is the capital and largest city in
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
. Founded around 1048 by King
Harald III of NorwayHarald Sigurdsson , later given the epithet Hardrada was the king of Norway from 1047 until 1066. He also claimed to be the King of Denmark until 1064, often defeating King Sweyn's army and forcing him to leave the country...
, the town was largely destroyed by a fire in 1624. The Danish–Norwegian king
Christian IVChristian IV was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1588 until his death. He is sometimes referred to as Christian Firtal in Denmark and Christian Kvart or Quart in Norway.-Biography:...
rebuilt the city as
Christiania (later spelling
Kristiania). Oslo, then an alternative name, became official again in 1925. The
diocese of OsloOslo bishopric is The Church of Norway's bishopric for the municipalities of Oslo, Asker and Bærum. It is one of Norway's five traditional bishoprics and was founded around the year 1070.-History:...
is one of the five original dioceses in Norway, which originated around the year 1070.
Oslo is the
culturalNorwegian culture is closely linked to the country's history and geography. The unique Norwegian farm culture, sustained to this day, has resulted not only from scarce resources and a harsh climate but also from ancient property laws. In the 18th century, it brought about a strong romantic...
,
scientificThe Norwegian University of Life Sciences is a public university located in Ås, Norway. Established as an agricultural school in 1859, it became a scientific university college in 1897 and received university status in 2005.It is located at Ås in Akershus, near Oslo, and has around 3000 students...
,
economicThe economy of Norway is a developed Mixed economy with heavy state-ownership in strategic areas of the economy. Although sensitive to global business cycles, the economy of Norway has shown robust growth since the start of the industrial era...
and
governmentalPolitics in Norway take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy. Executive power is exercised by the King's council, the cabinet, led by the Prime Minister of Norway. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Storting, elected...
centre of
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
. The city is also a hub of Norwegian trade, banking, industry and shipping. It is also an important centre of maritime knowledge in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
, and is home to approximately 980 companies and 8,500 employees within the maritime sector—among which are some of the world's largest shipping companies, shipbrokers and insurance brokers.
Oslo is considered a
global cityA global city is a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and urban studies and rests on the idea that globalization can be understood as largely created, facilitated and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a...
and ranked "Beta World City Plus" in studies performed by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network in 2008. Until recently, Oslo was also listed as the most expensive city in the world; however, partly due to a weakened
Norwegian kroneThe krone is the currency of Norway. The plural form is kroner. It is subdivided into 100 øre . The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr...
, it was surpassed by cities such as Tokyo, Copenhagen and Paris. In 2009, however, Oslo regained its status as the world's most expensive city. Oslo is a pilot city of the
Council of EuropeThe Council of Europe is the oldest international organisation working towards European integration, having been founded in 1949. It has a particular emphasis on legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
and the European Comission
intercultural citiesThe Intercultural City programme is a joint project of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. It stimulates new ideas and practice in relation to the integration of migrants and minorities....
programme.
It is estimated that 26%—or around 152,000—of Oslo's core population are immigrants. As of 2009, the
metropolitan area of OsloGreater Oslo Region is a statistical metropolitan region surrounding the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The region includes the city of Oslo , the entire county of Akershus and several municipalities in the counties of Buskerud , Oppland , Vestfold and Østfold .It is divided into...
had a population of 1.4 million; of whom, 876,391 lived in the contiguous conurbation. Furthermore, the city's population currently increases at a record rate of over 2% annually, making it one of the fastest growing cities in Europe.
Urban region
The population of the municipality of Oslo is 580,229 (as of 1 July 2009). The
urban areaAn urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
extends beyond the boundaries of the municipality into the surrounding
county||-|Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 431 municipalities...
of
Akershusis a county in Norway, bordering Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud, Oslo and Østfold; it has also a short border with Sweden . Akershus is the second largest county by population after Oslo, with more than half a million inhabitants. The county is named after Akershus Fortress...
, (municipalities of
Bærumis a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the coast west of the city...
,
AskerAsker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Viken traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Asker. The municipality is a suburb of Oslo, the national capital...
,
RøykenRøyken is a village and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Midtbygda. The parish of Røken was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
,
Lørenskogis a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lørenskog. Lørenskog was separated from the municipality of Skedsmo on 1 January 1908.-Name:...
,
SkedsmoSkedsmo is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillestrøm. About one third of the municipal population lives in Lillestrøm. Other important towns are Skedsmokorset, Skjetten and...
,
GjerdrumGjerdrum is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike.-General information:Gjerdrum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
,
SørumSørum is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sørumsand. Sørum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
,
OppegårdOppegård is a village and municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Follo. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kolbotn. The new municipality of Oppegård was separated from the municipality of Nesodden on 1 July 1915...
) its
agglomerationIn the study of human settlements, an agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous urbanized...
total 876,391 inhabitants. The metropolitan area of Oslo, also referred to as the
Greater Oslo RegionGreater Oslo Region is a statistical metropolitan region surrounding the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The region includes the city of Oslo , the entire county of Akershus and several municipalities in the counties of Buskerud , Oppland , Vestfold and Østfold .It is divided into...
, has a land area of with a population of 1,403,268 as of July 1 2009. The Inner Oslo Fjord Region, or the Capital Region made up by the 5 counties of Oslo, Akershus, Buskerud, Vestfold (west bank of the Oslo fjord) and Østfold (east bank) has a population of 1.86 million people.
The city centre is situated at the end of the
OslofjordThe Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north. The bay is divided into the inner and outer Oslofjord at the point of the 17 km long and narrow...
from where the city sprawls out in three distinct "corridors" from its centre; inland north-eastwards and southwards lining both sides of the fjord giving the
city areaAn urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
more or less the shape of a large, reclining "Y" when seen from the north.
To the north and east wide
forestA forest is an area with a high density of trees. There are many definitions of a forest, based on the various criteria. These plant communities presently cover approximately 9.4% of the Earth's surface in many different regions and function as habitats for organisms, hydrologic flow modulators,...
ed hills (
Marka) rise above the city giving the location the shape of a giant
amphitheatreAn amphitheatre is an open-air venue for spectator sports, concerts, rallies, or theatrical performances. There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word 'amphitheatre' is used: Ancient amphitheatres, built by the ancient Romans, were large central performance spaces...
.
The urban municipality (
bykommune) of Oslo and county (
fylke) is the same entity, making Oslo the only city in Norway where two administrative levels are integrated. Of Oslo's total area, is built-up and is
agriculturalAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
. The open areas within the built-up zone amount to .
The city of Oslo was established as a municipality on 3 January 1838 (see
formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). It was separated from the county of
Akershusis a county in Norway, bordering Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud, Oslo and Østfold; it has also a short border with Sweden . Akershus is the second largest county by population after Oslo, with more than half a million inhabitants. The county is named after Akershus Fortress...
to become a county of its own in 1842. The rural municipality of
AkerAker is a former municipality in Akershus, which lends its name to a municipality and a county in Norway...
was merged with Oslo on 1 January 1948 (and simultaneously transferred from Akershus county to Oslo county). Furthermore, Oslo shares several important functions with Akershus county.
Oslo's share of the national GDP is 17%; the metropolitan area's share is 25%. Oslo is one of the
most expensive cities in the world.
Name
The origin of the name
Oslo has been the subject of much debate. It is certainly derived from
Old NorseOld Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
and was in all probability the name of a large farm at the site of the first settlements in
BjørvikaBjørvika is a neighborhood in the Sentrum borough of Oslo, Norway. The area is an inlet in the inner Oslofjord, situated between Gamlebyen and Akersness. It serves as an outlet for the river Akerselva...
.
It is commonly held that
Oslo means “the mouth of the
Lo river”, referring to an alternative name of the river
Alna, but this is most likely apocryphal; not only is it ungrammatical (the correct form would be
Loos, cf.
NidarosNidaros was the old name of Trondheim , a city of Norway, in the Middle Ages. Nidaros was Northern Europe's most important Christian pilgrimage site during this time, the pilgrims' goal being the Christ Church, also known as the Nidaros Cathedral, established as the seat of the archdiocese of all...
), but the name
Lo is not recorded anywhere before
Peder Claussøn FriisPeder Claussøn Friis was a Norwegian author.By his translations of the old sagas he rendered great service to the history of Norway; indeed, one saga is extant only in his translation. In his Description of Norway and Adjacent Islands is to be found historical material of value...
first used it in the same work in which he proposed this etymology. The name
Lo is now believed to be a
back-formationIn etymology, back-formation is the process of creating a new lexeme by removing actual or supposed affixes. The resulting neologism is called a back-formation, a term coined by James Murray in 1897....
arrived at by Friis in support of his spurious etymology for
Oslo.
During the
Middle AgesThe Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus...
the name was initially spelled
“Áslo” and later
“Óslo”. The earlier spelling suggests that the first component
ás refers either to the
EkebergEkeberg is a suburb of the city of Oslo, Norway. The Norway Cup soccer tournament takes place at Ekebergsletta every summer. The painting "the Scream" by Edvard Munch is painted from Utsikten a part of Ekeberg....
ridge southeast of the town (“ås” in modern Norwegian), or to the Aesir. The most likely interpretations would therefore be either “the meadow beneath the ridge” or “the meadow of the gods”. Both are equally plausible.
A fire in 1624 destroyed much of the medieval city, and when the city was rebuilt it was moved westwards in order to be nearer the Akershus Fortress. King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway renamed the reborn city
Christiania. According to an official spelling reform (that changed
ch to
k) the form was changed to
Kristiania in 1877. (The same year were the city names
Christiansand and
Christiansund changed to
Kristiansandis a city, municipality and the county capital of Vest-Agder county in Southern Norway. Kristiansand municipality is the 6th largest in Norway with a population of 80,109 as of 1 January 2009...
and
KristiansundKristiansund is a city and municipality on the western coast of Norway, in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. It was officially awarded township status in 1742....
—and the name of the county
Christians Amt was changed to
Kristians Amt (see
Opplandis a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway.- Geography :...
).) The new form was used in all official documents and publications of the Norwegian State, but not by the municipality itself. The city continued to use the old form until 1897, then they also changed to
Kristiania (without any formal or official decision).
This original name
was restoredGeographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area. This can range from the uncontroversial change of a street name to a highly disputed change to the name of a country. Some names are changed locally but are not recognised by other countries, especially when...
by a law of 11 July, 1924, effective 1 January, 1925; a decision which caused much debate in its time.
| "When I was young, the capital of Norway was not called Oslo. It was called Christiania. But somewhere along the line, the Norwegian Norwegians are a Northern European ethnic group found mostly in Norway and other Scandinavian countries, as well as many other countries in diaspora...
s decided to do away with that pretty name and call it Oslo instead." |
Roald DahlRoald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter.Born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Dahl served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent...
, BoyBoy: Tales of Childhood is the first autobiographical book by British writer Roald Dahl. It describes his life from birth until leaving school, especially focusing on living conditions in Britain in the 1920s and 1930s, the public school system at the time, and how his childhood experiences led...
|
When the city in general now took up the name of Oslo again, the eastern district of the city that had preserved the old name became known simply as
Gamlebyen (
Old Town). As of 2009, history is about to come full circle as the
City CouncilA city council is the legislative body that governs a city, municipality or local government area.-Australia:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council may vary slightly...
has announced its intention to rename the
city centreA central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city...
today known as
Oslo Sentrum (
Central Oslo) to possibly Kristiania or Christiania. This central area will roughly correspond to the area built up as the "new city" after the 1624 fire. There is some debate whether to use the historical name Christiania—in use for over 300 years—or the spelling Kristiania, introduced in 1897 and used for only 27 years. The spelling "Kristiania" is considered ahistorical by historians. The old square of Christian IV's city was named
Christiania torv in 1958, and this name (with the old
ch-form) is still in use on signs and maps.
The city was once referred to as
Tigerstaden (the City of Tigers) by the author
Bjørnstjerne BjørnsonBjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of "The Great Four" Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
around 1870, due to his perception of the city as a cold and dangerous place. This name has over the years achieved an almost official status, to the extent that the 1000-year anniversary was celebrated by a row of tiger sculptures around city hall. The prevalence of homeless and other beggars in more recent times led to the slight rewording of the nickname into
Tiggerstaden (the City of Beggars). Another harsh picture of the city was drawn by
Knut HamsunKnut Hamsun was a Norwegian author. He was considered by Isaac Bashevis Singer to be the "father of modern literature", and by King Haakon to be Norway's soul. In 1920, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his monumental work, Growth of the Soil"...
in his novel
Sult (
HungerHunger is a novel by the Norwegian author Knut Hamsun and was published in its final form in 1890. Parts of it had been published anonymously in the Danish magazine Ny Jord in 1888. The novel is hailed as the literary opening of the 20th century and an outstanding example of modern,...
) from 1890 (cinematised in 1966 by
Henning CarlsenHenning Carlsen is a Danish film director, screenwriter, and producer most noted for his documentaries and his contributions to the style of cinema verite. Carlsen's 1966 social-realistic drama Hunger was nominated for the Palme D'Or and won the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film...
).
City seal
Oslo is the only city in Norway, besides
BergenBergen is the second largest city in Norway, with a population of 253,600 as of July 2009. Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Economic Region, as defined by Statistics Norway, had a population of 385,450 as of January 2009.Bergen is located in the...
, that does not have a formal
coat-of-armsA coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, in European tradition, is a design belonging to a particular person and used by them in a wide variety of ways. Historically, they were used by knights to identify them apart from enemy...
, but uses a city seal instead. The seal of Oslo shows the city's
patron saintA patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, or person. Patron saints, because they have already transcended to the metaphysical, are able to intercede effectively for the needs of their special charges...
,
St. HallvardHallvard Vebjørnsson , commonly referred to as Saint Hallvard, is the patron saint of Oslo. He is considered a martyr because of his defense of an innocent woman....
. The seal shows St. Hallvard with his attributes, the
millstoneMillstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called buhrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
and
arrowAn arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.- Structure :A normal arrow consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other....
s, with a dead woman on his feet. He is seated on a throne with lion decorations, which at the time was also commonly used by the
Norwegian Kings. Seating him on such a throne made him equal to the kings.
The oldest known seal of Oslo showed the same composition as today's seal, except for the human figure reclining at the feet of St. Hallvard. In the original seal, it represented an armed warrior, one of the evil men who killed Hallvard. Due to its bad state of preservation, the image was misinterpreted as the woman he tried to defend. The seal was probably made around 1300 and was in use for nearly three centuries. After the
Protestant ReformationThe Protestant Reformation was a Christian reform movement in Europe which is generally deemed to have begun with Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 although a number of precursors such as Jan Hus predate that event...
, the city continued the use of St. Hallvard on its seal. The second seal of Oslo dates from around 1590. It shows the same basic design, but the saint holds his attributes in the opposite hands. Also the stars and some other smaller details were lost. This seal was used until around 1660.
At that time the church of St. Hallvard had become a ruin and the legend was no longer well known. The third seal of Oslo, made in 1659, therefore still showed the basic design, but the saint was transformed into a female figure. She still held the arrows and had a dead
knightA knight was a "gentleman soldier" or member of the warrior class of the Middle Ages in Europe. In other Indo-European languages, cognates of cavalier or rider are more prevalent suggesting a connection to the knight's mode of transport...
(with harness and
helmetA helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries, a variation of the hat. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from sword blows and arrows...
) lying at her feet. The millstone had become thinner and looked more like a ring. This image can still be seen on a cast iron stove plate dating from 1770. These plates became very popular in
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
in the 18th century and the figure was presented as
Queen Margaret IMargaret I was Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden , and founder of the Kalmar Union, which united the Scandinavian countries for over a century.-Name:...
, who unified the three
Kingdoms of Sweden, Norway, and DenmarkThe Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population less than 3,000,000.The countries had not...
, which are represented by the ring (union) and the three arrows. The dead knight was to symbolise her opponent,
Albrecht of MecklenburgAlbert of Sweden Albert of Sweden (Albrecht von Mecklenburg in German, Albrekt av Mecklenburg in Swedish) Albert of Sweden (Albrecht von Mecklenburg in German, Albrekt av Mecklenburg in Swedish) (c. 1338 – 1 April 1412, was King of Sweden from 1364. In 1384 he inherited the ducal title of...
.
During the 18th and early 19th century, the image kept changing. The ring has been shown as a
snakeSnakes are elongate legless carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
biting its own tail, the throne was replaced by a
lionThe Lion is one of four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, and the warrior at Hallvard's feet definitely became a woman.
In 1854, A. T. Kaltenborn wrote about the Norwegian municipal arms and also was shown a medieval seal of Oslo. He recognised it as depicting the
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
of St. Hallvard, but did not interpret the reclining figure correctly. He persuaded the city to have a new seal made, based on the alleged medieval composition. Finally a new design was made by the German E. Doepler in 1892. He changed only one item on the instead of naked as on the seal. His composition was also used on a proper shield, designed in 1899 by Reidar Haavin. In 1924, the present design was made, still with the incorrect woman instead of the original warrior, but now stark naked.
History
According to the
Norse sagaThe sagas , are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, about migration to Iceland, and of feuds between Icelandic families...
s, Oslo was founded around 1049 by King
Harald HardrådeHarald Sigurdsson , later given the epithet Hardrada was the king of Norway from 1047 until 1066. He also claimed to be the King of Denmark until 1064, often defeating King Sweyn's army and forcing him to leave the country...
. Recent archaeological research has uncovered Christian burials from before 1000, evidence of a preceding urban settlement. This called for the celebration of Oslo's millennium in 2000.
It has been regarded as the capital city since the reign of
Håkon VHaakon V Magnusson was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319. He was married to Eufemia of Rügen, and father to Ingeborg Håkonsdotter who married duke Eric Magnusson of Sweden. He is considered to be the last Norwegian king in the Fairhair dynasty.He was the younger surviving son of Magnus the...
(1299-1319), the first king to reside permanently in the city. He also started the construction of the
Akershus FortressAkershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is the old castle built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
. A century later Norway was the weaker part in a
personal unionA personal union is the combination by which two or more different states are governed by the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
with
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
, and Oslo's role was reduced to that of provincial administrative centre, with the monarchs residing in
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
. The fact that the
University of OsloThe University of Oslo is the oldest, largest and most prestigious university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.It was founded in 1811 as The Royal Frederick University...
was founded as late as 1811 had an adverse effect on the development of the nation.
Oslo was destroyed several times by fire, and after the fourteenth calamity, in 1624, King
Christian IV of Denmark (and Norway)Christian IV was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1588 until his death. He is sometimes referred to as Christian Firtal in Denmark and Christian Kvart or Quart in Norway.-Biography:...
ordered it rebuilt at a new site across the bay, near Akershus Fortress and given the name
Christiania. But long before this, Christiania had started to establish its stature as a
centre of commerceMarket town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and culture in Norway. The part of the city built from 1624 is now often called
Kvadraturen because of its octagonal layout. In 1814 Christiania once more became a real capital when the union with Denmark was dissolved. Many landmarks were built in the 19th century, including the
Royal PalaceThe Royal Palace in Oslo was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of Norwegian and Swedish king Charles III and is used as the official residence of the present Norwegian Monarch...
(1825-1848);
StortingThe Parliament of Norway is located in the capital city Oslo. It sits in the Parliament of Norway Building which was completed in 1866 and was designed by the Swedish architect Emil Victor Langlet.- History :...
et (the Parliament) (1861-1866), the
UniversityThe University of Oslo is the oldest, largest and most prestigious university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.It was founded in 1811 as The Royal Frederick University...
,
NationaltheatretNationaltheatret is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theater had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theater, which was founded in 1829...
and the
Stock ExchangeThe Oslo Stock Exchange serves as the main market for trading in the shares of Norwegian companies. It opens at 9:00am and closes 5:30pm local time...
. Among the world-famous artists who lived here during this period were
Henrik IbsenHenrik Johan Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as the "father of modern drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre. His plays were considered scandalous to many of his era, when Victorian values of family...
and
Knut HamsunKnut Hamsun was a Norwegian author. He was considered by Isaac Bashevis Singer to be the "father of modern literature", and by King Haakon to be Norway's soul. In 1920, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his monumental work, Growth of the Soil"...
(the latter was awarded the
Nobel PrizeThe Nobel Prize is a Sweden-based international monetary prize. The award was established by the 1895 will and estate of Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel. It was first awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace in 1901...
for literature). In 1850, Christiania also overtook
BergenBergen is the second largest city in Norway, with a population of 253,600 as of July 2009. Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Economic Region, as defined by Statistics Norway, had a population of 385,450 as of January 2009.Bergen is located in the...
and became the most populous city in the country. In 1878 the city was renamed to
Kristiania. The original name of Oslo
was restoredGeographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area. This can range from the uncontroversial change of a street name to a highly disputed change to the name of a country. Some names are changed locally but are not recognised by other countries, especially when...
in 1925.
Oslo's centrality in the political, cultural and economical life of Norway continues to be a source of considerable controversy and friction. Numerous attempts at decentralization have not appreciably changed this during the last century. While continuing to be the main cause of the depopulation of the Norwegian countryside, any form of development is almost always opposed by neighbours, and—as a consequence—the growth of a modern urban landscape has all but stopped. Specifically, the construction of
highriseA high-rise is a tall building or structure. Normally, the function of the building is added, for example high-rise apartment building or high-rise offices. Compare: low-rise...
s in the city centre has been met with
skepticismIn classical philosophy, skepticism is the teachings and the traits of the 'Skeptikoi', a school of philosophers of whom it was said that they 'asserted nothing but only opined.' In this sense, philosophical skepticism, or Pyrrhonism, is the philosophical position that one should suspend...
. It is projected, however, that the city will need some 20,000 additional apartments before 2020, forcing the difficult decision of whether to build tall or the equally unpopular option of sprawling out.
A marked reluctance to encourage the growth of the city for fear of causing further depletion of the traditional farming and fishing communities has led to several successive bursts of construction in both infrastructure and building mass, as the authorities kept waiting in vain for the stream of people to diminish. Neoclassical city apartments built in the 1850s to 1900s dotted with remnants of Christian IV's renaissance grid dominate the architecture around the city centre, except where slums were demolished in the 1960s to construct modernist concrete and glass low-rises, now generally regarded as embarrassing eyesores. The variety in Oslo's architectural cityscape does however provide for some striking and often hauntingly beautiful sights.
While most of the forests and lakes surrounding Oslo are in private hands, there is great public support for not developing those areas. Parts of Oslo suffer from congestion, yet it is one of the few European capitals where people live with the wilderness literally in their back yard, or with access to a
suburban trainSuburban commuter railroad or commuter railway a passenger rail transport service between a city center, and outer suburbs and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis. Trains operate following a schedule, at speeds varying from 50 to...
line that allows the city's many hikers and
cross-country skiersCross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles. It is popular in many countries with large snowfields, primarily Northern Europe, Canada, Alaska and the upper midwest United States...
to simply step off the train and start walking or skiing.
Geography
Oslo occupies an arc of land at the northernmost end of the
OslofjordThe Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north. The bay is divided into the inner and outer Oslofjord at the point of the 17 km long and narrow...
. The
fjordGeologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:Fjords are formed when a glacier cuts a v-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Many such valleys were formed during the recent ice age...
, which is nearly bisected by the
NesoddenNesodden is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Follo. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Nesoddtangen. The parish of Næsodden was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
peninsula opposite Oslo, lies to the south; in all other directions Oslo is surrounded by green hills and mountains. There are 40 islands within the city limits, the largest being
MalmøyaMalmøya is an island situated only 3 kilometres outside Oslo - the capital of Norway. The island is mostly known for its large quantities of fossils from the cambrian-silur period, and rare flowers.- External links :* http://www.malmoya.no...
, and scores more around the Oslofjord. Oslo has 343 lakes, the largest being Maridalsvannet . This is also a main source of drinking water for large parts of Oslo. Although Eastern Norway has a number of mighty rivers, none of these flows into the ocean at Oslo. Instead Oslo has two smaller rivers: Akerselva (draining Maridalsvannet) and Alna (Oslo's longest river). Akerselva traditionally separates Oslo's East and West end, and flows into the fjord in Bjørvika. River Alna flows through Groruddalen, Oslo's major suburb and industrial area. The highest point is Kirkeberget, at . Although the city's population is small compared to most European capitals, it occupies an unusually large land area, of which two thirds are
protected areaProtected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental value, or environmental plus cultural values. Examples include parks, nature reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries...
s of forests, hills and lakes. Its boundaries encompass many parks and open areas, giving it an airy and often very green appearance. It is not uncommon to encounter wild moose in relatively urban areas of Oslo, especially during wintertime.
Climate
Oslo has a
humid continental climateThe humid continental climate is a climate found over large areas of landmasses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. The humid continental climate is marked by variable weather patterns and a large seasonal...
(Dfb according to the
Köppen climate classificationThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by the Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself notably in 1918 and 1936...
system).
Because of the city's northern latitude, daylight varies greatly from more than 18 hours in midsummer to around 6 hours in midwinter. Despite its northerly location, the climate is relatively mild throughout the year because of the
Gulf StreamThe Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico, exits through the Strait of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland...
.
Oslo has pleasantly mild to warm summers with average high temperatures of 20-22°C (68-71°F) and lows of around . Temperatures exceed quite often, and heatwaves are common during the summer. The highest temperature ever recorded was on 21 July 1901. Due to the fjord's being a relatively enclosed body of water, the water temperatures can get quite high during long warm periods. During the summer of 2008, the water reached a temperature of . Spring and autumn are generally chilly. Winters are cold and snowy with temperatures between up to . The coldest temperature recorded is in January 1942. Temperatures have tended to be higher in recent years.
Annual precipitation is with moderate rainfall throughout the year. Snowfall can occur from November to April, but snow accumulation occurs mainly from January through March. Almost every winter, ice develops in the innermost parts of the Oslofjord, and some winters the whole inner fjord freezes. As it is far from the mild Atlantic water of the west coast, this large fjord can freeze over, although this has become rare.
Parks and recreation areas
Oslo has a large number of parks and green areas within the city core, as well as outside it. The large park
Vigeland ParkVigeland Sculpture Park is a part of Frogner Park, located in Oslo, Norway, 3 km northwest of the city centre. The park covers and features 212 bronze and granite sculptures created by Gustav Vigeland. Vigeland personally sculpted every figure out of clay and individual craftsmen were...
is located a few minutes walk away from the city centre. This is the biggest and most reputed park in Norway.
- St. Hanshaugen Park
St. Hanshaugen Park is the first large public park outside the city center of Oslo, Norway. St. Hanshaugen Park is a classic city park located within the Oslo borough of St. Hanshaugen, named for the park which lies within its center. Years ago the park location was regarded as worthless and was...
is an old public park on a high hill in central Oslo. The park has a small tower at the top and a stage used for outdoor concerts. 'St.Hanshaugen' is also the name of the surrounding neighbourhood as well as the larger administrative district (borough) that includes major parts of central Oslo.
- Tøyen Park stretches out behind the Munch Museum, and is a vast, grassy expanse. In the north there is also the natural viewing point known as Ola Narr. The Tøyen area also includes the Botanical garden
Botanical gardens grow a wide variety of plants primarily to categorize and document for scientific purposes. Botanists and horticulturalists tend the flora and maintain the garden's library and herbarium of dried and documented plant material. Botanical gardens may also serve to entertain and...
and Museum belonging to the University of Oslo.
Oslo (with neighbouring Sandvika-Asker) is basically built in a horseshoe shape on the shores of the Oslofjord and limited in most directions by hills and forests. This means that any point within the city is relatively close to the forest. There are two major forests with immediate access:
Østmarka (literally "Eastern Forest", on the eastern perimeter of the city), and the very large
Nordmarka (literally "Northern Forest", stretching from the northern perimeter of the city deep into the hinterland).
Swimming pools
The city of Oslo runs eight public
swimming poolA swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is an artificially enclosed body of water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest and deepest is the Olympic size...
s. Tøyenbadet is the largest indoor swimming facility in Oslo and one of the few pools in Norway offering a 50-metre main pool. The outdoor pool Frognerbadet also has the 50-metre range.
Politics and government
Oslo is the capital of Norway, and as such is the seat of Norway's national government. Most government offices, including that of the
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His/Her Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and...
, are gathered at
Regjeringskvartalet, a cluster of buildings close to the national
ParliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French parlement, the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at...
—the
StortingThe Parliament of Norway is located in the capital city Oslo. It sits in the Parliament of Norway Building which was completed in 1866 and was designed by the Swedish architect Emil Victor Langlet.- History :...
.
Constituting both a municipality and a county of Norway, the city of Oslo is represented in the Storting by seventeen
Members of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators. Members of...
. Six MPs are from the
Labour PartyThe Norwegian Labour Party is a social democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway.The Labour Party is officially a social democratic party committed to social...
; the
Conservative PartyThe Conservative Party is a Norwegian political party. Founded in 1884, it is Norway's second oldest party. The current leader is Erna Solberg.-History and political platform:...
and the
Progress PartyThe Progress Party , founded as "Anders Lange’s Party for a Strong Reduction in Taxes, Duties and Public Intervention", is a Norwegian right-wing political party...
have three each; the
Socialist Left PartyThe Socialist Left Party , is a Norwegian socialist political party founded in 1975. It currently holds 11 out of 169 seats in the Norwegian Parliament...
and the Liberals have two each; and one is from the Christian Democrats.
The combined municipality and county of Oslo has had a
parliamentary systemA parliamentary system is a system of government where in the ministers of the executive branch are drawn from the legislature, and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined...
of government since 1986. The supreme authority of the city is the City Council (
Bystyret), which currently has 59 seats. Representatives are popularly elected every four years. The City Council has five
standing committeeIn the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
s, each having its own areas of responsibility. These are: Health and Social Welfare; Education and Cultural Affairs;
Urban DevelopmentUrban, city, and town planning is the integration of the disciplines of land use planning and transport planning to explore a very wide range of aspects of the built and social environments of urbanized municipalities and communities...
; Transport and Environmental Affairs; and Finance. The council's
executive branch}}In the study of political science the executive branch of government has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the democratic idea of the separation of powers .In many...
(
Byrådet) consists of a
head of governmentHead of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled Prime Minister, President of the Government, Premier, etc...
(
byrådsleder) and six commissioners (
byråder, sing.
byråd) holding ministerial positions. Each of the commissioners needs the confidence of the City Council and each of them can be voted out of office.
Since the local elections of 2003, the
city governmentLocal governments are administrative office that are smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government....
has been a coalition of the Conservative Party and the Progress Party. Based mostly on support from the Christian Democrats and the Liberals, the coalition maintains a majority in the City Council. After the 2007 local elections on 10 September, the conservative coalition remained in majority. The largest parties in the City Council are the Labour Party and the Conservatives, with 18 and 16 representatives respectively.
The Mayor of Oslo is the head of the City Council and the highest ranking representative of the city. This used to be the most powerful political position in Oslo, but following the implementation of parliamentarism, the Mayor has had more of a ceremonial role, similar to that of the President of the Storting at the national level. The current Mayor of Oslo is
Fabian StangRichard Fabian Stang is a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party. He was elected Mayor of Oslo in 2007.Stang, a lawyer, is the son of celebrated Norwegian actress Wenche Foss and entrepreneur Thomas Stang.-References:...
.
Administrative divisions
Following the latest reform of 1 January 2004, the city is divided into fifteen boroughs (
bydeler) that are to a considerable extent self governed. Each borough is responsible for local services not overseen by the City Council, such as
social servicesSocial Work is both a profession and social science. It involves the application of social theory and research methods to study and improve the lives of people, groups, and societies...
, basic
healthcareHealth care , is the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the medical, dental, complementary and alternative medicine, pharmaceutical, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions...
, and
kindergartenis a form of education for young children which serves as a transition from home to the commencement of more formal schooling. Children are taught to develop basic skills through creative play and social interaction. In most countries kindergarten is part of the preschool system of early childhood...
s.
- Gamle Oslo
- Grünerløkka
Grünerløkka is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. Grünerløkka became part of the city of Oslo in 1858.Grünerløkka was named after Friedrich Grüner who bought a mill in the area from king Christian V of Denmark in 1672. During the 19th century, Grünerløkka became a working class area...
- Sagene
right|thumbnail|250px|Torshovright|thumbnail|250px|Soria Moria at TorshovSagene is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. The area became part of the city of Oslo in 1859....
- St. Hanshaugen
St. Hanshaugen is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.It has a triangular shape, with its northern border just north of the buildings of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and Ullevål University Hospital, and south of the University of Oslo campus at Blindern...
- Frogner
Frogner is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. In addition to traditional Frogner, the borough incorporates Bygdøy, Uranienborg and Majorstuen....
- Ullern
- History :The borough has its name from an old farm, Norse Ullarin. The first element is the genitive case of the name of the Norse god Ullr. The last element is vin, meaning pasture or meadow. In Medieval times, the farm belonged to the monastery at Hovedøya. Following the Reformation in 1536,...
- Vestre Aker
Vestre Aker is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The previous municipality of Vestre Aker became part of the city of Oslo in 1948.The borough of Vestre Aker was organized as part of the 1 January 2004 reform...
- Nordre Aker
Nordre Aker is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.This area became part of the city of Oslo in 1948.The borough consists of the following traditional districts of Oslo:* Grefsen* Kjelsås* Ullevål Hageby* Nordberg* Tåsen* Korsvoll* Nydalen...
- Bjerke
Bjerke is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The most densely populated residential areas are located along the Trondheimsveien, including the high-rise apartment blocks of Linderud. The shopping centre at Linderud is also home to the borough council's administration. The northern areas of the...
- Grorud
Grorud is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The first Secretary-General of the United Nations, Trygve Lie comes from Grorud.Romsås lies within Grorud now, but previously was its own borough.Ammerud is another former borough that lies within Grorud....
- Stovner
Stovner is a borough located to the far north east of the city of Oslo, Norway. Historically, Stovner was the name of a farm in the municipal borough "Østre Aker". Østre Aker was merged with Oslo in 1948, both instigated and followed by a massive expansion of the city settlement...
- Alna
Alna is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The name is after the river Alna.The borough consists of the following neighborhoods:* Hellerud* Ellingsrud* Tveita* Furuset* Haugerud* Trosterud* Lindeberg-Demographics:...
- Østensjø
Østensjø is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.The borough is in the southeastern part of Oslo. It is well known for its proximity to the forested area of Østmarka, a popular resort and hiking area for the citizens of Oslo and Lørenskog. Østensjø consists of the suburbs of Bøler, Oppsal and...
- Nordstrand
- Søndre Nordstrand
Søndre Nordstrand is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. It has 33000 inhabitants and the highest rate of immigrant population at 41%. It holds the population of Holmlia, Mortensrud, Hauketo, Prinsdal, Bjørndal, Klemetsrud, Ljan, Ljabru and parts of Souther Nordstrand. It is also the...
- Sentrum
Sentrum, meaning 'City Centre', is a division of the city of Oslo, Norway, consisting of the city centre, which mainly includes offices and businesses....
- Marka
Marka is the name of the forested and hilly areas surrounding Oslo, Norway. It includes areas within the municipality of Oslo, but also large areas in Hole, Ringerike, Jevnaker, Lunner, Nittedal, Bærum, Asker, and other municipalities in Oppland and Akershus counties.The name is actually just the...
SentrumSentrum, meaning 'City Centre', is a division of the city of Oslo, Norway, consisting of the city centre, which mainly includes offices and businesses....
(the city centre) and
MarkaMarka is the name of the forested and hilly areas surrounding Oslo, Norway. It includes areas within the municipality of Oslo, but also large areas in Hole, Ringerike, Jevnaker, Lunner, Nittedal, Bærum, Asker, and other municipalities in Oppland and Akershus counties.The name is actually just the...
(the rural/recreational areas surrounding the city) are separate geographical entities, but do not have an administration of their own. Sentrum is governed by the borough of St. Hanshaugen. The administration of Marka is shared between neighbouring boroughs.
Economy
Oslo is an important centre of maritime knowledge in Europe and is home to approximately 980 companies and 8,500 employees within the maritime sector, some of which are the world's largest shipping companies, shipbrokers, and insurance brokers.
Det Norske VeritasStiftelsen Det Norske Veritas or DNV is a classification society organized as a foundation, with the objective of "Safeguarding life, property, and the environment". The organizations history goes back to 1864, when the foundation was established in Norway to inspect and evaluate the technical...
, headquartered at
HøvikHøvik is a suburban centre in the municipality of Bærum, Norway. Mainly a residential area, its population is 4,172.Høvik has a church, a small shopping area and a railway station served by Drammensbanen. Flytoget does not call at Høvik. Nearby is the Henie-Onstad Art Centre...
outside Oslo, is one of the three major maritime
classification societiesA classification society is a non-governmental organization in the shipping industry, often referred to as 'Class'. It establishes and maintains standards for the construction and classification of ships and offshore structures; supervises that construction is according to these standards; and...
in the world, with 16.5% of the world fleet to class in its register. The city's port is the largest general cargo port in the country and its leading passenger gateway. Close to 6,000 ships dock at the Port of Oslo annually with a total of 6 million tonnes of cargo and over five million passengers.
The
gross domestic productThe gross domestic product or gross domestic income is a basic measure of a country's economic performance and is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a country in a year...
of Oslo totaled NOK268.047 billion (€33.876 billion) in 2003, which amounted to 17% of the national GDP. This compares with NOK165.915 billion (€20.968 billion) in 1995. The metropolitan area, bar
Mossis a coastal town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
and
Drammenis a city and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Drammen.The municipality of Drammen was established on 1 January 1838...
, contributed 25% of the national GDP in 2003 and was also responsible for more than one quarter of
tax revenueTax revenue are the income that is gained by governments because of taxation of the people.Just as there are different types of tax, the form in which tax revenue is collected also differs; furthermore, the agency that collects the tax may not be part of central government, but may be an...
s. In comparison, total tax revenues from the oil and gas industry on the
Norwegian Continental ShelfThe Norwegian continental shelf is the continental shelf over which Norway exercises sovereign rights as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Its major parts are the shelves of the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea, with the border line in the latter case under the...
amounted to about 16%. The region has one of the highest
per capita GDPThe gross domestic product or gross domestic income is a basic measure of a country's economic performance and is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a country in a year...
s in Europe, at NOK391,399 (€49,465) in 2003. If Norway were a member of the
European UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...
, the capital region would have the fourth strongest GDP per capita, behind
Inner LondonInner London is the name for the group of London boroughs which form the interior part of Greater London and are surrounded by Outer London. The area was first officially defined in 1965 and for purposes such as statistics, the definition has changed over time. The terms Inner London and Central...
,
Brussels-CapitalBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the de facto capital city of the European Union and the largest urban area in Belgium...
and
LuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a small, landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany...
.
Oslo is one of the
most expensive cities in the world. As of 2006, it is ranked tenth according to the Worldwide
Cost of LivingCost of living is the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living. Changes in the cost of living over time are often operationalized in a cost of living index. Cost of living calculations are also used to compare the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living in different geographic areas...
Survey provided by Mercer Human Resource Consulting and first according to the
Economist Intelligence UnitThe Economist Intelligence Unit is part of the Economist Group.It is a research and advisory company providing country, industry and management analysis worldwide and incorporates the former Business International Corporation, a U.S. company acquired by the parent organization in 1986...
. The reason for this discrepancy is that the EIU omits certain factors from its final index calculation, most notably housing. Although Oslo does have the most expensive
housing marketReal estate economics is the application of economic techniques to real estate markets. It tries to describe, explain, and predict patterns of prices, supply, and demand...
in Norway, it is comparably cheaper than other cities on the list in that regard. Meanwhile, prices on
goods and servicesIn economics, economic output is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Consumption of goods and services is assumed to produce utility. It is often used when referring to a Goods and Services Tax....
remain some of the highest of any city.
According to a report compiled by
Swiss bankBanking in Switzerland is characterised by stability, privacy and protection of clients' assets and information. The country's tradition of bank secrecy, which dates to the Middle Ages, was first codified in a 1934 law...
UBS in the month of August 2006, Oslo and London were the world's most expensive cities. Total pay packets were the biggest in Oslo along with Copenhagen and Zurich.
Demographics
An estimated 26% of Oslo's population consists of immigrants (about 152,000 inhabitants). Norwegians of Pakistani descent make up 20,036 of the city's inhabitants, followed by
SomalisSomalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic subgroup of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
(9,708),
SwedesSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
(7,462), and Sri Lankan Tamils (7,128)—these being the four largest
ethnic minorityA minority is a sociological group that does not constitute a politically dominant voting majority of the total population of a given society. A sociological minority is not necessarily a numerical minority — it may include any group that is subnormal with respect to a dominant group in terms of...
groups. Other large immigrant groups are people from
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
,
VietnamVietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east...
,
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey
, is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
,
IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
and
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
.
The population of Oslo is currently increasing at a record rate of nearly 2% annually (17% over the last 15 years), making it the fastest-growing Scandinavian capital. The increase is due, in almost equal degree, to high birth-rates and immigration. In particular, immigration from
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and the Baltic states has increased sharply since the accession of these countries to the
EUThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 Member States, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community...
in 2004.
Institutions of higher education
- University of Oslo
The University of Oslo is the oldest, largest and most prestigious university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.It was founded in 1811 as The Royal Frederick University...
(Universitetet i Oslo) - undergraduate, graduate and PhD programs in most fields.
- Oslo University College
Oslo University College , Norwegian: Høgskolen i Oslo is the largest state university college in Norway, with more than 11,000 students and approx. 1100 employees...
(Høgskolen i Oslo) - focuses on 3-4 year professional degree programs.
- Norwegian School of Management
BI Norwegian School of Management is the largest business school in Norway and the second largest in all of Europe. BI has in total 6 campuses with the main one located in Oslo.-Background:...
(Handelshøyskolen BI) - primarily economics and business administrationManagement in all business and human organization activity is simply the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives. Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading, directing, facilitating and controlling or manipulating an organization or effort for...
.
- Norwegian School of Information Technology
Norwegian School of Information Technology is a Norwegian information technology university college located in Oslo, Norway.It was established in 1995 as a merger of NHI Datahøgskolen and NKI Ingeniørhøgskolen...
(Norges Informasjonsteknologiske Høyskole)
- Oslo School of Architecture and Design
The Oslo School of Architecture and Design, AHO, is one of Norway's three architectural schools.AHO is an autonomous institution within the Norwegian university system. The school was established directly after World War II as a «crisis course» for students of architecture who were unable to finish...
(Arkitektur- og designhøgskolen i Oslo)
- Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education (Norges idrettshøgskole)
- Norwegian Academy of Music
The Norwegian Academy of Music is a music conservatory located in Oslo, Norway, in the neighbourhood of Majorstuen, Frogner. It is the largest music academy in Norway and offers the country's highest level of music education. As a university college, it offers both undergraduate and postgraduate...
(Norges musikkhøgskole)
- MF Norwegian School of Theology
MF Norwegian School of Theology in Norwegian Det teologiske Menighetsfakultet , is a private, independent, accredited Norwegian specialised university institution...
(Det teologiske Menighetsfakultet - MF)
- Oslo National Academy of the Arts
The Oslo National Academy of the Arts is a university college in Oslo, Norway, that provides education in visual arts, design and performing arts...
(Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo KHIO)
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences
The Norwegian University of Life Sciences is a public university located in Ås, Norway. Established as an agricultural school in 1859, it became a scientific university college in 1897 and received university status in 2005.It is located at Ås in Akershus, near Oslo, and has around 3000 students...
(Universitetet for Miljø og Biovitenskap-UMB) located right outside of Oslo
- Norwegian Army Academy (Krigsskolen)
- Norwegian School of Veterinary Science
Norwegian School of Veterinary Science or NVH is a public university located in Oslo, Norway, that educates veterinarians and veterinary nurses as well as research within aquatic medicine, food safety, comparative medicine and mammalian diseases, health and welfare. The institution has 430...
(Norges Veterinærhøgskole)
- Oslo Academy of Fine Arts (Statens kunstakademi)
- Oslo School of Management. (Markedshøyskolen)
Air
- Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving the Norwegian capital city of Oslo. It is also the main international airport serving Norway, with flights to a large number of European airports, and some flights to other continents. It is located at Gardermoen in Ullensaker, north...
(in Akershusis a county in Norway, bordering Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud, Oslo and Østfold; it has also a short border with Sweden . Akershus is the second largest county by population after Oslo, with more than half a million inhabitants. The county is named after Akershus Fortress...
county) - Norway's main international airportAn international airport is an airport typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle international flights to and from other countries. Such airports are usually larger, and often feature longer runways and facilities to accommodate the large aircraft commonly used for...
, served by high-speed trainHigh-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions include 200 km/h and faster — depending on whether the track is upgraded or new — by the European Union, and above 90 mph by the United...
(Flytoget)
- Sandefjord Airport, Torp (in Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
county about one and a half hours, or away)
- Moss Airport, Rygge
Moss Airport, Rygge is an international airport in Rygge, Norway that opened October 8, 2007. The airport is planned to serve as a regional airport for Østfold as well as an international airport for low cost airlines and as a secondary airport for Oslo...
(In Østfoldis a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden , while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The county administration is in Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the largest city....
county, away)
Sea
There are daily ferry connections to
KielKiel is the capital and most populous city of the northern German state Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of over 236,000 .Kiel is approximately to the north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore...
(
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
),
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
(
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
),
Frederikshavnand for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn Frederikshavn is a Danish small city in Frederikshavn municipality, Region Nordjylland on the northeast coast of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. Its name translates to "Frederik's harbour"...
(
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
) and
NesoddenNesodden is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Follo. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Nesoddtangen. The parish of Næsodden was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
.
Public ferries run daily to and from the islands scattered in the Oslo harbour basin.
Train
Oslo Sentralstasjon is the main railway station in Oslo. From there, there are connections to far away destinations
Trondheimis a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The city of Trondheim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
,
BergenBergen is the second largest city in Norway, with a population of 253,600 as of July 2009. Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Economic Region, as defined by Statistics Norway, had a population of 385,450 as of January 2009.Bergen is located in the...
,
Stavangeris a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway. Stavanger was established as a municipality 1 January 1838...
,
Stockholm' is the capital and largest city of Sweden. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the Riksdag , and the official residence of the Swedish Monarch as well as the prime minister. The Monarch resides at Drottningholm Palace outside of Stockholm since 1980 and uses the Royal Palace of...
(
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
),
GothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest amongst the Nordic countries. Situated on the south-west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 502,833 with 622,287 in the urban area and total of 911,406 inhabitants in the metropolitan area.The City of...
(
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
) and
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
(
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
), as well as several local and regional destinations in
southern NorwaySouthern Norway is the name of the geographical region of the Skagerrak coast of southern Norway consisting of the two counties Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder. The total combined area of Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder is 6368 sq. mi. or 16493 sq...
and Sweden. In 2004 Norwegian Trains were Europe's third most punctual national train company. For the first 4 months in 2005 the punctuality was 92.9%. During winter in particular, weather conditions such as snow and blizzards may cause delays and cancellations on the routes crossing the central mountains.
Public transport
The public transportation system in Oslo is managed by the municipal transport company
RuterRuter AS is the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, Norway. The company, organized as a limited company is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries...
. This includes
metroA rapid transit, metro, subway, underground, or elevated railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and which is grade separated from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically either in underground tunnels or elevated above street level...
,
tramA tram, tramcar, trolley, trolleycar, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a conventional train, designed for the transport of passengers within, close to, or between villages, towns and/or cities, on tracks running primarily on streets...
,
busA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. A bus seats a maximum of 8 to 300 passengers...
and
ferryA ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
, but not the local train lines, which are operated by the state
railway companyA railway company or railroad company is an entity that operates a railroad track and/or trains. Such a company can either be private or public...
NSBNorges Statsbaner, commonly known as NSB or the Norwegian State Railways, is a Norwegian transport company. Owned by the Government of Norway, NSB is the largest passenger railway company and, through the subsidiary Nettbuss, bus company in Norway. Its former cargo division has been spun off in...
. All
public transportPublic transport comprises passenger transportation services which are available for use by the general public, as opposed to modes for private use such as automobiles or vehicles for hire.Public transport services are usually funded by fares charged to each passenger, with varying levels of subsidy...
in Oslo, including local trains, operates on a common ticket system, allowing free transfer within a period of one hour with a regular ticket. Tickets also transfer to the local and inter-city trains, unless a traveler intends to cross the city border. In 2004, 160 million journeys were made using public transport, of which 85% was handled by Oslo Sporveier's own subsidiaries and 15% by private bus and ferry operators under cost-based contracts.
The tram system, Oslotrikken, is made up of six lines that criss-cross the inner parts of the city and extend outward toward the suburbs. Trams run partly on in the streets and partly on separate roads. The metro system—known as the T-bane—connects the eastern and western suburbs and comprises six lines which all converge in a tunnel beneath downtown Oslo. The metro lines are identified by numbers from 1 to 6, with two lines running into the municipality of
Bærumis a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the coast west of the city...
in the west. The tramway lines are numbered 11 to 13 and 17 to 19.
A new, partially underground loop line was opened in August 2006, connecting
UllevålUllevål stadion is a rapid transit station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro. It is the last station served by lines 3, 4 and 5. North of the station, the Ring Line branches off from the Sognsvann Line...
in the northwest and
Carl Berners plassCarl Berners plass is a rapid transit station located on the Grorud Line of the Oslo Metro. Located at Grünerløkka in Oslo, Norway, it is the first station on the Grorud Line after it branches of from the shared Common Tunnel. North of the station, the Ring Line branches off from the Grorud Line...
in the east. Two new stations, Nydalen and Storo, have been operational for a couple of years already; the third station, Sinsen, opened 20 August 2006, completing the loop. In conjunction with the opening of the circle line, there will be a major upgrade of the
rolling stockA railroad car or railway carriage is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
, with delivery taking place between 2007 and 2010. An RFID ticketing system with automatic turnstile barriers has been under introduction for several years, but has been greatly delayed. The transition to the new system is now underway, with the new RFID cards available to the public.
A public bicycle rental programme has been in operation beginning in April every year since 2002. With an electronic subscription card, users can access bikes from over 90 stations across the city.
Road
As Oslo is Norway's capital and biggest city, several national highways meet or passes through it.
European route E6E 6 is the designation for the main north-south road in Norway, and the west coast of Sweden, running from the southern tip of Sweden, at Trelleborg, into Norway and through almost all of the country north to Finnmark. The route ends close to the Norwegian border with Russia...
runs through Oslo in the eastern suburbs on its way from Southern Sweden to
Northern NorwayNorth Norway is the geographical region of northern Norway, consisting of the three counties Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, in total about 35% of the Norwegian mainland...
.
European route E18European route E18 runs from Craigavon in the United Kingdom to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It is about 1,890 km in length.-United Kingdom:...
runs through downtown Oslo (including a tunnel under Akershus festning) on its way from Stavanger and Kristiansand to Stockholm.
European route E16E 16 is the designation of a main west-east road through Northern Ireland, Scotland and Norway, from Derry to Oslo, via Glasgow, Edinburgh, by ferry to Bergen, Voss, Lærdal, through the Lærdal Tunnel, over Filefjell to Fagernes, Hønefoss and ends in Sandvika, just outside...
from Bergen doesn't go into Oslo proper, but ends on E18 at Sandvika a few kilometers west of Oslo. Oslo also has a system of "ring roads" connecting east and west. Ring 3, the outer one, runs from the E6 junction in the east via Ullevål to E18 on the border to
Bærumis a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the coast west of the city...
municipality in the west. Ring 2 runs from Gamlebyen in the east to E18 at Skøyen in the west. Ring 1 is the downtown "through road". The
ring roadsA beltway, loop , ring road, or orbital motorway is a circumferential highway found around or within many cities....
make navigation easier and improve trafic flow. E18, E6, Ring 2 and Ring 3 are connected by an elaborate system of tunnels and bridges in the Økern-Ekeberg area. At present (2008) a new underwater tunnel for E18 is under construction in Bjørvika to divert traffic from the street level.
Access into the city centre requires the payment of a
tollRoad toll is the term used in some countries for the number of deaths caused annually by road accidents.The term is in common and official use in Australia and New Zealand.-Australia:In Australia the road toll is reported at a state level...
at one of 19 entry points around the
ring roadRing road is another term for beltway. It may also refer to:* Ring Road * Ring Road * Ring Road * Ring road of Iceland* Ring Road * "Ring Road", a song by the electronic band, Underworld....
. It costs 25
NOKThe krone is the currency of Norway. The plural form is kroner. It is subdivided into 100 øre . The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr...
to enter the cordoned zone at all times of day, seven days a week. A 20%-price reduction is available to car owners using the
AutoPASSAutoPASS is an electronic toll collection system used in Norway. It allows collecting road tolls automatically from cars. It uses electronic radio transmitters and receivers operating at 5.8 GHz supplied by the Norwegian companies Q-Free and Fenrits.-Technology:The system involves the...
-system. Since 2 February 2008, coins are no longer accepted at the Toll Station, and all cars must pass through the automatic lanes without stopping. Drivers fitted with the electronic
AutoPASSAutoPASS is an electronic toll collection system used in Norway. It allows collecting road tolls automatically from cars. It uses electronic radio transmitters and receivers operating at 5.8 GHz supplied by the Norwegian companies Q-Free and Fenrits.-Technology:The system involves the...
system will be debited as they pass; all other drivers will receive an invoice in the mail.
Initially revenues from the road tolls funded the public road network, but since 2002 theses revenues finance mainly new developments for the public
transport systemA transport network, or transportation network in American English, is typically a network of roads, streets, pipes, aqueducts, power lines, or nearly any structure which permits either vehicular movement or flow of some commodity....
in Oslo. There has been discussion whether to continue to use the cordon after 2007, based on the funding decisions, extensions, accommodation of time-differentiated pricing or replaced by another form of pricing altogether, perhaps to make congestion-pricing possible.
Media
The newspapers
AftenpostenAftenposten is Norway's largest subscription newspaper , and second largest newspaper over all . It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
, Verdens GangVerdens Gang , generally known as VG, is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper. The editor in chief is Bernt Olufsen....
, DagbladetDagbladet is Norway's third largest newspaper with a circulation of 146,512 copies in 2006, 15,557 papers less than in 2005 . The newspaper was founded in 1869, and its format was changed to tabloid in 1983. The word "Dagbladet" literally means "The day magazine". From 1884 to 1977 the newspaper...
, DagsavisenDagsavisen is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999, and it is now fully independent. It has born several names, most famously Arbeiderbladet from 1923 to 1997...
, MorgenbladetMorgenbladet is a Norwegian weekly newspaper. It was founded in 1819 by the book printer Niels Wulfsberg, and was the country's first daily newspaper. For a long time, it was also the country's biggest newspaper. It was closed down by the German Wehrmacht during World War II...
, Vårt LandVårt Land is a daily newspaper published in Oslo. It has a nationwide target audience. Its average daily circulation in 2007 was 27.146, it was Norway's 23rd largest newspaper...
, NationenNationen is a Norwegian daily newspaper, founded in 1918. It has a circulation of approximately 18,000 and primarily targets farmers and the agriarian sector, with focus on district politics, farming, commentaries and features. It is based in Oslo, with offices in Trondheim and Fagernes, and edited...
and
KlassekampenKlassekampen , is a Norwegian daily newspaper, which styles itself as "the daily left-wing newspaper". It had a circulation of 11,386 in 2007, and a readership of 50,000 on week days and estimated 90,000 readers on Saturdays....
are published in Oslo. The main office of the national broadcasting company NRK is located at Marienlyst in Oslo, near Majorstuen.
TVNorgeTVNorge is a Norwegian television channel.TVNorge went on the air December 5, 1988 and was the first advertising-supported Norwegian channel...
(TVNorway) is also located in Oslo, while
TV2TV 2 is the largest commercial television station in Norway. Over 30% of the time Norwegians spend watching TV is spent watching TV 2. The station has 65% of the market for TV commercials in Norway....
(based in
BergenBergen is the second largest city in Norway, with a population of 253,600 as of July 2009. Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Economic Region, as defined by Statistics Norway, had a population of 385,450 as of January 2009.Bergen is located in the...
) and
TV3TV3 is the brand name used by Viasat's flagship channels in Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and Slovenia. Viasat is part of the Swedish media company Modern Times Group...
(based in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
) operate branch offices in central Oslo. There is also a variety of specialty publications and smaller media companies.
Culture
The
Nobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:...
is handedout in Oslo every year by the
Norwegian Nobel CommitteeThe Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the Nobel Peace Prize each year. Its five members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament and roughly represent the political makeup of that body.-History:...
.
- Pilot city for the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is the oldest international organisation working towards European integration, having been founded in 1949. It has a particular emphasis on legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
and EU Intercultural citiesThe Intercultural City programme is a joint project of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. It stimulates new ideas and practice in relation to the integration of migrants and minorities....
programme
Literature
Several Norwegian authors from Oslo City have been awarded the
Nobel Prize in LiteratureThe Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
, namely
Bjørnstjerne BjørnsonBjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of "The Great Four" Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
in 1903,
Knut HamsunKnut Hamsun was a Norwegian author. He was considered by Isaac Bashevis Singer to be the "father of modern literature", and by King Haakon to be Norway's soul. In 1920, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his monumental work, Growth of the Soil"...
in 1920 and
Sigrid UndsetSigrid Undset was a Norwegian novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928.Undset was born in Kalundborg, Denmark, but her family moved to Norway when she was two years old. In 1924, she converted to Catholicism and became a lay Dominican...
in 1928 for
Kristin Lavransdatter. Though he was not awarded a Nobel Prize for his plays, as the first of these were awarded after he published his last play in 1899, playwright
Henrik IbsenHenrik Johan Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as the "father of modern drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre. His plays were considered scandalous to many of his era, when Victorian values of family...
is probably the most famous figure in
Norwegian literatureNorwegian literature is literature composed in Norway or by Norwegian people. The history of Norwegian literature starts with the pagan Eddaic poems and skaldic verse of the 9th and 10th centuries with poets such as Bragi Boddason and Eyvindr Skáldaspillir...
. Ibsen wrote plays such as
Peer GyntPeer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. Interpreted in its day as a satire on the Norwegian personality, Peer Gynt is the story of a life based on avoidance. A first edition of 1,250 copies was published on 14...
,
A Doll's HouseA Doll House is an 1879 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Written one year after The Pillars of Society, the play was the first of Ibsen's to create a sensation and is now perhaps his most famous play, and required reading in many secondary schools and universities...
and
The Lady from the SeaThe Lady from the Sea is a play written in 1888 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.-Plot:Ellida Wangel is married to the much older Doctor Wangel, a widower who already has two daughters not much younger than Ellida. After some years, Doctor Wangel finds his wife increasingly strange and anxious...
.
Also of importance to the Norwegian literary culture is the
Norse literatureOld Norse literature refers to the vernacular literature of the Scandinavian peoples up to ca. 1350. It chiefly consists of Icelandic writings.See:* Old Norse poetry* Edda* Norse saga* Icelanders' sagas* Kings' sagas* Legendary sagas...
, and in particular the works of
Snorre SturlasonSnorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
, as well as the more recent
folk talesFolklore is the body of expressive culture, including stories, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions of that culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which...
, collected by
AsbjørnsenPeter Christen Asbjørnsen was a Norwegian writer and scholar. He and Jørgen Engebretsen Moe were collectors of Norwegian folklore...
and
MoeJørgen Engebretsen Moe was a Norwegian bishop and author.He is best known for the Norske Folkeeventyr, a collection of Norwegian folk tales which he edited in collaboration with Peter Christen Asbjørnsen....
in the 19th century.
Norwegian literature attained international acclaim in the 1990s with
Jostein GaarderJostein Gaarder is a Norwegian intellectual and author of several novels, short stories and children's books. Gaarder often writes from the perspective of children, exploring their sense of wonder about the world. He often uses metafiction in his works, writing stories within stories.Gaarder was...
's novel
Sophie's worldSophie's World is a novel by Jostein Gaarder, published in 1991. It was originally written in Norwegian, but has since been translated into English and many other languages....
(Sofies verden) which was translated into 40 languages. Other noteworthy writers with an international profile include
Erik Fosnes HansenErik Fosnes Hansen is a Norwegian writer.He was born in New York, and made his debut at age twenty with the novel Falketårnet. His most famous work is his second novel, Psalm at Journey's End, which in separate but steadily more interwoven stories follows the individual musicians that end their...
(Psalm at Journey's End) and
Åsne SeierstadÅsne Seierstad is a Norwegian freelance journalist and writer, best known for her accounts of everyday life in war zones - most notably Kabul after 2001, Baghdad in 2003 and the ruined Grozny in 2006.-Personal and professional life:...
whose controversial work,
The Bookseller of KabulThe Bookseller of Kabul is a non-fiction book written by Norwegian journalist Åsne Seierstad, about a bookseller, Shah Muhammad Rais , and his family in Kabul, Afghanistan...
, was particularly successful in 2003.
Architecture
Oslo, or Norway generally, has always had a tradition of modern building. Indeed, many of today's most interesting new buildings are made of wood, reflecting the strong appeal that this material continues to hold for Norwegian designers and builders.
Norway's
conversion to ChristianityConversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. It has been called the foundational experience of Christian life. Conversion to Christianity primarily involves belief in God, repentance of sin, and confession of Jesus Christ...
some 1,000 years ago led to the introduction of stonework architecture, beginning with the construction of
Nidaros CathedralNidaros Cathedral is a church in located in Trondheim, Norway. It was the cathedral of the Norwegian archdiocese, from its establishment in 1152 until its abolition in 1537. Since the Reformation, it has been the cathedral of the Lutheran bishops of Trondheim or Nidaros in the Diocese of Nidaros....
in
Trondheimis a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The city of Trondheim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
.
In the
early Middle AgesThe Early Middle Ages, or Dark Ages, is a period in the history of Europe following the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It lasted from about AD 500 to 1000. The period featured raiding, migration, and conquest by Huns, Germanic peoples, Arabs, Vikings, Hungarians and others. There was frequent...
,
stave churchA stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. The wall frames are filled with vertical planks. The load-bearing posts have lent their name to the building technique...
es were constructed throughout Norway. Many of them remain to this day and represent Norway’s most important contribution to
architectural historyArchitectural History is the main journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain .The journal is published each autumn. The architecture of the British Isles is a major theme of the journal, although it includes more general papers on the history of architecture. Member of...
. A fine example is The Stave Church at
UrnesUrnes stave church is a stave church at the Ornes farm, near Lustrafjorden in Luster municipality, Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway....
which is now on UNESCO’s
World Heritage ListA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
. Another notable example of wooden architecture is the
Bryggen WharfBryggen , also known as Tyskebryggen is a series of Hanseatic commercial buildings lining the eastern side of the fjord coming into Bergen, Norway. Bryggen has since 1979 been on the UNESCO list for World Cultural Heritage sites. The name has the same origin as the Flemish city of Brugge.The city...
in Bergen, consisting of a row of narrow wooden structures along the quayside.
In the 17th century, under the
Danish monarchy, cities such as
Kongsbergis a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....
with its Baroque church and
Rørosis a town and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Røros....
with its wooden buildings were established.
After Norway’s union with Denmark was dissolved in 1814, Oslo became the capital. Architect
Christian H. GroschChristian Heinrich Grosch was a Norwegian architect.He was born in Halden and educated by his father, Heinrich August Grosch and in Germany and Copenhagen....
designed the oldest parts of the
University of OsloThe University of Oslo is the oldest, largest and most prestigious university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo.It was founded in 1811 as The Royal Frederick University...
, the
Oslo Stock ExchangeThe Oslo Stock Exchange serves as the main market for trading in the shares of Norwegian companies. It opens at 9:00am and closes 5:30pm local time...
, and many other buildings and churches.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the city of
Ålesundis a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Jugendstil architecture....
was rebuilt in the
Art NouveauArt Nouveau is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century . The name 'Art nouveau' is French for 'new art'...
style. The 1930s, when
functionalismFunctionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
dominated, became a strong period for Norwegian architecture, but it is only in recent decades that Norwegian architects have truly achieved international renown. One of the most striking modern buildings in Norway is the
Sami ParliamentThe Sami Parliament of Norway is the representative body for people of Sami heritage in Norway. It act as an institution of cultural autonomy for the indigenous Sami people.The Parliament was opened on 9 October 1989. The seat is in Kárášjohka...
in Kárášjohka designed by Stein Halvorson and Christian Sundby. Its debating chamber is an abstract timber version of a Lavvo, the traditional tent used by the nomadic
SamiSami may refer to:* Sami people of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Kola Peninsula, Karelia and Finland* Sami languages of the Sami people* Sami, Burkina Faso, one of the six districts of the Banwa Province* Sami District of Gambia...
people.
Music
Rikard NordraakRikard Nordraak was a Norwegian composer, born in Christiania . He is best known for having composed the Norwegian national anthem....
, composer of the Norwegian national anthem, was born in Oslo in 1842.
Norway's principal orchestra is the Oslo Philharmonic, based at the
Oslo Concert HallOslo Concert Hall is a concert hall located in Vika, a part of Oslo city centre in Norway. It is the base of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra , but it also aims to be one of the premier music venues for the general musical and cultural life of Norway, offering a broad variety of musical styles from...
since 1977. Although it was founded in 1919, the Oslo Philharmonic can trace its roots to the founding of the
Christiania Musikerforening (Christiania Musical Association) by
Edvard GriegEdvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist who composed in the Romantic period. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric...
and
Johan SvendsenJohan Severin Svendsen was a Norwegian composer, conductor and violinist. Born in Christiania , Norway, he lived most his life in Copenhagen, Denmark...
in 1879.
Sports
Oslo was the host city for the
1952 Winter OlympicsThe 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1952 in Oslo, Norway.- Host City Selection :...
. Except for the
downhillThe downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
skiingSkiing is a group of sports using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
at
NorefjellNorefjell is a mountain range between the valleys Eggedal and Hallingdal in Norway. It covers parts of the municipalities Flå, Sigdal, and Krødsherad, all in the county Buskerud.Its highest mountains are* Gråfjell, * Høgevarde,...
, all events took place within the city limits. The opening and closing ceremonies were held at
Bislett stadionBislett Stadion is a sports stadium in Oslo, Norway. Bislett is Norway's most well known sports arena internationally, with 15 speed skating world records and more than 50 track and field world records having been set here...
, which was also used for the
speed skatingSpeed skating is an Olympic sport where competitors are timed while crossing a set distance. It is also a sport for leisure. Sports such as short track speedskating, inline speedskating, and quad speed skating are also called speed skating...
events. In recent years, the stadium has been better known for hosting the annual
Bislett GamesThe Bislett Games is an annual track and field event at the Bislett stadion in Oslo, Norway that is one of the IAAF Golden League meetings. It is sponsored by ExxonMobil and officially known as the ExxonMobil Bislett Games.-History:...
track and field event in the IAAF Golden League. The stadium was rebuilt in 2004/2005 and was formally opened for the Bislett Games on 29 July 2005.
HolmenkollenThe Holmenkollen ski jump, located in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway, is host to the world's second oldest ski jump competition still in existence ....
nordic skiingNordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski. This includes a wide range of ski equipment and techniques such as classic and skate cross country skiing, ski jumping, biathlon, and telemark skiing...
arena, with its centrepiece the
ski jumpSki jumping is a sport in which skiers go down an "inrun" with a take-off ramp , attempting to fly as far as possible. In addition to the length that skiers jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long...
, was an important venue during
the 1952 OlympicsThe 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1952 in Oslo, Norway.- Host City Selection :...
. The arena has hosted numerous Nordic skiing and
biathlonBiathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
world championships since 1930, and its ski-jump competition is the second oldest in the world, having been contested since 1892. Holmenkollen has been selected once again to host the
FIS Nordic World Ski ChampionshipsThe FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
in 2011. Thursday October 16, 2008, the work began on the dismantling of the ski jump, as a new ski jump is going to be built and is expected to be finished by the end of 2009.
During the summer months, the harbour becomes a venue for various maritime events, including the start of a large
sailingSailing is the art of controlling a boat with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to change the direction and speed of a boat...
regatta that attracts around 1,000 competing boats each year, and one race of the international Class 1
offshore powerboat racingOffshore powerboat racing is racing by large, real fast ocean-going powerboats, typically point-to-point racing.Probably one of the largest, most dangerous, and most powerful racing machines of all, the extreme expense of the boats and the fuel required to participate make it an expensive and elite...
circuit.
Two football clubs from Oslo, Vålerenga and Lyn, play in the
Norwegian Premier LeagueThe Norwegian Premier League is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Its official Norwegian name is Tippeligaen...
. In the 2005 season, the teams placed 1st and 3rd respectively. In addition, two teams from the conurbations are represented—Stabæk Fotball and Lillestrøm Sportsklubb. Oslo had two
ice hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
teams in the highest division in the previous season,
Vålerenga IshockeyVålerenga Ishockey is an Oslo-based ice hockey club, and a part of the Vålerenga IF multi-sports club. Their home arena is Jordal Amfi, located in eastern Oslo...
and Furuset I.F., the former winning the cup and league double in 2007.
Speed skatingSpeed skating is an Olympic sport where competitors are timed while crossing a set distance. It is also a sport for leisure. Sports such as short track speedskating, inline speedskating, and quad speed skating are also called speed skating...
is also held at the
Valle HovinValle Hovin is both a speed skating rink in cold weather, and an outdoor stadium for concerts in warm weather, in Oslo, Norway.Located in a residential area of Oslo, in amongst trees and a park, one finds Valle Hovin...
venue, which in the summer is host to large
popular musicPopular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres, and stands in contrast to art music, and traditional music which was disseminated orally...
concerts.
Ullevaal stadionUllevaal Stadion, located in Oslo, is Norway's national football ground. The Norwegian Cup final is played at Ullevaal. The stadium is the home ground of FC Lyn Oslo and Vålerenga IF, and is owned by the Football Association of Norway and Vital Forsikring.The stadium currently has a capacity of...
, located in the borough of Nordre Aker, is the home of the
Norwegian national football teamThe Norwegian national football team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, is the national team of Norway in association football. The team played its first international in 1908...
. Built in 1926, it is the largest
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
stadium in Norway, and has served as the venue for the
Norwegian CupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
final since 1948. Both Lyn and Vålerenga use the stadium as their home ground.
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|
| 1801 |
9,500 |
| 1825 |
15,400 |
| 1855 |
31,700 |
| 1875 |
76,900 |
| 1900 |
227,900 |
| 1925 |
255,700 |
| 1951 |
434,365 |
| 1960 |
471,511 |
| 1970 |
487,363 |
| 1980 |
454,872 |
| 1990 |
458,364 |
| 2000 |
507,467 |
| 2002 |
529,407 |
| 2006 |
538,411 |
| 2008 |
560,484 |
| 2009 |
578,870 |
|
Conurbation population
| Year | Population |
|---|
| 1999 |
763,957 |
| 2005 |
811,688 |
| 2006 |
825,105 |
| 2007 |
839,423 |
| 2008 |
856,915 |
| 2009 |
876,391 |
Notable residents
Twin towns - Sister cities
Oslo is
twinnedSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
or has
cooperation agreementsSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
with the following cities/regions:
CopenhagenCopenhagen ; ) is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,167,569 and a metropolitan area with a population of 1,875,179...
,
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
ReykjavíkReykjavík is the capital and largest city of Iceland. Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's most northern capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
,
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
Stockholm' is the capital and largest city of Sweden. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the Riksdag , and the official residence of the Swedish Monarch as well as the prime minister. The Monarch resides at Drottningholm Palace outside of Stockholm since 1980 and uses the Royal Palace of...
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
HelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the southern part of Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, by the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it the most populous municipality in Finland by a wide margin...
,
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city's other names were Petrograd and Leningrad...
,
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
ShanghaiShanghai is the largest city in China, and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people. Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality of the People's Republic of China with province-level...
,
ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
RotterdamRotterdam ; city and municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland, situated in the west of the Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the country, with a population of 584,046 as of January 2007...
,
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
VilniusVilnius Vilnius Vilnius as of 2008. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the...
,
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
WarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains. Its population as of 2009 was estimated at 1,709,781, and the Warsaw metropolitan area at approximately 2,785,000...
,
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
GothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest amongst the Nordic countries. Situated on the south-west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 502,833 with 622,287 in the urban area and total of 911,406 inhabitants in the metropolitan area.The City of...
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
Antwerp||-||-||-||}Antwerp is a city and municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Antwerp province in Flanders, one of Belgium's three regions. Antwerp's total population is 472,071 and its total area is , giving a population density of 2,308 inhabitants per km²...
,
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the two historical duchies of Schleswig and Holstein...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
Oslo has a longstanding tradition of sending a
Christmas treeThe Christmas tree is a decorated artificial or living tree, a popular tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. Normally an evergreen coniferous tree that is brought into a home or used in the open, a Christmas tree is decorated with Christmas lights and colourful ornaments during...
every year to the cities of
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
,
RotterdamRotterdam ; city and municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland, situated in the west of the Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the country, with a population of 584,046 as of January 2007...
,
Antwerp||-||-||-||}Antwerp is a city and municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Antwerp province in Flanders, one of Belgium's three regions. Antwerp's total population is 472,071 and its total area is , giving a population density of 2,308 inhabitants per km²...
, and
ReykjavíkReykjavík is the capital and largest city of Iceland. Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's most northern capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
. Since 1947, Oslo sends a 65–80 foot (20–25 m) high
spruceNorway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is a large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 35-55 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 1-1.5 m. The shoots are orange-brown and glabrous...
, which may be 50 to 100 years old (according to the sources), as an expression of gratitude for Britain's support to Norway during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
which is usually placed in
Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London, it is a tourist attraction; and one of the most famous squares in the United Kingdom and the world. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base...
. For the 61st time, this spruce will have been lit by the Mayor of Oslo, Fabian Stang and The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councilor Carolyn Keen, between 6 December 2007 and 4 January 2008, and it has received yet more special attention than before, expressing environmental concern.
See also
- Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles became a milestone toward the resolution of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict, one of the major continuing issues within the wider Arab-Israeli conflict...
- Parks and open spaces in Oslo
Parks and open spaces are an integral part of the landscape of Oslo, the capital and largest city of Norway. The various parks and open spaces are interconnected by paths so the city's inhabitants can walk between them....
- List of books about Oslo
- Timeline of transport in Oslo
Timeline of transport in Oslo covers key incidents within transport in Oslo, the capital of Norway.The first railway opened in 1854, in 1875 the first horsecar tramway and in 1966 the rapid transit....
External links