Norway (2004) | Slovenia (2007) | |
Administrative divisions | 19 counties (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 | 182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina ) Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse, Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zuzemberk, Zrece
note: there may be 45 more municipalities |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 19.8% (male 462,899; female 440,725)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,520,481; female 1,473,101) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 284,170; female 393,184) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 13.7% (male 141,670/female 133,720)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 712,409/female 700,844) 65 years and over: 16% (male 124,264/female 196,338) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish | potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry |
Airports | 101 (2003 est.) | 14 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 65
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.) |
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007) |
Area | total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km water: 16,360 sq km |
total: 20,273 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than New Mexico | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
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. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five-years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). 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. | The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. |
Birth rate | 11.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 9 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $129.8 billion
expenditures: $105.5 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
revenues: $16.27 billion
expenditures: $16.59 billion (2006 est.) |
Capital | Oslo | name: Ljubljana
geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast | Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east |
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) | 46.6 km |
Constitution | 17 May 1814, modified in 1884 | adopted 23 December 1991 |
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 Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenija local short form: Slovenija former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia |
Currency | Norwegian krone (NOK) | - |
Death rate | 9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 10.41 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (Norway is a net external creditor) (2003 est.) | $21.41 billion (2006 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) 44 33 63 |
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Maryruth COLEMAN
embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555 |
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 Samuel ZBOGAR
chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York |
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 | the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovenia must implement the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.4 billion (1998) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | ODA, $484 million (2004-06)
note: in March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank (2004-06) |
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, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. 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. GDP growth was a lackluster 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003 against the background of a faltering European economy. | With a GDP per capita substantially greater than the other transitioning economies of Central Europe, Slovenia is a model of economic success and stability for its neighbors from the former Yugoslavia. The country, which joined the EU in May 2004 and joined the eurozone on 1 January 2007, has excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and an excellent central location. Privatization of the economy proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-05. Despite lackluster economic performance in Europe in 2001-05, Slovenia maintained moderate growth. Structural reforms to improve the business environment have allowed for greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. Despite its economic success, Slovenia faces growing challenges. Much of the economy remains in state hands and foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia is one of the lowest in the EU on a per capita basis. Although tax reforms were implemented in December 2006, taxes are still relatively high. The labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales to more competitive firms in China, India, and elsewhere. The current center-right government, elected in October 2004, has pledged to accelerate privatization of a number of large state holdings and is interested in increasing FDI in Slovenia. In late 2005, the government's new Committee for Economic Reforms was elevated to cabinet-level status. The Committee's program includes plans for lowering the tax burden, privatizing state-controlled firms, improving the flexibility of the labor market, and increasing the government's efficiency. |
Electricity - consumption | 115.3 billion kWh (2001) | 13.71 billion kWh (2006) |
Electricity - exports | 7.162 billion kWh (2001) | 4.8 billion kWh (2006) |
Electricity - imports | 10.76 billion kWh (2001) | 4.07 billion kWh (2006) |
Electricity - production | 120.1 billion kWh (2001) | 14.9 billion kWh (2006) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m |
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions | Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Norwegian, Sami 20,000 | Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census) |
Exchange rates | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999) | tolars per US dollar - 190.85 (2006), 192.71 (2005), 192.38 (2004), 207.11 (2003), 240.25 (2002)
note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007 |
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 Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 October and 11 November 2007 (next to be held in the fall of 2012); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 9 November 2004 (next National Assembly elections to be held in October 2008) election results: Danilo TURK elected president; percent of vote - Danilo TURK 68.2%, Lajze PETERLE 31.8%; Janez JANSA elected prime minister by National Assembly vote - 57 to 27 in 2004; called for vote of confidence 19 November 2007; TURK will be sworn in in December 2007 |
Exports | 3.466 million bbl/day (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish | manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
Exports - partners | UK 21.3%, Germany 13%, Netherlands 9.6%, US 8.7%, France 8.2%, Sweden 7.4% (2003) | Germany 20.1%, Italy 13%, Croatia 9.1%, Austria 8.8%, France 6.5%, Russia 4.4% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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) | three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th centuries); the seal is in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $171.7 billion (2003 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.5%
industry: 36.2% services: 61.2% (2003) |
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 34.5% services: 63.2% (2006 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $37,800 (2003 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.6% (2003 est.) | 5.2% (2006 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 10 00 E | 46 07 N, 14 49 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 | despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe's major transit routes |
Heliports | 1 (2003 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 91,454 km
paved: 69,505 km (including 143 km of expressways) unpaved: 21,949 km (2000) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 21.8% (1995) |
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 21.4% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | - | minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals |
Imports | 88,870 bbl/day (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food |
Imports - partners | Sweden 16.1%, Germany 13.3%, Denmark 7.9%, UK 7.2%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 4.5%, China 4.4%, France 4.3%, Italy 4% (2003) | Germany 19.7%, Italy 18.1%, Austria 11.9%, France 6%, Croatia 4.7% (2006) |
Independence | 7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union) | 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia) |
Industrial production growth rate | -3.5% (2003 est.) | 5.6% (2006) |
Industries | petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing | ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military electronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools |
Infant mortality rate | total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2003 est.) | 2.5% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Irrigated land | 1,270 sq km (1998 est.) | 30 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) | Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and nominated by the president) |
Labor force | 2.38 million (2003 est.) | 911,000 (2006 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%, services 74% (1995) | agriculture: 4.8%
industry: 39.1% services: 56.1% (2004) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,551 km
border countries: Finland 736 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km |
total: 1,382 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 280 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.13% (2001) |
arable land: 8.53%
permanent crops: 1.43% other: 90.04% (2005) |
Languages | Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official)
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census) |
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 civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 Parliament consists of a National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 members are directly elected and 50 are elected on a proportional basis; note - the number of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; the constitution mandates 1 seat each for Slovenia's Hungarian and Italian minorities; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve five-year terms; note - this is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decision, and call national referenda)
elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%, ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.25 years
male: 76.64 years female: 82.01 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 76.53 years
male: 72.84 years female: 80.47 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: NA female: NA |
definition: NA
total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% |
Location | Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden | Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia |
Map references | Europe | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 693 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,820,495 GRT/27,449,456 DWT
by type: bulk 62, cargo 128, chemical tanker 124, combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 32, container 15, liquefied gas 84, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 113, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 48, short-sea/passenger 22, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 43 foreign-owned: Cyprus 3, Denmark 23, Estonia 2, Germany 12, Greece 15, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 2, Japan 10, Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Monaco 33, Poland 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 12, Sweden 31, United Kingdom 4, United States 5 registered in other countries: 695 (2004 est.) |
registered in other countries: 26 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Georgia 2, Liberia 1, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 3, Singapore 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 5) (2007) |
Military branches | Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard | Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $4,033.5 million (2003) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.9% (2003) | 1.7% (2005 est.) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,106,484 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 916,155 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 27,252 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) | Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991) |
Nationality | noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian |
Natural hazards | rockslides, avalanches | flooding and earthquakes |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower | lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests |
Net migration rate | 1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water 746 km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km (2004) | gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Steinar BASTESEN]; Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN] | Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Jelko KACIN]; New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]; Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Social Democrats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly ZLSD) |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 4,574,560 (July 2004 est.) | 2,009,245 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 12.9% (2004) |
Population growth rate | 0.41% (2004 est.) | -0.065% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006) |
Railways | total: 4,077 km
standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2003) |
total: 1,229 km
standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2006) |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997) | Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.059 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.633 male(s)/female total population: 0.949 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed) |
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: country code - 47; 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: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000) international: country code - 386 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 3.343 million (2002) | 837,500 (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 4,163,400 (2003) | 1.82 million (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995) | 31 (2006) |
Terrain | glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north | a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east |
Total fertility rate | 1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 1.26 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.7% (2003 est.) | 9.6% (2006 est.) |