International and Comparative Studies in Education and Public Information Norway is a country of winter darkness and midnight sun, advanced technology, small towns and a few cities. It has a big The Know NORWAY Book government sector, free education and Background for Understanding the Country and Its People health services, and a modern and dynamic private sector. Pakistan and Afghanistan Edition Norway is home to large communities of Pakistani, Afghan and other immigrants and refugees. Norway is one of the world’s richest and most egalitarian societies. The country’s beauty has made tourism a major income-earner, and fishing, shipping and shipbuilding industries are still important. In the last generation, North Sea oil and gas production has made Norway one of the world’s largest oil exporters – and the Norwegians are now nicknamed “the blue-eyed sheikhs”. PRINTED IN PAKISTAN Mr.Books Atle Hetland Mr.Books Sang-e-Meel Sang-e-Meel The Know NORWAY Book Background for Understanding the Country and Its People Pakistan and Afghanistan Edition Atle Hetland Published in 2010 by Mr. Books Publishers and Booksellers, Islamabad, Pakistan www.mrbook.com.pk ISBN 969-516-166-9 This book, or part thereof, may not be reproduced in print or electronlic form without the permission from the author. Sections may, however, be reproduced for internal use by educational and research institutions and organizations, with reference given to the book. Copyright © Atle Hetland 2010 All rights reserved Author: Atle Hetland English Language and Editorial Consultant: Fiona Torrens-Spence Graphic Artist and Design: Salman Beenish Views expressed and analyses in this publication are those of the author. Recommended bookshop retail price: Pak. Rs. 850. Afghani 500. Abroad: NOK 400; USD 50. Printed in Pakistan The Know NORWAY Book Background for Understanding the Country and Its People Pakistan and Afghanistan Edition Atle Hetland NORWAY BASIC FACTS ABOUT NORWAY Population: 4.8 million. Approx. 16 persons per sq. km; in Europe; The Sami minority: Finnmark and Troms counties are part of the only Iceland is more sparsely populated. Sami region, which spans four countries. The Sami people, who were Area: 324 000 sq km; incl. Svalbard (61,020), Jan Mayen, Bear Island traditionally semi-nomadic reindeer herdsmen and fishermen, form a (377) and island territories in Antarctica, 385 600 sq km. “fourth world” minority in Norway; today the Sami people are well integrated in the mainstream society, yet also have a separate Sami Climate: Due to the Gulf Stream, a warm stream from the Mexican Parliament. Gulf, the country and especially the long Norwegian coastline is much milder than expected in a country so far north. In winter, the average Oil and other exports: Norway is one of the world’s largest exporters temperature in northern Norway is only a few degrees lower than in of oil and natural gas from its North Sea offshore fields. Norway is one south-eastern Norway. The summer temperature is higher in the south of the world’s richest countries – and also one of the most peaceful than the north. Only the far north of the country experiences midnight and egalitarian, as per UN indexes. Norway has paid off all its foreign sun (in June-July) and complete darkness in winter (December-January). debt and sets aside huge amounts from the petroleum sector for future The coastal Norwegian climate is generally reasonably mild in winter generations. Oil accounts for most exports. Other exports include, and not very warm in summer, with high rainfall. machinery and transport equipment, finished goods, chemical products, food products, fish and live animals. Geography: Norway is a mountainous country, but the mountains are not very high (the highest mountain is 2469 m). The long coastline has Currency: Norwegian Kroner (NOK). USD 1 = NOK 5.7 deep fjords and thousands of islands and peninsulas. Norway’s common NOK 1 = PKR 14.8 (January 2010) frontiers with Sweden, Finland and Russia are 2,542 km. Norway has Foreign policy: Norway is a member of the defence organization several glaciers and Jostedalsbreen is the largest one. NATO. Norway is not a member of the European Union, but it has Land use: Only about 3 percent of the land is fully cultivated; 61 various trade, cultural, and other agreements with the EU. percent of it is meadows for mowing and milk cows and cattle; 32 Development aid: Norway allocates approximately 1.1 percent percent is used for growing grain, dry peas and oil seed, and the rest is of its GDP to development aid and is one of the world’s largest used for potatoes, vegetables, other root crops, fruit trees and berries. donors. Currently, Afghanistan is the largest recipient of Norwegian Productive forests (with wild berries and game for hunting) cover about aid, followed by the Sudan, Tanzania and the Palestinian area. More 23 percent of the land. than half of the aid is channelled through the UN (as multilateral and Capital city: Oslo has a population of about 0.6 million. Almost half earmarked multi-bilateral aid). Pakistan is a relatively modest recipient of the country’s population lives within two hours travel time from the of Norwegian aid; the 2005 earthquake relief donations were large and city, which is the only metropolitan area in Norway. sizeable amounts have been granted to the IDP crisis in 2009-10. Other major cities: Bergen (250,000), Trondheim (170,000), Stavanger Immigrants: The Pakistani diaspora is the largest group of immigrants & Sandnes (185,000), Kristiansand (80,000). Drammen, Fredrikstad, in Norway, with about 30,000 people in a total immigrant population of Skien & Porsgrunn, Ålesund, and Tromsø are cities with populations about 460,000, counting first generation immigrants and Norwegians from 50-70,000. born from two immigrant parents, with about half from non-Western Settlement pattern and economic activities: Norway is the most rural countries. They make Oslo and other cities in Norway multicultural. Scandinavian country; many people still live in (modern) rural or small Religions: Christianity is the main religion in Norway. The Evangelical- urban centres of fishing, farming and trading; today, most employment Lutheran denomination of the Protestant Church forms the Church of opportunities are in petroleum and other industrial sectors, education, Norway, which is the state church, with about 82% of the population health, social services, and other public and private services. as members. About 2.4% are Muslims; in Oslo, over 10 percent of the The largest city in northern Norway: Tromsø, with an urban inhabitants are Muslims, more than the Catholic Church and the non- population of about 70,000, and a large number of people living in religious Humanist-Ethical Society. Many Norwegians are “culturally the suburban and rural areas in the large municipality. Tromsø is 70 Christian”, but few (only some 3%) go to church regularly for the degrees north of the Artic Circle. Norway’s northernmost county, weekly Sunday morning service at 11 o’clock. 40% go to church at least Finnmark, is further to the north and east, bordering the Barents Sea, once a year. Russia, Finland and Sweden. The county is larger than Denmark, but its population is only about 73,000; with 2 persons per sq km it is Norway’s most sparsely populated county. MILESTONES IN NORWEGIAN HISTORY 9000-8000 BC Earliest signs of settlement in Norway. 8000-4000 BC Old Stone Age. Hunters and fishermen. Rock carvings. Milder climate. 4000-1500 BC New Stone Age. Livestock. Early Agriculture. 1500-500 BC Bronze Age. Agricultural tools, jewelry, weapons, glass. Foreign trade. 500 BC - 1000 AD Iron Age. Iron ploughs, scythes for cutting grass, etc. 800-1050 AD Viking period. Large long ships. Trade and plundering. Runic inscriptions. 1030 Unification of Norway into one kingdom. Introduction of Christianity. 1200 The Norse (Norwegian) Empire. Norway at its most powerful. 1350 The Black Death wipes out more than half of the population. The country weakened. 1380-1814 Norway is part of Denmark and the country’s name is Denmark-Norway. 1811 First Norwegian university establish in Oslo (that time named Christiania). 1814 The Norwegian Constitution is adopted on 17 May, Norway’s Constitution/National Day. 1814-1905 Norway is in a Union with Sweden. 1905 Norway dissolves the Union with Sweden, which is accepted by Sweden a few months later. Norway votes in a referendum to be a monarchy and a Danish prince is offered the Norwegian throne and the new King. He chooses the name Haakon VII. 1913 Norwegian women are the first in Europe to be given the right to vote. Universal suffrage. 1940-45 World War II. Norway is occupied by Nazi Germany. 1945-52 Reconstruction of northern Norway and the rest of the country after the war. Norway is a recipient of American Marshall Aid. 1946 Norway becomes a member of the United Nations. The Norwegian Trygve Lie becomes the Organization’s first Secretary General. The second Secretary General was the Swedish Dag Hammarskjöld. 1949 Norway becomes a member of NATO. 1952 - The modern welfare state is built in Norway (and the other Nordic countries) under the leadership of the legendary Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen. 1957 Death of King Haakon VII. He became popular during World War II as a symbol of the Norwegian resistance movement, living in exile in London. King Olav V becomes king, and no less popular than his father, nicknamed ‘the people’s king’. 1970 The Norwegian ‘oil era’ begins. 1981 Norway’s first woman prime minister, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland. 1991 Death of King Olav V. Harald V (born 1937) becomes king. He is still on the throne. His wife is Queen Sonja. The Crown Prince is Haakon (born 1973) and his wife is Crown Princess Mette Marit.