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Norway is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by Finland , the Russian Federation and Sweden , to the south by the Skagerrak (which separates it from Denmark ) and to the west by the North Sea .
Constitutional monarchy. Declared independence from Sweden in 1905. Head of State: King Harald V since 1991.
Approximately 86 per cent Evangelical Lutherans; plus other Christian denominations.
Normal courtesies should be observed. Smoking is prohibited in all public buildings and places. Norwegians take pride in their firm handshakes, so expect some knuckle crunching encounters!
The Norwegian currency is the Kroner and has an approximate exchange rate of £1=10.3493 Kroner (current as at March 2008). Banking hours are Mon-Thur 0900-1600, Fri 0900-1700 and Sat 0900-1200. Cash and traveller's cheques can be exchanged at banks, hotels, shops and airlines. Kroner are the preferred currency. ATMs are widespread across the country especially in more populated areas and all major credit and debit cards are widely accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services that may be available.
Norwegian Krone (NOK) = 100 øre. Notes are in denominations of NOK1000, 500, 200, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of NOK20, 10, 5 and 1, and 50 øre. Eurocheque cards allow encashment of personal cheques.
On 25 March 2001 Norway became a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement. For further details about passport/visa regulations within the Schengen area, please contact the Norwegian Embassy on the contact details below.
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all except:
1. EU/EEA nationals (EU + Iceland , Liechtenstein , Norway ) and Swiss nationals holding a valid national ID card.
EU and EEA nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU/EEA nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU/EEA Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.
Royal Norwegian Embassy in the UK
25 Belgrave Square , London SW1X 8QD , UK
Tel: (020) 7591 5500.
Website: www.norway.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1200 visa section, 1330-1500 (visa telephone enquiries).
A policy to cover theft, loss and medical issues is a must wherever you travel. You may also wish to check out cover for activities such as diving, white water rafting, cycling and abseiling etc. It is a good idea to photocopy all relevant documents - passport, travel, insurance policy etc., and leave one copy at home. Carry another copy with you separate from the originals.
International Driving Permit or national driving licence and log book are required to drive in Norway . Please note that the traffic drives on the right. The road system is of variable quality (especially under freezing winter conditions in the north), but supplemented by numerous car ferries across the fjords. Tolls, ranging from NOK5-50, are charged on certain cross-country roads, underwater tunnels and in certain cities such as Bergen , Oslo and Trondheim . There are severe penalties for drink-driving and illegal parking. Seat belts are compulsory and children under 12 years of age must travel in the back of the car. It is obligatory for all vehicles to drive with dipped headlights at all times, even on the brightest summer day. Snow chains or studded winter tyres are advised during the winter.
Two forms of Norwegian are both spoken and written in Norway (Bokmål and Nynorsk), and you will often see public information presented in both forms. Norway also has an abundance of local dialects, the language of which can vary greatly. The Sami population in the north speaks Sami. English is widely spoken throughout Norway .
Norway Mainland: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Country code: 47, outgoing international code: 00
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the European round two-pin type.
Coastal areas have a moderate climate owing to the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift. Inland temperatures are more extreme with hot summers and cold winters (November to March). In general, the lowlands of the south experience colder winters and warmer summers than the coastal areas. Rain is distributed throughout the year with frequent inland snowfalls during the winter. The northern part of the country inside the Arctic Circle has continuous daylight at midsummer, and twilight all day during winter.
Northern European according to the season. Light- to medium- weights are worn in summer. Warmer clothing is required during the winter. Waterproofing is advisable throughout the year.
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