10 Interesting Facts About Norway – A Stunning Nordic Country

Norway is a fantasy country, sometimes referred to as the “Land of the Midnight Sun”. This name was given to a European state due to the fact that the polar day lasts there from May to July.

Hardly any other country can compare with Norway in terms of thrills and contrasts. Nature is indescribably beautiful here: cool waterfalls, beautiful fjords, forests and mountains, white nights, pristine glaciers…

Of course, without a camera it is difficult to imagine your trip to Norway. And you don’t need to imagine! If you are looking for the most beautiful place to visit and bring home a lot of impressions, then don’t even hesitate – take your camera and go to Norway!

To learn more about this unique state, we invite you to take some of your time to learn 10 interesting facts about Norway. Shall we start?

10 Volcanic eruption in Norway influenced Munch’s work

Almost everyone has seen Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream”, but not everyone knows what exactly inspired the artist to write it. In fact, “The Scream” is not a hallucination of a madman at all, but a thoughtfully painted picture created from real impressions.

Edvard Munch is a Norwegian, and for him a volcanic eruption is like a catastrophe. In his picture, he managed to masterfully convey confusion, a cry from the horror that gripped him … The sunset is like a glow on the horizon, which further intensifies the feeling of catastrophe and insecurity.

It all started with the fact that the painter noticed a strange red color of the sky over Oslo – the sight was terrible and unusual, and this is what inspired Munch to write the famous painting “The Scream”. Experts suggest that the artist was able to capture the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano.

9. It is forbidden to bury people in the province of Svalbard

In the Norwegian village of Longyearbyen (a settlement and the administrative center of the Norwegian province of Svalbard) there is a strange rule that many do not understand – it is customary to bury no one here. The dead are sent (by air or sea) hundreds of miles south to the mainland. The fact is that due to the low temperature, the bodies buried in the village do not decompose.

Longyearbyen is the northernmost settlement with more than 1000 inhabitants. It is always very cold in this place, polar bears have a great life here, and the beauty of the northern lights is difficult to convey in words – you need to see it with your own eyes!

Interesting fact: Dying here is prohibited by law. In case of violation of the rule, the relatives of the deceased must pay a fine.

8. Penguin – honorary commander and mascot of the Norwegian royal guard

The story begins in 1961. Somehow, members of the royal guard visited the Edinburgh Zoo (one of the most popular places visited by guests of the Scottish capital).

The participants were delighted with the flock of penguins! Especially what he saw could not forget them Niels Egelien – lieutenant. In 1972, he helped get one of the penguins taken into custody. So from a penguin he turned into Nils – the son of the guard, he was awarded the rank of junior corporal.

Niels Olaf moved into the zoo in 1972. It received its second name in honor of the Norwegian monarch, who at that time was the ruler. In 1987, Niels was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

When Nils Olaf died, he was replaced in 1993 by a successor who was given the same name and promoted to the rank of senior sergeant. This penguin has been awarded numerous medals – he always “inspects” the troops, of course, as expected – with a very important look.

7. Monopoly on the sale of alcohol

In Norway, the sale of any alcohol stronger than beer is a state monopoly. All strong drinks: liqueurs, wine, rum, etc., are sold in specialized stores. They’re called “Wine Monopoly”. These shops are usually located in malls on the lower floors (more like basements). On weekdays they are open until 6 pm, and on Saturdays until 3 pm. The stores have the richest selection of red wines from all over the world!

In Norway, there are huge taxes on alcohol: the excise rate is 44,9% per 1 liter of pure alcohol + retail sales tax. Here, one can say, everything is proportional to the degree – the tax on the retail price for beer is 4,5%, for wine – 42,1%, but for stronger alcohol already 71%.

6. Women serve in the army

Europe is famous for the fact that they are constantly fighting for equal rights between women and men – one of the most prosperous countries in the world, Norway, did not stand aside.

In accordance with the law on equality, women and men in Norway are endowed with equal rights and laws. Since 2014, women have been drafted into the army without fail. However, it is worth knowing that service in the armed forces is not a tourist trip, going to serve is going to kill.

A woman is faced with the contradiction of her own nature – it is she who gives life, and she also kills. Of course, there are disadvantages in such a bill – not all women want to join the army, but they cannot refuse.

5. Men can safely go on maternity leave

Yes, you read it right – men can go on maternity leave! Norwegian fathers can do this. For 14 weeks they take care of their newborn baby. According to the data, such a law was passed in order to involve fathers in the upbringing of their children. It started working on July 1, 2013. For mothers, the leave is longer – 35 weeks.

In addition, 49 weeks of parental leave is paid to parents in full. It is noteworthy that when a couple has a baby, the parents who went on vacation receive 80% of their salary in case they decide to extend their vacation.

4. eSports in schools

In the Norwegian town of Bergen, the leadership of the Garnes Vidaregåande Skule secondary school decided that it would be worth adding an eSports training course as a separate discipline to the program. The training began in 2016, the course lasts 3 years.

Schoolchildren not only learn winning strategies in games, but also take a physical training course designed to improve endurance and reflexes.

Interestingly, for complete comfort, students are allowed to bring their gaming equipment to school: headsets, keyboards, mice. In the lessons, students receive knowledge on how to keep fit and lead a healthy lifestyle in the conditions of constant work at the computer.

3. Apparatus for receiving containers in stores, issuing a check for future purchases

Not only in Norway, you can get money for handed over plastic containers in stores. The same rule is common in Sweden and Finland. The idea is very good, since in these countries there are no problems with plastic waste landfills, everything is recycled.

Almost every major store in Norway has container inspectors, the instructions indicate the price per bottle. The price for the container is included in the price of the product – for example, if you buy juice, then there will be two prices in the check – for juice and for a bottle. If Norwegians hand over several bottles, a check is given for the total amount. With the check provided to the sellers, you can make purchases of products, things or something else in stores.

2. highest waterfall

Vinnufossen waterfall – the highest in Europe (its height is 860 meters!) and the sixth highest in the world. It is considered the most impressive waterfall in Norway, located in the mountainous area of ​​Sunndal commune.

Interestingly, as it falls, Vinnufossen breaks up into several streams and flows around. The waterfall is part of the Winnu River. Close to Vinnufossen is Trollheim Snohetta, Troll Wall and Devrefjell Park – these places are especially popular among tourists.

1. There are no nuclear power plants

Norway has never had and does not have nuclear power plants., but by law, a country can commission nuclear power plants. The basis of all energy in Norway is liquid fuel and hydropower. Additional sources of electricity are thermal and wind power plants.

The Nordic country is the leader in the number of electric vehicles per capita. In addition, the Norwegian government decided to provide benefits to drivers of green cars (these are used to move around settlements).

Buyers of such cars are automatically exempted from paying taxes, and they are offered free parking spaces.