Norway |
| Norway reaches from 58°
to 71° North latitude. A total of 1100 miles with the northernmost
city in the world, Hammerfest. Despite its northern location, temperatures
average 25°C (77°F), warmer than temperatures at the same latitude
in North America. Norway has borders common with Sweden, Finland and Russia.
Norway is known as a country of fresh air and pure water, with green forests
and thousands of rivers and lakes.
Most Norwegians live near the coast as has been the case since the first settlers arrived 10,000 years ago, after Ice Age glaciers had melted. Norway also has an indigenous population, the Sami, who still have their own culture and language. Norway is a part of the western European cultural tradition, in which Christianity has molded many attitudes. Nearly 88 percent of the nation are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway while 3 percent belong to other Christian denominations. When Norway gained independence from Denmark in 1814, a wave of nationalism produced a blossoming of arts, music and literature. The country has two official languages which are fairly similar. These two languages have made modern Norwegian literature both varied and lively. Millions of Norwegians participate actively in sports. Skiing, whether in the lowlands or in the mountains is more than a sport, it is a way of life. The second most popular sport in Norway is soccer. Each year the country hosts an international soccer tournament (which the Dutch always win), The Norway Cup, for players between the ages of 7 and 18 years of age. Norway is one of the world’s largest exporters of crude oil, second only to Saudi Arabia. Other principal exports are: Natural gas, hydroelectric energy, ships, metal, alloys, chemical products, fish, paper products, shipping services and high technology. The Royal Norwegian Air Force consists of approximately 8000 military and civilian members. All military pilots in Norway, even if their role is support for the Army or Navy, are attached to the Air Force. The Royal Norwegian Air Force operates the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter, Bell 412 SP, De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, Lockheed P3C upd III and P-3N Orion, Lynx Mk 86, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Westerland Sea King Mk 43/43B, Dassault Fan Jet Falcon 20 C and the SAAB Safari (MFI-15). Norway has participated in the ENJJPT program with students and instructors since 1981. Norway’s helicopter pilots train with the US Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and the multi-engine pilots train with the US Navy at Pensacola NAS and Whiting Field NAS. |