Geography

25,000 years ago Norway was covered by ice 3-4 km thick. It took almost 18,000 years to melt. In Oslo, where Kari lives, the land has risen no less than 200 m since the Ice Age and it still rises a few millimetres each year.It is located in Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden.The Geographic coordinates are 62 00 N, 10 00 E .It has the total area ofland area of 307,860 sq km and water of16,360 sq km. 324,220 sq km including

Large areas of Norway consist of forests and mountains. We generally divide the country into northern and southern Norway but geographically we can refer to 4 regions. Southeast Norway contains extensive areas of forest, gentle valleys and rich arable land. In the southwest, nature is more dramatic with deep fjords penetrating 200 km or more into the heart of the country where mountain glaciers lie. The central region also has fjords and a coastline but here the mountains are more gentle and there are also extensive lowland areas. In northern Norway the landscape is a mixture of valleys, fjords, mountains and islands. Border countries are Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km .

Capital       Oslo

Languages  Norwegian, Finnish, Kven, Romani,

Currency  Norwegian Krone (NOK)

Climate

The climate in Norway varies a great deal from one region to another but the four seasons are distinct throughout the whole country. In the northernmost region, Finnmark, the temperature can vary from -52 degrees C in the winter to more than +30 degrees C in the summer. The coastal climate is one of mild winters and cool summers, while inland winters are cold and summers are hot. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream bring a mild climate to coastal areas and ensure ice-free harbours even in winter.