Norwegian Landscapes

Norwegian Landscapes

Norwegians have a strong attachment to the natural beauty of their mountainous homeland. Whether in the verdant dales of the interior, the brooding mountains of the north, or the fjords and archipelagoes of the coast, Norwegians' hytter (mountain cabins) dot even the harshest landscapes.

In almost any kind of weather, blasting or balmy, large numbers of Norwegians are outdoors, fishing, biking, skiing, hiking, or playing soccer. Everybody -- from cherubic children to hardy, knapsack-toting senior citizens -- bundles up for just one more ski trip or hike in the mountains. In one recent research poll, 70% of Norwegian respondents said that they wanted to spend even more time in nature. Although Norway is a modern, highly industrialized nation, vast areas of the country (up to 95%) remain forested or fallow. When discussing the size of their country, Norwegians like to say that if Oslo remained fixed and the northern part of the country were swung south, it would reach all the way to Rome. Perched at the very top of the globe, this northern land is long and rangy, 2,750 km (1,705 mi) in length, with only 4.5 million people scattered over it -- making it the least densely populated country in Europe after Iceland.

Westerly winds carry moisture from the Gulf Stream, leaving the coastal regions with high precipitation, cool summers, and mild winters. The interior and east have a blend of clearer skies, hotter summers, and colder winters.

Norwegians are justifiably proud of their ability to survive the elements. The first people to appear on the land were reindeer hunters and fisherfolk who migrated north, following the path of the retreating ice. By the Bronze Age, settlements began to appear, and, as rock carvings show, Norwegians first began to ski -- purely as a form of locomotion -- some 4,000 years ago.

The Viking Age has perhaps left the most indelible mark on the country. The Vikings' travels and conquests took them west to Iceland, England, Ireland (they founded Dublin in the 840s), and North America, and east to Kiev and as far as the Black Sea. Though they were famed as plunderers, their craftsmanship, fearlessness, and ingenuity have always been respected by Norwegians.

Harald I, better known as Harald the Fairhaired, swore he would not cut his hair until he united Norway, and in the 9th century he succeeded in doing both. But a millennium passed between that great era and Norwegian independence. Between the Middle Ages and 1905, Norway remained under the rule of either Denmark or Sweden, even after the constitution was written in 1814.

The 19th century saw the establishment of the Norwegian identity and a blossoming of culture. This Romantic period produced some of the nation's most famous individuals, among them composer Edvard Grieg, dramatist Henrik Ibsen, expressionist painter Edvard Munch, polar explorer Roald Amundsen, and explorer-humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen. Vestiges of nationalist lyricism, including Viking dragon heads and scrollwork, spangle the buildings of the era, symbolizing the rebirth of the Viking spirit.

Faithful to their democratic nature, Norwegians held a referendum to choose a king in 1905, when independence from Sweden became reality. Prince Carl of Denmark became King Haakon VII. His baby's name was changed from Alexander to Olav, and he, and later his son, presided over the kingdom for more than 85 years. When King Olav V died in January 1991, normally reserved Norwegians stood in line for hours to write in the condolence book at the Royal Palace. Rather than simply sign their names, they wrote personal letters of devotion to the man they called "the people's king."

Harald V, Olav's son, is now king, with continuity assured by his popular son, Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, who married in August 2001. On January 21, 2004, Prince Haakon's wife Mette-Marit gave birth to daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who became Norway's first-ever female heir to the throne. Norwegians continue to salute the royal family with flag-waving and parades on May 17, Constitution Day, a spirited holiday of independence that transforms Oslo's main boulevard, Karl Johans Gate, into a massive street party.

The 1968 discovery of oil in the North Sea dramatically changed Norway from an outpost for fishing, subsistence farming, and shipping to a highly developed industrial nation. Norway has emerged as a wealthy country, with a per capita income, standard of living, and life expectancy that are among the world's highest.

Domestically, great emphasis has been placed on social welfare programs. Internationally, Norway is known for the annual awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize and participating in peace talks about the Middle East and other areas.

Unlike its Nordic siblings, Norway has resisted the temptation to join the European Union (EU). In a referendum in November 1994, Norwegians rejected EU membership for the second time. However, Norwegians are warming to the EU as it expands its membership across Europe.

Updated by Sonya Procenko