Based on Samfunns­kunnskaps­­prøven syllabus. Here are the key points from topic: History, geography and way of life

Brief history of Norway

  • The Viking Period lasted from 800 to 1050 AD.
  • Harald Fairhair became the king of a large portion of Norway in 872.
  • Vikings were merchants and warriors who pillaged and killed.
  • Christianity replaced the old Norse religious practices in Norway in the 11th century.
  • Denmark gained more influence over Norway during the 1300s.
  • Norway was absorbed into a formal union with Denmark and Sweden in 1397.
  • The union was ruled by a common king and governed from Denmark.
  • Sweden seceded from the union, but Denmark and Norway remained united until 1814.
  • In 1814, the union between Denmark and Norway was dissolved, and Norway adopted a constitution of its own on May 17th.
  • Norway was forced into a union with Sweden in November 1814.
  • National Romanticism emerged in the middle of the 19th century, and it focused on national character and natural beauty.
  • Norwegians developed a greater sense of national identity during the National Romanticism period.
  • Linguist Ivar Aasen created a new written language called nynorsk during the National Romanticism period.
  • Norway currently has two official variants of Norwegian, in addition to Sami and Kven.
  • In the mid-19th century (1850s), around 70% of the Norwegian population lived in rural areas and engaged in agriculture and fishing-related activities. Life was hard for many.
  • More and more factories were being built in cities, and many people moved from the countryside to the cities for work. Life in the city was difficult for many working-class families.
  • The union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905 due to political disagreement between the Norwegian Storting and the king in Sweden. Norway became a free and independent country and chose Danish Prince Carl as its new king.
  • Norway started using water power to produce electricity at the end of the 19th century, leading to the establishment of many industrial enterprises.
  • World War I caused shortages of goods such as grain, coffee, and sugar, and these goods were rationed in Norway.
  • World War II started with the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, and Norway was occupied by German forces on 9 April 1940.
  • Although little actual fighting took place on Norwegian soil, there were several resistance groups that carried out sabotage, published illegal newspapers, and organized civil disobedience and passive resistance against the German occupying forces.
  • Around 50,000 Norwegians fled to Sweden during World War II, and many people in Northern Norway were killed, and most of Finnmark county and the northern part of Troms county were razed to the ground when the German troops evacuated these areas.
  • Germany was eventually forced to capitulate in May 1945, and around 9,500 Norwegians died as a consequence of the war.
  • After World War II, Norway needed to rebuild the country, and there were shortages of goods and housing.
  • The United Nations (UN) was established after the war, with Norway being among the first countries to join in November 1945.
  • The USA offered economic assistance to European countries through the Marshall Plan, with Norway receiving around NOK 3 billion in aid.
  • In 1949, Norway, along with eleven other countries, signed the North Atlantic Treaty, which led to the formation of NATO.
  • Norway’s economy was relatively good in the 1950s and 1960s, with the government introducing reforms aimed at improving the lives of the Norwegian people.
  • The first oil was found off the coast of Norway in the North Sea in 1969, leading to Norway becoming an oil nation and a major exporter of oil.
  • The labour movement and the women’s movement have played important roles in the development of modern Norway.
  • The labour movement has resulted in better working conditions, including shorter working hours, improved workplace safety, health insurance, and financial support for unemployed people.
  • The women’s movement has fought for women’s rights, gender equality, and equal opportunities for men and women, with important issues including the right to divorce, birth control, elective abortion, and women’s right to decide over their own bodies.
  • Present-day Norway is a modern democracy with high living standards.
  • The majority of Norwegians are prosperous and have a high education level.
  • Both men and women participate in the labor force.
  • Society is governed by laws and regulations that ensure access to education, healthcare, and financial assistance based on need.
  • Rapid development in technology and computer science has had a significant impact on Norwegian society.
  • This has created new jobs, tasks, and changes in individuals’ private lives.
  • Norway has become a multicultural and ethnically diverse society in recent decades.

Geography

  • Norway has a surface area of 385,199 square kilometres, making it smaller than Thailand, Iraq, Turkey, and Somalia.
  • The country is long and narrow, with the distance from Oslo to Tromsø being almost the same as from Oslo to Paris.
  • Norway is part of the Nordic countries and makes up Scandinavia with Sweden and Denmark.
  • It shares a border with Sweden, Finland, and Russia.
  • Norway is divided into five geographical regions: Northern Norway, Trøndelag, Western Norway, Southern Norway, and Eastern Norway.
  • There are 11 counties in Norway, which are divided among the different regions.
  • Oslo is the largest city in Norway with over 600,000 inhabitants, and there are nearly 100 towns and cities in the country.
  • Norway’s highest mountain is Galdhøpiggen at 2,469 metres, the largest lake is Mjøsa with a surface area of 365 square kilometres, and the longest river is Glomma at 611 kilometres long.
  • Nearly half of Norway’s surface area consists of mountains, and about a third is forested, with only 2% being built-up areas.
  • Administratively, Norway is divided into 11 counties and 356 municipalities.

Settlement and population in Norway

  • Norway has a population of over 5 million people.
  • About 75% of the population lives along the coast.
  • Half of the population lives in Eastern Norway.
  • Approximately 17% of the population has an immigrant background, with Oslo and Drammen having the highest percentage of inhabitants with an immigrant background.
  • The Sami people are an indigenous population in Norway, with between 40,000 and 50,000 Sami living in Norway.
  • The Sami have their own language, with several different Sami languages spoken.
  • The Sami Parliament was established in 1989 to secure political representation and participation for the Sami population, and its authority is set out in the Sami Act.
  • The Sami people are subject to Norwegian law in the same way as everyone else in Norway.

Climate

  • Norway has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
  • The climate in Norway varies by area and can change significantly from year to year.
  • Coastal areas generally have a mild winter with little snow, while inland areas have cold winters with lots of snow.
  • Inland areas often have warm, dry summers
  • Western Norway receives more rain than Eastern Norway.
  • The north of Norway experiences shorter days in winter and nearly two months of polar night in the northernmost city of Hammerfest.
  • The summer in the north brings the midnight sun, where the sun shines in the middle of the night.
  • The Southern part of Norway also has large differences in daylight during summer and winter, but without polar night or midnight sun.
  • The Arctic Circle marks the border of the area that has polar night and the midnight sun.
  • The highest temperature ever measured in Norway is 35.6 degrees Celsius, and the lowest is -51.4 degrees Celsius.
  • Norway’s mild climate is due to the Gulf of Mexico’s ocean currents that flow northward up the Norwegian coast, producing warmth.

Traditions and celebrations

  • New Year’s Day:
    • Year starts in January, and 1st of January is New Year’s Day.
    • Most shops are closed, people have the day off from work, and children are free from school.
  • Women’s Day:
    • International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8th March.
    • It has been celebrated in Norway every year since 1972.
    • It’s not a public holiday.
  • Easter:
    • Celebrated in March or April (exact time varies).
    • Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday are public holidays.
    • Shops are closed, and most people do not work on these days.
    • Schoolchildren have all of Easter off school, and many employees take extra holidays.
  • Ascension day and pentecost:
    • Ascension Day is 40 days after Easter, and Pentecost is 50 days after Easter.
    • Both are Christian holidays, and Ascension Day and Whit Monday are public holidays.
  • Workers’ day:
    • May Day (1 May) is International Workers’ Day.
    • Many people march in the streets to draw attention to political issues.
    • It’s a public holiday.
  • Constitution day:
    • Norwegian Constitution Day is on 17 May.
    • It’s a day for children, with parades where they wave the Norwegian flag and sing.
    • Most people dress in their finest clothes, and marching bands lead the parades.
    • Children can eat as many hot dogs and ice creams as they want, and it’s a public holiday.
  • Christmas:
    • Celebrated in December, and it’s a Christian holiday.
    • Christmas and the Christmas celebration are an important tradition for most people.
    • The 24th of December is called Christmas Eve, and it’s customary to eat a traditional Christmas dinner together with family.
    • People give each other Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve.
    • School children have free from school during Christmastime, and many people take time off from work.
  • New Year’s Eve:
    • Many people celebrate with family and friends on 31 December.
    • It’s common to set off fireworks at midnight, and it’s not a public holiday.
  • Other big days:
    • Birthdays:
      • Celebrated with family and friends, and children often have a birthday party.
      • Guests bring a small gift for the birthday child.
  • Wedding:
    • Around 23,000 couples get married in Norway annually
    • More than half of them get married in the church, while others get married in a Registry Office
    • Same-sex couples can also get married in Norway
    • It is customary for wedding guests to give gifts to the couple
  • Baptism:
    • Approximately 60,000 babies are born in Norway annually
    • Between 50-60% of them are christened in church as infants
    • Parents decide whether or not to christen a child
    • Celebrations are held with presents for the child
    • Non-religious celebrations are also held for children who are not christened in church
  • Confirmation:
    • Young people can choose to participate in a confirmation ceremony at the age of 14-15
    • Church and humanist confirmation ceremonies are available
    • Religious confirmation courses teach Christianity, while humanist courses teach secular humanism
    • The confirmation ceremony is followed by a family celebration with presents
    • Around 60% of young people choose a church confirmation, while around 20% choose a humanist ceremony
  • Funeral:
    • Around 40,000 people die in Norway annually
    • About 85% of them are buried in ceremonies organised by a church
    • There are two types of funerals: burial and cremation/urn interment
    • Cremation has become more common in Norway, with about 40% of dead people being cremated

Important Days

  • 1. January: 1 New Year’s Day.
  • 8. March: International Women’s Day.
  • In March / April: Easter.
  • 40 days after Easter: Ascension
  • 50 days after Easter: Pentecost.
  • 1. May: International Workers’ day
  • 17. May: Norway’s national day.
  • 24. December: Christmas Eve.
  • 31. December: New Year’s Eve.

Religions and Ethics in Norway

  • Freedom of religion is guaranteed in Norway
  • The Church of Norway is the biggest religious community, with around 70% of the population as members
  • Other religious and spiritual communities receive government funding like the Church of Norway
  • Norway is a multicultural and secular society
  • Christianity has been the dominant religion since the 1500s
  • Non-Christian religious communities became legal around a hundred years ago
  • Religion is becoming less important in society, both among individuals and when making laws
  • About 30% of the population are not members of the Church of Norway, with half belonging to other religious communities and half not belonging to any
  • The Norwegian Church is a National church that practices Lutheran-Protestant Christianity.
  • It is the largest religious community in Norway.
  • Previously, the Norwegian Church was the state church in Norway.
  • Norway no longer has any state religion.

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