian farmers grazing cattle there. After the construction of new and reconstruction of old roads, as well as with the opening of air traffic, some mountainous areas became available for permanent residence.
Norse- extremely homogeneous people of German origin. A special ethnic group is Saami, of which there are approx. 20 thousand. They live in the far north at least 2 thousand years old, and some of them still lead a nomadic lifestyle.
Despite the ethnic homogeneity of Norway, there are clearly distinct two forms of Norwegian. Bokmål, or book language used by most Norwegians, derived from Danish-Norwegian, common among educated people at a time when Norway was under Danish rule. Nyunoshk, or New Norwegian, received formal recognition in the 19th century. He was created by linguist I. Osen based on rural, predominantly western, dialects with an admixture of elements of the medieval Old Norse language.
Form of government - a constitutional monarchy. head of state - King. supreme legislative body Storting (parliament), consisting of 2 chambers: lagting and odelstinga elected for a term of 4 years. Supreme executive body - State Council .
What to watch
The first place in Norway in terms of the number of visitors is Museum of Norwegian Glory, which was discovered on the peninsula Bygday. In its various pavilions are carefully stored ships of the great Norwegian navigators; viking ships with a pointed and curved nose proudly upturned. Black oak shines like coal. The nose of one ship ends in a thin curl, the other is crowned with a dragon's head with an open mouth. Another museum - fram». Its main exhibit- eponymous egg-bottomed keel ship, which is built to withstand the ice compression of the Arctic. In general, there are many museums in Oslo. In the city center, next to the old buildings of the university, rises Historical Museum.
Beautiful city Alta. Here, in 1991 open Rock Art Museum. rock art demonstrated here in the open air, by the decision of UNESCO classified as objects of the world cultural heritage . These are the most massive cave paintings in Northern Europe, made 2500-6000 years ago, that is, dating back to the end of the Neolithic (Stone Age).
For about 5 km along the organized paths with wooden footbridges, you can see more 3000 drawings with scenes of deer, elk and bear hunting. Documentation is provided, as well as guided tours.
fjords- the main attraction of the country. The entire coastline of the country is indented by these narrow and deep bays, sung even in the ancient Scandinavian sagas. Most Popular tourists Yairangerfjord, Lysefjord, Sognefjord, Hardangerfjord, Stavangerfjord, Skjoldenfjord, Glomfjord, Geirangerfjord and others, many of which are framed by waterfalls tumbling down from cliffs and small colorful fishing villages. Sea excursions in the fjords - the most exciting trip in Norway.
Western part of Europe's largest Scandinavian Peninsula occupy harsh and rocky scandinavian mountains, stretching for almost 1700 km from the skagerrak strait to the northernmost tip of this part of the world - Cape North Cape. Their steepness and inaccessibility is already evidenced by the fact that on the 200 km section of the Oslo-Bergen railway there are 178 tunnels. That's what the mountains of Scandinavia are! Rising above the waters of the Norwegian Sea 1500-2400 m, they consist of many plateaus and ridges, separated by narrow, deep and winding bays - fjords.
Royal Palace built in 1825-1848, it serves mainly as a place of receptions and the official office of the king. This is a long yellow building, not too stately, looking good at the end of the main avenue. Unfortunately, it is closed to the public, but you can attend Changing of the Guard of the King's Guard in 13.30 . Left, on the square of June 7, rises statue of the first king Haakon, sculpted Niels Aas.
Very beautiful royal residence, literally immersed in greenery. close Queen's garden there are ponds where swans swim. In the same garden there is a bronze figure of one of the rulers of the past era. In general, the park is about 150 works by the sculptor Vigeland(1869-1943).
In the city center of Tensberg located and West Fall-Vilkesmuseum, with his expositions on archeology, traditional fisheries and whaling. Here is located open-air museum(13 buildings). Gallery Haugar-Westfold-Kunstmuseum exhibited interesting paintings and handicrafts North of Tønsberg(5 km) is the famous royal barrow, during the excavations of which in 1904. was found among other treasures drakkar, which served as the tomb of two queens ( 830g.)
Behind the Town Hall, on Karl Johansgate, and behind the port focused business part of the city. Western part of Oslo abounds in numerous parks, among which the famous frogner park with a giant sculptural ensemble G. Vigeland. The history of Frogner Park is also interesting. First of all, the entrance to it is unusual - gate with square lanterns and grating with a thin through pattern like in stained glass. Such lanterns and lattices with figures of men and women border the platforms with steps leading to the central hill of the park.
AT 1914 In the same year, a large exhibition was held at this place, and the sculptor G, Vigellan ordered a fountain for her. The master suggested decorating the park with a grandiose sculptural composition instead of a fountain. The Oslo city government supported this idea, and the sculptor devoted his whole life to its realization.
In Troms you can visit theatreHolo-galand, arctic cathedral glass and metal, museum « Polaria», lift to Mount Fløya. Thousands of tourists visit monument, marking a line at the center of the Arctic Circle on Saltfjell. Also interesting Military Museum Tromsø in Bardu, unique rock paintings 2500-4500 years old in Blasfjord, chalk caves in Rana, waterfalls in Reisadalen, the cathedralin the capital of Nordland - Bodø, majestic fjords, stalactite cave with the underground Grönli Grotto waterfall, church and " meridian stone» in Hammerfest. Of great interest are the numerous beautiful islands and areas almost untouched by man, where many representatives of the polar flora and fauna live.
Like many medieval cities in Europe, Oslo has town hall- a huge building, lined with red brick, very interesting and original in its architecture. The two wide towers of the City Hall are visible from all parts of the city. Together with the semicircular square and the street opposite its main entrance, the Town Hall creates a single ensemble. Above the main entrance of the Town Hall, as a symbol of the equality of women, there is a figure of a Norwegian girl.
Central Hall of the City Hall just huge (its height 21 meters), it has very lots of wall art, the combination of plots of which is the most diverse: episodes from the history of the labor movement and near image of a prosperous trading house;Gestapo raid on a working-class family's apartment and paintings from the life of Saint Holvard. From the side of the embankment in front of the Town Hall there are six bronze figures, representing the professions of the workers who built this building.
Rock Preikestolen located opposite Stavanger on the other side of the fjord. It takes a whole day to go there and back. Giant 600 meter cliff, eroded, looms dizzyingly over the green waters Lysefjord(Lysefjord). Very beautiful in itself, Lysefjord is mentioned by Victor Hugo in " Toilers of the sea". There are two options to admire this miracle. If a above, then you need to use by ferry from the Fis-kepiren embankment. If you want to admire the rock from below then go on the boat from Stavanger to Lysefjord.
Trondheim famous Cathedrals of St. Clement and Nidaros (12th century) With tomb of St. Olaf, Archbishop's Palace(12th century.) and Ringwe Music Museum, and on the territory of the southern outskirts of the city numerous Viking Age sites (8th-11th centuries.).
Interesting surroundings Mountain Botanical Garden « Köngsvöld» in Oppdal og Orkdalen, Rhine Abbeyin Rissa, many prehistoric monuments ( grave hills, menhirs and stone circles in Eggekfammen and Thingfall), farm Helge in Biaphossen, fortress ruinsin Steinviksholm (1525.), cave drawings and grave hills in Skogne, haile, Lirvalle and le caoya, National parks Grossmoen and Borgefjell, as well as the best salmon river in the country - namsen.
City Bergen by the number of attractions far exceeds the capital. The glory of the city was brought by the famous Hanseatic Bryggen(inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List),Bergenhus fortress (1261), rosencrania tower (1546.), old Fish market to Torget(work with 13th century.), Aquarium- one of the best in Europe, Maria Kirken(church of St. Virgin Mary,12th century), Bergen Art Museum with a beautiful a collection of paintings by Munch, Miro and Picasso,manor of Edvard Grieg - Trollhaugen (« Troll Hill”) on the picturesque shore of the lake, funicular« Floybanen and hundreds of gingerbread houses» under tiled roofs.
Most sightseeing trips start from Bergen on " Troll country”, to the longest and deepest fjord in Norway - Sognefjord, to the most beautiful Hardangerfjordu, on the ice massif Jostedalsbren, to the lake Dyupswati, to the waterfalls in the area Geirangerfjord and Trollveggen, to the unique railway flåm - Voss (20 tunnels for 46 km), as well as to the picturesque rocky peaks near Odda, Svel gene and Andalsnes.
There is evidence that primitive hunters lived in some areas on the northern and northwestern coast of Norway shortly after the retreat of the ice sheet. However, the naturalistic drawings on the walls of the caves along the west coast were created much later. Agriculture slowly spread in Norway after 3000 BC. During the Roman Empire the inhabitants of Norway had contact with the Gauls, runic writing appeared and the process of settling the territory of Norway was carried out at a rapid pace. FROM 400 ADpopulation replenished by migrants from the south, laying " way north". At that time, in order to organize local self-defense, there were created the first tiny kingdoms.
The sparsely populated islands of Scotland were probably mastered by immigrants from Norway long before the first documented Viking campaign in England in 793 AD. Over the next two centuries, the Norwegian Vikings were actively engaged in plundering foreign lands.
AT 1170 by decree of the pope was created archbishopric in Trondheim with five suffragan bishoprics in Norway and six in the Western Isles, Iceland and Greenland. Norway has become the spiritual center of a vast territory in the North Atlantic.
13th century was the last period of independence and greatness in the early history of Norway. During this century were collected norse sagas telling about the country's past.
Down to the middle 17th century in Norway there were no prominent politicians and artists and before 1643 few books published.
After the establishment of absolutism in 1661 Denmark and Norway began to be considered twin kingdoms»; thus, their equality was formally recognized. In the law code of Christian IV, which had a great influence on Danish law, the serf relations that existed in Denmark did not extend to Norway, where the number of free landowners was growing rapidly. AT 18th centurythe forest was sold mainly to the UK and were often transported on Norwegian ships. From Bergen and other ports exported fish. Norwegian trade especially prospered during wars between the great powers. AT 1807 The British bombarded Copenhagen and the Danish-Norwegian fleet was taken to England to keep it from Napoleon. Blockade of Norway caused great damage by English warships, and the Danish king was forced to establish a provisional administration - government commission. After the defeat of Napoleon, Denmark was forced to cede Norway to the Swedish king..
Refusing to obey, the Norwegians took advantage of the situation and convened State Assembly of Representatives, put forward mainly from the wealthy classes. It took liberal constitution and elected the Danish heir to the throne, Viceroy of Norway, Christian Frederik, king. However failed to defend independence because of the position of the great powers, which guaranteed Sweden the accession of Norway to it. The Swedes sent troops against Norway, and Norwegians were forced to agree to a union with Sweden while maintaining the constitution and independence in internal affairs.
In the middle of the 19th century. has begun national economic recovery. AT 1849 Norway provided most of the UK's freight traffic. The free trade trends that prevailed in Great Britain, in turn, favored the expansion of Norwegian exports and opened the way to import of british cars, as well as to creation of textile and other small businesses in Norway. AT 1860s were created stationary primary schools, replacing mobile ones, when one rural teacher moved from one settlement to another. At the same time began organization of secondary public schools.
First political parties started operating in Storting in 1870-1880s. After the introduction of universal conscription in 1897 it became difficult for conservatives to ignore calls for Norway's independence.
AT 1905 the union with Sweden was broken under a coalition government led by the leader of the Liberal Party, the shipowner Christian Mikkelsen.
During the First World War Norway kept neutrality, although Norwegian sailors sailed on Allied ships breaking through the blockade organized by German submarines. In gratitude to Norway for the support of the Entente country in 1920 gave her sovereignty over the Svalbard archipelago.
April 9, 1940 Germany unexpectedly attacked Norway. The country was taken by surprise. Only in the Oslofjord area were the Norwegians able to put up stubborn resistance to the enemy thanks to reliable defensive fortifications. Within three weeks, the German troops dispersed throughout the interior of the country, preventing individual formations of the Norwegian army from uniting. Seaport Narvik in the far north was recaptured from the Germans a few days later, but Allied support was insufficient, and when Germany launched offensive operations in Western Europe, the Allied forces had to be evacuated. The king and government fled to Great Britain, where they continued to lead the merchant fleet, small infantry units, naval and air force. The Storting gave the king and government the authority to lead the country from abroad.
Norway has created puppet government headed by Vidkun Quisling. In addition to acts of sabotage and active underground propaganda resistance leaders secretly organized military training and transported many young people to Sweden, where permission was obtained for training " police units". The king and government returned to the country June 7, 1945. Approximately 90,000 cases were initiated in court on charges of high treason and other offences. Quisling, along with 24 traitors, was shot, 20 thousand people were sentenced to prison. Was introduced state control for the prices of goods and services.
Financial and credit policy governments helped maintain fairly high growth rates of economic indicators even during the global downturn in 1970s.
AT 1980s environmental issues play an important role. In particular, the forests of Norway have been hit hard by acid rain caused by the release of pollutants into the atmosphere by UK industries. As a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 significant damage was done to the Norwegian reindeer herding.
After the election 1985 negotiations between the socialists and their opponents reached an impasse. The fall in oil prices gave rise to inflation, there were problems with the financing of social security programs. Willock resigned and returned to power bruntland. Election results 1989 hindered the formation of a coalition government. Conservative non-socialist minority government led by Yana Suce resorted to unpopular measures that stimulated the growth of unemployment. A year later, it resigned due to disagreements over the creation of the European Economic Area. Labor Party led by Brutland, re-formed a minority government which, in 1992 resumed negotiations on Norway's accession to the EU.
AT 1990s Norway has come under increasing international criticism for its refusal to stop commercial whale slaughter. AT 1996 International Fisheries Commission upholds export ban on whaling products from Norway.
In May 1996 broke out the largest recent labor conflict in shipbuilding and metallurgy. After a strike that swept the entire industry, the unions succeeded in lowering the retirement age from 64 to 62 years.
In October 1996 Prime Minister Bruntland resigns hoping to give his party a better chance in the upcoming parliamentary elections. AT 1998 the king and queen were criticized for excessive spending of public funds on the arrangement of their apartments.
Norway actively participates in international cooperation in particular in resolving the situation in the Middle East. AT 1998 bruntland was appointed Director General of the World Health Organization. Jens Stoltenberg performed Responsibilities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Norway continues to be criticized environmentalists per ignoring agreements to limit the harvest of marine mammals- whales and seals.
After the election 2001 returned to power Bondevik, which formed coalition government involving conservatives and liberals. Government parties had only 62 seats out of 165 in parliament. Representatives of Progress parties” were not included in the cabinet, but supported him in the Storting. However, this alliance was not sustainable. In November 2004 The Progress Party refused to support the cabinet, accusing it of insufficient funding for hospitals and hospitals. The crisis was averted as a result of intensive negotiations.
In the beginning. 2000s Norway experienced economic growth associated with the oil boom. The entire period saw steady economic growth, fueled by oil revenues reserve fund has been accumulated volume in $181.5 billion whose funds were placed abroad.
The arguments of the left were supported by the Norwegians. In the parliamentary elections in September 2005 won the opposition left-wing coalition NRP, « Socialist Left Party" and " Center Party". CHP leader Stoltenberg in October 2005 took over as prime minister. Differences remain between the winning parties on issues of accession to the EU, NATO membership, increasing oil production and building a gas power plant.
Leading trading partners Norway, both in terms of exports and imports, are Germany, Sweden and Great Britain, followed by Denmark, Netherlands and USA. Dominant export items by cost - oil and gas, finished goods. Products are exportedoil refining and petrochemical,timber industry, electrochemical and electrometallurgical industry, food.Main imports -finished goods, foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials.Country imports some types mineral fuel, bauxites,iron, manganese and chrome ore, cars.
In recent years export volume estimated around $110 billion, import volume- near 60 billion. Leading export partners:Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands, France, USA and Sweden, on import- Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, China, USA and Netherlands.
The shops
Shops are open Monday through Friday With 9 before 17 , a on the weekend With 9 before 15 . Some cities in Norway trading ends on Thursdays in 19 hours.
Supermarkets closed a little later. on weekdays in 20-21 , on the weekend in 18 hours. The most famous store is considered to be located in the capital of Norway, a multi-storey Oslo city where you can buy anything.
Demography
Population of Norway small and is growing at a slow pace.
The country is home to about 4600 thousand people. Per 1 thousand people birth rate is11,89 ,mortality 9,51 , a population growth - 0,41% . This figure is higher than natural population growth due to immigration, which in the 1990s reached 8-10 thousand people a year.
Improvements in health and living standards have ensured a steady, albeit slow, increase in population over the last two generations. Norway, along with Sweden, is characterized record low infant mortality rates - 3,73 per 1,000 newborns versus 7.5 in the US. Expected life expectancymen is 76,64 years and women82,01 years. Although Norway's divorce rate was below some of its neighboring Nordic countries, after 1945 this figure increased, and in the mid-1990s, about half of all marriages ended in divorce (as in the US and Sweden). 48% of children born in Norway in 1996 are illegitimate. After the restrictions introduced in 1973, immigration to Norway was sent mainly from the Scandinavian countries for some time, but after 1978 there was a significant gap people of Asian descent(about 50 thousand people). In the 1980s and 1990s, Norway accepted refugees from Pakistan, African countries and the republics of the former Yugoslavia.
Industry
In the Norwegian sector of the North Sea large reserves are concentratedoil and natural gas. In this district commercial oil reserves evaluated in 1.5 billion tons, a gas- in 765 billion cubic meters m. 3/4 of the total reserves and oil fields in Western Europe are concentrated here. By oil reserves Norway went to 11th in the world. The Norwegian sector of the North Sea contains half of all gas reserves in Western Europe, and Norway in this respect holds 10th in the world. Prospective oil reserves reach 16.8 billion tons, a gas - 47.7 trillion cube m. More than 17 thousand Norwegians are engaged in oil production. The presence of large oil reserves in the waters of Norway north of the Arctic Circle has been established.
With the exception of fuel resources, Norway has few mineral resources. Main metal resource- iron ore. Another large mine in the Rana region supplies the nearby large steel plant in the city of Mu.
Copper mined mainly in the far north. In the north are also pyrite deposits used to extract sulfur compounds for the chemical industry. Mining is also underway building stone, including granite and marble.
The manufacturing industry in Norway is developing slowly due to the lack of coal, the narrowness of the domestic market and limited capital inflows. The manufacturing, construction and energy sectors account for 26% gross output and 17% all employed. In recent years, have developed energy-intensive industries. Major Industries in Norway- electrometallurgical, electrochemical, pulp and paper, electronic, shipbuilding. The Oslofjord region is characterized by the highest level of industrialization, where about half of the country's industrial enterprises are concentrated.
Leading Industry - electrometallurgy based on the widespread use of cheap hydropower. main product, aluminum, is made from imported aluminum oxide.
One of the main products of the electrochemical industry are nitrogen fertilizers. The nitrogen necessary for this is extracted from the air using a large amount of electricity. A significant part of nitrogen fertilizers is exported.
Pulp and paper industry is an important industrial sector in Norway. Approx. 25% industrial workers in Norway. The most important areas of activity- shipbuilding and ship repair, release of equipment for production and electricity transmission. Textile, clothing and food industry supply few products for export. They provide most of Norway's own needs for food and clothing. These industries employ about 20% industrial workers of the country.
Flora and fauna
Since most of the country is occupied by mountains, plateaus and glaciers, the opportunities for plant growth and development are limited. Allocate five geobotanical regions: treeless coastal with meadows and shrubs, east of itdeciduous forests, further inland and north - coniferous forests, higher and further northbelt of dwarf birches,willows and perennial herbs; finally, at the highest altitudes - grass belt, mosses and lichens. coniferous forests - one of the most important natural resources Norway, they provide a variety of export products. in the arctic region usually found reindeer, lemming,arctic fox and eider. In the forests to the very south of the country found ermine, hare, elk, fox, squirrel and - in a small amount - wolf and Brown bear. Noble deer widespread along the south coast.
Banks and money
Norwegian banknotes / Currency converter
Banks usually open on weekdays With 9 before 15 hours, and on Saturday- With 9 before 12:30 .
To Oslo bank at the train stationsummer and in September works in Weekdays With 8 before 19:30 , a on Saturday With 10 before 17 . Bank in the airport open even on sunday With 7 before 20 hours.
Unit of money circulation-Norwegian krone.
In the budget, the main sources of income there is social security contributions, income taxes and on property, excise taxes and value added tax. The main expenditures were directed to social security and housing construction, external debt servicing, public education and health care.
Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, having the status of a state, is under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, Science and Religion and includes 11 dioceses. By law, the king and at least half of all ministers must confess Lutheranism although changes to this provision are under discussion. Church councils play a very active role in the life of parishes, especially in the west and south of the country. The Norwegian church supported many public events and equipped important missions to Africa and India. internal message . State ownedrailways about 4 thousand km, of which more than half are electrified. However, most of the population prefers to travel by car. Total length highways exceeds 90.3 thousand km, but only 74% of which are hard coated. In addition to railways and highways, there are ferry service and coastal shipping. In 1946 Norway, Sweden and Denmark founded the airline " Scandinavian Airlines Systems". developed in Norway local air service: in terms of domestic passenger traffic, it occupies one of the first places in the world. Railway length - 4077 km, of them 2518 kmelectrified.
Can be taken rent a car. For this need a driver's license, an identity document and a credit card confirming solvency. Also charged a number of fees.
Minerals
Country has large deposits various ores, non-ferrous metals, granite, feldspar etc.
Norway - global manufacturerferromanganese, copper,zinc, titanium, molybdenum, tin, aluminum, magnesium, vanadium, cobalt, mica, ilmenite. As for mineral fuels, only small reserves of hard coals were previously known in the Svalbard archipelago.
However, the discovery in the 1970s of oil and gas fields on the continental shelf in the North and Norwegian Seas revolutionized the assessment of the country's fuel and energy potential. Oil reserves in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea were estimated in 1976 in 2.5 billion tons, a natural gas- in 708 billion cubic meters m. Stocks pyrites (sulfur pyrite), which in places contain copper, as well as ilmenite (titanium ore), nickel, molybdenum and magnetite ores constitute the metal ore minerals of Norway. Open in southern Norwayuranium deposits. Copper pyrite deposits are mainly in the central part of the country. Copper-nickel deposits sulfate ores are located on South, in the district of Ringerike. Ilmenite ores, rich in titanium dioxide, are found in large quantities in northern Norway and in the extreme southwest, in the area of the city of Egersund, where the deposit itself is called - Titania. It is the largest in foreign Europe, and thanks to it, Norway is considered one of the most important suppliers of ilmenite in the world.
The iron ores of Norway contain little phosphorus, and this improves their quality, but at the same time they are all poor in iron, which means they are enriched. The largest deposits of magnetite ores concentrated in the north of Norway - in the mines Servanger and Wound. However, the ores here contain little iron. Deposits of iron-rich ores available in the upper reaches Tronnheimsfjord. Norway has very large reserves building stone.
Agriculture
As in other Scandinavian countries, in Norway the share of agriculture in the economy has declined due to the development of the manufacturing industry. AT rural and forestry busy 5,2% working-age population of the country, and these industries gave a total 2,2% general production. Natural conditions of Norway - high latitude and short growing season, marginal soils, abundance of precipitation and cool summer- very complicate the development of agriculture. As a result, mainly fodder crops and is of great importance dairy products. Every fourth Norwegian family cultivates their personal plot.
Agriculture in Norway - unprofitable branch of the economy, which is in an extremely difficult situation, despite subsidies provided to support peasant farms in remote areas and expand the country's food supply from domestic resources. Country have to import most of the food consumed. Many farmers produce only enough agricultural products to meet family needs. Additional income gives work in fish or forestau pair.
Seasonal transhumance, in particular sheep, to mountain pastures ceased after World War II. Mountain pastures and temporary settlements, used for only a few weeks in the summer, are no longer needed, as forage crops have increased in the fields around the permanent settlements.
.Norwegian for a very long time" eyeing"to the interlocutor, holding back his emotions and never does not evaluate events "at first sight". At the same time, and with a sense of humor and quick reaction, contrary to popular belief, local residents everything is fine. Respect for elders universally emphasized polite, respectful appeal to the elderly can be seen even among the "informal" youth.
Traditions are very important in Norwegian society. The royal family is highly respected, so ironic remarks about the monarch not accepted in any form. Norse do not hug when meeting, but just shake hands, while often only denote a handshake with the fingertips. Parting they are affectionately pat each other on the back.
Electricity
Norway is a country with a curious structure, the presence of which speaks of an appropriate level of civilized health care. We are talking about health inspectorate Norway, which is a national government agency administered by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. This supervision is exercised over all services prescribed by law, regardless of whether they are represented by state medical institutions, municipal institutions, private companies or medical professionals who have their own medical practice. Supervisory bodies do not depend on the political situation, and have a significant degree of freedom, and their main method of action is industry monitoring. They also deal with any shortcomings, non-compliance with established criteria, and complaints from individuals.
Geographic location of Norway.
Climate and nature of Norway.
NORWAY, Kingdom of Norway (Kongeriket Norge), a state in Northern Europe, in Scandinavia. Norway belongs to the arch. Svalbard (incl. Bear Island) in the Arctic Ocean and about. Jan Mayen in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as about. Bouvet off the coast of Antarctica. Area 387 thousand km2 (including islands). The population is about 4.55 million people (2003).
More than 1/3 of the territory of Norway is located beyond the Arctic Circle. Most of the surface is occupied by the Scandinavian mountains (height up to 2469 m, the city of Galepiggen). Their steep western and northwestern slopes are dissected by the fjords of the North and Norwegian Seas (Sognefjord, Hardangerfjord, Tron Heimsfjord, etc.), the more gentle eastern slopes are cut by deep valleys (Österdal, etc.). In the south - the high plateaus (fjelds) of Yutunheimen, Telemark, etc., in the north - the Finmarken plateau. There are many islands off the coast (Lofoten, Vesterlen, etc.).
The climate of Norway is temperate oceanic, in the far north - subarctic. There are glaciers on the fjelds (area of about 3 thousand km2), significant glaciation on the islands of Svalbard. Mountain rivers with rapids and waterfalls are rich in hydropower resources. The largest - r. Glomma. Many lakes (occupy approx. 4% of the territory of Norway). Forests are predominantly taiga, in the extreme south - broad-leaved, covering 27% of the country's territory. In the north and on the tops of the fields there are tundra and forest-tundra. Large national parks: Bergefjell, South Spitsbergen, Northwest Svalbard, Northeast Svalbard. The subpolar fauna is preserved: arctic fox, Norwegian lemming, polar birds (including the Norwegian eider), in the forests - the Norwegian forest cat. The seas washing Norway are rich in fish (cod, mackerel, herring).
State structure of Norway.
Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a constitution of 1814. The King is the head of state and executive power. He appoints the government (Council of State) and the prime minister. The leader of the party that wins the parliamentary elections is appointed prime minister. Legislative power - the Storting, consists of two chambers, the Lagting and the Odelsting. Deputies are elected by popular vote.
The administrative-state structure of Norway.
19 counties (provinces).
The population of Norway.
Norway is a mono-ethnic country: Norwegians make up 98%. National minorities - Sami (about 20 thousand people), Kvens (Norwegian Finns), Swedes. Official language- Norwegian. The classical literary Norwegian language - riksmol - developed on the basis of the Danish language. At the end of the 19th century in contrast to riksmol, a new literary language was created on the basis of rural Norwegian dialects - lannsmol or nynorshk ("new Norwegian"). Both rixmol and lannsmol are considered equal literary languages, but the former is much more common. The dominant religion is Evangelical Lutheranism (87.8% of believers). The population density is 14.0 people/km2. St. 1/5 of the population is concentrated in the south of Norway, on a narrow coastal strip around the Oslo Fjord (1/2) and Trondheims Fjord. Urban population - 80%, including over 1/5 in the metropolitan agglomeration.
Economy of Norway.
Industry and economy of Norway.
Norway's GNP per capita is currently the highest in Scandinavia and 4th in the world ($34,310 per capita, 1998). To a large extent, well-being depends on the oil and gas producing and oil refining industries. Since the mid 1990s. Norway becomes the second in the world, after Saudi Arabia, an oil exporter. OK. half of export and 1/10 of government revenues comes from oil and gas trade. More than a quarter of all Norwegian investment is in the construction of drilling platforms in the North Sea, west of Bergen, where one of the world's largest natural gas fields is located. The Norwegians built the world's largest drilling platform, with a displacement of 1 million tons and a height of 465 m.
Norway has a large hydropower potential (in terms of electricity production per capita, the country ranks first in the world), forests, deposits of iron, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, titanium, molybdenum, silver, marble, granite.
A third of the electricity produced in Norway is consumed by the steel industry. Norway is Europe's largest producer of aluminum and magnesium. Europe's largest titanium ore deposit is located in southwestern Norway.
Mechanical engineering specializes in the production of equipment for the oil and gas production and oil refining industries. Platforms are also delivered to other countries. Another important branch of engineering is shipbuilding. Main part of the industrial. Norway's potential is concentrated in the south of the country (4/5 industrial products); OK. 9/10 prom. enterprises of the country are concentrated in port cities.
In Norway, no more than 3% of all land is cultivated, and only 6% of the population is employed in agriculture. The number of farms reaches 200,000, and most of them are small: about half of all farms have plots of no more than 10 hectares, and only 1% of farmers own more than 50 hectares of land. The leading industry is intensive animal husbandry of the meat and dairy direction. Sheep breeding is developed. Norway provides itself with agricultural products of its own production by 40%. Grain crops Norway is forced to import.
Forests cover 27% of the country's area. And forestry is a small but very important industry for local farmers.
The fish processing industry is almost as important to Norway as the extraction of oil and gas. The main fish processing centers are Stavanger, Bergen, Alesund, Trondheim. A significant part of Russian fishermen gives their catch for processing to Norway. Russia is also one of the largest consumers of finished fish products.
The monetary unit is the Norwegian krone.
History of Norway.
The history of Norway in the Early Middle Ages is closely connected with common history Vikings. At the turn of the 9th-10th centuries. the political unification of the country began under the rule of King Harald I Horfager (completed in the 13th century). In 995, King Olaf I Trygvason began the Christianization of the country, completed by Olaf II the Holy in the beginning. 11th c. In the second half of the 12th c. due to turmoil in the ruling dynasty, the arbitrariness of the higher clergy and large landowners, civil wars began. The Birkebeiners (i.e., "babblers", the common people) were led by Sverrir, the king's illegitimate son. He won and established a strong one-man rule in Norway, based on broad layers of small and medium landowners (bonds). Sverrier placed royalty above the church. The peasants in Norway remained personally free. In 1262-1264. Iceland became a Norwegian possession.
From 1397 under the Kalmar Union, Norway united into Denmark and Sweden, actually falling under the rule of Denmark. From 1537 this was fixed by turning the country into a province of Denmark. According to one of the Kiel Peace Treaties of 1814, Norway passed to Sweden. The Norwegians refused to accept such a treaty and proclaimed the Eidsvoll constitution. But Sweden enforced the union by force, which existed until 1905. In 1905, Norway dissolved the union and, following a referendum, declared itself a constitutional monarchy. Charles of Denmark from the Glucksburg dynasty was elected king (he took the name Haakon VII). Since 1935, the Norwegian Workers' Party (of a social democratic persuasion) has been in power almost all the time. In 1940 the country was occupied by German troops, the government and the king emigrated to London. Norway is liberated by the forces of the allies and the USSR. Norway has been a member of NATO since 1949.
The Kingdom of Norway is a country located in Northern Europe. The state got its name from an ancient Scandinavian phrase meaning "way to the north."
Norway
Norway is surrounded by three seas: the Barents, Norwegian and North. This is a rather elongated country, one third of the territory of which is occupied by forests and reservoirs. Over half of it is covered by mountains. Almost the entire coastline of Norway is indented by narrow bays - fjords. Norway can be described by its borders. The country is bordered by Sweden, Finland and Russian Federation. Approximately one third of the mainland of the country is located north of the Arctic Circle.
The geographical position of Norway obliges the country to make tourism one of the main types of income.
general information
Approximately 5 million people live in the country.
The form of government here is a constitutional monarchy. The capital of the country where the residence of the king is located is the city of Oslo.
History reference
For the first time, mentions of the state appear at the beginning of our era, when the land of present-day Norway was inhabited by Scandinavian tribes, who during the Middle Ages decided to sail across the entire Atlantic.
At the end of the 10th century, the country began to profess Christianity. After 1380, Norway became subject to Denmark. She was able to free herself from the power of this country only after the Anglo-Danish war of 1807-1814, while falling into submission to Sweden. Independence was declared on May 17, 1814, followed by a conflict with Sweden, which was decided not in favor of Norway. The country became completely free only by 1905.
During the Second World War, the state of Norway was occupied by fascist invaders, the northern part of it was recaptured by Soviet liberators in the fall of 1944, and the whole country received freedom on May 8, 1945.
Modernity
Norway is famous for its nature: picturesque coastlines, fabulous fjords, enchanting glaciers, forests, rivers, mountains attract lovers active rest and landscape tourism from all over the world. The man-made sights of Norway are also very popular, and hundreds of thousands of tourists come here every year to admire the northern lights.
In 2009, the UN presented a report on the quality of life in 182 states, according to which Norway became the leader in the list of the most developed and prosperous countries in the world.
Climate and weather
The climate in the country is cold, there is a lot of precipitation. Most of all in the west of the country in autumn and winter. In the interior of the southeastern part of Norway and in the northern regions, it also often rains. The largest amount of precipitation falls in summer, while winter and spring are dry.
The geographical position of Norway testifies to the different climatic conditions in the country. In its western part it is mild. In July and August, the average temperature at night is 10-12 degrees, during the day - 16-18 degrees. Most of the rains are in September and October.
In the central part the climate is temperate continental. From October to March, frosty time, in January the temperature can drop to -17 degrees. The warmest month is July.
In the Far North, February is the coldest month, the temperature reaches 22 degrees below zero. The hottest month is July.
Cities
Oslo is the capital of Norway, lying in the depths of a beautiful fjord, on the banks of three bays. The city is surrounded by mountains and hills. Oslo has theaters and concert halls, exhibitions and festivals. In the state in particular) there are also many museums for every taste.
Bergen is the second most visited city in the country among tourists. The city is called the gateway to the Norwegian fjords, it is from here that trips to the fjords often begin.
The city of Røros is included in the UNESCO list Røros's climate is harsh - it has the lowest temperatures in the whole country. All cities in Norway have their own zest. So, Røros is very popular with tourists who come here to enjoy the picturesque lakes, rivers, dense forests and majestic mountains, as well as admire the old wooden buildings.
The beautiful ancient Norwegian city of Trondheim is famous for its famous landmark - the Cathedral of St. Clement (this is one of the best cathedrals in all of Scandinavia).
Tromsø is called the Paris of the North. This beautiful town is located on an island in northern Norway, surrounded by mountains, fjords and islands. Tromsø is a very lively city with many pubs, street entertainment and cultural events available all year round. The local museum hosts an exhibition of Sami culture all the time.
A small but very picturesque town of Ålesund is located in the west of the country. It lies on several islets at the mouth of one of the fjords. The city is famous for the stunning nature of the surrounding areas.
The cities of Norway are very picturesque, and each of them has its own unique features.
norwegian fjords
Traveling around the country is not complete without visiting the fjords. Norway has the largest concentration of them in the world.
Fjords in the country lie along the entire coastline. Each of them is amazing in its own way. Norway's deepest fjord is over 1,300 meters deep. Due to the depth of the waters, large liners can ply here, from which tourists admire the stunning landscapes.
