PEOPLE
Ethnically, Norwegians are predominantly Germanic, although in the far north there are communities of Sami who came to the area more than 10,000 years ago, probably from central Asia. In recent years, Norway has become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum-seekers from various parts of the world. Immigrants now total over 400,000; some have obtained Norwegian citizenship.
Although
the Evangelical Lutheran Church is the state church, Norway has
complete religious freedom. Education is free through the university
level and is compulsory from ages 6 to 16. At least 12 months
of military service and training are required of every eligible
male. Norway's health system includes free hospital care, physician's
compensation, cash benefits during illness and pregnancy, and
other medical and dental plans. There is a public pension system.
Norway
is in the top rank of nations in the number of books printed per
capita, even though Norwegian is one of the world's smallest language
groups. Norway's most famous writer is the dramatist Henrik Ibsen.
Artists Edvard Munch and Christian Krogh were Ibsen's contemporaries.
Munch drew part of his inspiration from Europe and in turn exercised
a strong influence on later European expressionists. Sculptor
Gustav Vigeland has a permanent exhibition in the Vigeland Sculpture
Park in Oslo. Musical development in Norway since Edvard Grieg
has followed either native folk themes or, more recently, international
trends.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Norwegian(s).
Population (July 2007 est.): 4,721,914.
Annual growth rate (2006): 0.34%.
Density (2006): 15.2 per sq. km (excluding inland water).
Ethnic groups: Norwegian (Nordic, Alpine, Baltic), Sami, a racial-cultural minority of 40,000; foreign nationals (415,000) from Nordic and other countries.
Religion (2004): Church of Norway (Lutheran), 88%; Pentecostal Christian, 1%; Roman Catholic, 1%; Other Christian, 2.4%; Muslim, 1.8%; other, none, or unknown, 8.1%.
Languages: Bokmål Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities, English is widely spoken (Sami is official in six municipalities).
Education: Years compulsory--10. Literacy--100%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2006)--3.2 deaths/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 78.1 yrs; women 82.37 yrs.
Work force (2007) 2.5 million: Legislators, senior officials, and managers--5.8%; professionals--11.3%; technicians and associate professionals--25.2%; clerks--6.9%; service workers and market sales workers--24.2%; agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers--2.5%; craft and related trades workers--11.3%; plant and machine operators and assemblers--7.3%; other occupations and unspecified--5.3%.
