365 Days of Climate Awareness 276 – Introduction to Norway

Norway is a country on the northern edge of Scandinavia, part of northern Europe. It covers 385,207 sq km/148,729 sq mi (slightly bigger than Montana) and has a population of 5.4 million (slightly fewer than Minnesota). It stretches from roughly 58° to 71°N, partly above the Arctic Circle. Its coastline stretches 25,148 km/15,626 mi) stretches from the Skagerrak between Norway, Sweden and Denmark, up to the White Sea north of Russia. The southwestern portion of the country is dominated by the Scandinavian Mountains, the northern tip of the long mountain range, including the Appalachians and Caledonian Mountains, which formed during the formation of Pangea. The coasts are dominated by narrow, steep fjords. Norway possesses to Arctic islands, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, and claims several islands off the coast of Antarctica. 

Physical map of Norway.

Norway average temperature record, 20th-21st centuries.

Traces of human habitation stretch back to the 10^th century BCE Paleolithic, shortly after the retreat of the last (Weichselian) glaciers. There are traces of cultures through the Bronze and Iron Ages, into historical times. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire chiefs’ graves displayed greater wealth, perhaps a sign of wealth of the sacked empire trickling north. Norway is best known for the Age of Vikings, roughly from the 1800’s to late 1300’s, when they spread to Iceland, Greenland and beyond, and terrorized people along the coasts. In 1394 the Black Death swept through Norway and killed a third of the population, ending the Vikings’ run of prominence. Since that time Norway has at times joined in union with Denmark, Sweden and even Napoleon. Norway remains a constitutional monarchy including a parliament and prime minister.

Köppen-Geiger climate zones, 1980-2016.

Predicted Köppen-Geiger climate zones 2071-2100.

Norway is one of the world’s wealthiest nations in the value of its sovereign fund, and in its per capita GDP (sixth-highest in the world). Its economy is mixed, though petroleum production accounts for more than one-half of GDP, with fish, raw metals, chemicals and manufacturing each of roughly equal value. Norway’s economy is very egalitarian, based on a high level of social spending. Its petroleum industry is managed by the state-run firms Equinor (formerly Statoil), Petoro and SDFI. About 97% of Norway’s electricity is generated by hydropower.

Seven Sisters waterfall, Geiranger.

Oslo, capital city.

Norway’s climate is of course cold, dominated by montane and Arctic frozen zones and tundra, with a small temperate zone along the southwest coast. Models show, consistent with Arctic intensification, Norway warming considerably by 2100, with most tundra gone, and the temperate zone stretching nearly all the way around the coast, into the eastern margin on the White Sea. Temperature records from the past century bear this drastic prediction out.

Tomorrow: climate change mitigation strategies.

Be brave, and be well.