Norway

These parades differ markedly from those of many other countries in that, rather than the military parades of, for example, France, they consist of children. The exception to this is the controversy over the Teletubbies speech possibly harming the linguistic development of children which had wide media exposure, but ultimately nothing came of it. Henrik Wergeland was the founder of the 17 May parade. In the show's native UK most of these controversies either went by largely unnoticed, and indeed reports of the controversies of Tinky Winky's alleged homosexuality and the alleged psychedelic nature of the programme from other countries were met with amusement by the media. Many people wear bunad (traditional costumes) and most participate in or watch the 17 May parade through the towns. Their antennas were hard plastic and understandably a jabbing concern in a slippery, wet tub. Norwegians celebrate their national day on May 17, Constitution Day. He was put on a 10 most dangerous toy list, later joined by the Laa-Laa bath toy.

The playwright/novelists Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Knut Hamsun and Sigrid Undset have all won the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1903, 1920 and 1928 respectively. A Boston lawyer once accused Dipsy, as a bath toy, of child endangerment. Famous Norwegians include the playwrights/novelists Baron Ludvig Holberg and Henrik Ibsen, explorers Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen, and Thor Heyerdahl, expressionist painter Edvard Munch and the romanticist composer Edvard Grieg. The owners of the series have also been extremely strict in the protection of their copyright and, as such, have refused to allow the Teletubbies characters to be used in school plays or any production outside those commercially controlled by the production company. However, the Finnish language bears some similarities to the Sami language. Other commentators have complained about the "psychedelic" nature of the program, claiming that parts of some episodes resemble drug-induced hallucinations: one episode in which a character is crushed by a falling letter E was taken to be a direct reference to the drug ecstasy. The Germanic Norwegian language and the Finno-Ugric Sami languages are entirely unrelated. Some parents as a result have forbidden their children to watch the programme; others do allow this but with direct supervision to ensure the children identify only with the 'straight' characters.

Several Sami languages are spoken and written throughout the country, especially in the north, by the Sami people. At least one young children's teacher in Brazil conducted experiments involving children's reaction to some episodes, and found they experienced problems with the gender roles of the characters and their own identification with them. Nevertheless, all of the Norwegian dialects are interintelligible. The most wide-ranging controversy is (as mentioned) the alleged gender confusion caused by Tinky Winky's supposedly homosexual traits. Around 95 percent of the population speak Norwegian as their native tongue, although many speak dialects that differ significantly from the written language. In Retarded Animal Babies Bunny brings costumes of his favorite TV show characters, the Telef***ies. they are both used in public administration, in schools, churches, and on radio and television, but Bokmål is used by the majority. In the Family Guy episode "A Hero Sits Next Door", Stewie is momentarily hypnotised by the Teletubbies.

They have officially equal status, i.e. In the British sitcom The Vicar of Dibley, Alice Tinker has her bridesmaids dressed in Teletubbie costumes for her wedding in the episode Love And Marriage. The Norwegian language has two official written forms, Bokmål and Nynorsk. Notable episodes include Wild Barts Can't Be Broken where Milhouse not only watches the show but owns a pair of Teletubbies underpants, Missionary: Impossible as part of an angry mob who work for PBS, Days of Wine and D'oh'ses where a character called Gaa Gaa says "hurt everyone" which goes unnoticed because of the character's "cute name", and in Lisa the Treehugger the couch gag has The Simpsons as the Teletubbies. As of 1 January 2003 approximately 5% of the population are unaffiliated ([7]). Several episodes of The Simpsons contain references to the Teletubbies. About 1.5% belong to the secular Human Ethical Union. At the height of the show's popularity it was heavily parodied.

Among non-Christian religions, Islam is the largest in Norway with about 1.5%, and other religions are at less than 1% each. The fact that the Teletubbies are in full-body costumes throughout the show made this change, with the exception of the bag, unnoticeable. Other Christian societies total about 4.5% (the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church, the Catholic Church, Pentecostal congregations, the Methodist Church, etc.). The producers of the show never conceded that they replaced him because of the controversy regarding the original actor's sexual orientation. Approximately 86% of the inhabitants are members of the Evangelic Lutheran Church of Norway (state church), although such membership is very frequently nominal. Eventually the actor playing Tinky Winky was replaced with another, and the bag was removed. (Here, immigrants are defined as persons with two foreign-born parents [6].). However some of those who knew about the "fai dee, fai dee" in the Cantonese community (people from Southern China and Hong Kong), were still outraged, believing that it created an "overly optimistic" stereotype.

The largest immigrant groups are Pakistanis, Swedes, Danes, Iraqis, Vietnamese and Somalis. However, this did not stop people from wrongly interpreting the sounds that the original version of the Talking Po doll produced as "faggot faggot," or "fatty fatty," when in fact they were "fai dee, fai dee" (Cantonese for "faster, faster"). Norway only takes in a very limited number of asylum seekers and aims to repatriate these people as quickly as possible. To think we would be putting sexual innuendo in a children's show is kind of outlandish.". In recent years, immigration has accounted for more than half the population growth, and 7.9% of the population are immigrants as of 1 January 2005. It's a children's show, folks. The largest concentration of Sami people is, however, found in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. "The fact that he carries a magic bag doesn't make him gay.

The Sami are instead considered an indigenous people, and traditionally live in the Northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. A spokesman for Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Co., who licenses the characters in the United States, said it was just a magic bag. Ethnically most Norwegians are Nordic / North Germanic, while small minorities in the north are Finnish (see also Cwen). A February, 1999 article in the National Liberty Journal, published by Jerry Falwell, warned parents that Tinky could be a hidden gay symbol, saying "[h]e is purple—the gay pride color, and his antenna is shaped like a triangle—the gay pride symbol." In one episode, Tinky Winky is also seen trying on some form of skirt. The Norwegian population is 4.6 million and increases by 0.4% per year (estimate July 2004). One of the Teletubbies, Tinky Winky, was the focus of a still hinted-at controversy in 1999 due to his carrying a bag that looks much like a woman's handbag (although he was first "outed" by the academic and cultural critic Andy Medhurst in a letter of July 1997 to The Face). Norway's whaling limits itself to the Minke Whale. Wash wash wash").

Many supporters of whaling agree that its macroeconomic importance is negligible, but hold that the livelyhood of individuals and small firms depend on it, that sustainable development depends on human harvesting of all non-endangered species, and that the opposition against whaling is mostly based on sentimental rather than rational arguments ([5]). Tubby, Tubby, Tubby, Tubby. This is despite the argued negligible contribution that whaling makes to the economy, and despite opposition from around the world ([4]). Wash, wash, wash. Animal rights and anti-whaling groups have commented that given Norway's economic position it is paradoxical that this is one of a very small number of countries actively engaged in, and favours the continuation of, commercial whaling. The central console is also home to the Tubby Sponges ("Wash, wash, wash. This research was done by graduate students of NTNU and researches at SINTEF in Trondheim [3]. The dome's central console has a battery of knobs and levers with which a Tubby often chooses to amuse themselves ("Adjustments!"), although the outcome is normally limited to a variety of loud and surprising noises being generated.

The coal is terribly inaccessible today, but there are realistic hopes that it can be accessed in the future. The Tubby Toaster is notoriously unreliable, and routinely either leaves a Tubby without their toast or buries them under a deluge of rounds. In comparison, the currently known coal reserves for the entire world is estimated at 0.9×10¹² tonnes. Although non-sentient, the other dome appliances also play a major role in many episodes. A rough estimate has been given at 3×10¹² tonnes of coal of unknown quality in these reserves. The Teletubbies always win, and give Noo-Noo a 'big-hug'. However, recent research shows early evidence of massive amounts of coal beneath the oil-reserves on the continental shelf of Norway. The Noo-Noo does not share the Teletubbies' enthusiasm for big hugs, resulting in Benny Hill style chase sequences around the dome when the Tubbies try to express their gratitude, during which the Noo-Noo does a fine impression of a Formula 1 car engine in full flight.

Economical overheating is avoided by the partial saving - rather than spending - of the oil revenues which are of very big importance for a relatively small country. It has been shown that Noo-Noo has extraordinarily large storage capacity and the ability to regurgitate any contents, often things that it should not have consumed in the first place such as the Tubbies' blankets or Dipsy's hat ("Naughty Noo-Noo!"). With arguably the highest quality of life worldwide, Norwegians worried about that time in the next two decades when the oil and gas begin to run out, accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and at the end of the second quarter of 2005 was valued at 181.5 billion US dollars . Noo-Noo is the Teletubbies' sentient automated vacuum cleaner who cleans up after the Teletubbies ("Noo-Noo tidy up!"). After little growth in 2002 and 2003, the economy expanded more rapidly in 2004. The show also features the voices of Toyah Willcox and Eric Sykes, and occasionally Sandra Dickinson and Penelope Keith, all of whom provide narration; the only (semi)regular physical cast member is Tamzin Griffin, [2] who plays the manic "Funny Lady". The economic growth was 0.8% in 1999, 2.7% in 2000, and 1.3% in 2001. Loves attention.

In 2000 the government sold one-third of the then 100% state-owned oil company Statoil. Of all the Teletubbies, Po usually becomes most involved with the audience. However, Norway, together with Iceland and Liechtenstein, participate in the EU's single market via the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement. Tomboy type. Norway opted to stay out of the European Union during a referendum in 1972, and again in November 1994. Problem solver and best "spider-fighter". The last 25 years, the Norwegian economy has shown various signs of the economic phenomenon called Dutch disease. Bilingual: Speaks (broadcasting country's language) and Cantonese.

Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway, which is not a member of OPEC. Favourite thing: scooter. The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its petroleum production and international oil prices; in 2004, oil and gas accounted for 50% of exports. (Pui Fan Lee): Female, red, circular antenna. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises). "Drama queen", party-girl and mother type. The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of social capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. Thinks she's the best singer.

Note: Temperatures have tended to be higher in recent years (see main article).
Norwegian Meteorological Institute: The climate of Norway. Very concerned with the welfare of all. Data from Norges Meteorologiske Institutt (Norwegian Meteorological Institute). Favourite thing: orange ball. Climate data for some cities in different regions of the country; base period 1961-1990 (temperatures are 24hr average):. (Nikky Smedley): Female, yellow, curly antenna. The inland climate can be more severe and to the north more subarctic conditions are found, especially in Finnmark. This is the least liked Teletubby, according to a nationwide British poll.

The Norwegian climate is fairly temperate, especially along the coast under the influence of the Gulf Stream. In later episodes, Dipsy had a notably darker face than the other Teletubbies, possibly an attempt by the producers to add ethnic diversity to the line-up. With a maximum depth of 514 m, Hornindalsvatnet is Norway's and Europe's deepest lake. He once lost his hat and Laa-Laa found it, but instead of simply returning Dipsy's hat to the stricken Dipsy, she ran around it for about ten minutes shouting "Dipsy hat, Dipsy hat." A "nature boy", he likes to be with the rabbits. Norway's highest point is the Galdhøpiggen at 2,469 m. He likes his black and white furry top hat. To the east, in order from south to north, it shares a long border with Sweden, a shorter one with Finland, and a still shorter one with Russia. Robert Debter): He is the green Teletubby, with a straight antenna (like a car's dipstick).

Norway is bounded for its entire length by seas of the North Atlantic Ocean: the North Sea to the southwest and its large inlet the Skagerrak to the south, the Norwegian Sea to the west, and the Barents Sea to the northeast. (John Simmit) (a.k.a. The southern part is not known for this, however in summertime, the sun is only away for a few hours. These claims have caused some conservative Christians to regard Falwell's views as ridiculous. The Northern part of the country is also known as the Land of the Midnight Sun because of its northern location, north of the Arctic Circle, where for part of each summer the sun does not set, and in winter much of its land remains dark for long periods. Falwell cited the Teletubby's purple color, "purse", and triangle antenna as symbolic of homosexuality. The landscape is generally rugged and mountainous, topped by glaciers, and its coastline of over 83,000 km [2] is punctuated by steep-sloped inlets known as fjords, as well as a multitude of islands and islets. Falwell issued an attack in his National Liberty Journal, citing a Washington Post "In/Out" column which stated that lesbian comedian Ellen DeGeneres was "out" as the chief national gay representative—while trendy Tinky Winky was "in".

See also Regions of Norway. Tinky Winky aroused the interest of Jerry Falwell in 1997 when Falwell alleged that the character was a "gay role model". The counties of Norway are:. (Dave Thompson, Mark Heenehan, Simon Shelton): He is the largest of the Teletubbies, is covered in purple terrycloth, has a triangular antenna on his head, and is notable for the red luggage (described by the show as a "magic bag", but often perceived as a handbag) he always seems to have at hand, also considered by some as a homosexual. Note: The 19 fylker might be replaced with 5 - 9 larger regions by 2010. It was reported that by 2002 the set had become overgrown, and pending the 2003 lease expiration it was expected to become farmland again. The fylke is the intermediate administration between state and municipality. In real life the Teletubbies' landscape was an outdoor set located in rural Warwickshire, England, at Sweet Knowle Farm, Redhill Bank Rd, Whimpstone, CV37 8NR (between Stratford upon Avon and Shipston on Stour, close to the River Stour; Google map [1]).

Fylke and kommune are officially translated to English as county and municipality. Since the four years of production had exceeded the target audience's range of ages, it was deemed that continuance was unnecessary, and the existing 365 episodes will be played in re-runs for years to come. Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called fylker (singular fylke) and 431 kommuner (singular kommune). It is reported that this was due to substantial pay rise demands by the previously anonymous actors portraying the Teletubbies. In order to form a government, more than half (currently at least 10 out of 19 members) of the Council of State are required to belong to the Church of Norway . In 2001 production was cancelled and it was announced that no new episodes would be produced. The special High Court of the Realm, which consists of the Supreme Court plus the Lagting, hears impeachment cases. Fortunately one of their companions is the Noo-Noo, a sentient, self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

Judges attached to regular courts are appointed by the King in council after nomination by the Ministry of Justice. They are spectacularly messy eaters. The regular courts include the Supreme Court or Høyesterett (17 permanent judges and a chief justice), courts of appeal, city and district courts, and conciliation councils. The Teletubbies' diet seems to consist exclusively of Tubby Custard (which is sucked through a spiral straw bowl) and Tubby Toast (circular toast with a smiley face on it). Apart from this, the Storting functions as a unicameral parliament. To adults the laughter does not seem to be in response to any stimulus or humorous developments in the plotline of the episode. Impeachment cases are very rare and are raised by the Odelsting and judged by the Lagting as part of the High Court of the Realm. The baby in the sun occasionally laughs out loud in short bursts.

Laws are proposed by the government through a Member of the Council of State or by a member of the Odelsting and decided on by the Odelsting and Lagting, in case of repeated disagreement by the joint Storting. A prominent feature of each episode is a radiant sun that has an image of a smiling baby superimposed upon it. The Storting divides itself into two chambers, the Odelsting and the Lagting when voting on legislation. The surreal environment is an evocation of a toddler's perception of the world, where they are ordered about and told to go to sleep, whilst wonderful and mysterious things happen without explanation. The members are elected from the 19 counties for 4-year terms according to a system of proportional representation. Perhaps the most common exclamation, however, is "Big hugs!" which one or more of the Teletubbies will invariably call for during the course of an episode, resulting in an enthusiastic group hug ("Teletubbies love each other very much", confirms the narrator). The Norwegian parliament, Stortinget, currently has 169 members (increased from 165, effective from the elections of 12 September 2005). Laa-Laa, when flustered, will explode with "Bibberly cheese!", which is as angry as they get.

Parliamentarism has evolved since 1884 and entails that the cabinet must not have the parliament against it, and that the appointment by the King is a formality. The Teletubbies' catch-phrases are Eh-oh (hello), as in: Eh-oh, Laa-Laa, to which Laa-Laa will respond, Eh-oh, [other Tubby's name]; "Uh-oh", a common toddler response to anything untowards; "Run away! Run away!", especially from Dipsy; and "Bye-bye" at least four times in a row. The Council of State consists of a Prime Minister and his council, formally appointed by the King. Tubbies are at the stage of understanding speech but not yet fully capable of articulating it, exactly like their target audience. The reserve powers vested in the Monarch by the constitution are however significant and an important security part of the role of the Monarchy, and were last used during World War II. The Teletubbies speak in a gurgling baby language which is the subject of some controversy amongst educationalists, some of whom argue that this supposedly made-up talk is not good for children (a similar complaint was made forty years previously about another children's series, The Flowerpot Men). Although the constitution of 1814 grants important executive powers to the King, these are almost always exercised by the Council of State in the name of the King (King's Council, or cabinet). The repeating of practically every word is familiar to everyone who has ever worked with young children.

[1] The functions of the King, Harald V, are mainly ceremonial, but he has influence as the symbol of national unity. The pacing and design of the show was developed by a cognitive psychologist, Andrew Davenport, who structured the show to fit the attention spans of the target audience. The Royal House is a branch of the princely family of Glücksburg, originally from Schleswig-Holstein in Germany. The Teletubbies have the bodily proportions, behaviour and language of toddlers. Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. When the series is shown in different countries around the world, the film inserts are to be tailored to suit local audiences. However, Norway is a member of the much smaller European Free Trade Association (EFTA). These screens are used to segue into short film sequences, which are generally repeated at least once.

Norway has twice voted against joining the European Union (in 1972 and 1994), but is associated with the EU via the European Economic Area. They are instead furry, and have metallic silver-azure rectangular "screens" adorning their abdomens. Norway was one of the signatories of the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949 and was a founding member of the United Nations, providing its first secretary general – Trygve Lie. The costumes vaguely resemble bulky spacesuits, although the Tubbies appear not to wear clothes. The occupation during World War II disturbed the Norwegians' confidence in neutrality, and they turned instead to collective security. The Teletubbies are played by actors encased in large costumes, although the sets are designed so as to give no sense of scale. The German forces in Norway surrendered on 8 May 1945. The only natural fauna are rabbits (although birds are often heard, particularly blackcap and wren) and it is always sunny and pleasant save for one exception where puddles are required.

The Russians peacefully returned the area to Norwegian control after the war. The environment is dotted with unusually talkative flowers and periscope-like "voice trumpets". The Soviets attacked into eastern Finnmark to create a buffer zone after pushing the German forces out of the arctic Kola peninsula. The programme features four colourful tubby creatures: Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po, who live within a futuristic dome (the "Tubbytronic Superdome"), set in a landscape of rolling grasslands. In 1944, the Germans evacuated the provinces of Finnmark and northern Troms, using a scorched earth tactic to create a vast area of No-man's land in response to the Red Army attacking their positions in eastern Finnmark. . During the five years of Nazi occupation, Norwegians built a strong resistance movement which fought the German occupation forces with both armed resistance and civil disobedience. Teletubbies was controversial for this reason, and also for a perception that it was insufficiently educational.

Quisling, as minister president, later formed a government under German control. The mixture of bright colours, unusual designs, repetitive non-verbal dialogue, the ritualistic format and the occasional forays into physical comedy appealed to a demographic who perceived the show as having psychedelic connotations. Real power was wielded by the leader of the German occupation authority, Reichskommissar Josef Terboven. Teletubbies say Eh-Oh, a single based around the show's theme song, reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1997 and remained in the top 100 for eight months, selling over a million copies. On the day of the invasion, the collaborative leader of the small National-Socialist party Nasjonal Samling — Vidkun Quisling — tried to seize power, but was forced by the German occupiers to step aside. Although the show is aimed at children between the ages of one and four, the show was a substantial cult hit with older generations, particularly college students who bought the customary regulation T Shirts. King Haakon and the Norwegian government continued the fight from exile in Rotherhithe, London. He makes the teletubbies become terrorists, its sooooooo cooooolllll.

Norway put up a stiff fight against the German occupation and armed resistance in Norway went on for two months. but there like all terrorists, havent you seen the episode with bin laden in it. The Allies also had plans to invade Norway, in order to take advantage of her strategically important Atlantic coast, but were thwarted by the German operation. The programme was a rapid critical and commercial success in Britain and abroad, particularly notable for its high production values; it won a BAFTA in 1998. Norway also attempted to claim neutrality during World War II, but was invaded by German forces on the 9th of April 1940 (Operation Weserübung). It was created by Anne Wood CBE, Ragdoll's creative director, and Andrew Davenport, who wrote each of the show's 365 episodes. Norway was a neutral country during World War I. Teletubbies is a BBC children's television series, particularly aimed at babies and pre-school toddlers, produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions.

In 1913, Norwegian women gained suffrage. He took the name of Haakon VII, after the medieval kings of independent Norway. After a referendum confirming the monarchy, the Parliament unanimously elected him king. The Norwegian government offered the throne of Norway to Danish Prince Carl.

Norway's growing dissatisfaction with the union with Sweden during the late 19th century, combined with National Romanticism and the growing national culture coming from it, led to the dissolution of the union on 7 June 1905. The movement covered all branches of culture, including literature (Henrik Wergeland, Maurits Christopher Hansen, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, Jørgen Moe), painting (Hans Gude, Adolph Tiedemand), music (Edvard Grieg), and even language policy, where attempts to define a native written language for Norway led to today's two official written forms for Norwegian, Bokmål and Nynorsk. This period also saw the rise of the Norwegian romantic nationalism movement in art and culture, as the Norwegians sought to define and express a distinct national character. Nevertheless, Norway was militarily forced into a personal union with Sweden, but kept its liberal constitution and independent institutions, except for the foreign service.

Norway took this opportunity to declare her independence, adopted a constitution based on American and French models and elected the Danish crown prince Christian Fredrik as king on 17 May 1814. The Dano-Norwegian Oldenburg king was forced to cede Norway to the king of Sweden. After Denmark-Norway was attacked by England, it entered into an alliance with Napoleon, and in 1814 found itself on the losing side in the Napoleonic Wars and in dire economic conditions. Additionally, Norway saw its land area decrease in the 17th century with the loss of the provinces Båhuslen, Jemtland, and Herjedalen to Sweden, as a result of the wars between Denmark-Norway and Sweden.

Olav at the Nidaros shrine, and with them, much of the contact with the cultural and economic life of the rest of Europe. With the introduction of Protestantism in 1537, Norway lost the steady stream of pilgrims to the relics of St. Other factors also contributed to Norway's decline in this period. As Norway was the weaker part of a union that kept all of its royal, intellectual, and administrative power in Copenhagen, Denmark, this period is was in light of the national romanticism in the 19th century sometimes referred to as the "400-Year Night".

The country entered into the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Sweden, and after 1450 remained in a union with Denmark alone that would last until 1814. The Norwegian royal line died out in 1387, partly because of a recession following the Black Plague in 1349, which wiped out the majority of the population, and partly because of royal politics that brought the thrones of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden under the control of Queen Margrethe. Rollo's great-great-great-grandson William the Conqueror successfully invaded and conquered England in 1066. The Norwegian Rollo invaded and was ceded Normandy by the West Frankish king Charles the Simple in 911.

Norwegians founded the modern day Irish cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford and captured the Anglo-Saxon city of Eoforwic renaming it Jorvik, today known as York. The Norwegians settled on Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and parts of the British Islands and attempted to settle at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada (it is the Vinland of The Saga of Eric the Red). The Viking age (8th to 11th centuries) was one of national unification and expansion. According to tradition, Harald Fairhair gathered the small kingdoms into one and in 872 with the battle of Hafrsfjord, he established a feudal state.

In the 9th century Norway consisted of a number of petty kingdoms. . Additionally, Norway has a claim for Dronning Maud Land in Antarctica. Bouvet Island in the South Atlantic Ocean and a claim for Peter I Island in the South Pacific Ocean are also external dependencies, but these are not part of the Kingdom.

The Norwegian sovereignty on Svalbard is based on the Svalbard Treaty, but this does not apply to Jan Mayen. The Kingdom of Norway also includes the arctic island territories of Svalbard and Jan Mayen. The country has a very elongated shape. Norway's extensive coastline along the North Atlantic Ocean is home to its famous fjords.

Norway, or officially the Kingdom of Norway (Norwegian: Kongeriket Norge or Kongeriket Noreg) is a Nordic country on the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, bordering Sweden, Finland and Russia. World Economic Forum: Global Competitiveness Report 2005-2006 - 9th of 117 countries. Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2004 - 8th of 145 countries. Save the Children: State of the World's Mothers 2004 Children's Index: Rank 1, Women's Index: Rank 6, Mother's Index: Rank 6 (119 countries).

Reporters Without Borders Worldwide press freedom index - 1st of 166 countries 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002. Index of Economic Freedom - 29th of 155 countries. Human Development Index - 1st of 177 countries 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001. GDP per capita - 3rd of 232 countries.

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Philharmonic Orchestras in Norway