Norway/Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge

Data code: NO

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Oslo

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?

Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence: 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved; 26 October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union

National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution: 17 May 1814, modified in 1884

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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 the Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the Parliament

Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held NA September 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 35%, Center Party 7.9%, Conservative Party 14.3%, Christian People's Party 13.7%, Socialist Left Party 6%, Progress Party 15.3%, Liberal Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%; seats by party - Labor Party 65, Center Party 11, Conservative Party 23, Christian People's Party 25, Socialist Left Party 9, Progress Party 25, Liberal Party 6, other parties 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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by the monarch

Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Johan J. JAKOBSEN]; Christian People's Party [Valgerd HAUGLAND]; Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Norwegian Communist Party [Kare Andre NILSEN]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Red Electoral Alliance [Erling FOLKVORD]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

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, Inmarsat?, Intelsat?, Interpol?, IOC, IOM?, ISO, ITU, MINURSO?, NAM? (guest), NATO, NC?, NEA?, NIB?, NSG?, OECD, OPCW?, OSCE?, PCA?, UN, UNCTAD?, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO?, UNMIBH?, UNMIK?, UNMOP?, UNTSO?, UPU, WEU? (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC?

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tom Erik VRAALSEN
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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David B. HERMELIN
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

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)