Top 10 curisities

10 curiosities of Norway

This is a list of 10 curiosities of Norway, are some data which is recognized worldwide plus facts about tourism and geography:

-The name of Norway comes from the Germanic languages ​​meaning way north or northern route.
-Norway with Finland and Denmark make up Scandinavia.
-After Saudi Arabia and Russia, the country's third largest oil exporter in the world.
-Norway managed to be the second largest exporter in the world after China fishing in 2006.
-This country is made up of 19 provinces and 434 municipalities called fylke called Kommuner.
-The Norwegian Nobel committee of Parliament awards the Nobel Peace since 1901.
-Touristically Norway has fjords, which are natural formations from glaciers also Vigeland Park, City Hall, the Viking ship museum and markets of the port areas.
-The highest mountain in Scandinavia and Norway is Mount Galdhøpiggen with 2469 meters.
-The most populous city of Norway is Oslo with approximately 576,000 inhabitants.
-Norwegian is the official language and most of the population speak both Norwegian and Swedish and Danish.

Fløibanen

Fløibanen is a funicular in Bergen, Norway which runs up the mountain of Fløyen. It is one of Bergen's major tourist attractions and one of Norway's most visited attractions. Over 1 million passengers a year have used it over the past few years.^[when?] Fløibanen was officially opened on 15 January 1918.^[1] The idea to build transport to Fløyen was put forward in 1895 by John Lund, a member of the Norwegian legislature.^[1] Work to build Fløibanen started in 1914. The line was ready in 1918. Today the company is owned 44% by the municipality of Bergen, the rest spread on various private interests. A certain percentage of the yearly profits are invested to finance the next generation of cars, this will likely happen sometime after year 2030. The cars and machinery were last totally renewed in September–November 2002.^[1]
Two cars, each with room for approximately 80 passengers, operate between the centre of Bergen and Fløyen throughout the year. The length is 850m and the height difference is 300m. Fløibanen is a narrow gauge railway, with a gauge of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 ³⁄₈ in).
Each car is named and individually painted - Blåmann is blue, whilst Rødhette (equivalent to Little Red Riding Hood in English) is red. The cars were named by the winners of a naming competition.

Fløibanen in 1999.

The trip takes approximately seven minutes with stops at all stations, and 3 min. 20 secs. non-stop. Service travel speed is either 4 or 6 m/s depending on traffic load. Typically, 6 m/s is selected when there are eight or more departures per hour, including two calling at all stations.
The funicular operates a basic schedule with departures every 30 minutes from opening until 10 o'clock, then every 15 minutes until 20:30 when half-hour service resumes until closing. All departures call at all stations, except weekends and summers. At those times all stations are only served at half-hour intervals, providing time for maximum four direct services per half-hour with dwell times of two minutes or less. To achieve this extra staff is employed to assist passengers though fare gates and with prams/strollers and/or wheelchairs.
The funicular is fully wheelchair-accessible at the bottom and top stations only. Small, manual wheelchairs may be carried on and off the funicular by staff at the intermediate stations. Electric wheelchairs up to 900 mm wide enjoy full access to both the funicular and the facilities at Fløyen.

ART IN NORWAY

For an extended period, the Norwegian art scene was dominated by artwork from Germany and Holland as well as by the influence of Copenhagen. It was in the 19th century that a truly Norwegian era began, first with portraits, later with even more impressive landscapes. Johan Christian Dahl (1788–1857), originally from the Dresden school, eventually returned to paint the landscapes of western Norway, defining Norwegian painting for the first time."^[156]

Brudeferd i Hardanger by Adolph Tidemand og Hans Gude, 1848

Norway’s new-found independence from Denmark encouraged painters to develop their Norwegian identity, especially with landscape painting by artists such as Kitty Kielland, a female painter who studied under Hans Gude; Harriet Backer, 1845–1932, another pioneer among female artists, influenced byimpressionism. Frits Thaulow, an impressionist, was influenced by the art scene in Paris as was Christian Krohg, a realist painter, famous for his paintings of prostitutes.^[157]

Of particular note is Edvard Munch, a symbolist/expressionist painter who became world famous for The Scream which is said to represent the anxiety of modern man.

Other artists of note include Harald Sohlberg, a neo-romantic painter remembered for his paintings of Røros; and Odd Nerdrum, a figurative painter who maintains his work is not art but kitsch.

A VERY, VERY OLD CHURCH

Kaupanger Stave Church (Norwegian: Kaupanger stavkyrkje) is the largest stave church in Sogn og Fjordane, and is situated in the town ofKaupanger, Norway. The nave is supported by 22 staves, 8 on each of the longer sides and 3 on each of the shorter. The elevated chancel is carried by 4 free standing staves. The church has the largest number of staves to be found in any one stave church. It is still in use as a parish church, having been in use continuously since its erection.

Kaupanger Stave Church was built in the 12th century, and is situated on the ruins of what might be two previous post churches. Kaupanger was a market town that King Sverre burned down in 1184 to punish the local inhabitants for disobeying him. It was previously thought that the stave church previously standing on this site burned down in this fire, as archaeological research in the 1960s revealed that the previous church had burned down. The present church was therefore believed to have been built around 1190. Recent research has changed these assumptions. Dendrochronology has shown that the timber used for building the church was cut in 1137. Also, Sverris saga makes no mention of the burning of the church at the time the town was burnt. Consequently, it is now assumed that the church was built around 1150.

Several restoration projects have taken place both inside the church and on the exterior, but in spite of these changes, the medieval construction has been preserved. The pulpit, altarpiece and font are all from the 17th century. In 1984, composer Arne Nordheim was inspired by the neumes and the sound of the medieval bells in Kaupanger stave church in composing the work Klokkesong, which was first performed inside the church as part of the 800th commemoration of the Battle of Fimreite.

The sport in norway

Sport

Holmenkollen National Arena and Holmenkollbakken is the country's main biathlon and Nordic skiing venue. It hosts annual world cup tournaments, including the Holmenkollen Ski Festival. It has hosted Biathlon World Championships in 1986, 1990, 1999 and 2002. FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been hosted in 1930, 1966, 1982 and 2011, as well as the 1952 Winter Olympics.

Ullevål Stadion is the home arena for the Tippeligaen football side Vålerenga Fotball, the Norwegian national football team and theFootball Cup Final. The stadium has previously hosted the finals of the UEFA Women's Championship in 1987 and 1997, and the 2002 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship.^[72] Røa IL is Oslo's only team in the women's league, Toppserien. Each year, the international youth football tournament Norway Cup is held on Ekebergsletta and other places in the city.

Bislett Stadion is the city's main track and field venue, and hosts the annual Bislett Games, part of IAAF Diamond League. Bjerke Travbane is the main venue for harness racing in the country. Oslo Spektrum is used for large ice hockey and handball matches.Bækkelagets SK and Nordstrand IF plays in the women's Postenligaen in handball, while Vålerenga Håndball plays in the men's league. Jordal Amfi, the home of the ice hockey team Vålerenga Ishockey, and Manglerudhallen is the home of Manglerud Star, both of whom play in GET-ligaen. The 1999 IIHF World Championship in ice hockey were held in Oslo, as have three Bandy World Championships, in 1961, 1977 and 1985. The UCI Road World Championships in bicycle road racing were hosted 1993.

NORWAY

Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Scandinavian unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and the subantarctic Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of 385,252 square kilometres (148,747 sq mi) and a population of about 5 million^. It is the second least densely populated country in Europe. The majority of the country shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east; in its south Norway borders the Skagerrak Strait across from Denmark. The capital city of Norway is Oslo. Norway's extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its famous fjords.
Two centuries of Viking raids tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav Tryggvason in 994. A period of civil war ended in the 13th century when Norway expanded its control overseas to parts of Britain, Ireland, Iceland, and Greenland. Norwegian territorial power peaked in 1265, but competition from the Hanseatic League and the spread of the Black Death weakened the country. In 1380, 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 the Third Reich. In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a founding member of  NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the European Union. Key domestic issues include immigration and integration of ethnic minorities, maintaining the country's extensive social safety net with an aging population, and preserving economic competitiveness.
Norway is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, with King Harald V as its head of state and Jens Stoltenberg as its prime minister. It is a unitary state with administrative subdivisions on two levels known as counties (fylke) and municipalities (kommuner). The Sámi people have a certain amount of self-determination and influence over traditional territories through the Sámi Parliament and the Finnmark Act. Although having rejected European Union membership in two referenda, Norway maintains close ties with the union and its member countries, as well as with the United States. Norway remains one of the biggest financial contributors to the United Nations, and participates with UN forces in international missions, notably in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Sudan and Libya. Norway is a founding member of the United Nations, NATO, the Council of Europe, and the Nordic Council; a member of the European Economic Area, the WTO, and the OECD; and is also a part of Schengen Area.
Norway has extensive reserves of petroleum, natural gas, minerals, lumber, seafood, fresh water, and hydropower. The country has the fourth-highest per capita income in the world. On a per-capita basis, it is the world's largest producer of oil and natural gas outside the Middle East, and the petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of the country's gross domestic produc^{t. T}he country maintains a Nordic welfare model with universal health care, subsidized higher education, and a comprehensive social security system. From 2001 to 2006, and then again from 2009 through 2011, Norway has had the highest human development index ranking in the world. In 2011, Norway also ranked the highest on the Democracy Index.

                                                                   CLIMATE

The climate of Norway is much more temperate than expected for such high latitudes; this is mainly due to the North Atlantic Current with its extension theNorwegian Current raising the air temperature (^[4]), and the prevailing southwesterlies bringing the mild air on shore, as well as the general southwest - northeast orientation of the coast allowing the westerlies to penetrate into the Arctic. The January average in Brønnøysund ^[5] is almost 15 °C (27 °F)warmer than the January average in Nome, Alaska,^[6]even if both towns are situated on the west coast of the continents at 65°N. In July, the difference is reduced to 3 °C (5.4 °F). January average inYakutsk, situated inland in Siberia but slightly further south, is 42 °C (76 °F) colder than in Brønnøysund.^[7]

[edit]Precipitation

Some areas of Vestlandet and southern Nordland are Europe's wettest due to orographic lift, particularly where the moist westerlies first are intercepted by high mountains; this occurs slightly inland from the outer skerry guard. Brekke in Sogn og Fjordane has the highest annual precipitation with 3,575 mm (140.7 in); annual precipitation can exceed 5,000 mm (196.9 in) in mountain areas near the coast. Lurøy, near the Arctic Circle, gets 2,935 mm on average, a remarkable amount of precipitation for a polar location. Precipitation is heaviest in autumn and early winter along the coast, while April to June is the driest. The innermost parts of the long fjords are somewhat drier; annual precipitation in Lærdal is 491 mm (19.3 in), in Levanger 750 mm (29.5 in) and only 300 mm (11.8 in) in Skibotn at the head of Lyngenfjord, the latter also has the national record for clear-weather days. The regions to the east of the mountains (including Oslo) have a more continental climate with less precipitation, and enjoy more sunshine and usually warmer summers; precipitation is highest in summer and early autumn (often brief, heavy showers) while winter and spring tend to be driest inland. Valleys surrounded by mountains can be very dry compared to nearby areas, and a larger area in the interior of Finnmark gets less than 400 mm (15.7 in) of precipitation annually. Svalbard Airport has the lowest average annual precipitation with 190 mm (7.5 in), while Skjåk has the lowest average on the mainland with only 278 mm (10.9 in), the lowest ever recorded on the mainland is 64 mm (2.5 in) at Hjerkinn in Dovre. Monthly averages varies from 5 mm (0.20 in) in April in Skjåk to 454 mm (17.9 in) in September in Brekke. Coastal areas from Lindesnes north to Vardø have more than 200 days/year with precipitation; however, this is with a very low threshold value (0.1 mm precipitation). The average annual number of days with at least 3 mm (0.12 in) precipitation is 77 in Blindern/Oslo, 96 in Kjevik/Kristiansand, 158 in Florida/Bergen, 93 in Værnes/Trondheim and 109 in Tromsø.^[8]

[edit]Temperature

The coast experiences much milder winters than other areas at the same latitudes. The temperature difference from the coldest month to the warmest is only 11–15 °C (52–59 °F) in coastal areas; some lighthouses have a year amplitude of just 10 °C (18 °F), such as Svinøy in Herøy with a coldest month of 2.7 °C (36.9 °F).^[9] The amplitude of inland areas are larger, with a maximum of 30 °C (86 °F) inKarasjok. Finnmarksvidda has the coldest winters in mainland Norway, but inland areas much further south can also see severe cold;Røros has recorded −50 °C (−58 °F) and Tynset has a January average −13 °C (9 °F).

The inland valleys have reliable snow cover in winter; Sigdal has a February average of −7 °C (19 °F) (1961-90). Due toinversion, the valley floor is often colder than the hillsides above during winter.

The islands in southern Lofoten are the most northerly locations in the world where all winter months have mean temperatures above 0 °C (32 °F).^[10] Spring is the season when the temperature differences between the southern and northern part of the country is largest; this is also the time of year when daytime and nighttime temperatures differs the most. Inland valleys and the innermost fjord areas have less wind and sees the warmest summer days; the Oslofjord lowland is warmest with July 24-hr average of 17 °C (62.6 °F), but even Alta at70°N has July average of 13.5 °C (56.3 °F), and commercial fruit orchards are common in the innermost areas of the western fjords, but also in Telemark. Inland areas reach their warmth peak around mid-July, and coastal areas by the first half of August. Humidity is usually low in summer. The North Atlantic Current splits in two in the northern part of the Norwegian Sea; one branch goes east into the Barents Sea, while the other goes north along the west coast of Spitsbergen; this modifies the Arctic polar climate somewhat and results in open water throughout the year at higher latitudes than any other place in the Arctic. On the eastern coast of the Svalbard archipelago, the sea used to be frozen during most of the year, but the last years warming (graph) have seen open waters noticeably longer.

Normal monthly averages range from −17.1 °C (1.2 °F) in January in Karasjok 129 m (423 ft) amsl.^[11] to 17.3 °C (63.1 °F) in July in Oslo - Studenterlunden 15 m amsl.^[12] The warmest year average temperature is 7.7 °C (45.9 °F) in Skudeneshavn in Karmøy, and the coldest is −3.1 °C (26.4 °F) in Sihcajarvi in Kautokeino (excluding higher mountains and Svalbard); this is a 10.8 °C (19.4 °F) difference, about the same as the temperature difference between Skudeneshavn and Athens, Greece.^[13]

The warmest temperature ever recorded in Norway is 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) in Nesbyen. The coldest temperature ever recorded is −51.4 °C(−60.5 °F) in Karasjok. The warmest month on record was July 1901 in Oslo, with a mean (24hr) of 22.7 °C (72.9 °F), and the coldest month was February 1966 in Karasjok with a mean of −27.1 °C (−16.8 °F). Southwesterly winds further warmed by foehn can give warm temperatures in narrow fjords in winter; Tafjord has recorded 17.9 °C (64.2 °F) in January and Sunndal 18.9 °C (66.0 °F) in February.

Compared to coastal areas, inland valleys and the innermost fjord areas have larger diurnal temperature variation, especially in spring and summer. In July, the average daily high temperature is 20.1 °C (68.2 °F) in Lærdal and 17.8 °C (64.0 °F) in Karasjok, roughly 3 °C(5.4 °F) warmer than coastal locations at the same latitude.