Module 6

This is Norway

Geography, population, languages, the Sami, traditions, outdoor life, culture and economy.

Last updated: 2026-11-06

The land and nature

Norway lies in Northern Europe, on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The capital is Oslo. The country is long and narrow, stretching more than 1,700 kilometres from south to north. Norway, Sweden and Denmark are called Scandinavia. Together with Finland and Iceland they form the Nordic countries. Norway has land borders with Sweden (the longest border), Finland and Russia. To the west lies the North Sea, to the north the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea, and to the south Skagerrak, which separates Norway from Denmark.

The country is mountainous. Some records:

• Galdhøpiggen in Jotunheimen is the highest mountain, 2,469 metres above sea level.
• Glomma is the longest river, about 620 kilometres.
• Mjøsa is the largest lake.
• Sognefjorden is the longest and deepest fjord.
• Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier on the European mainland.

The coastline is very long. Counting all the fjords and bays it is about 29,000 kilometres on the mainland, and more than 100,000 kilometres when all the islands are included. Hinnøya is the largest island, not counting Svalbard.

The climate is milder than many people think, because of the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current. Winters are cold inland and further north. North of the Arctic Circle you see the midnight sun in summer and there is a polar night in winter. The northern lights can be seen in the north, especially in winter.

Norway has 15 counties (2026). The country is also often divided into five regions: Eastern Norway, Southern Norway, Western Norway, Trøndelag and Northern Norway.

The full module and all questions are in the app.

Key points

The land and nature

• The capital is Oslo
• Land borders: Sweden (longest), Finland and Russia
• Galdhøpiggen (2,469 m), Glomma and Mjøsa are the highest mountain, the longest river and the largest lake
• Sognefjorden is the longest and deepest fjord
• Norway has 15 counties (2026)
• North of the Arctic Circle there is midnight sun and polar night
• Norway, Sweden and Denmark are called Scandinavia

Population and cities

• About 5.6 million inhabitants in 2026
• The biggest cities: Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger
• At the start of 2026, 17.5 percent were immigrants and 4.2 percent Norwegian-born to immigrant parents
• The birth rate is low (about 1.5 children per woman in 2025)
• The ageing wave: a larger share of older people

Languages in Norway

• Norway has two written languages: Bokmål and Nynorsk
• Sami and Norwegian are equal languages under the law
• People speak dialects, and it is normal to use yours everywhere
• Kven, Romani and Romanes are recognised minority languages
• Bokmål and Nynorsk are both official and can be used on tests

The Sami people

• The Sami are Norway's indigenous people
• Sápmi covers Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia
• The Sami Parliament opened in 1989, has 39 representatives and is elected every four years
• The Sami National Day is 6 February
• Joik is Sami singing; reindeer herding is a traditional industry
• Norwegianisation: the state tried to remove Sami language and culture

National minorities and Svalbard

• Five national minorities: Kvens/Norwegian Finns, Jews, Roma, Romani people and Forest Finns
• Svalbard is Norwegian but governed by the Svalbard Treaty of 1920
• The Governor (sysselmesteren) governs Svalbard for Norway
• Jan Mayen and Bouvet Island are also Norwegian territory
• Norway is not in the EU, but is in the EEA, NATO and the UN

National Day and holidays

• 17 May: national day, Constitution from Eidsvoll 1814, children's parade
• The national anthem is 'Ja, vi elsker dette landet'
• The Sami National Day is 6 February; Women's Day is 8 March
• Midsummer Eve is 23 June; Christmas Eve is 24 December
• Russetid is the celebration for pupils finishing upper secondary school

Norms and everyday life

• Punctuality is important in Norway
• Janteloven: do not think you are better than others
• Dugnad is voluntary community work; matpakke is a packed lunch of sandwiches
• It is common to take off your shoes indoors
• Whom you vote for is a private matter

The right to roam and outdoor life

• The right to roam lets you move about and pick berries in uncultivated land
• Tents must be at least 150 metres from homes, and not more than two nights in one place
• Fire ban in forest and uncultivated land 15 April - 15 September
• Dogs must be on a lead in uncultivated land 1 April - 20 August
• Motor traffic in uncultivated land is in principle forbidden
• Hunting requires a hunter's exam and a hunting fee

Culture, art and famous Norwegians

• Ibsen wrote 'A Doll's House' and 'Peer Gynt'; Grieg was a composer
• Munch painted 'The Scream'
• Hamsun (1920) and Undset (1928) won the Nobel Prize in Literature
• The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo; the Norwegian Nobel Committee is appointed by the Storting
• Norway has hosted the Winter Olympics in Oslo (1952) and Lillehammer (1994)

Economy and welfare

• Oil was found in the North Sea in 1969
• Oil/gas and fish are the most important exports
• The Oil Fund is the Government Pension Fund Global and is meant to secure future generations
• The fiscal rule: spend about 3 percent of the fund per year
• Norway uses kroner (NOK), not euros
• The welfare state is paid for through taxes

Sample questions from this module

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