Norway

Norway - Is officially known as the Kingdom of Norway. Norway is a European Country and shares borders with Sweden, Finland, Russia, the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydro power, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Other main industries include food processing, shipbuilding, metals, chemicals, mining, fishing and pulp and paper products. Norway has a Scandinavian welfare model and the largest capital reserve per capita of any nation.
Norway was ranked highest of all countries in human development from 2001 to 2006, and is ranked second as of 2008 behind Iceland.
Archaeological findings indicate that Norway was inhabited at least since early in the 10,000 BC. Most historians agree that the core of the populations colonizing Scandinavia came from the present-day Germany.