Norway By: Rebeca Pirela

The Norway Flag •The colors of this flag are symbolic and are said to have been influenced by the French flag. •White = Honesty and Peace •Red = Strength and Bravery •Blue = Truth, Loyalty, and Justice. •The cross is a Scandinavian cross in which the vertical leg does not cross the horizontal leg at the center. According to Absolute Astronomy, the cross represents Christianity.

Currency •The krone is the currency for Norway and it’s dependent territories (sign: kr, code: NOK) •The name translates into English as “crown” •1 US dollar = 5.68 Norwegian krone

Head of Government •The government of Norway is leaded by a Prime Minister named Jens Stoltenberg. •The Prime Minister is responsible for coordinating and leading the work of government. He was appointed by the king on Oct.17,2005 •King Harald V is the official leader of the Norwegian Parliament. He is responsible for appointing prime ministers, government officials, and foreign ambassadors. He also holds a title as Head of the church of Norway and Commander of the Armed forces. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg King Harald V

Current Population •The current population of Norway is 4,707,270 people •18% 0-14 years (431,111 males/412,864 females) •66% years (1,568,729 males/ 1,529,799 females) •16% 65 years or over ( 326,711 males/422,625 females)

Ethnic foods of Norway •Fish is popular amongst the food in Norway and Grilled Salmon (left) is a favorite amongst many. •There is an abundance of seafood found in the waters that surround the country. •The Norwegian population is one of the healthiest in the world. •There are many ways to prepare these fish dishes one way is called the klippfisk (salt- and-dried) which looks like the bottom left picture.

Official Languages •Norwegian= (most widely spoken) a North Germanic Language, very similar to Swedish and Danish •Bokmål= based on Riksmål, second most popular language •Nynorsk = spoken by 7.4% of the population. It was based on a rural, basic Norwegian rather than a cultural one spoken in cities. •Sami = Spoken by the Sami people, who were the original inhabitants of Northern Scandinavia. Although most have adopted Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, or Russian, some still speak the Sami languages. These languages are official in seven Norwegian municipalities

Commodities export In shipping Norway is the 4 th largest fleet in the world Exports: •Seafood •Timber and wood •Oil and gas •Chemicals •Industrial machinery •Hydroelectricity •Unwrought metals •Transport equipment

Major Religion •About 83% of the population belongs to The Church of Norway, which is the official church of the Norwegian State. This is the major religion that has roots in the Evangelical Lutheran Christian Faith.

•Norway is located west of Sweden, East of the Norwegian Sea, North of Denmark, South of the Arctic ocean, and is situated on the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway belongs to the country of Europe.

Oslo, Norway’s Capital •Oslo is the capital and most populous city of Norway. The city was founded in 1048 by King Herald III. It became capital in 1300 under King Haakon V. Oslo is the economic and governmental centre of Norway.

Famous People •Röyksopp ( shown in the picture) is a Norwegian electronic duo. Norway has a large active rock scene

Architecture •The architecture of Norway has evolved to changing economic conditions, technological advances, and cultural shifts. •They have been adapted to meet Norwegian climate conditions, including harsh winters and strong winds. •On the left, the top two pictures are major tourist attractions and on the bottom, you can see how Norwegian cities have modernized. On the top right corner is a picture of a Norwegian architecture in 1890.

Interesting Facts •Even though Norway is one of the top oil producers in the world, gas is the most expensive there than anywhere else. •Norwegians eat brown cheese •Speeding fines are often more serious than if a person was caught with drugs. •Because food prices are so high in Norway people often travel to Sweden to get their groceries. •In Norway it is NOT considered rude to bump into someone at the grocery store and not apologize. •In order to own a TV in Norway you have to pay a yearly fee. •Once the Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg was drunk on live TV while giving a speech. In the video he could be seen snickering and struggling to pronounce some words.

National Anthem •Ja, vi elsker dette landet som det stiger frem, furet, værbitt, over vannet, med du tusen hjem. Elsker, elsker det og tenker på vå far og mor og den saganatt som senker drømme på vår jord. og den saganatt som senker drømme på vår jord. Norske mann i hus og hytte, tak din store Gud! Landet ville han beskytte sjønt det mørt så ut. Alt hva fedrene har kjempet, mødrene har grett, har den Herre stille lempet, så vi vant vår rett. har den Herre stille lempet, så vi vant vår rett. Ja, vi elsker dette landet som det stiger frem, furet, værbitt, over vannet, med du tusen hjem! Og som fedres kamp har hevet det av nød til seir også vi når det blir krevet, for dets fred slår leir. også vi når det blir krevet, for dets fred slår leir.

Credits               Special thanks to Olga Pirela for helping me with the Famous People and Interesting facts slides!!!!!