Simple directory > Regional > Norway

Official name: Kongeriket Norge (Kingdom of Norway) Head of State: King Harald V Head of government: Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (DNA) (since Sep 2005) Ruling party: Coalition: Det Norske Arbeiderparti (DNA) (Norwegian Labour Party), Sosialistisk Venstreparti (SV) (Socialist Left Party), Senterparti (SP) (Centre Party) (since Sep 2005) Area: 323,985 square km Population: 4.58 million (2004) Capital: Oslo Official language: Norwegian Currency: Norwegian krone (Nkr) = 100 ore Exchange rate: Nkr6.27 per US$ (Nov 2004) GDP per capita: US$48,672 (2003) GDP real growth: 0.60% (2003) Labour force: 2.36 million (2003) Unemployment: 4.50% (2003) Inflation: 2.50% (2003) Oil production: 3.26 million bpd (2003) Balance of trade: US$28.24 billion (2003)

 

Historical profile
1905 The union with Sweden, established in 1814, was dissolved and the newly independent Norwegians voted for a monarchy.

1914–18 Norway adopted a policy of neutrality in the First World War.

1920 An international agreement on the Svalbard Arctic archipelago gave full sovereignty to Norway.

1940 Despite neutrality, Norway was invaded and occupied by the Germans in the Second World War. There was active resistance to the Nazi puppet government of Vidkun Quisling.

1945 Norway abandoned its policy of neutrality and lent troops to take part in the Allied war effort.

1949 Norway became a member of NATO.

1935–65 Det Norske Arbeiderparti (DNA) (Labour Party) was in office except during the German occupation.

1952 Norway joined the Nordic Council, set up to promote co-operation between Nordic parliaments.

1959 Norway participated in the foundation of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

1957 King Olav V came to the throne.

1965 Centre-right coalition unseated the DNA government.

1972 Norwegians rejected a proposal for membership of the European Community (EC).

1973–1981 Minority DNA government held power.

1981–86 The first conservative government since 1928 came to power. Following labour disputes, the government was defeated on its austerity programme.

1986 Minority DNA government was elected with Harlem Brundtland as Norway's first female prime minister.

1989 The election was won by a coalition of conservative, christian democrat and centre parties.

1991 King Olav V died. He was succeeded by his son Harald V.

1993 The election returned Harlem Brundtland to power with increased representation.

1997 After the general election in which the DNA failed to equal its 1993 performance, Kjell Magne Bondevik of the Kristelig Folkeparti (KrF) (Christian People's Party) set up a minority centrist coalition government, the first centrist government in a quarter of a century.

2000 The government fell after Kjell Magne Bondevik was defeated in a vote of no-confidence over controversial plans to build gas-fired power plants. A DNA-led government came to power under Jens Stoltenberg.

2001 In parliamentary elections, no party emerged with a majority in parliament. Jens Stoltenberg and the DNA government resigned and Kjell Magne Bondevik returned as prime minister, leading a centre-right coalition.

2003 Norway took the lead in trying to broker a peace deal in Sri Lanka.

2004 In June, the government intervened to end a strike by oil workers seeking better pension rights and job security.

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