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GovernmentCountry name
Conventional long form Kingdom of Norway
Conventional short form Norway Local long form Kongeriket Norge Local short form Norge Government type
Constitutional monarchy
Capital
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 Administrative divisions
19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold Dependent areas
Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard Independence
7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union) National holiday
Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) Constitution
17 May 1814; amended many times Legal system
Mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts International law organization participation
Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state
King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973) Head of government Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005) Cabinet State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of parliament Elections The monarchy is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament Legislative branch
Modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) Elections Last held on 14 September 2009 (next to be held in September 2013) Election results Percent of vote by party - Labor Party 35.4%, Progress Party 22.9%, Conservative Party 17.2%, Socialist Left Party 6.2%, Center Party 6.2%, Christian People's Party 5.5%, Liberal Party 3.9%, other 2.7%; seats by party - Labor Party 64, Progress Party 41, Conservative Party 30, Socialist Left Party 11, Center Party 11, Christian People's Party 10, Liberal Party 2 Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) Political parties and leaders
Center Party (Senterpartiet) [Liv Signe NAVARSETE]; Christian People's Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) or KrF [Knut Arild HAREIDE]; Conservative Party (Hoyre) [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party (Arbeiderpartiet) [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party (Venstre) [Trine SKEI-GRANDE]; Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) or FrP [Siv JENSEN]; Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) or SV [Audun LYSBAKKEN] Political pressure groups and leaders
Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (Naeringslivets Hovedorganisasjon) or NHO [President Kristin SKOGEN LUND; CEO John Gordon BERNANDER]; Norwegian Association of the Disabled; Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisasjonen i Norge) or LO [Roar FLATHEN] Other Environmental groups; media; digital privacy movements International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the us
Chief of mission Ambassador Wegger C. STROMMEN
Chancery 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 Telephone [1] (202) 333-6000FAX [1] (202) 337-0870 Consulate(s) general Houston, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the us
Chief of mission Ambassador Barry B. WHITE
Embassy Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future Mailing address PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707Telephone [47] 22 44 85 50 FAX [47] 22 44 33 63, 22 56 27 51 Flag description
Red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors recall Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white) and Sweden (blue) National symbol(s)
Lion
National anthem
Name
"Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (Yes, We Love This Country) Lyrics/music Bjornstjerne BJORNSON/Rikard NORDRAAK Note Adopted 1864; in addition to the national anthem, "Kongesangen" (Song of the King), which uses the tune of "God Save the Queen," serves as the royal anthem
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Norway (Oslo):
 
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Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON 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. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway 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.