Living in Norway

Norway is one of the three Scandinavian countries in the Northern part of Europe. With a population of 4.6 million, Norway is not among the most crowded places on Earth. But Norwegians very much enjoy the space and the country's nature – visitors are often astonished by Norwegians' active way of life. So don't get surprised if your Norwegian friends insist on going hiking, even if you might think that the weather is more suitable for staying in.

Norway is a European country, though it is not part of the European Union (EU). But through the EEA-agreement it is fully integrated with the large European community in everything from trade and economy to education and research. Norway is also part of the Schengen agreement, and so travel to and from Norway is easy for people with legal residency in another Schengen country.

For the last several years the United Nations (UN) has ranked Norway as having the highest standard of living in the world. This annual ranking is based largely on average levels of education and income combined with expected life expectancy, but also factors such as human rights and cultural freedom. Norway ranks very high on the scale for its high literacy rate in addition to educational levels and material wealth.

One of the great things about Norway is the number of great experiences that are on offer. It is a country of contrasts – between traditional wooden architecture and hypermodern buildings; between traditional industries and modern technology; between well-populated cities and spectacular landscapes; between deep snow in winter and dry, hot summer days.

Whether you like skiing, walking, climbing or white-water rafting, or simply sitting in a café watching the world go by, Norway has a lot to offer.

Some basic facts about Norway:

System of government: Constitutional monarchy

Geographic location: Northern Europe, with borders to Sweden, Finland and Russia

Area: 385,155 km2 (includes Svalbard and Jan Mayen)

Length of coastline: 25,148 km, including fjords

Largest lake: Mjøsa, 362 km2

Highest mountain: Galdhøpiggen, 2,469m

Population: 5 million 

Oslo, population: 590.000

Monetary unit: Norwegian kroner (NOK)

1 USD = NOK 5,52 (May 2011)

1 EUR = NOK 7,88 (May 2011)

Language: Norwegian (two forms: Bokmål and Nynorsk) and the Sámi language of the indigenous Sámi people in some areas (mainly in the North of Norway)

Read more:

We recommend the website www.studyinnorway.no, which has lots of detailed information about living in Norway.