Here is Why Norway is an Interesting Country

Learn More About This European Country

Nature & Geography:

Norway is a country located in the northern part of Europe that occupies the western half of the Scandinavian peninsula. Mountains make up about two-thirds of Norway and off the indented coastline lie 50,000 islands that are carved by deep glacial fjords. The most popular sight to see in Norway are the Northern Lights. The prime time to see the northern lights is late September to late March anywhere about the Arctic Circle in the cities Alta, Tromsø, the Lofoten Islands and Svalbard.

Norway has many different climate experiences than in the United States because the country lies above the Arctic Circle. The differences between the western and eastern parts of Norway are that the western coast experiences a mild, rainy maritime climate with ice-free harbors, while the eastern valleys can experience colder winters and warmer summers. With the high latitude in northern Norway, they experience the midnight sun (24-hour daylight) during the summer and polar night (continuous darkness) during the winter. 

History & Culture:

Many people know Norway as one of those countries in northern Europe that has Viking history. Some fun facts about Viking history in Norway was that in the 9th century, King Harold Fairhair had unified Norway into a single kingdom. Another fun fact is that the Norse explorers had reached North America centuries before Columbus had even reached there. 

Some other fun facts about Norway is that they have two official written forms of their main language, Norwegian. Bokmål is the first main form, which is based on the Danish language, and the other main form is Nynorsk, which is based on regional Western dialects. Skiing is a famous sport, especially in the winter Olympics, but did you know that modern and ancient skiing traces back thousands of years ago in Norway. The word ski comes from an Old Norse word meaning “split wood”. On the island of Rødøy, rock carvings can show skiers dating all the way back 4,000 years. 

Society & Economy:

Norway has many societal differences that would make many people in the United States be shocked. Being able to look at every person’s income, assets, and taxes paid are published online annually by the government. Yes, all of this information is public, but making these searches will be public as well, meaning they are no longer anonymous. Another interesting fact, based on income, is that Norway’s traffic fines for speeding are not flat rates. The traffic fines are calculated as a percentage of that individual’s disposable income. In some cases in Norway, wealthy drivers who are given a traffic fine have been given one that was exceeding $100,000!

Public university tuition in Norway is completely free for all Norwegian and EU/EEA (European Union/ European Economic Area) students. Recently though, due to policy shifts, students that are from outside of Europe now pay for those tuition fees. 

I Studied Education in Norway—Here’s Why American Schools Should Pay Attention 

Something that is the most interesting thing about Norway is their prison system being mainly focused on rehabilitation. They are known for their prison system being world-renowned for its focus on restorative justice rather than punishment. The cells typically look more like dorm rooms with TVs and mini-fridges, and guards do not interact with inmates as if they have a higher power over them, like in the United States, but rather the guards in Norway look at the inmates as peers.

• college
• countries
• Norway
• travel