Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Norway Today
Crisis? What Crisis?
AskmostNorwegianshowtheircountryhasweatheredtheglobalfinancialcrisisandyou're
likely to be met with a guilty smile. Yes, growth rates stalled as world oil prices fell and the
economy even contracted in 2009. And yet, the impact upon ordinary Norwegians has been
minimal - unemployment in 2009 was just 3.2%, prices rose in the same period by an em-
inently reasonable 2.1% and the government's generous system of social welfare and other
benefits remained intact. As a consequence, the average Norwegian has largely been insu-
lated from the world's worst economic crisis in decades.
» Population: 4.67 million (2010)
» GDP per capita (2009): US$58,809
» Maternity/paternity leave on full pay: 46/10 weeks
» Life expectancy: 79.95 years
Independent & Apart
With such stability and prosperity at home, it's Norway's relationship with the rest of the
worldthatdominatesmanypublicdebates.Foronething,Norwaycontinuestoagoniseover
whetheritshouldjointheEuropeanUnion(EU).Government-supportedreferendaonmem-
