19 Fun Facts About Norway That Will Have You Dreaming About The Northern Lights!

As a Norwegian who has lived in the country for 20 years, I can assure you that there is nothing else like Norway on the map. No wonder Disney’s Frozen got so popular, it is all inspired by Norwegian culture!

Norway is a Nordic country in Northern Europe with a population of 5.5 million in 2024. Oslo is the capital city and the largest city in Norway.

Norway stands out amongst the Scandinavian countries for its tall mountains and big fjords, unlike flat Denmark and forested Sweden. Norway is a traveler’s dream. From one Norwegian to you, here are 19 fun facts about Norway.

1. Norway introduced salmon sushi to Japan in the 1980s

Norwegian exporters brought salmon to Japan and popularized its use in sushi, revolutionizing the dish globally.

How Project Japan Tripled Norway’s Salmon Exports

In 1985, Fisheries Minister Thor Listau led a delegation of nearly 20 Norwegian seafood industry leaders to Japan, paving the way for stronger trade ties.

A year later, Fisheries Minister Bjarne Mørk Eidem launched “Project Japan,” a collaborative marketing initiative supported by industry, government, and the Research Council.

At the time, Norway exported about 500 million NOK (44.4 million USD) worth of fish to Japan annually. By 1991, this figure had more than tripled, cementing Norwegian salmon as a cornerstone of modern sushi. Today, creations like the Philadelphia roll owe their popularity to this initiative.

2. The Lærdal Tunnel is the longest road tunnel in the world

The Lærdal Tunnel connects Lærdal and Aurland in western Norway, saving travelers hours of travel time.

The tunnel is 24,509 meter long and stretches between Aurland and Lærdal in Vestland. The construction started in 1955 and was opened in the year 2000 by King Harald V.

3. Norway tops the Winter Olympics medal count

Norway holds the record with 405 Winter Olympic medals, with dominance in skiing, biathlon, and skating. The United States (330), Germany (267), Austria (250), and Canada (225) follow.

Norway’s Winter Olympic Medal Success

4. The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held annually in Oslo

Oslo has hosted the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony since 1901, honoring individuals and groups promoting global peace.

In 2024, the prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization of survivors from the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

5. The Midnight Sun and Polar Nights occur only in Northern Norway

Northern Norway is the only place to experience the Midnight Sun, with months of endless daylight, and Polar Nights, where winter brings prolonged darkness.

The Midnight Sun

Coffee guests at midnight or canoeing the fjords at 1AM? Everything is possible! The Northern Norway has 76 days of midnight sun in the period between May and July. The longer the north you go, the more midnight sun you will get. Above the polar circle, you can expect midnight sun all day around in the summer, and on Svalbard the sun doesn’t set at all between April to the end of August.

Polar Night

The polar night occurs in the northern hemisphere from latitude 72°34′ and above, marked by the sun staying 6 degrees or more below the horizon.

In Svalbard, the polar night lasts from November 14 to January 29. Also known as the “Civil Polar Night,” it can include a faint twilight at midday. In practice, Svalbard experiences continuous darkness thanks to the mountainous terrain obscuring the horizon.

6. Norway’s coastline touches three seas and is one of the longest in the world

Norway touches the Norwegian Sea, the North Sea, and the Barents Sea with a coastline that stretches over 25,000 kilometers (15,534 miles).

7. The Sami people have lived in Norway for over 10,000 years

The indigenous Sami people maintain unique cultural traditions and herd reindeer in Norway’s northern regions. The Sami people even have their own national anthem called Sámi soga lávalla.

Sami people live throughout Norway, but most Sami people live north of Saltfjellet in Nordland.

According to Statistics Norway, there is no official registration of who has Sami identity or background, and therefore no one knows exactly how many Sami there are.

There are nine Sami languages, but only three are spoken in Norway. Northern Sami is the most widely used, while several others are rarely spoken and classified as “seriously endangered.”

8. Svalbard has 270 polar bears and 2700 people

The Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard is located between mainland Norway and the North Pole, and home to around 300 polar bears and 2,945 human residents.

Though it is part of Norway, Svalbard is governed by the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, granting Norway sovereignty while allowing citizens of signatory countries to live and work there.

9. Norwegians are among the world’s most avid readers

According to 2024 data from CEOWORLD Magazine, Norwegians read 6.5 books per year. This puts them in 18th place globally.

10. Norway supplies London with a Christmas tree every year

Since 1947, Norway has sent a Christmas tree to Trafalgar Square as a token of gratitude for Britain’s support during World War II.

Sign at the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree explaining the tree is a gift from the city of Oslo in gratitude for British assistance to Norway during WWII.

11. Norway has two official written languages: Bokmål and Nynorsk

Bokmål and Nynorsk reflect Norway’s linguistic diversity, with both recognized as official written forms of the Norwegian language.

12. The Lofoten Islands are perfect for viewing the Northern Lights

The Lofoten Islands in the Arctic Circle offer some of the best views the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, during winter.

What are Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are natural light displays caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with Earth’s atmosphere near the poles. These shimmering lights, often green or purple, are most visible in high-latitude regions like Norway, Iceland, and Alaska.

Photo of the green Northern Lights in Lofoten during nighttime.

13. Norway is home to Europe’s largest herd of wild reindeer

Hardangervidda Plateau has the continent’s largest population of wild reindeer, roaming freely in the vast landscape.

The total Norwegian population of wild reindeer is estimated to consist of 25,000 animals in winter. Hardangervidda is the largest wild reindeer area with approximately 10,000 animals.

14. Norwegian brown cheese is not actually as real cheese

Brunost translates to “brown cheese,” but is technically not cheese by international standards, as defined by the World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization.

Real cheese is made from curd, whereas brunost is crafted from the whey left over in cheese production. In Norway, the definition of cheese is broader, encompassing milk products with “partial concentration of the whey.”

This sweet, caramelized brown spread is a staple in Norwegian cuisine. It’s commonly served on waffles, bread, potato lefse, sveler, and crisp knekkebrød.

A typical Norwegian breakfast might feature brunost on bread, sometimes paired with butter or jam, alongside a cup of coffee.

15. Sognefjorden is the largest fjord in Norway

Sognefjorden is Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, reaching depths of 1,308 meters and stretching 205 kilometers inland.

What is a fjord

A fjord is a long, narrow inlet of the sea with steep cliffs, created by glacial activity. Fjords are typically deep and are formed when glaciers carve valleys that later fill with seawater. They are common to countries like Norway, New Zealand and Iceland.

16. Norway’s Hardangervidda Plateau is Europe’s largest mountain plateau

Hardangervidda covers over 6,500 square kilometers, offering vast open landscapes and a sanctuary for reindeer.

17. Nils Olav, the Norwegian king penguin, was knighted in 2008

Nils Olav is a resident penguin of Edinburgh Zoo. He holds an honorary title as the mascot and symbol of the Norwegian King’s Guard.

18. Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ was inspired by a factory in Oslo

Roald Dahl was a British man of Norwegian descent. He drew inspiration for his famous book from the Freia chocolate factory in Oslo.

Glimpse of Freia chocolate factory with a big, red sign.

19. Norway invented the cheese slicer in 1925

Furniture maker Thor Bjørklund pondered how the cheese could be cut more neatly. He found a solution in 1925 and took out a patent on his invention.

Now, almost 100 years later, cheese slicers are still produced in Ringebu, Gudbrandsdalen under the Bjørklund1925 trademark.