21 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Norway
Norway is merely teeming with breathtaking beauty, intriguing history, and even more surprising twists in culture. Of course, you might know about the fjords, the Vikings, and the lights of the North, but boy, there is a lot more where that came from with this Scandinavian gem. Whether you are planning a journey or just need some cool trivia about the world, these 22 fun facts provide more insight into showing appreciation for Norway.
Norway Has About 150,000 Small Islands
Yes, you read it right—150,000 islands! Norway boasts one of the longest coastlines in the world: 63,000 miles across. If ever you sail along the coast of Norway, you might see countless small islands; many of these are uninhabited. Some are so small they house perhaps just a single tree or house, while others are large and are converted into holiday retreats for people wanting to see and experience peace and quiet.
It also involves one of the most famous areas, the Lofoten Islands, with their charismatic fishing villages hidden between high mountains and deep fjords. Here, time seems to have stayed put, which made it very popular with tourists and locals alike.
Norway Introduced Salmon Sushi to Japan
If you think about sushi today, then it just isn’t complete without the addition of salmon. Realistically, this wasn’t the case. Believe it or not, it was Norway that introduced salmon sushi to the Japanese back in the 1980s. At that time, Japan had its sushi with catches from the surrounding waters in the country, and tuna was common while salmon wasn’t on the list. Salmon was abundant in Norway, which then worked together with Japanese chefs to introduce this into sushi dishes. Today, this is one of the most consumed sushi types all over the world!
Norway Has a Volcano
While most people think of Norway as cold and mountainous, it also has a lesser-known volcanic side. Beerenberg is Norway’s only active volcano, standing in the Arctic Ocean on Jan Mayen Island. The last eruption took place in 1985; it is one of the most northern active volcanoes on Earth. It is covered both in ice and snow, which provides a pretty interesting contrast of fire and ice.
But the volcano climbs steeply and high from the sea, its cold black rock a reminder that even here, in a place remote and inhospitable, Norway’s diverse and dramatic landscape continued long after it had stopped at the mainland.
Norway Discovered America First
You may have heard of this fella, Christopher Columbus, but what you may not know is that a Norwegian explorer beat him to America by about 500 years. A Norwegian Viking, Leif Erikson, sailed into Newfoundland, Canada, in the year 1000. With a crew, he stumbled upon grapes in the wild, and they named it “Vinland.” Although he was not staying longer and had no permanent settlement there, the voyage of Leif Erikson represents the first European contacts with North America.
Today, many Norwegians celebrate Leif Erikson Day on October 9th as a salute to their country’s Viking history.
The Arctic Circle Runs Through Norway
A large part of Norway lies above the Arctic Circle, and thus the country enjoys some quite special natural phenomena. Most probably known is the Midnight Sun, a period during summer when, for weeks, the sun does not set in northern Norway. Just think about having daylight 24 hours a day! Its counterpart, Polar Night, is during winter when parts of Norway do not see the rising sun for weeks.
Both experiences are surreal, epitomizing the extremities that life can have on a far northern latitude.
You Can See the Northern Lights in Norway
Viewing the Aurora Borealis is one of the most favored things to do in Norway. Nature gives a beautiful display of lights when particles from the sun collide with Earth’s magnetic field to develop stunning, colorful waves of light in the night sky.
The Northern Lights can be best viewed in Norway between the months of September and April, especially in the northern parts of Tromsø. It is for this reason that many visitors come to Norway on purpose to witness this wonder.
For many, it is one of those things on that ‘things to do before I die’ list, and once you see the lights, you’ll remember the experience for a lifetime.
Education in Norway Is Free
Norway is really serious about education; one of the best benefits the students could get is that it is totally free, even to university level. Norwegians believe in the philosophy of everybody being entitled to an education, irrespective of background. And not only does it apply to the citizens, but to the international students who come for their studies to Norway, too. Students do have to cover their living expenses, but at least that lack of tuition fees is of great help.
Norway has led the way to be one of the most educated countries in the world with so many university graduates thanks to its commitment to education.
Norway Hosts the Nobel Peace Prize
Norway also contributes to world peace. Every year, there is a distribution of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway’s capital. This is given to the persons or organizations that have been very prominent in contributing towards peace. The winners among them include Martin Luther King Jr., Malala Yousafzai, and former U.S. President Barack Obama.
Since the Nobel Peace Prize is the only one given out of Sweden, it is a huge deal in Norway every year.
Norwegians Love Coffee
If you love coffee, you will then be the apple of the Norwegians’ eye. Among the world’s largest coffee-consuming countries, Norway has a notch reserved for it, with the average Norwegian having almost four cups a day. It is such a huge part of the Norwegian culture, and people often take “kaffepause”, or coffee breaks throughout the day.
It’s not all about drinking coffee—it is a social act, too. Cafes are meeting points, and it is quite common for Norwegians to spend time with friends or family over a cup of coffee.
Norway Has a Troll Car
This troll is a big deal to Norway, especially since these mythological creatures have taken part in their folklore for many hundreds of years; deep in the mountains or forests is supposed to be their homes. In fact, Norway has its very own “Troll Car” in the town of Geiranger! Shaped just like a troll and oversized, this becomes one great tourist attraction—fun, relating back to Norway’s love of folklore.
In fact, you can find troll statues, souvenirs, and even full-fledged troll parks in most parts of the country.
Norway Is One of the Happiest Countries
The United Nations’ World Happiness Report has placed Norway constantly as one of the world’s happiest countries. Norwegians have an extremely good quality of life, thanks to a very strong welfare system, excellent health care, and a healthy work-life balance. With all that stunning nature around them, it is rather easy to understand why people in Norway are so happy.
The Norwegian case is one in which material wealth is not all that counts; family, community, and time in nature come first.
Nils Olav: Norway’s Knighted Penguin
But Norway has a lot of military traditions that are a little unusual, including one penguin! Nils Olav is a king penguin at the Edinburgh Zoo, but officially is the mascot of the Norwegian King’s Guard. He was first taken into service by the Guard in 1972 and has been promoted several times since. In 2008, Nils Olav was knighted. So, he would now be known as Sir Nils Olav.
This weird and wonderful tradition shows that even the normally somber Norwegian military has a funny side and that military guys love to have fun and create memorable traditions.
Norway’s Majestic Fjords
Probably, the landscapes of Norway fjords are among the most spectacular ones in the world. Generally, a fjord is a deep, narrow inlet of the sea between high cliffs carved out by moving glaciers during the Ice Age. Norway owns more than 1,000 fjords, many of them being popular resorts. The most famous are the Geirangerfjord with its dramatic waterfalls and the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in Norway.
Probably one of the best ways to appreciate the nature of this country is to get to know Norway’s fjords from either the boat, by car, or on foot.
Hell Is a Town in Norway
You have probably heard about Hell freezing over, but in Norway, it really does! There’s a little town in the middle of Norway, and it is named Hell. Despite the ominous title, Hell is simply a quiet little town with less than 2,000 citizens. In fact, the name Hell originates from an old Norse word meaning “overhang” or “cliff cave.” Temperatures really go below zero during winter time, so technically speaking, Hell actually does freeze over every year!
People especially like to have their photo taken beside the sign to the town and to send postcards “from Hell”.
Norway Has Three Official Languages
Norway is a multilingual country. Though Norwegian is the most dominant, the country contains three recognized languages: Bokmål, Nynorsk, and Sami. The former two are written forms of Norwegian, while the latter is used by the Sami people indigenous to northern Norway.
Most Norwegians learn both Bokmål and Nynorsk in school, which thus makes them bilingual inside their own country. Probably, it is just this respect for the tongue’s diversity that constitutes the inclusive and multicultural outlook of this country.
Norway Is a Really Long Country
Norway is over 1,100 miles from north to south, making it one of the longest countries in Europe. Driving straight up from its southernmost point to its northern tip without stopping would entail driving for over 30 continuous hours. Along its length, one crosses many types of landscapes, from forests and lakes through mountains and fjords.
Because Norway is long and thin, there could well be very varied climatic conditions in its different parts. While it may be snowing in the north, its southern coast may bask in sunshine.
The World’s Longest Road Tunnel Is in Norway
Lærdal Tunnel was seen to be the world’s longest road tunnel in Norway. This 15-mile-long tunnel cuts through mountains to connect two major cities, Lærdal and Aurland. Specially lit, this tunnel ensures that during this long passage, drivers would not go into sleep mode because proper shades of blue and yellow were at its rest areas, which gave the illusion of driving during the daytime.
And that, in turn, makes the travel across the rough landscapes of Norway smoother—and much more interesting!
Oslo: Norway’s Most Diverse City
Oslo, the capital of Norway, is also one of the most multicultural cities in Europe. More than 200 different nationalities inhabit and work in Oslo; that can be well described as a pulsating melting pot. Food, festivals, and quarters describe Oslo.
From Pakistani to Middle Eastern markets, you´ll find big variations of international influences in Oslo in combination with traditional Norwegian culture.
Polar Bears in Norway?
Many people think polar bears overrun Norway, but that is simply not true—unless, of course, you happen to find yourself on the Svalbard Islands. Far off the northern coast of mainland Norway, Svalbard holds more polar bears than humans. The islands are so isolated that anyone who must leave the Longyearbyen main town is required to take a rifle with them in case they come across any polar bears!
Polar bears rarely come onto the mainland, so you don’t need to worry about the possibility of an encounter while exploring through Norway’s forests and woods.
Norway’s Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree
Since 1947, Norway has been sending a giant Christmas tree to London every year in the country. It is erected in Trafalgar Square, and that is one way for Norway to say “thank you” to Britain for its support of it during World War II. Normally, this is a huge Norwegian spruce that stands roughly 65 feet tall, and its lighting ushers in London’s Christmas season.
It is symbolic of the friendship between these two nations and has since become one of the most anticipated events in both countries.
Norway Invented the Cheese Slicer
If you ever cut a block of cheese, you owe your gratitude to Norway! Inventing this device is credited to a Norwegian carpenter by the name of Thor Bjørklund back in the year 1925. He decided to construct a tool that could slice a certain type of brown cheese very popular in this country called “brunost” that has a caramel flavor.
Ever since then, it has become a regular utensil in kitchens worldwide to enable people to enjoy cheese easily.
Conclusion
Surprises litter Norway, from a gobsmacking landscape to quirky traditions and inventions. Be it the fjords, the Northern Lights, or free education, there’s much to go crazy about this nation. The next time anyone mentions Norway, well, you spoil them with fun facts!
