Norway (2002) | Namibia (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | 19 provinces (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 | 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 20% (male 464,789; female 439,117)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,491,720; female 1,451,450) 65 years and over: 15% (male 281,551; female 396,489) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 42.6% (male 392,706; female 382,690)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 490,151; female 488,052) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 29,345; female 37,972) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish | millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish |
Airports | 102 (2001) | 137 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 66
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 26 (2002) |
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 29 (2002) |
total: 114
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 19 (2002) |
Area | total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km water: 16,360 sq km |
total: 825,418 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than New Mexico | slightly more than half the size of Alaska |
Background | 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 was to last for 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. Norway remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II. Nevertheless, it was not able to avoid a five-year occupation by Nazi Germany (1940-1945). 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. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. | South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990. |
Birth rate | 12.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 34.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $71.7 billion
expenditures: $57.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $883 million
expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998) (1998) |
Capital | Oslo | Windhoek |
Climate | temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast | desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic |
Coastline | 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km) | 1,572 km |
Constitution | 17 May 1814, modified in 1884 | ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990 |
Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge |
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa |
Currency | Norwegian krone (NOK) | Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR) |
Death rate | 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 22.28 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (Norway is a net external creditor) | $217 million (2000 est.) |
Dependent areas | Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 43 07 77 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE
embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco |
chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 |
Disputes - international | Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.4 billion (1998) (1998) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $127 million (1998) (1998) |
Economy - overview | The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises). The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices; in 1999, oil and gas accounted for 35% of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. Growth picked up in 2000 to 2.7%, compared with the meager 0.8% of 1999, but fell back to 1.3% in 2001. High oil prices helped the economy in 2002 in face of the sluggish world economy. The government has moved ahead with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $43 billion. | The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. About half of the population depends on agriculture (largely subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood. Namibia must import some of its food. Although per capita GDP is five times the per capita GDP of Africa's poorest countries, the majority of Namibia's people live in pronounced poverty because of large-scale unemployment, the great inequality of income distribution, and the large amount of wealth going to foreigners. The Namibian economy has close links to South Africa. Agreement has been reached on the privatization of several more enterprises in coming years, which should stimulate long-run foreign investment. |
Electricity - consumption | 112.5 billion kWh (2000) | 890.9 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 20.259 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 1.474 billion kWh (2000) | 863 million kWh
note: supplied by South Africa (2000) |
Electricity - production | 141.16 billion kWh (2000) | 30 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 99% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 2%
hydro: 98% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions | very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Norwegian, Sami 20,000 | black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5% |
Exchange rates | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 8.9684 (January 2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997) | Namibian dollars per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997) |
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 Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 19 October 2001) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the Parliament |
chief of state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August 2002) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA elected president; percent of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77% |
Exports | $68.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $1.58 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish | diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins |
Exports - partners | EU 76.8% (UK 19.8%, France 11.8%, Germany 11.6%, Netherlands 10.2%, Sweden 7.9%), US 7.9% (2001) | UK 43%, South Africa 26%, Spain 14%, France 8%, Japan (1998 est.) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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) | a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $143 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 31% services: 67% (2000) |
agriculture: 11%
industry: 28% services: 61% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $31,800 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.6% (2002 est.) | 4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 10 00 E | 22 00 S, 17 00 E |
Geography - note | about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world | first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip |
Highways | total: 91,180 km
paved: 67,838 km (including 109 km of expressways) unpaved: 23,342 km (1999) |
total: 64,800 km
paved: 5,378 km unpaved: 59,430 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 22% (1995) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $37.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $1.71 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs | foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals |
Imports - partners | EU 66.5% (Sweden 15.5%, Germany 12.8%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 7.2%, France 5.2%), US 7.0% (2001) | South Africa 81%, US 4%, Germany 2% (1997 est.) |
Independence | 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved; 26 October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union | 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) |
Industrial production growth rate | 1.2% (2002 est.) | NA |
Industries | petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing | meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper) |
Infant mortality rate | 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 72.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.3% (2001 est.) | 8.8% (2001) |
International organization participation | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 13 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 1,270 sq km (1998 est.) | 70 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission) |
Labor force | 2.4 million (2000 est.) | 500,000 |
Labor force - by occupation | services 74%, industry 22%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4% (1995) | agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,544 km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km |
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.94%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.06% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.01% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Norwegian (official)
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama |
Legal system | mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution |
Legislative branch | modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 24.3%, Conservative Party 21.2%, Progress Party 14.6%, Socialist Left Party 12.5%, Christian People's Party 12.4%, Center Party 5.6%, Liberal Party 3.9%, Coastal Party 1.7%, other 3.8%; seats by party - Labor Party 43, Conservative Party 38, Progress Party 26, Socialist Left Party 23, Christian People's Party 22, Center Party 10, Liberal Party 2, Coastal Party 1 note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting |
bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the National Council, held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held by December 2004); National Assembly - last held 30 November-1 December 1999 (next to be held by December 2004) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%, other 1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1, note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.94 years
male: 76.01 years female: 82.07 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 38.97 years
male: 40.81 years female: 37.07 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 38% male: 45% female: 31% (1960 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden | Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 10 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 4 NM |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 746 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,691,266 GRT/32,126,513 DWT
ships by type: bulk 84, cargo 130, chemical tanker 119, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 38, container 18, liquefied gas 91, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 143, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea passenger 21, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 35 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Denmark 14, Germany 11, Greece 10, Hong Kong 7, Iceland 2, Japan 11, Lithuania 1, Monaco 42, Poland 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 10, Sweden 42, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 4, United States 5 (2002 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard | National Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing), Police |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $3.113 billion (FY98/99) | $104.4 million (2001) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.13% (2002) | 2.6% (FY97/98) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,099,966 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 436,642 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 911,632 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 260,879 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 27,341 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 17 May (1814); note - on 14 January 1814 Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden; resisting Swedish domination, Norwegians adopted a new constitution four months later; on 14 August 1814 Norway was proclaimed independent but in union with Sweden; on 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved | Independence Day, 21 March (1990) |
Nationality | noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian |
Natural hazards | rockslides, avalanches | prolonged periods of drought |
Natural resources | petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower | diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore |
Net migration rate | 2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | refined petroleum products 53 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Center Party [Odd Roger ENOKSEN]; Christian People's Party [Valgerd Svarstad HAUGLAND]; Coastal Party [Steinar BASTESEN]; Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN] | Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 4,525,116 (July 2002 est.) | 1,820,916
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.47% (2002 est.) | 1.19% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim | Luderitz, Walvis Bay |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001) |
Radios | 4.03 million (1997) | 232,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 4,006 km
standard gauge: 4,006 km 1.435-m gauge (2,471 km electrified) (2001) |
total: 2,382 km
narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2001) |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997) | Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed wire systems international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999) |
general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital international: fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2.735 million (1998) | 110,200 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,080,408 (1998) | 82,000 (2000 est) |
Television broadcast stations | 360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995) | 8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north | mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east |
Total fertility rate | 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 4.77 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.9% (2002 est.) | 30% to 40%, including underemployment (1997 est.) |
Waterways | 1,577 km (along west coast)
note: navigable by 2.4 m maximum draft vessels |
none |