Norway

Norway (pronounced /ˈnɔrweɪ/ ( listen); Norwegian: Norge (Bokmål), Noreg (Nynorsk) or Norga (North Sami)), officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty. The majority of the country shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east. The United Kingdom and Faroe Islands lie to its west across the North Sea, Iceland and Greenland lie to its west across the Norwegian Sea, and Denmark lies south of its southern tip across the Skagerrak Strait. Bouvet Island and Peter I Island are dependent territories (Norwegian: biland) of Norway, but not considered part of the Kingdom. Norway also lays claim to a section of Antarctica known as Queen Maud Land, a claim that has been recognised by Australia, France, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Norway's extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its famous fjords.

After the Second World War, the country experienced rapid economic growth, the first two decades due to the Norwegian shipping and merchant marine and domestic industrialization, from the early 1970s a result of large oil deposits discovered in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea. Today it ranks as the wealthiest country in the world, with the largest capital reserve per capita of any nation. In August 2009 the nation's sovereign wealth fund announced that it owned approximately 1% of all the stocks in the world, presumably referring to publicly traded stocks. Norway is the world’s seventh largest oil exporter and the petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of its GDP. Following the ongoing financial crisis of 2007-2009, bankers have deemed the Norwegian krone to be one of the most solid currencies in the world.

Norway also has rich resources of gas fields, hydropower, fish, forests and minerals. The country was the second largest exporter of seafood (in value, after the People’s Republic of China) in 2006. Other main industries include shipping, food processing, shipbuilding, metals, chemicals, mining, fishing and pulp and paper products. Norway maintains a Scandinavian welfare model with universal healthcare, subsidised higher education and a comprehensive social security system. Norway was ranked highest of all countries in human development from 2001 to 2007, and then again in 2009, and is by the UN ranked as best country to live in. It was also rated the most peaceful country in the world in a 2007 survey by Global Peace Index.

Although having rejected EU membership in two referenda, it maintains close ties with the Union and its member countries, as well as with the United States. It is considered a prominent participant in diplomacy and international development, having been heavily involved with the failed Oslo Accords and negotiated a truce between the Sri Lanka government and the Tamil Tigers. Norway remains one of the biggest financial contributors to the UN, and participates with UN forces in international missions, notably in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Sudan.

A unitary state with administrative sub-divisions on two levels known as counties (fylker) and municipalities (kommuner), Norway is a constitutional, hereditary monarchy and parliamentary democracy, with King Harald V as its Head of State. The Sámi people have a certain amount of self-determination and influence over traditional territories through the Sámi Parliament and the Finnmark Act.

Norway is a founding member of the UN, NATO, the Council of Europe and the Nordic Council, and is a member of the European Economic Area, the WTO and the OECD.

Visit Wikipedia for more information about Norway.

Norway Rentals Save You Money

Renting a vacation home in Norway can save you up to 50% over staying in a hotel. And that's not even including how much you'll save by not having to eat at restaurants for 3 meals/day. Having the space of a kitchen, dining room, and living room compared to a single small hotel room is a huge value! Life is too short and vacations are too few...trade in that small hotel room for a vacation rental in Norway.

Families Love Norway Vacation Rentals

The beauty of renting a vacation home in Norway is that it saves money *and* works out so much better for the family. The kids get their own bedrooms, and more importantly, bathrooms. There is more space for the family to spread out with a living room and dining room. More privacy, no more noisy hotel room neighbors on the other side of the wall. It's a home away from home, providing a kitchen where you can eat at your own schedule and feed the kids snacks as well as deal with any dietary restrictions you have. Many homes also give you a washer & dryer and have their own pool and allow you to bring your pets. Some are in complexes that have health clubs, cafes, and spas.

And vacation homes in Norway are not just for a couple or small family, they are especially great for family reunions or big groups vacationing together. When you are in a vacation home you are more connected into the local scene where you can get to know the locals better, you also have the chance to get further off the beaten path if that's what you're looking for.

Pet Friendly Vacation Rentals in Norway

Why leave your dog at home? Bring your family pet along on vacation - they deserve a break too! What's better than running along the beach with your dog or curling up in a vacation rental with your kitty culred up with you? Check out all the pet friendly vacation rentals in Norway.

Norway Vacation Rentals for Smokers or Non-Smokers

Are you a smoker? Having problem finding vacation rentals that allow smoking? Don't be left out of a great vacation rental in Norway just because you smoke. Check out all the smoking vacation rentals in Norway. On the other hand, maybe you hate smoke! If that's the case, check out all the smoke-free vacation rentals in Norway.