Norway in Depth - Norway - page 442

Did You Know?

• Norwegians have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.
• While medieval alchemists were trying to make gold, they discovered
akevitt (aquavit, or schnapps), the national “firewater” of Norway.
• Norway has the world's largest foreign trade per capita.
• The average population density is only 13 inhabitants per square
kilometer (almost 1 ⁄ 2 sq. mile), compared with 96 for Europe as a
whole.
• Norway and Russia share a short land border and have disputed
control of a sea area the size of Belgium, Switzerland, and Austria
combined.
• Hammerfest is the world's northernmost town.

Norway had associations with areas to
the south.
THE AGE OF THE VIKINGS
Prehistory ended during the Viking
era, roughly A . D . 800 to 1050. Much
of what is known about this era wasn't
written down, but has been conveyed
through sagas passed by word of
mouth or revealed by archaeological
finds. Some scholars consider the loot-
ing of the Lindisfarne monastery in
northern England in 793 the begin-
ning of the “age of the Vikings.”
“The Vikings are coming!” became
a dreadful cry along the coasts of
Europe. The victims expected fire and
sword. Scandinavian historians are
usually kinder to the Vikings, citing
the fact they often went abroad to
trade and colonize. From Norway, the
Vikings branched out to settle in the
Orkney and Shetland Islands (now
part of Scotland). They also settled in
the Scottish Hebrides and on the Isle
of Man. Viking settlements were
established on Greenland and Iceland,
which had previously been uninhab-
ited. The Norse communities on
Greenland eventually died out. The
sagas claim that in 1001, Leif Eriksson
discovered “wineland of the good,” a
reference to the American continent.
Many scholars, however, claim that

1001 Leif Eriksson discovers America
(or so the sagas claim).

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1030 Christianity is firmly estab-
lished; Olaf II is declared a saint.

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1066 The Viking Age ends with the
defeat of Harald III in England.

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1350 The Black Death wipes out
much of the population.

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1397 Margaret becomes queen of
Norway, Denmark, and Sweden at the
Union of Kalmar.

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1439 Danish rule is imposed on
Norway.

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1814 Norway breaks from Denmark
and adopts a constitution, but comes
under Swedish rule.

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1905 The Norwegian parliament
breaks from Sweden and declares
independence.

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1914 Norway declares its neutrality in
World War I.

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1920 Norway joins the League of
Nations, ending its isolation.

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1940 Nazi troops invade Norway; the
king and government flee.

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1945 Norway regains independence
and executes its Nazi puppet ruler,
Quisling.

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1960s An oil boom hits Norway.

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1986 The Labor Party installs first
female prime minister, Gro Harlem
Brundtland.

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1989 A center-right coalition regains
power.

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1990 Brundtland becomes prime min-
ister again.

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1991 Harald V becomes king.

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