Norway consists of the western and northern section of the Scandinavian peninsula, as well as the arctic island archipelago Svalbard plus Jan Mayen. To the east of Norway lies Sweden, Finland and Russia. To the west, the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. To the north is the Barents Sea, to the south, the North Sea.
The Vikings
From 800-1050 AD, the Norsemen entered the European arena in a serious way. They came suddenly and intensely and frightened the daylights out of established society, which certainly was used to war, but not to the surprise tactics employed by the Vikings. The Vikings were not just warriors and seafarers. They were also peaceful farmers and merchants. They came from what today are Denmark, Sweden and Norway. In Oslo, there are wonderful opportunities to become familiar with the Vikings and their age, especially their sea-worthy sailing vessels. Several of these beautiful long ships can be seen at the Viking ship museum and in the theme park Vikingland it is possible to get a good impression of how life may have been in a Viking village of that time. (Source: The Norwegian Ministry of State)
Landscape of Norway
Nature "Furrowed and weather-worn", says Norway's national anthem. Indeed, if it weren't for the Gulf Stream, no one but polar bears would thrive this far north. Thanks to the Gulf Stream and the Midnight Sun, it is possible to live in this otherwise uninhabitable land.
