President: Olafur Ragnar Grimsson Prime minister: Johanna Sigurdardottir
Population
4,707,270
313,183
Life Expectancy
80.320 years
81.000 years
Capital City
Oslo
Reykjavik
Largest city
Oslo (population: 839,423)
Reykjavik (population: 113,906)
Human Development Index
0.968
NA
GDP per capita
$54,200 US
$38,500 US
Literacy Rate
100%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
7.9
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
36.1%
33.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
Stein Erik Hagen & family ($3.1bn US)
Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson ($1.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
3.300%
7.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
constitutional monarchy
constitutional republic
Independence date
7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
Religions
Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)
Lutheran Church of Iceland 82.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2.4%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.3%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other Christian 2.8%, other religions 0.9%, unaffiliated 2.6%, other or unspecified 5.5% (2006 est.)
Languages
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Exports
petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
External Debt
$644,500,000,000 $
$124,500,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.6361 (2008), 5.86 (2007), 6.418 (2006), 6.445 (2005), 6.7327 (2004)
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 85.619 (2008 est.), 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
0.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
10
1
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK
Area
323,802 km sq
103,000 km sq
Coastline
25,148 km
4,970 km
Climate
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers
