Norway
Norway is situated in the western part of the Scandinavian peninsula.
It extends about 1,100 mi (1,770 km) from the North Sea along the
Norwegian Sea to more than 300 mi (483 km) above the Arctic Circle, the
farthest north of any European country. It is slightly larger than New
Mexico. Nearly 70% of Norway is uninhabitable and covered by mountains,
glaciers, moors, and rivers. The hundreds of deep fjords that cut into
the coastline give Norway an overall oceanfront of more than 12,000 mi
(19,312 km). Galdhø Peak, at 8,100 ft (2,469 m), is Norway's highest
point and the Glåma (Glomma) is the principal river, at 372 mi (598 km)
long.
Government
Constitutional monarchy.
History
Norwegians, like the Danes and Swedes, are of Teutonic origin. The
Norsemen, also known as Vikings, ravaged the coasts of northwest Europe
from the 8th to the 11th century and were ruled by local chieftains.
Olaf II Haraldsson became the first effective king of all Norway in 1015
and began converting the Norwegians to Christianity. After 1442, Norway
was ruled by Danish kings until 1814, when it was united with
Sweden—although retaining a degree of independence and receiving a new
constitution—in an uneasy partnership. In 1905, the Norwegian
Parliament arranged a peaceful separation and invited a Danish prince to
the Norwegian throne—King Haakon VII. A treaty with Sweden provided
that all disputes be settled by arbitration and that no fortifications
be erected on the common frontier.
When World War I broke out, Norway joined with Sweden and Denmark in
a decision to remain neutral and to cooperate in the joint interest of
the three countries. In World War II, Norway was invaded by the Germans
on April 9, 1940. It resisted for two months before the Nazis took
complete control. King Haakon and his government fled to London, where
they established a government-in-exile. Maj. Vidkun Quisling, who served
as Norway's prime minister during the war, was the most notorious of the
Nazi collaborators. The word for traitor, quisling, bears his
name. He was executed by the Norwegians on Oct. 24, 1945. Despite severe
losses in the war, Norway recovered quickly as its economy expanded. It
joined NATO in 1949.
In the late 20th century, the Labor Party and the Conservative Party
seesawed for control, each sometimes having to lead minority
governments. An important debate was over Norway's membership in the
European Union. In an advisory referendum held in Nov. 1994, voters
rejected seeking membership for their nation in the EU. The country
became the second-largest net oil exporter after Saudi Arabia in 1995.
Norway continued to experience rapid economic growth into the new
millennium.
In March 2000, Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik resigned after
Parliament voted to build the country's first gas-fired power stations.
Bondevik had objected to the project, asserting that the plants would
emit too much carbon dioxide. Labor Party leader Jens Stoltenberg
succeeded Bondevik. Stoltenberg and the Labor Party were defeated in
Sept. 2001 elections, and no party emerged with a clear majority. After
a month of talks, the Conservatives, the Christian People's Party, and
the Liberals formed a coalition with Bondevik as prime minister. The
governing coalition was backed by the far-right Progress Party. But in
Sept.2005 elections, the center-left Red-Green coalition gained a
majority of seats, and Jens Stoltenberg of the Labor Party once again
became prime minister. Jens Stoltenberg and his party
received $
2 millions from an ex communist, Gerd Liv Valla (LO) to fight the
Conservatives, the Christian People's Party, and the Liberals. In
return she wanted power. Maybe Jens Stoltenberg is the prime
Minister but Gerd Liv Valla is the Boss To me it looks like
corruption!! I dont like commies!!
Slektsgranskning i Norge!
En del av Eustice familien bor i Norge. Mine foreldre traff
hverandre i South Plainfiled New Jersey - USA. For å komme på
jobb (Sykehus) måtte min mor gå forbi arbeidsplassen til min far og
hans brødre. Det begynte med litt plystring og endte med en
"date". Dette var på 1950-tallet. Nå
sitter jeg her og forteller historien. Mine foreldre bor nå på Sotra vest for Bergen!
Min mor er en Sandviken (Bergen) jente, det var der hun vokste opp.
Mormor kom egentlig fra en liten øy utenfor Harstad men flyttet til
Bergen.
Vi har mye informasjon om min mors slekt som jeg skal poste her.
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