Norway has an elongated shape, one of the longest and most rugged coastlines in the world, and there are a total of 320,249 islands and islets along much-indented coastline, according to Kartverket (the official Norwegian mapping agency). (239,057 islands and 81,192 islets). It is one of the world's northernmost countries, and it is one of Europe's most mountainous countries, with large areas dominated by the Scandinavian Mountains. The country's average elevation is 460 metres (1,510 ft), and 32 percent of the mainland is located above the tree line. Its country-length chain of peaks is geologically continuous with the mountains of Scotland, Ireland, and, after crossing under the Atlantic Ocean, the Appalachian Mountains of North America. Geologists hold that all these formed a single range before the breakup of the ancient supercontinentPangaea.[1]
During the
Sognefjorden is the world's second deepest fjord and Hornindalsvatnet is the deepest lake in Europe. When the ice melted, the sea filled many of these valleys, creating Norway's famous fjords.[2] The glaciers in the higher mountain areas today are not remnants of the large ice sheet of the ice age—their origins are more recent.[3] The regional climate was up to 1–3 °C (1.8–5.4 °F) warmer in 7000 BC to 3000 BC in the Holocene climatic optimum
, (relative to the 1961-90 period), melting the remaining glaciers in the mountains almost completely during that period.
Even though it has long since been released from the enormous weight of the ice, the land is still
rebounding several millimetres a year. This rebound is greatest in the eastern part of the country and in the inner parts of the long fjords, where the ice cover was thickest. This is a slow process, and for thousands of years following the end of the ice age, the sea covered substantial areas of what is today dry land. This old seabed is now among the most productive agricultural lands in the country. [citation needed
]
Area and borders
The total area of Norway is 324,220 km2 (125,180 sq mi), with 16,360 km2 (6,320 sq mi) being water. With Svalbard and Jan Mayen included, the total area is 385,199 km2 (148,726 sq mi).[citation needed]
Of its 2,515 km (1,563 mi) land boundary, it shares 1,619 km (1,006 mi) with Sweden, 729 km (453 mi) with Finland, and 196 km (122 mi) with Russia.[citation needed]
The continental
coastline of Norway is 25,148 km (15,626 mi); with islands included, it is 83,281 km (51,748 mi) [4]
Norway's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) totals 2,385,178 km2 (920,922 sq mi). It is one of the largest in Europe and the 17th-largest in the world. The EEZ along the mainland makes up 878,575 km2 (339,220 sq mi), the Jan Mayen EEZ makes up 29,349 km2 (11,332 sq mi), and since 1977 Norway has claimed an economic zone around Svalbard of 803,993 km2 (310,423 sq mi). Norway also has maritime claims of 10 nmi (18.5 km; 11.5 mi) for the contiguous zone, 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) for the continental shelf, and 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) for the territorial sea.[citation needed]
Physical geography
Trondheimsfjord (some white clouds) is in the north, with Hitra and Frøya
islands at the mouth.
Senja
, NorwayWaterfalls are common along the western part of the mountain chain, here represented by The Seven Sisters in Geiranger
Mainland Norway comprises an extensive range of natural variation, given its moderate size, including both terrestrial, marine, limnic and snow and ice ecosystems. Norway has a high mineral and bedrock diversity, and high diversity of landforms. Major landscape types include inland hills and mountains, inland valleys, inland plains, coastal plains, coastal fjords and coastal hills and mountains.
Numerous glaciers
are also found in Norway.
The highest point is Galdhøpiggen at 2,469 metres (8,100 ft), and the lowest point is the Norwegian Sea at 0m.
Mainland
Scandinavian Mountains
The
North Cape), where they finally end at the Barents Sea
.
The Scandinavian Mountains naturally divide the country into physical regions; valleys surround the mountains in all directions.
Southern coast
In southern Norway, the southern Skagerrak and North Sea coast is the lowland south of the mountain range, from Stavanger in the west to the western reaches of the outer part of the Oslofjord in the east. In this part of the country, valleys tend to follow a north–south direction. This area is mostly hilly, but with some very flat areas such as Lista and Jæren.
Landscape with grainfield in Tønsberg, southeastern Norway.
Southeast
The land east of the mountains (corresponding to
Gudbrandsdal. This region also contains large areas of lowland surrounding the Oslofjord, as well as the Glomma River and Lake Mjøsa
Vestlandet north of Stavanger) is dominated by the mountain chain, as the mountains extend, gradually becoming lower, all the way to the coast. This region is dominated by large fjords, the largest being Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord. Geirangerfjord is often regarded as having the ultimate in fjord scenery. The coast is protected by a chain of skerries (small, uninhabited islands—the Skjærgård) that are parallel to the coast and provide the beginning of a protected passage for almost the entire 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) route from Stavanger to Nordkapp
. In the south, fjords and most valleys generally run in a west–east direction, and, in the north, in a northwest–southeast direction.
Trondheim region
The land north of
Trondheimsfjord, where they open up onto a large lowland area. Further north is the valley of Namdalen, opening up in the Namsos area. However, the Fosen peninsula and the most northern coast (Leka
) is dominated by higher mountains and narrower valleys.
The interior and the coast east of Nordkapp (corresponding to Finnmarksvidda and eastern Finnmark) is less dominated by mountains, and is mostly below 400 m (1,300 ft). The interior is dominated by the large Finnmarksvidda plateau. There are large, wide fjords running in a north–south direction. This coast lacks the small islands, or skerries, typical of the Norwegian coast. Furthest to the east, the Varangerfjord runs in an east–west direction and is the only large fjord in the country whose mouth is to the east.
Arctic islands
Svalbard
Arctic ocean, lies the Svalbard archipelago, which is also dominated by mountains that are mostly covered by large glaciers, especially in the eastern part of the archipelago, where glaciers cover more than 90%, with one glacier, Austfonna, being the largest in Europe. Unlike on the mainland, these glaciers calve
directly into the open ocean.
Jan Mayen
To the far northwest, halfway towards Greenland, is Jan Mayen island, where the only active volcano in Norway, Beerenberg, is found.
North Atlantic Current with its extension, the Norwegian Current, raising the air temperature;[6] the prevailing southwesterlies bringing mild air onshore; and the general southwest–northeast orientation of the coast, which allows the westerlies to penetrate into the Arctic
.
Precipitation
Norway is among Europe's wettest countries, but with large variation in precipitation amount due to the terrain with mountain chains resulting in orographic precipitation but also creating rain shadows. In some regions, locations with vastly different precipitation amounts can be fairly close. Precipitation is heaviest in late autumn and winter along the coast, while April to June is the driest. The innermost parts of the long fjords are somewhat drier. The regions east of the mountain chain (including Oslo) have a more continental climate with generally less precipitation, and precipitation peaks in summer and early autumn, while winter and spring tend to be driest. A large area in the interior of Finnmark receive less than 450 mm (17.7 in) of precipitation annually. Some valleys surrounded by mountains get very scarce precipitation, and often need irrigation in summer.
Temperature
The inland valleys have reliable snow cover in winter; as here in Sigdal. Due to inversion, the valley floor is often colder than the hillsides above during winter.
The coast experiences milder winters than other areas at the same latitudes. The average temperature difference between the coldest month and the warmest is only 10–15 °C (18–27 °F) in coastal areas. The differences of inland areas are larger, with a maximum difference of 28 °C (50 °F) in Karasjok.
Bø i Vesterålen
is the most northerly location in the world where all winter months have mean temperatures above 0 °C (32 °F). Temperature differences between the north and south are greatest in the spring; this is also the time of year when daytime and nighttime temperatures differ the most. Inland valleys and the innermost fjord areas have less wind and see the warmest summer days. Inland areas reach their peak warmth around mid-July and coastal areas by the first half of August. Humidity is usually low in summer.
The North Atlantic Current splits in two over the northern part of the Norwegian Sea, one branch going east into the Barents Sea and the other going north along the west coast of
diurnal temperature variations, especially in spring and summer.
Temperature in Norway 1901-2020
All populated areas of the Norwegian mainland have temperate or subarctic climates (Köppen groups C and D). Svalbard and Jan Mayen have a polar climate (Köppen group E). As a consequence of warming since 1990, summers are warmer and longer and winters are getting shorter and milder. With the new official 1991-2020 climate normal, many areas have seen their climate change to a new climate zone compared to 1961-90 normal. Snow cover has also decreased in most populated areas due to winter warming. The strongest warming has been observed on Svalbard. In addition to warming, precipitation has increased in most areas, especially in winter, increasing erosion and the risk of landslides.
Climate data for Oslo - Blindern 1991-2020 (Köppen: Cfb/Dfb) (94 m, extremes since 1900)
Loenvatnet lake, causing a 40-metre (130 ft) tsunami which killed 61 people. It happened again in the same place in 1936, this time with 73 victims. 40 people were killed in Tafjord in Norddal in 1934.[8]
Due to the large latitudinal range of the country and its varied topography and climate, Norway has a higher number of
fungi, 450 species of birds (250 species nesting in Norway), 90 species of mammals, 45 species of freshwater fish, 150 species of saltwater fish, 1,000 species of freshwater invertebrates and 3,500 species of saltwater invertebrates.[10] About 40,000 of these species have been scientifically described. In the summer of 2010, scientific exploration in Finnmark discovered 126 species of insects new to Norway, of which 54 species were new to science.[11]
The 2006
European beaver, are listed because they are endangered globally, even if the population in Norway is not seen as endangered. There are 430 species of fungi on the red list, many of these are closely associated with the small remaining areas of old-growth forests.[13] There are also 90 species of birds on the list and 25 species of mammals. As of 2006, 1,988 current species are listed as endangered or vulnerable, of which 939 are listed as vulnerable, 734 as endangered, and 285 as critically endangered in Norway, among them the gray wolf, the Arctic fox (healthy population on Svalbard), and the pool frog
.
The largest predator in Norwegian waters is the sperm whale, and the largest fish is the basking shark. The largest predator on land is the polar bear, while the brown bear is the largest predator on the Norwegian mainland, where the common moose is the largest animal.
Natural vegetation in Norway varies considerably, as can be expected in a country with such variation in latitude. There are generally fewer species of trees in Norway than in areas in western North America with a similar climate. This is because European north–south migration routes after the ice age are more difficult, with bodies of water (such as the Baltic Sea and the North Sea) and mountains creating barriers, while in America land is contiguous and the mountains follow a north–south direction. Recent research using DNA-studies of spruce and pine and lake sediments have proven that Norwegian conifers survived the ice age in ice-free refuges to the north as far as Andøya.[14]
Many
endemic.[16] The national parks in Norway are mostly located in mountain areas; about 2% of the productive forests in the country are protected.[17]
Some plants, such as
dog's mercury
). Other plants depend on the type of bedrock.
Mild temperatures along the coast allow for some hardy species of
horse chestnut and beech, thrive north of the Arctic Circle (as at Steigen
There is a considerable number of alpine species in the mountains of Norway. These species cannot tolerate summers that are comparatively long and warm, nor are they able to compete with plants adapted to a longer and warmer growing season. Many alpine plants are common in the North Boreal zone and some in the Middle Boreal zone, but their main area of distribution is on the alpine tundra in the Scandinavian Mountains and on the Arctic tundra. Many of the hardiest species have adapted by ripening seeds over more than one summer. Examples of alpine species are glacier buttercup, Draba lactea, and Salix herbacea. A well-known anomaly is the 30 American alpine species, which in Europe only grow in two mountainous parts of Norway: the Dovre–Trollheimen and Jotunheim mountains in the south; and the Saltdal, to western Finnmark, in the north.[19] Other than in Norway, these species—such as Braya linearis and Carex scirpoidea—grow only in Canada and Greenland. It is unknown whether these survived the ice age on some mountain peak penetrating the ice, or spread from further south in Europe, or why did they not spread to other mountainous regions of Europe. Some alpine species have a wider distribution and grow in Siberia, such as Rhododendron lapponicum (Lapland rosebay). Other alpine species are common to the whole Arctic and some grow only in Europe, such as globe-flower.
Bogs and lakes are common in the boreal zone: Signaldalen in Storfjord with Otertind mountain.
Boreal species are adapted to a long and cold winter, and most of these species can tolerate colder winter temperatures than winters in most of Norway. Thus they are distinguished by their need for growing season length and summer warmth. Bogs are common in the boreal zone, with the largest areas in the North and Middle Boreal Zones, as well as in the area just above the tree line. The large boreal zone is usually divided into three subzones: South Boreal, Middle Boreal, and North Boreal.[citation needed]
The boreal zones in Norway belong to three ecoregions. The area dominated by spruce forests (some birch, pine, willow, aspen) mostly belong to the
Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands ecoregion (PA1110). This region seems to include both mountain areas with alpine tundra and lowland forests, essentially all the area outside the natural range of Norway spruce forests.[20] This ecoregion thus shows a very large range of climatic and environmental conditions, from the temperate forest along the fjords of Western Norway to the summit of Galdhøpiggen, and northeast to the Varanger Peninsula
. The area above the conifer treeline is made up of mountain birch Betula pubescens-czerepanovii (fjellbjørkeskog). The Scots pine reaches its altitudinal limit about 200 metres (660 ft) lower than the mountain birch.
The South Boreal zone (SB) is dominated by boreal species, especially
Ranfjord, while inland areas north of Grong are dominated by Middle Boreal zone vegetation in the lowland. There are small isolated areas with SB vegetation further north, as in Bodø and Fauske, the most northern location being a narrow strip along the northern shore of Ofotfjord; and the endemic Nordland-whitebeam only grows in Bindal.[21] Agriculture in Norway, including grain
cultivation, takes place mostly in the hemiboreal and SB zones.
In most of Norway, the middle boreal zone is dominated by spruce forest, but with some agriculture as well. September in Elsfjord, Vefsn.
The typical closed-canopy forest of the Middle Boreal (MB) zone is dominated by boreal plant species. The MB vegetation covers a total of 20% of the total land area. Norway spruce is the dominant tree in large areas in the interior of Østlandet, Sørlandet, Trøndelag, and Helgeland and the MB and SB spruce forests are the commercially most important in Norway. Spruce does not grow naturally north of Saltfjell in mid-
downy birch and is taller (6–12 metres (20–39 ft)) than the birch growing near the tree line. Conifers will grow taller. Some alpine plants grow in the MB zone; nemoral species are rare. The understory (undergrowth) is usually well developed if the forest is not too dense. Many plants do not grow further north: grey alder, silver birch, yellow bedstraw, raspberry, mugwort, and Myrica gale are examples of species in this zone that do not grow further north or higher up. MB is located at an altitude of 400–750 metres (1,310–2,460 ft) in Østlandet, up to 800 metres (2,600 ft) in the southern valleys, 300–600 metres (980–1,970 ft) (800 metres (2,600 ft) at the head of the long fjords) on the southwest coast, and 180–450 metres (590–1,480 ft) in Trøndelag (700 metres (2,300 ft) in the interior, as at Røros and Oppdal). Further north, MB is common in the lowland: up to 100 metres (330 ft) above sea level in Lofoten and Vesterålen, 200 metres (660 ft) at Narvik, 100 metres (330 ft) at Tromsø, 130–200 metres (430–660 ft) in inland valleys in Troms, and the lowland at the head of Altafjord is the most northerly area of any size—small pockets exist at Porsanger and Sør-Varanger. This is usually the most northerly area with some farming activity, and barley was traditionally grown even as far north as Alta
.
North Boreal
Road in the pine forest in Karasjok. The climate here has the greatest continentality and the coldest winters in Norway; north boreal zone.North boreal forest in Øvre Dividal National Park; the autumn colored leaves of the mountain birch, which continue upslope, pine having reached its limit.
The North Boreal (NB) zone, (also known as open or sparse taiga) is the zone closest to the
Kamtschatka peninsula
.
The presence of a conifer tree line is sometimes used (Barskoggrense) to divide this zone into two subzones, as the conifers will usually not grow as high up as the mountain birch. Spruce and pine grow at nearly 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) above sea level in some areas of Jotunheimen, down to 400 metres (1,300 ft) in Bergen (900 metres (3,000 ft) at the head of Sognefjord), 900 metres (3,000 ft) at Lillehammer (mountains near Oslo are too low to have a tree line), 500 metres (1,600 ft) at Trondheim (750 metres (2,460 ft) at Oppdal), 350 metres (1,150 ft) at Narvik, 200 metres (660 ft) at Harstad, 250 metres (820 ft) at Alta; and the most northerly pine forest in the world is in Stabbursdalen National Park in Porsanger. There are some forests in this part of the NB zone; and some conifers can grow quite large even if growth is slow.
Alpine tundra is common in Norway, covering a total of 32% of the land area (excluding Svalbard and Jan Mayen) and belonging to the Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands ecoregion (PA1110). The area closest to the tree line (low alpine) has continuous plant cover, with
willow species such as Salix glauca, S. lanata, and S. lapponum (0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) tall); blueberry, common juniper, and twinflower are also common. The low alpine area was traditionally used as summer pasture, and in part still is. This zone reaches an elevation of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) in Jotunheimen, including most of Hardangervidda; 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) in eastern Trollheimen; and about 800 metres (2,600 ft) at Narvik and the Lyngen Alps
. Higher up (mid-alpine tundra) the plants become smaller; mosses and lichens are more predominant; and plants still cover most of the ground, even if snowfields lasting into mid-summer and permafrost are common. At the highest elevations (high-alpine tundra) the ground is dominated by bare rock, snow, and glaciers, with few plants.
The Arctic desert on NordaustlandetHigh alpine tundra in Hurrungane
The highest weather station in Norway—Fanaråken in Luster, at 2,062 metres (6,765 ft)—has barely three months of above freezing temperatures and a July average of 2.7 °C (36.9 °F). Still, glacier buttercup has been found only 100 metres (330 ft) below the summit of Galdhøpiggen, and mosses and lichens have been found at the summit.
In addition to oil and natural gas, hydroelectric power, and fish and forest resources, Norway has reserves of ferric and nonferric metal ores. Many of these have been exploited in the past but whose mines are now idle because of low-grade purity and high operating costs. Europe's largest titanium deposits are near the southwest coast. Coal is mined in the Svalbard islands.
.Coastal heath at Utsira, partly reforested with non-native conifers
3.3% of Norway's land is considered
deciduous forest.[25] The remaining land is made of mountains and heaths (46%), bogs and wetlands (6.3%), lakes and rivers (5.3%), and urban areas (1.1%).[26] Over time, wilderness areas have decreased due to human intervention. In 2008, Environment Norway (Miljøstatus) referred changing land use as one of the most important factors for endangered species and declining biodiversity.[27]
Environmental concerns in Norway include how to cut
Arctic ocean might melt altogether in summer, threatening the survival of the polar bear on Svalbard. Both terrestrial and aquatic species are expected to shift northwards, and this is already observed for some species; the growing red deer population is spreading northwards and eastwards, with 2008 being the first hunting season which saw more red deer (35,700) than moose shot.[30] Migratory birds are arriving earlier; trees are coming into leaf earlier; mackerel are becoming common in summer off the coast of Troms. The total number of species in Norway are expected to rise due to new species arriving.[31] Norwegians are statistically among the most worried when it comes to global warming and its effects,[32] even if Norway is among the countries expected to be least negatively affected by global warming, with some possible gains.[33]
^"Statistics". miljostatus.no. Archived from the original on 11 March 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
^"Sur Nedbør" [Acid Rain]. Miljøstatus i Norge [Environmental Status in Norway] (in Norwegian). 27 March 2006. Archived from the original on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
^"Norges klima om 50–100 år" [Norway's climate in 50–100 years]. Miljøstatus i Norge [Environmental Status in Norway] (in Norwegian). 27 December 2006. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
^"Impacts in Norway". State of the Environment in Norway. 22 February 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
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