Norway snapshots, including introduction, tourist attractions, and photographs

Norway is a prosperous nation and attractive travel and vacation destination with magnificent arts and landscape, historic attractions, and splendid scenery.

Norway is located in Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden. With total land area about 307,860 square kilometers, Norway is slightly larger than New Mexico of the United States.

Norway has about 4,546,123 (July 2003 estimate) population, including Norwegian (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic) and about 20,000 Lapps (Sami). Norwegian is the official language.

Norway is a prosperous and major shipping nation with rich natural resources, including petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals. It is also a country with high per capita income and generous welfare benefits. Norway has a high-quality domestic and international telephone systems, as well as telegraph and telex services, and more than 20 Internet service providers (1999 estimate).

Oslo, the capital of the Kingdom of Norway, is a beautiful city with magnificent landscape. The Frogner Park holds hundreds of extraordinary bronze sculptures created by Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland. The Munch Museum, another Oslo's major attraction, presents a collection of works by Norwegian greatest painter Edvard Munch. The 13th century Akershus Castle, the Resistance Museum, the Viking Ship Museum are some of other Oslo's tourist attractions.

Lillehammer, located north of Oslo, is host town for the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Bergen is Norway's second largest and prettiest city. Historic attractions, forested hills and colorful harbor make Bergen one of the most enjoyable cities in Norway.

Cruising along the Norway's majestic western coastline from north to southern city Bergen will give you an unforgettable journey passed some of the most splendid scenery in the world. The northernmost point of Europe Nord Kapp, the wondrous sight of the midnight Sun, rolling hills of the charming Lofoten Island chain, Arctic Circle, Norway's second largest Svartisen glacier, ancient town and the former capital Trondheim, and beautiful Bergen are some highlights of this World's most beautiful voyage.