Norway

Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off after King Olav TRYGGVASON adopted Christianity in 994; conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Norway remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but Nazi Germany nonetheless occupied the country for five years (1940-45). In 1949, Norway abandoned neutrality and became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.

62 00 N, 10 00 E

rockslides, avalanches

Volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano

slightly larger than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than New Mexico

water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and affecting lakes and fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified: None of the selected agreements

temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

25,148 km

Note: Includes the mainland at 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations at 22,498 km; length of island coastlines is 58,133 km

Total: 2,566 km

Border countries (3): Finland 709 km; Sweden 1,666 km; Russia 191 km

Agricultural land: 2.7% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 2.2% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 0.5% (2023 est.)

Forest: 33.3% (2023 est.)

Other: 64% (2023 est.)

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Contiguous zone: 10 nm

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Continental shelf: 200 nm

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world

glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Europe

337 sq km (2016)

393 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

most people live in the south; population clusters are found along the North Sea coast in the southwest and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated

Highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m

Mean elevation: 460 m

Total : 323,802 sq km

Land: 304,282 sq km

Water: 19,520 sq km

0-14 years: 16.3% (male 461,979/female 438,243)

15-64 years: 64.5% (male 1,820,692/female 1,734,818)

65 years and over: 19.1% (2024 est.) (male 498,301/female 555,700)

At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Noun: Norwegian(s)

Adjective: Norwegian

Total: 19 years (2023 est.)

Male: 18 years (2023 est.)

Female: 20 years (2023 est.)

Urban population: 84% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Note: Data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

Improved:

Urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

1.086 million OSLO (capital) (2023)

4.98 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

3.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

29.8 years (2020 est.)

Note: Data is calculated based on actual age at first births

Total dependency ratio: 55 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 25.3 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 29.6 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 3.4 (2024 est.)

Note: Data include Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

Improved:

Urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Norwegian 81.5% (includes about 60,000 Sami), other European 8.9%, other 9.6% (2021 est.)

Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 67.5%, Muslim 3.1%, Roman Catholic 3.1%, other Christian 3.8%, other 2.6%, unspecified 19.9% (2021 est.)

Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Major-language sample(s):
Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Note: Sami has three dialects (Lule, North Sami, and South Sami) and is an official language in nine municipalities in the northernmost counties of Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms

8.1% of GDP (2022)

17.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.77 (2024 est.)

57.4% (2021 est.)

Women married by age 15: 0% (2022)

Women married by age 18: 0% (2022)

Total: 11.6% (2024 est.)

Male: 12.3% (2024 est.)

Female: 10.8% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 40.8 years (2024 est.)

Male: 40.1 years

Female: 41.5 years

1 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.57 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 5,509,733 (2024 est.)

Male: 2,780,972

Female: 2,728,761

Total: 1.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 1.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Total: 12% (2025 est.)

Male: 12.6% (2025 est.)

Female: 11.3% (2025 est.)

23.1% (2016)

8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

10.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 6.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Beer: 2.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine: 2.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits: 1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols: 0.19 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.)

Male: 81.3 years

Female: 84.6 years

5.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

14.5% national budget (2022 est.)

0.59% (2024 est.)

Municipal: 773.41 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial: 1.071 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Agricultural: 844.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.15 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 35.3% (2022 est.)

7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

38.535 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke: 2.929 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 25.576 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas: 10.029 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

206.961 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Eric MEYER (since August 2024)

Embassy: Morgedalsvegen 36, 0378 Oslo

Mailing address: 5460 Oslo Place, Washington DC  20521-5460

Telephone: [47] 21-30-85-40

FAX: [47] 22-56-27-51

Email address and website:
OsloACS@state.gov

https://no.usembassy.gov/

12 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Agder, Innlandet, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Oslo, Rogaland, Romsdal, Troms og Finnmark, Trondelag, Vestfold og Telemark, Vestland, Viken (2024)

Name: Oslo

Geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E

Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Etymology: The name may derive from the Old Norwegian word os, meaning "estuary" and referring to the city's location on a fjord; alternatively, the name may come from As, a Scandinavian god, and Lo, a nearby river

History: Drafted spring 1814, adopted 16 May 1814, signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814

Amendment process: Proposals submitted by members of Parliament or by the government within the first three years of Parliament's four-year term; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in the next elected Parliament

Chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991)

Head of government: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr STORE (since 14 October 2021)

Cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch, approved by Parliament

Election/appointment process: The monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister, with the approval of Parliament

Description: Red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the the cross is shifted to the left side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Meaning: The colors represent Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue)

7 June 1905 (union with Sweden declared dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union); notable earlier dates: ca. 872 (traditional unification of Norwegian kingdoms by HARALD Fairhair); 1397 (Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden); 1524 (Denmark-Norway); 17 May 1814 (Norwegian constitution adopted); 4 November 1814 (Sweden-Norway union confirmed)

Highest court(s): Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (consists of the chief justice and 18 associate justices)

Judge selection and term of office: Justices appointed by the monarch (King in Council) on the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Board; justices can serve until mandatory retirement at age 70

Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal or Lagmennsrett; regional and district courts; Conciliation Boards; ordinary and special courts

Note: In addition to professionally trained judges, elected lay judges sit on the bench with professional judges in the Courts of Appeal and district courts

mixed system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts

Legislature name: Parliament (Stortinget)

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 169 (all directly elected)

Electoral system: Proportional representation

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 9/8/2025

Parties elected and seats per party: Labour Party (53); Progress Party (47); Conservative Party (24); Socialist Left Party (9); Center Party (9); Red Party (9); Other (18)

Percentage of women in chamber: 40.2%

Expected date of next election: September 2029

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Center Party or Sp 
Christian Democratic Party or KrF 
Conservative Party or H 
Green Party or MDG 
Labor Party or Ap 
Liberal Party or V
Patient Focus or PF 
Progress Party or FrP 
Red Party or R 
Socialist Left Party or SV

18 years of age; universal

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway

Conventional short form: Norway

Local long form: Kongeriket Norge

Local short form: Norge

Etymology: Derives from the Old Norse words norre and vegr, meaning "northern way," and refers to the long coastline of western Norway

Chief of mission: Ambassador Anniken Scharning HUITFELDT (since 18 September 2024)

Chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 469-3990

Email address and website:
Emb.washington@mfa.no

https://www.norway.no/en/usa/

Consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco

Title: "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country)

Lyrics/music: Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK

History: In use since 1864, but never officially adopted
_____

Title: "Kongesangen" (Song of the King)

Lyrics/music: Gustav JENSEN

History: Royal anthem; uses the tune of "God Save the King," the United Kingdom's anthem

Note: Since 2011, the patriotic song “Mitt lille land” has been called a new national anthem and is sometimes performed at patriotic events, but it is not used as often as “Ja, vi elsker dette landet”

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

lion

Citizenship by birth: No

Citizenship by descent only: At least one parent must be a citizen of Norway

Dual citizenship recognized: Yes

Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Total World Heritage Sites: 8 (7 cultural, 1 natural)

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Bryggen (c); Urnes Stave Church (c); Røros Mining Town and the Circumference (c); Rock Art of Alta (c); Vegaøyan – The Vega Archipelago (c); Struve Geodetic Arc (c); West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord (n); Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site (c)

red, white, blue

12.2% (2021 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Lowest 10%: 3.5% (2022 est.)

Highest 10%: 22% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

natural gas, crude petroleum, fish, refined petroleum, aluminum (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 18%, UK 17%, Sweden 9%, Denmark 7%, Netherlands 6% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

milk, barley, potatoes, oats, wheat, pork, chicken, beef, eggs, carrots/turnips (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Revenues: $261.945 billion (2023 est.)

Expenditures: $178.156 billion (2023 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

cars, refined petroleum, ships, nickel, garments (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Norwegian kroner (NOK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
10.746 (2024 est.)
10.563 (2023 est.)
9.614 (2022 est.)
8.59 (2021 est.)
9.416 (2020 est.)

petroleum and gas, shipping, fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles

$483.727 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Household consumption: 37.7% (2023 est.)

Government consumption: 22% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 21.7% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories: 2.6% (2023 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 47.9% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -32.5% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Sweden 11%, Germany 11%, China 11%, USA 7%, Netherlands 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

On food: 11.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On alcohol and tobacco: 3.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

3.042 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

$81.242 billion (2024 est.)
$80.459 billion (2023 est.)
$72.077 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

36.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Note: Data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data exclude treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

4% (2024 est.)
3.6% (2023 est.)
3.3% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

27.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

$507.68 billion (2024 est.)
$497.236 billion (2023 est.)
$496.877 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

3.1% (2024 est.)
5.5% (2023 est.)
5.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

$82.511 billion (2024 est.)
$84.104 billion (2023 est.)
$170.714 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$91,100 (2024 est.)
$90,100 (2023 est.)
$91,100 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$162.467 billion (2024 est.)
$156.11 billion (2023 est.)
$160.649 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$229.205 billion (2024 est.)
$230.882 billion (2023 est.)
$323.875 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

2.1% (2024 est.)
0.1% (2023 est.)
3.2% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

2.4% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Agriculture: 2% (2024 est.)

Industry: 37% (2024 est.)

Services: 51.8% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Production: 120,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption: 1.096 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports: 60,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports: 1.042 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves: 2 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind: 9.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Hydroelectricity: 89.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Production: 121.637 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Consumption: 5.082 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Exports: 117.597 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Imports: 104.744 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves: 1.544 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Total petroleum production: 2.02 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 229,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves: 8.122 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 41.1 million kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 127.335 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Exports: 30.978 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Imports: 13.232 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 7.025 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Percent of population: 99% (2023 est.)

.no

state-owned public radio and TV broadcaster operates 3 nationwide TV stations, 3 nationwide radio stations, and 16 regional radio stations; roughly a dozen privately owned TV stations broadcast nationally, and another 25 locally; nearly 75% of households have access to multi-channel cable or satellite TV; 2 privately owned radio stations broadcast nationwide, with another 240 local stations; Norway was the first country to phase out FM radio in favor of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) (2019)

Total subscriptions: 6.09 million (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 111 (2022 est.)

Total: 2.49 million (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 46 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions: 145,000 (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)

Total: 3,848 km (2020) 2,482 km electrified

LN

146 (2025)

Total: 1,720 (2022)

By type: Bulk carrier 109, container ship 1, general cargo 274, oil tanker 95, other 1,241

113 (2025)

19-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women volunteers; 12-19 month service obligation; conscripts first serve 12 months between the ages of 19 and 28, and then up to 4-5 refresher training periods until age 35, 44, 55, or 60 depending on rank and function (2024)

Note 1: Norway has had compulsory military service since 1907; individuals conscripted each year are selected from a larger cohort who are evaluated through online assessments and physical tests

Note 2: Norway was the first NATO country to allow women to serve in all combat arms branches of the military (1985); it also has an all-female special operations unit known as Jegertroppen (The Hunter Troop), which was established in 2014; as of 2023, women comprised about 20% of the military's full-time personnel

Note 3: Beginning in 1995, the military began offering Icelandic citizens the opportunity to apply for admission to officer schools in Norway with an associated education and service contract under special reasons and based on recommendations from Icelandic authorities; as early as 1996, Norway and Iceland entered into a cooperation agreement on the voluntary participation of Icelandic personnel in Norwegian force contributions in foreign operations

3.4% of GDP (2025 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret or "the Defense"): Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2025)

Note: The Norwegian Police Service is under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security

the Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret) are responsible for protecting Norway and its allies, including monitoring Norway’s airspace, digital, land, and maritime areas, maintaining the country’s borders and sovereignty, contributing to NATO and UN missions, and providing support to civil society, such as assisting the police, search and rescue, and maritime counterterrorism efforts; the military’s territorial and sovereignty defense missions are complicated by Norway’s vast sea areas, numerous islands, long and winding fjords, and difficult and mountainous terrain; a key area of emphasis is its far northern border with Russia

Norway is one of the original members of NATO, and the Alliance is a key component of Norway’s defense policy; the Forsvaret participates in NATO exercises, missions, and operations, including air policing of NATO territory, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence mission in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and standing naval missions, as well as operations in non-NATO areas, such as the Middle East

The Forsvaret also cooperates closely with the militaries of other Nordic countries through the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO; established 2009), which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; Norway contributes to the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a pool of high-readiness military forces from 10 Baltic and Scandinavian countries designed to respond to a wide range of contingencies in the High North, North Atlantic, and Baltic Sea regions; Norway has close military ties with the US, including rotational US military deployments and an agreement allowing for mutual defense activities and US military forces to access some Norwegian facilities

The Forsvaret's origins go back to the leidangen, defense forces which were established along the coastline in the 10th century to protect the Norwegian coast (2025)

approximately 27,000 active military personnel; approximately 40,000 Home Guard (2025)

around 100 Lithuania (NATO); Norway also deploys air and naval assets in support of other NATO operations (2025)

the military has an inventory of modern, domestically produced and imported Western European and US armaments; Norway's defense industry participates in joint development and production of weapons systems with other European countries (2025)

Refugees: 129,894 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons: 1,621 (2024 est.)

Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard (3)

jointly designs and builds satellites with foreign partners, including communications, remote sensing (RS), scientific, and navigational/positional satellites; develops and launches sounding rockets; researches and produces a range of other space-related technologies, including satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV) and space station components, telescopes, and robotics; conducts solar and telecommunications research; member of the ESA; participates in international programs such as the International Space Station; hosts training on the island of Svalbard for Mars landing missions; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Canada, ESA/EU member states, Japan, Russia, and the US; has an active and advanced private-sector space industry that works with domestic and foreign space programs  (2025)

the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA, aka Norsk Romsenter; established 1987) (2025)

Andøya Space Center (Andøya Island; note - first operational spaceport in continental Europe) (2025)

Total global geoparks and regional networks: 5 (2025)

Global geoparks and regional networks: Gea Norvegica; Fjord Coast; Magma; Sunnhordland; Trollfjell (2025)

Total ports: 141 (2024)

Large: 1

Medium: 10

Small: 34

Very small: 90

Size unknown: 6

Ports with oil terminals: 54

Key ports: Bergen, Drammen, Hammerfest, Harstad, Horten, Karsto, Mongstad, Oslo, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim

Energy: 31 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Agriculture: 99.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste: 33 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Other: 6.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

1962 - launched first research rocket

1992 - began operating first communications satellite (THOR-1)

2010 - built first satellite (AISSat-1) to monitor from polar orbit Automatic Identification Signals from ships (launched by India)

2017 - launched two microsatellites (NorSat-1 and -2) to track commercial sea vessels

2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration

26.9 (2022 est.)

Note: Index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality