no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary federal government
Independence date
7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)
Religions
Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)
Sunni Muslim
Languages
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Exports
petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish
External Debt
$644,500,000,000 $
Exchange Rate
Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar - 5.6361 (2008), 5.86 (2007), 6.418 (2006), 6.445 (2005), 6.7327 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
10
0
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Area
323,802 km sq
637,657 km sq
Coastline
25,148 km
3,025 km
Climate
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast
principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
