Norway

Norway is a nation situated in the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, bordered by Sweden to the east, the Norwegian Sea to the west, Denmark across the sea to the south, and Finland and Russia to the north. Its capital is Oslo, and the country is divided into one city and ten counties, with a total area of 385,000 square kilometers, including territories like the Svalbard Islands and Jan Mayen. It boasts a coastline stretching 28,953 kilometers.

Norway is a highly developed modern industrial nation, predominantly led by its petroleum industry, making it the largest oil producer in Western Europe and the third-largest oil exporter globally. Since discovering vast offshore oil and gas reserves in the 1970s, the oil and gas industry has dominated Norway’s economy. Additionally, Norway has abundant hydropower, forestry, and fishing resources, marking it as a resource-rich country.

Norway’s social welfare system is highly comprehensive, having been ranked by the United Nations as the most livable country for six consecutive years starting in 2001, and holding the top spot in the global Human Development Index from 2009 to 2018. Norway is a member of the Schengen Agreement but has not joined the European Union.