Norway

Norway is a Nordic country located in Northern Europe, occupying most of the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula and its coastal islands. It is bordered by Sweden to the east, Finland and Russia to the northeast, and has a long Atlantic and Arctic-facing coastline noted for fjords and rugged terrain. The capital and largest city is Oslo; major urban centers include Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger.

Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The head of state is a monarch, currently Harald V, while political authority rests with a government led by a prime minister and the Storting. Elections are multiparty, and governance emphasizes welfare, transparency, and the rule of law. Norway is a member of NATO but not the European Union; it participates in the European Economic Area and the Schengen Area.

Norway has a highly developed, mixed economy with a strong welfare state. Key sectors include petroleum and natural gas, maritime industries, aquaculture, hydropower, and high-technology services. The government maintains a large sovereign wealth fund, the Government Pension Fund Global, one of the world's largest, built from petroleum revenues to support public spending and long-term stability.

Norway's modern history includes early unification under kings in the late Viking era, long rule by Denmark and a union with Sweden until 1905, when full independence was established. It remained neutral in World War II until the 1940 invasion. Postwar development and social democracy shaped its current model.

Norwegian culture reflects linguistic diversity, with Bokmål and Nynorsk as official written forms and Sami languages recognized for indigenous communities. The country has a rich literary and musical heritage, from Ibsen to contemporary writers, and a strong tradition of outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship.