Short facts about the geography of Norway

Location:

Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates:

62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total:  324,220 sq km land:  307,860 sq km water:  16,360 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total:  2,515 km border countries:  Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km

Coastline:

21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone:  10 NM continental shelf:  200 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  4 NM

Climate:

temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers causing glaciers to grow; rainy year-round on west coast

Terrain:

glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point:  Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land:  3% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  0% forests and woodland:  27% other:  70% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

970 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues:

water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world; Norway is the only NATO member having a land boundary with Russia

Source: World Factbook