Location:
Northern
Europe, bordering the
North Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, west of
Sweden
Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total:
324,220 sq km
land:
307,860 sq km
water:
16,360 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total:
2,515 km
border countries:
Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
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)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
10 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
4 nm
Climate:
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain:
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point:
Galdhopiggen? 2,469 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, copper, [natural gas]?, pyrites?, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
27%
other:
70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land:
970 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions
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 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
Major cities/towns (ranked by size):
- Oslo (earlier Kristiania?) - capital
- Bergen - former capital, hansa? city
- Trondheim?
- [[Tromsų]]
- Stavanger?
- Fredrikstad?
- Kristiansand?
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; Norway is the only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia
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