NORWAY

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: Mountains cover three-fifths of Norway and extend for almost its entire length. Scraped and rounded by glaciers, the mountains slope gradually to the east and drop sharply to the sea in the west. Northern Norway is a vast region of fjords, mountains, and islands. In the northernmost part of this region the fjords open into the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean. From the fjord heads the land rises to the vast Finnmarksvidda, a bleak plateau. In central Norway the low, flat valleys surrounding the city of Trondheim are among the country’s most important agricultural regions. At the center of this region is the broad Trondheimsfjord, a body of water sheltered from the sea by peninsulas and islands. Mountains rise again in the south, where the country broadens, and are grouped into the Dovrefjell and Langfjell ranges. Within the Langfjell is Norway’s highest peak, the Galdhøpiggen, which rises to 2,469 m (8,100 ft). To the west of this peak is Europe’s largest glacier, the Jostedalsbreen, which is 97 km (60 mi) long and 24 km (15 mi) wide. Farther south the Langfjell separates the fertile valleys of eastern Norway and the rugged land of the western fjords. The gradual slopes in the east are intensively cultivated and heavily settled; more than half of Norway’s population lives in this region. Norway has abundant rivers and lakes. The larger rivers of Norway are found in the east, where the country’s longest river, the Glåma (Glomma), has a course of 610 km (380 mi). With its tributaries, the Glåma drains about one-eighth of Norway’s area. In the west rivers are generally short and swift, with many rapids and falls. The longest river in northern Norway is the Tana. Flowing north into the Barents Sea, it forms part of the frontier with Finland, and it is renowned as the country’s most important salmon-fishing river. Norway has tens of thousands of glacial lakes. The largest is Lake Mjøsa in the southeast, with an area of 390 sq km (150 sq mi). Norway has extensive waterpower resources. During the 20th century Norwegians began to harness the vast power of the many rivers that drain the country’s rugged mountain ranges to produce electricity. Today, Norway generates large quantities of inexpensive hydroelectric power, much of which is consumed by the country’s heavily energy-dependent electrochemical and electrometallurgical industries. Norway’s principal mineral resources are petroleum and natural gas, which are extracted from the large reserves located along the continental shelf of the North Sea. Other mineral resources include modest amounts of iron ore, copper, zinc, and coal. Norway has Europe’s only molybdenite mine and its greatest deposit of ilmenite. Commercially useful deposits of chalk, dolomite, quartzite, graphite, and limestone are also found in Norway. Agricultural resources in Norway are in short supply. Soils suitable for farming cover just 3 percent of Norway’s total area and are located mainly in the vicinities of Trondheim and Oslo. Forests cover more than one-quarter of Norway’s surface, and softwoods (mostly pine and spruce) are the country’s most important timber resource, furnishing forest products of many varieties for export. For centuries Norwegians have harvested marine life from the surrounding seas, and the fishing industry remains a major source of wealth for Norway.
AGRICULTURE: Agriculture accounts for just 2 percent of the annual GDP. Because of the mountainous terrain and generally poor soils, only 3 percent of the total land area is cultivated. The most important agricultural regions are the eastern valleys north of Oslo and the areas around Trondheim. Most farms are small and are worked by their owners and their families. Despite difficult conditions, farmers achieve high yields through mechanization and intensive use of fertilizers. Some farmland is so steep that tractors are impractical and farmers use power-operated cables to pull their plows. The most important agricultural products in Norway are dairy products and cereal grains. More than half of the land under cultivation is meadow and pasture, most of which is planted with hay. Other important crops include oats, potatoes, barley, and corn. Norway must import about half of the grain needed to feed its livestock. The main livestock raised include cattle, hogs, sheep, and domestic fowl. Norway produces all of the meat and dairy products it needs and some of its vegetable and fruit requirements.
ENERGY: Norway has the most developed waterpower resources of any country in Europe. Its hydroelectricity is the least expensive and its per capita consumption among the highest in the world. Development of this resource began in the early 20th century, and by 1960 Norway was exporting hydroelectricity to Sweden. Today, Norway obtains about three-quarters of its total energy requirements from electricity, virtually all of which is generated by waterpower. Electricity production in 2003 was 106 billion kilowatt-hours. Most of Norway’s hydroelectric installations are built deep in the mountains. Tunnels, blasted through miles of rock, carry water from interior lakes to the mountain turbines. About one-quarter of this power is used for Norwegian homes, farms, and shops or is exported. The remaining three-quarters is used to power Norway’s major industries.
TOURISM: By the late 20th century a vigorous tourism industry had emerged in Norway, despite the nation’s comparatively high prices, and the country has seen a steady rise in the number of annual visitors. Most of Norway’s visitors come from the United Kingdom and continental Europe. In summer, when the days are pleasant and long, Norway’s coastal ports are a popular destination, especially among the many visitors who arrive by cruise ship or ferry. Other visitors are drawn to Norway’s historic sites, including its Viking museums and medieval stave churches. Norway’s scores of ski resorts and vast network of cross-country ski trails attract many winter tourists.