Norway Neighbouring Countries and Nordic Region

Geography of Norway

Norway, tucked in the Nordic nook, is famed for its striking scenery and meandering coastline. To really get Norway, you gotta check out both its border buddies and the way its folks are spread out.

Land Boundaries and Coastline

Norway cozies up to three neighbors: Sweden, Finland, and Russia, plus it has some serious coastline credentials.

Land Boundaries:

• Sweden: Sharing the longest handshake, Norway and Sweden chit-chat over a line stretching roughly 1,010 miles. It kicks off at the Treriksrøysa point, where Sweden, Norway, and Finland come together for a nordic huddle (World Atlas).

• Finland: This border’s a bit shorter, at about 457 miles, starting from the same tri-point and stretching east till the Russia-Norway-Finland meet-up.

• Russia: The chat with Russia is packed into 121.6 miles, hammered out back in 1826 (World Atlas).

Country	Border Length (miles)
Sweden	1,010
Finland	457
Russia	121.6

Coastline:

Norway’s coastline dances along the North Atlantic and the Barents Sea. It’s rugged, filled with those iconic fjords—big valley cuts filled up with the sea. The whole scene makes Norway’s coastline a winding wonder.

• North Atlantic Ocean: Snaking along Norway’s west and north, this stretch gives Norway a lotta salty spray.

• Barents Sea: Up north, Norway’s coastline bumps against the Barents Sea, part of the icy Arctic Ocean.

Population Distribution

Where Norwegians live is tied tight to where it’s warm and easy to build a home. Most folks settle in the south where the sun’s a bit friendlier.

Major Population Centers:

• Oslo: This big kahuna, the capital over in the southeast, is where a good chunk of Norwegians hang their hats.

• Bergen: Over on the windy southwest coast, Bergen’s a bustling port city with deep maritime roots and a rich cultural vibe.

Sparsely Populated Areas:

• Northern Norway: Comprising Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark, this region’s scattered population reflects the tough weather and tricky landscape.

• Interior Regions: In the mountains and the heart of the countryside, folks aren’t as crowded compared to the bustling coastal spaces.

Curious about Norway’s neighbors over in the Nordic playground, like Sweden or Finland? We’ve got the lowdown in our detailed guides.

Grasping Norway’s geography peels back layers on its culture, economy, and social threads, especially looking at its neighbor scenarios and regional quirks.

Natural Hazards in Norway

Environmental Challenges

Norway, a country famed for its jaw-dropping scenery, doesn’t just offer picture-perfect views. It’s also home to a mix of natural dangers, thanks to where it’s planted on the globe and its weather patterns.

Natural Hazard	Description	Frequency
Avalanches	Rolling waves of snow, especially in the colder months and hilly parts.	High
Landslides	Earth and rocks taking a slide, often after a good drenching of rain.	Moderate
Flooding	Overflow of rivers and lakes, mainly when snow thaws or the heavens open up.	Moderate
Earthquakes	Quakes in the grounds, usually not big, but they do shake things up.	Low

With heaps of coastlines and varied terrain, Norway’s got its fair share of issues. Avalanches and landslides rear their heads, particularly after heavy rain or when snow gets restless, messing with transport and daily life. For example, avalanches often play havoc in the mountainous regions, sometimes tossing travel plans and structures into chaos (Source: CIA World Factbook).

Flooding comes around mostly when snow says its seasonal goodbye or after rainfalls that fill up lakes and rivers. This not-so-welcome guest can bungle roads, tear up property, and throw farming and local wildlife for a loop.

Earthquakes, though rare and often mild, can still rattle folks, especially where the infrastructure isn’t exactly young. Norway’s planning and construction codes do their bit to keep damage under wraps when the earth decides to shimmy.

The area around the Norway-Russia border, like Varangerfjord, kind of puts these bigger environmental worries into focus. More traffic means more ecological stress in both the land and sea areas (Wikipedia).

Norway also rubs elbows with Sweden, Finland, and Russia. This can stir up both geopolitical and environmental ripples, with shared concerns over managing Mother Nature’s cross-border surprises.

For curious minds about nearby lands, check these reads:

• Russia neighboring countries
• Sweden neighboring countries
• Finland neighboring countries

Tackling these natural challenges forms the backbone of planning policies to keep communities in Norway safe and sound.

Norway’s Economy and International Interactions

Offshore Oil and Fishing

Norway’s economy rides heavily on its bountiful natural resources, particularly in offshore oil and fishing. It’s famed for being the world’s top dog for producing oil and natural gas per person outside of the Middle East. This massive output really pumps up the nation’s economy and keeps the international trade wheels a-spinnin’ (Wikipedia).

The country’s offshore oil sector isn’t just a money-spinner but a key job creator. The oil and gas resources play a huge part in Norway’s trade with neighbors like Sweden, Russia, and Finland and far-off lands too.

Fishing’s another gem in Norway’s treasure chest, putting hefty bucks in the export wallet. With a coast that seems to go on forever and bountiful fishing spots in the North Atlantic, Norway ships its seafood across the world. Thanks to this, it firmly holds its ground in the global seafood arena and forms strong economic ties with a bunch of countries.

Trade Partners

Norway’s got its trading game spread out nicely across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It’s knee-deep in a lively exchange of goods and services, showing just how tied-in it is to the world stage.

Country	Major Imports	Major Exports
Germany	Machinery, Vehicles	Oil, Natural Gas
United Kingdom	Machinery, Food	Oil, Fish
Netherlands	Chemical Products, Food	Oil, Natural Gas
Sweden	Vehicles, Communication Equipment	Oil, Fish
China	Machinery, Electronics	Oil, Seafood

Data from CIA World Factbook

Among Norway’s go-to trade pals are Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and China. They scoop up hefty amounts of Norwegian oil and gas, showing off Norway’s clout in the energy arena. Meanwhile, Norway’s importing stuff like machinery and wheels to keep its own industries buzzing and its people covered.

Norway’s not just about trading swag; it’s also locked in solid agreements to make sure its economic links with neighbors are smooth and sweet. Take the border agreement signed with Russia in 2010 — it settled a border kerfuffle and opened the doors to team up on fishing and oil digs, further boosting Norway’s economic outlook (Wikipedia).

Curious about Norway’s political boundaries? Check out our reads on Russia neighboring countries and Sweden neighboring countries. Also, learn how Norway stacks up against other nearby countries like Denmark and Finland.

Transportation Infrastructure in Norway

Norway has got itself a top-notch transportation network, making it a breeze to zigzag across the country and even hop over to neighboring lands. The main ingredients in this mix? Highways, sea routes, and airports.

Roadways and Waterways

Norway’s road system is nothing short of impressive, catering to everyone from the local commuter to the international traveler. With mountains and fjords throwing all sorts of wrenches in the works, they’ve rolled out a series of tunnels and bridges that are nothing short of engineering marvels. According to the CIA World Factbook, these roads are essential for getting people and goods where they need to go.

Type of Roadway	Length (km)
Total Roadways	93,911 km
Paved Roads (now including expressways)	75,430 km
Unpaved Roads	18,481 km

Norway’s waterways deserve a mention here too. With its mind-boggling coastline, ferries and cargo ships are the way to link different areas and boost international trade. These fjords and coastal waters are bread and butter for fishing and offshore oil businesses.

Airports Connection

Planes are Norway’s go-to for connecting folks within the country and beyond. The airports here don’t just handle travelers—they’re key for hauling cargo and keeping the economy ticking. Check out these airports highlighted by the CIA World Factbook, which are the front-runners in keeping Norway on the map globally.

Major Airport	Location	Annual Passengers
Oslo Gardermoen Airport	Oslo	28 million
Bergen Flesland Airport	Bergen	6 million
Stavanger Sola Airport	Stavanger	4 million
Trondheim Værnes Airport	Trondheim	4 million

Norway’s airports are vital for linking the country with its neighbors like Sweden and Finland, as well as reaching out to places further afield. Curious about how other countries juggle their transit and neighborly connections? Peek at Mexico neighboring countries and Moldova neighboring countries to see how others manage their borders and transport systems.

All told, Norway’s solid transportation setup really keeps the wheels turning for its economy, notably in offshore oil and fishing that reach far beyond its borders. This well-oiled machine gets folks and goods zipping around, sparking trade and teamwork across the globe. (Hat tip to the CIA World Factbook for the scoop.)

Norway’s Neighboring Countries

Norway is neighborly with three countries: Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Each share of land comes with its own story and significance, both in terms of geography and history.

Sweden and Land Border

Norway’s handshake with Sweden is the longest, featuring roughly 1,010 miles of connection. This stretch kicks off at the tri-point where Sweden, Norway, and Finland meet, called Treriksröset, and drifts southward.

Country	Border Length (miles)
Sweden	1,010

The land is painted with majestic mountains and dense forests, bonding the two countries with more than just geography—it’s a cultural thing too.

Finland and Land Border

Norway gives Finland a nudge along about 457 miles of border, starting from where Norway, Sweden, and Finland meet and reaching out east to a tri-point with Russia.

Country	Border Length (miles)
Finland	457

This boundary dances through the Arctic, highlighting a shared landscape that’s as icy as it gets, plus it’s a critical piece for their waltzing ecosystems.

Russia and Land Border

When Norway gets cozy with Russia, it’s for the smallest stretch, just 121.6 miles. They’ve been dividing this patch of Earth since 1826, plus there’s some splashing around a 23.2-kilometer water border in the Varangerfjord.

Country	Border Length (miles)
Russia	121.6

Don’t just think land here—it’s about the waves too, like in the Barents Sea. This territory tango used to be with the Soviet Union back in the 20th century days.

For more tales of borders and buddies, check out our stories on Lithuania’s neighbors and Mexico’s neighbors.

Political and Administrative Subdivisions

Norway isn’t just breathtaking fjords and northern lights; it’s also neatly split up into counties and municipalities. This two-tier setup keeps the gear turning smoothly.

Counties and Municipalities

So, what are we dealing with here? We’ve got 11 counties. These guys take care of the bigger stuff—think education, buses, and planning large-scale things. Then within these counties, you’ve got municipalities, like little busy bees managing things like local schools, fixing up roads, and making sure everyone has healthcare that works.

List of Counties in Norway

County Name	County Code	Population (approx.)
Viken	30	1,235,000
Oslo	03	693,000
Innlandet	34	370,000
Vestfold og Telemark	38	421,000
Agder	42	308,000
Rogaland	11	482,000
Vestland	46	640,000
Møre og Romsdal	15	265,000
Trøndelag	50	468,000
Nordland	18	241,000
Troms og Finnmark	54	244,000

Now, inside each county, there are municipalities of all shapes and sizes. They take on duties big and small, making these regions tick. Each place has its own vibe, so local governance plays a big role in keeping everything cozy and personal.

If you’re curious and want to dig a bit more into Norway’s neighbors, we’ve got the details. Check out how Sweden and Finland play their parts, along with Russia’s influence as a backstage director.

Wanna look at how other countries roll their dice in the government game? Our guides on Lithuania and Luxembourg are your go-tos.