Norway is a land of extremes - one of the world's most northerly countries, Norway has an incredible 25,000 km of coastline with more than 50,000 island, and stretches from latitute 58 Degrees North in the south to 71 Degrees North at the top (or 81 Degrees North if you include Svalbard!). From jagged alpine peaks to plunging fjords and quiet forests, yet with just 5 million inhabitants, Norway is a limitless adventure playground for those with a passion from the outdoors, whether the attraction is the deeps snows of winter for dog sledding the endless summer days for a kayak tour in the fjords.
Geography
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Norway covers an area of 148,726 sq. miles, a little less than Sweden. A strikingly mountainous country, the average elevation is 460m with 32% of the mainland lying above the tree line. The mountains run the length of the country and it is thought that in the distance past this chain was linked to the mountains of Scotland, Ireland and to the Appalachians in North America. Following the end of the Ice Age, Norway is still rising now that it has been released from the enormous weight of ice, with elevations increasing a few mm every year. Perhaps most famous for its stunning fjord landscape, Norway has the world's deepest fjord, Sognefjorden, and Hornindalsvatnet, Europe's deepest lake.
The Norwegian Fjords
The fjords make up some of Norway's most spectacular and recognisable landscapes. Formed by glaciers, fjords are narrow inlets with steep sides. Norway and the Svalbard islands together have around 1190 fjords, the deepest of which is the Sognefjord, which reaches 1308m.
Weather and Climate
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Given its northerly latitude, Norway has a much more temperate climate than would be expected, due in the main to the influences of the North Atlantic Current and prevailing southwesterly winds. For example, temperatures in Norway at 65 Degrees North are almost 15 degrees higher in January than the equivalent latitude in Alaska, and on average 42 degrees higher than Siberia, though summer differences are much less pronounced. The coldest areas in Norway are inland. For example, Røros has recorded temperatures of -50 degrees C.
To see the latest weather information for Norway, visit the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
| Avg. temp deg C/Hrs daylight | January | July |
|---|---|---|
| Oslo (south) | 0 deg daytime (-5 deg nighttime)/6.5 hours | 21 deg daytime (12 deg nighttime)/19 hours |
| Trondheim (middle) | 0 deg daytime (-5 deg nighttime)/5 hours | 17 deg daytime (12 deg nighttime)/20 hours |
| Alta (north) | -5 deg daytime (-11 deg nighttime)/0 hours | 17 deg daytime (11 deg nightime)/24 hours |
Driving and Public Transport in Norway
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As an ecotourism company, we hope that you will choose to take trains and buses whenever possible as you travel around Norway. However, cars do offer a degree of independence and allow access to certain areas hard to reach by public transport. In addition, due to the remote nature of the country and the challenges presented by its geography, it is not possible to travel by train in Norway further north than Narvik. Beyond this point, buses, cars or domestic flights (or the coastal boat) are the only options.
Population
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Norway has a population of just 5 million and has the fourth highest per capita income in the world.
Currency
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Norwegian currency is the Krone (NOK). The Norwegian Krone is generally stronger than the Swedish Krona, meaning prices in NOK are not directly comparable with prices in SEK. While in general prices in Norway will be higher than in the UK (especially for items such as food and alcohol), other areas such as travel by train can be very affordable, especially if booked in advance. Exchange rates of course vary but have been between 10 NOK and 13 NOK = 1 GBP in recent years. To check current exchange rates visit www.x-rates.com
Language
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As in Sweden, Norwegians typically speak excellent English, but a smattering of Norwegian will go a long way to help you make friends! Here are a few phrases to get started:
| English | Norwegian | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hei! | high |
| Good morning | God morgen! | goh-moron |
| Good night | God natt! | god-natt |
| Goodbye | Hej då! | hay dor |
| Thank you | Takk | tahk |
| Thank you very much | Tusen takk! | toozun tahk |
| How are you? Well, thanks. | Hvor er du? Bra, takk! | vor ah doo? bra, tahk |
| My name is... | Mitt navn er... | meat namn air... |
| Nice to meet you | Hyggelig å møte deg | higglih ah mertuh day |
Misc. Info
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Norwegian currency is the Krone (NOK). The Norwegian Krone is generally stronger than the Swedish Krona, meaning prices in NOK are not directly comparable with prices in SEK. While in general prices in Norway will be higher than in the UK (especially for items such as food and alcohol), other areas such as travel by train can be very affordable, especially if booked in advance. Exchange rates of course vary and have been around 9-12 NOK=£1 in recent times. As a rough calculation, 100 NOK=£10 allows a quick price comparison. To check current exchange rates visit www.x-rates.com
