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 lasted 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.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 4,627,926 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 450,612/female 430,126) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,552,473/female 1,507,638) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 291,659/female 395,418) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 38.7 years male: 37.9 years female: 39.6 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 0.363% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 11.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 9.37 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.738 male(s)/female total population: 0.984 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 3.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.67 years male: 77.04 years female: 82.46 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2,100 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.)

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Nationality: noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian

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Ethnic groups: Norwegian, Sami 20,000

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Religions: Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

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Languages: Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

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; nonetheless, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with privatization. Although Norwegian oil production peaked in 2000, natural gas production is still rising. Norwegians realize that once their gas production peaks they will eventually face declining oil and gas revenues; accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-and-gas-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $250 billion. After lackluster growth of less than 1% in 2002-03, GDP growth picked up to 3-4% in 2004-06. Norway's economy remains buoyant. Domestic economic activity is, and will continue to be, the main driver of growth, supported by high consumer confidence and strong investment spending in the offshore oil and gas sector.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $213.6 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $264.4 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 4.6% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $46,300 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 41.4% services: 56.3% (2006 est.)

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Labor force: 2.42 million (2006 est.)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 4% industry: 22% services: 74% (1995)

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Unemployment rate: 3.5% (2006 est.)

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

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Distribution of family income - Gini index: 25.8 (2000)

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2006 est.)

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Investment (gross fixed): 19.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $195.8 billion expenditures: $133.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

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Public debt: 44.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Agriculture - products: barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

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Industries: petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

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Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2006 est.)

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Electricity - production: 108.9 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 112.8 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 3.8 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 15.3 billion kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 3.22 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 244,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: 3.018 million bbl/day (2004)

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Oil - imports: 91,930 bbl/day (2004)

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Oil - proved reserves: 8.5 billion bbl (1 January 2005)

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Natural gas - production: 83.49 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 8.09 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - exports: 75.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - proved reserves: 2.085 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

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Current account balance: $63.33 billion (2006 est.)

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Exports: $122.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish

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Exports - partners: UK 26.6%, Germany 12.2%, Netherlands 10.4%, France 8.2%, Sweden 6.5%, US 5.9% (2006)

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Imports: $59.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

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Imports - partners: Sweden 15%, Germany 13.5%, Denmark 6.9%, UK 6.4%, China 5.7%, US 5.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2006)

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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $49.62 billion (August 2006 est.)

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Debt - external: $350.3 billion; note - Norway is a net external creditor (30 June 2006)

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Economic aid - donor: ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

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Currency (code): Norwegian krone (NOK)

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Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.4117 (2006), 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year