KW NORWAY

Norway Adventures

Norway is the perfect outdoor country in Europe, magnificent scenery, lots of space and undiscovered natural spots. We offer our experience and enthusiasm for planning your Norwegian Adventure! Exotic? We have plenty of white sandy beaches. Weather? Where do you find sun 24 hrs round the clock and temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celcius aren’t rare [...]

Fun Facts about Norway

Norway is located in northern Europe and is part of Scandinavia. Its land is rich with vast fjords, thousands of tiny islands and lakes and dramatically cascading waterfalls. The country has a total land area of almost 150,000 square miles, and is bordered to the east by Sweden, to the north by Finland and Russia, [...]

Norway’s national costume

Bunad is a traditional Norwegian national costume, typically of rural origin. Bunads are local to Norway’s traditional districts, and the result both of cultural evolution and organized efforts to discover and modernize older designs. The designs are typically elaborate, with embroidery, scarves, shawls and hand-made silver or gold jewellery. There are bunads both for men and women, although women’s [...]

Norway Attractions

As a tourist you can choose one of the traditional or modern from these picturesque countryattractions. If your special interest is the historical sites, geology, the flora or fauna,you will find incredible places to increase your knowledge while you visit Norway. The landscape of East Norway is the principal attraction, in particular fjords of south-west and [...]

City life and countryside

Oslo is roughly halfway between the North Cape and Rome. Geographically the northerners arecloser to their neighbours in Sweden, Finland and Russia, than they are to their countrymenin the south. Population drift There is a population drift from country to town and from north to south. The Norwegianauthorities are reducing this trend with measures designed [...]

Norway Adventures

November 23rd, 2010

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Norway is the perfect outdoor country in Europe, magnificent scenery, lots of space and undiscovered natural spots. We offer our experience and enthusiasm for planning your Norwegian Adventure! Exotic? We have plenty of white sandy beaches. Weather? Where do you find sun 24 hrs round the clock and temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celcius aren’t rare above the polarcicle!

It is the land of beautiful fjords and unique nature, offers the visitors plenty to do. From island hopping under the midnight sun in Lofoten to mountain skiing in Tromso to a Norweigan Coastal Fjord Voyage on Hurtigruten to horse back riding outside Oslo, Norway’s vast smorgasbord can easily satisfy Australians. If cross country skiing is not your cup of tea, why not take a dog sled to a Sami village and learn about their way of life.

If you are in real luck you can even experience the unique Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

Just stay and relax, enjoying stillness, magnificent nature, maybe hike, canoe, padle or sail the fjords of Norway. We will guide you to the most beautiful places and tell you all about cultural history.

Travel

November 22nd, 2010

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Norway is one of the richest countries in the world, not just in terms of financial wealth – with the second highest GDP per capita in the world just after Luxembourg – but also in wealth of natural wonders. Indeed, Norway is blessed with astounding natural beauty, which sums up all the reasons to visit Norway. Still, here are the top five reasons in detail.

The Land of the Midnight Sun

Norway is called the Land of the Midnight Sun for a reason – it is one of the rare places on earth where, during the summer months, you can see the sun continuously for 24 hours. Visit Norway from April to July or even in late August and enjoy some activities that you won’t get to do at midnight anywhere else, such as playing golf, hiking and fishing – all in the light of the midnight sun.

Arctic Adventures

Because of its location, Norway is also a great place for Arctic Adventures. Enjoy the magical white plains of northern Norway on a sled pulled by a pack of dogs or a reindeer herd. Catch a glimpse of the magnificent sperm whales off the coast of Vesteralen or swim in the midst of killer whales. You can get your shot at hauling in the largest cod fish on the Arctic, too, or the largest red king crab, which can grow up to two metres long.

You can also simply sit still by a fire and wait patiently for the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights to appear. These lights, which are a combination of green, purple and red shades, are easiest to see in places where there is little moonlight during the months of October, February and March. They are also considered the oldest and grandest shows on earth, appearing in different shapes and forms each time and inspiring legends which live on to this day, and which you are sure to hear if you stop by a Sami village in Karasjok.

The Famous Fjords of Norway

Norway is also famous for its fjords – U-shaped valleys filled with seawater which were formed when the glaciers melted after the ice age. In fact, it has more fjords than any other country in the world. Most of these fjords can be found in western Norway, and some of them have even been designated as World Heritage Sites, like the Geirangerfjord and the Naeroyfjord. The Sognefjord is the longest in the country, stretching for more than a hundred miles. It is also the second longest fjord in the world.

Aside from fjords, there are also many parks that offer scenic hiking trails and camping grounds for you to go to when you visit Norway. There are also opportunities for you to climb and walk on glaciers, like Austfonna, the largest in Europe, as well as many stunning waterfalls for you to admire, such as the Voringsfossen. A trip to the Vega Islands is recommended, as well, especially for those who want to be surrounded by various species of rare birds, dramatic landscapes and breathtaking views.

Skiing

With six months of winter, great slopes and heaps of good snow, it is no wonder many visit Norway just to ski. Here, there are opportunities for all types of skiing, including alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and even telemark skiing. You can also go snowboarding and snowkiting. Popular ski resorts in Norway include Hemsedal, with nearly fifty slopes, Oppdal, which is perfect for advanced skiers, Norefjell, which is just a short drive from Oslo and Trysil, the largest in the country.

The Land of the Vikings

One of the most prosperous ages in the history of Norway is the Viking Age. Although the country has clearly come a long way from being a kingdom of the Vikings, who were excellent traders as well as feared pirates, you can still learn about Norse traditions when you visit Norway and learn more about the Vikings in museums such as the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo and the Lofotr Museum, where you can see a reconstructed farm of a Viking chieftain – the only one still in existence – and authentic Viking costumes.

A Housing Bouble

November 22nd, 2010

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While the global property market has seen general price decreases during the financial crisis, house prices in Norway have remained high and growing, with an all time high as of 2009. Economists, including the CEO of the Norwegian central bank, are starting to worry that the Norwegian housing market is overheated, and heading for an inevitable crash unless the government changes its current tax laws that are heavily biased in favor of real estate speculation. A tax bias that has made Norwegian houses some of the most expesive in the world.

It takes $ 200,000 to buy a small one room apartment in central Oslo, and three bedroom apartments in the same area go for between $ 500,000 and $ 1,000,000, so even the smallest apartments in central Oslo are now more expensive than what most people can afford to buy, unless they have a house of their own to trade, which is a clear indication that prices are already too high.

However, the Norwegian tax system is such that it attracts speculators to real estate, because unlike other types of investments, real estate can be sold with no tax paid on the profit made. Real estate can be used as a tax shelter, because wealth tax on real estate is only a fraction of what it is on other assets. And finally, interest payments on house loans are tax deductable.

With three strong incentives for speculators to enter the real estate market, it is not very difficult to understand that house prices are rising far above what is reasonable in comparison to other assets, making life difficult for young people who are effectively blocked out of the housing market.

One would think that the Norwegian government would want to help young people get in on the housing market by changing the tax rules, and thereby deflating the housing bouble, but this is not so. The government vigerously defends the system, arguing that real estate is different from other assets, and should not be taxed, neither through wealth tax, nor through tax on profit. So while the government insists on levying 1% wealth tax on cash, stocks and bonds, it insists on exempting real estate from wealth tax. And while profit from selling a business, shares or bonds, are taxed at about 30%, real estate can be sold with no tax at all. And debt is strongly encouraged by making the interest paid on dept tax deductable.

One of the reasons for this peculiar situation may be that the government politicians are among the people who benefit the most from it. They have above average incomes, and are therefore eligeble for generous bank loans that they can use to buy real estate. However, the main reason is probably historic. Average Norwegians have always owned their own houses, and politicians have therefore always been in favor of laws that favor those who own their own home. Norwegians have traditionally saved their money in real estate, and have been far less enthusiastic about other assets, so to suggest that real estate should be treated equal with other asset types is very unpopular. Such a change, it is argued, would only benefit a small group of shareholders, at the expense of the general population.

The Norwegian tax system has, as a result, the perverse effect of discouraging people from investing in businesses, shares and bonds, which are assets that generate wealth through job creation, while at the same time encouraging people to buy real estate which does very little to generate jobs and wealth. However, as long as the house prices go up, most people feel themselves richer, and most everybody is happy.

However, the house prices are already too high, leaving people behind, while speculators buy multiple houses, and it is only a question of time before the prices will have to correct downwards. And unless something is done soon, before the prices go up even further, the effect of the eventual decline in house prices may be as devastating for the Norwegian economy as the finance crisis has been for the American economy, with foreclosures and banks going bankrupt, business financing drying up, and mass unemployment as a result.

Despite the evidence of a housing bouble, the government refuses to align their tax rules across asset types so that speculative money that is currently pouring into the housing market can find its way into other and more productive asset types. Stubornly insisting that their tax system is virtually perfect, and that the high house prices is a sign of a healty and strong economy, the government keeps its tax rules unchanged, stearing steadfast towards ever higher house prices, and an ever more inevitable disaster.

Interesting Places in Norway

November 22nd, 2010

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Although Norway is seen as one of the most frigid countries in the world, it draws a lot of tourism from Americans interested in their heritage and love for winter sports. Despite frigid conditions, Norway has beautiful natural parks and wonders to see as well as in-depth museums and hands-on exhibits discussing the country’s history. Here is a look at some points of interest in Norway.

The Geiranger Fjord

1. A natural wonder, the Geiranger Fjord is the biggest and most dramatic fjord in all of Norway. Even more impressive is the 6,000-foot mountains above it.

Jostedalsbreen National Park

2. Located between a fjord and glacier, Jostedalsbreen, the park is over 432 sq.kilometers. Jostedalsbreen is Europe’s largest glacier over 1,000 meters in height.

Vikingskiphuset (Viking Ship Museum)

3. One big part of Norway’s history is the Vikings. Oslo is home to the Viking Ship Museum, an in-depth museum that covers all aspects of the Vikings. You can even see a real Viking ship when you visit.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

4. Art and nature combine in one of Oslo’s most famous attractions. Located in Frogner Park, enjoy a stroll through the life cycle through the eyes of Adolf Gustav Vineland.

Nordkapp

5. Nordkapp is a peninsula that is the most northern point of Europe. It is not a part of the actual mainland of Norway, but of the Island Mageroya.

Norway

November 22nd, 2010

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Norway is more called as a Scandinavian country due to its position in the northern most part of Europe. It is one of the most beautiful of all the Scandinavian countries. Following are the facts and précis of its background, you need to know before you makeup your mind of going there.

Norway’s official name is the kingdom of Norway and the country covers the mainland area and the associated islands.

The overall area of this country is somewhere around 150,000 square miles. In other words, it can be said that the area of Norway is slightly more than the area of New Mexico State of America. The capital of this country is Oslo and this is also the biggest city in entire Norway with population of more than 520,000. Some of the other big cities of Norway are Bergen, Trondheim with population of around 150,000 and Stavanger with population of 110,000.

The topography of Norway is not that much friendly and can be called very intense. It contains some very high plateaus, steep fjords, mountains and some very fertile valleys. The climate is also full of varieties and it can be very pleasant around the coastal areas and surprisingly cooler in the inner part of the country. Because of its northern most position on the globe, it experiences long days during summer season and long nights during winter season. During summer, you can witness sunlight until the midnight and therefore, Norway is also known as the land of midnight sun.

As far as the people of Norway are concerned, they are very friendly. People living there are known as Norwegians. As per the latest population count, which was held in 2006, the population of Norway was 4,593,000. The population is not increasing very fast as the annual growth rate is only .41 percent. A surprising fact is that there is only one person for every 15 square miles of land. Most of the people living in Norway are the blend of people from all the Scandinavian countries. The main majority is the mix of Nordic, Alpine and Baltic people who have intermixed with each other for centuries now. People of Norway do not believe in migrating to some other place hence, the immigration rate is very low. It was registered that there were only 300,000 immigrants in 2006.

From the religion point of view, Norwegians are very particular and finicky. More than 87 percent of total of Norwegian people believe in Christianity as their religion and have very firm faith on the church of Norway. The church of Norway is under the Lutheran concept of preaching. Although, Christianity is the widely spread religion but you can also find some Pentecostal Christians, Roman Catholics and Muslims in very small percentages.

Norwegians basically speak two languages i.e. Bokmal Norwegian and Nynorsk. However Norwegian is widely spoken and is the chief language which is taught in the school system. But still, some Sámi and Finish speaking communities can also be found here but not much in number. The literacy of Norway is very close to 100 percent. Also, the life expectancy is very high as the Norwegian male can live up to 76 years and females there can live up to 81 years.

Fun Facts about Norway

November 22nd, 2010

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Norway is located in northern Europe and is part of Scandinavia. Its land is rich with vast fjords, thousands of tiny islands and lakes and dramatically cascading waterfalls.

The country has a total land area of almost 150,000 square miles, and is bordered to the east by Sweden, to the north by Finland and Russia, to the south by Denmark (across the Skagerrak Strait), and to the west by the North Atlantic Ocean. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 4.9 million, 88% of which were native Norwegian and Sami peoples. The facts below are a sample of how the country was formed over hundreds of years to make Norway the country that it is today.

The coastline of Norway is one of the longest and most winding oceanfronts in the world.

Its jagged coastline measures 25,000 kilometers in length because of all its bays, fjords and jutting coastline. Without all these irregularities, the coastline would be a fractional 10% of that distance. Near all these irregularities are approximately 45,000 islands that are small and large, inhabited and uninhabited.

Norway is one of the world’s richest countries

Norway has been ranked as one of the richest countries in the world numerous times in the past decade. This wealth can be largely attributed to the discovery of oil and natural gas in 1969. The country is now one of Europe’s leading exports of the two energy sources.

Norway’s national costume

November 22nd, 2010

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Bunad is a traditional Norwegian national costume, typically of rural origin. Bunads are local to Norway’s traditional districts, and the result both of cultural evolution and organized efforts to discover and modernize older designs.

The designs are typically elaborate, with embroidery, scarves, shawls and hand-made silver or gold jewellery. There are bunads both for men and women, although women’s bunads are more diverse and popular. However, according to daily manager Turid Liss Agersborg at Husfliden Oslo, they now produce and sell more men’s bunads than women’s for the first time in history.

The male customers are often characterized as urban and modern, and range between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. In Norway, it is common to wear bunad at various celebrations such as: folkdances, weddings, and especially the May 17 National Day celebrations. In recent years, its use has reached

far outside folk dancing, folk music, and particular holidays. Accepted as proper gala attire, it is increasingly common to see people, and especially women, dressed in bunad.

The former Norwegian foreign minister, Thorvald Stoltenberg, created history by presenting his accreditation as ambassador to Margrethe II of Denmark dressed in a bunad. Moreover, people tend to wear their bunads to festive celebrations such as anniversaries and birthdays as well as during religious occasions including baptisms, confirmations and Christmas.

There is ongoing debate about the official status of various outfits, and what allowed variations are. In 1947 an official institution, the Landsnemda for Bunadspørsmål, was organized to act in an advisory capacity on all questions dealing with bunads in Norway. Due to ongoing discussions on the status of bunads, it is not possible to state accurately the number of different types of bunads in Norway, but most estimates place the number at around 200.

Norway Attractions

November 22nd, 2010

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As a tourist you can choose one of the traditional or modern from these picturesque countryattractions. If your special interest is the historical sites, geology, the flora or fauna,you will find incredible places to increase your knowledge while you visit Norway.

The landscape of East Norway is the principal attraction, in particular fjords of south-west and north (Nordkapp) which is a popular spot to observe at midnight the Sun in the middle of the summer. However, the principal cities, among them Oslo (the capital), Bergen andTrondheim, offer a good choice of museums, historical sites and architectural interest for the visitor.

The mountainous interior countryside is ideal for those who are searching

something new. In the winter, the sport is the reason to visit this country, the specialists recommend the period between May and September.

The population is lives in the principal centers of Norway. There are five definite areas: Southernmost Norway (Oslo including); Fjordland at south-west; mountains of Oppland and Hedmark; Central Norway; and Arctic North.

The national park of glacier of Ajostedal is a national park beautifully located between a fjord and a glacier known under the name of Jostedalsbreen. With more than 432 square kilometers, Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in Europe although there are many smaller glaciers separated in the entire park. Reaching 1,000 meters height, the frozen water falls are an impressive site just as the movements of the glacier are up to 1.5 meter per day.

Take an exciting guided excursion to the glacier; walk and the ski in the national park or visit simply the center and the museum of the glacier of Jostedal. Oslo, which celebrated its millennium in the year 2000, is the most populated zone of Norway, providing house for more than one tenth of inhabitants in only 700th of its total surface.

For the industrial development of the country, the urban occupies only an eighth part of the surface, the rest consisting mainly of forests, islands in the fjord of Oslo,and lakes. The city has a strong culture of arts, with a good choice of museums and galleries. The museums are the principal attraction of this city; the national gallery, the Norwegian museum of the applied arts museum; the museum of Thor Heyerdahl Kon-Tiki and the Norwegian

folk museum, both on the island of Bygdøy in the west and the center of the city; the Viking embarks the museum; Museum of town of Oslo; and the museum of Norwegian houses, which indicates the history of the trade of the country during the Second World War.

The museum of Ibsen was the house of this celebrity before his death in 1906.

Far from the immediate center of the city, the jumping complex of ski of Holmenkollen with its popular museum of the ski, just as the ruins of Cistercian monastery of the 12th century on Hovedøya; you can see them after a court voyage in boat from the port Oslo.

The principal architectural interest in Oslo concentrates on Kongelige Slott (royal palate), Stortinget (building of the Parliament), the cathedral and the castle of Åkershus. The voyages in boat on the fjord are affordable, and the shopping area is along Karl Johansgate Street, who runs from the central station to the royal palate. The guided excursions in bus

allow you to make a tour of the city.

City life and countryside

November 22nd, 2010

admin

Oslo is roughly halfway between the North Cape and Rome. Geographically the northerners arecloser to their neighbours in Sweden, Finland and Russia, than they are to their countrymenin the south.

Population drift

There is a population drift from country to town and from north to south. The Norwegianauthorities are reducing this trend with measures designed to make living in the depopulatedareas more attractive.

Road tunnels are being dug out to small islands with fewer than a hundred people on them;there are frequent ferry departures across most of the fjords. Even so the differencesbetween town and country are growing.

The average Norwegian farmer still has fewer than 20 cows. The influx of people to the towns is creating a dynamic, international environment.

The trip from international Grønland in Oslo to typical Norwegian countryside takes less than an hour. Many farms now offer farm holidays. Experience the Norwegian countryside fromthe inside by staying on a small Norwegian farm.

News

November 22nd, 2010

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OSLO: Norway’s Telenor denied on Saturday that its Indian subsidiary Uninor had won mobilephone licences in an irregular manner, the Norwegian news agency NTB reported.

India’s telecoms regulator has called for 38 mobile licences, including some held by Uninor, to be cancelled amid a political scandal that is shaking the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The regulator said on Thursday that the licences were awarded too cheaply, and may have cost India a potential $31 billion. The accusations have led to the sacking of Telecoms Minister Andimuthu Raja.

“We have now investigated how our licences were awarded and have not found any irregularities,” Telenor spokesman Glenn Mandelid told NTB.

Telenor had not yet established itself on the Indian mobile market when the licences were awarded in 2008. Later that year it bought stakes in local firm Unitech, which was awarded the permits.

That firm is today called Uninor. Mandelid said the award system in 2008 was not the same as today’s. “Indian authorities feared the telecoms market would turn into a monopoly so they operated under a ‘first come first served’ principle,” he said.

“The award system was the same from 2000 to 2008 when Unitech got its licence. Since then they have gone over to an auction system.”

Telenor has about 13.5 million customers in the country’s highly competitive mobile market. It has praised its strong market development in the third quarter but said its Indian operations would post and EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) loss of 4.5 billion crowns ($775 million) in 2010.

OSLO: Norway’s Telenor denied on Saturday that its Indian subsidiary Uninor had won mobile phone licences in an irregular manner, the Norwegian news agency NTB reported. India’s telecoms regulator has called for 38 mobile licences, including some held by Uninor, to be cancelled amid a political scandal that is shaking the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The regulator said on Thursday that the licences were awarded too cheaply, and may have cost India a potential $31 billion. The accusations have led to the sacking of Telecoms Minister Andimuthu Raja. ”We have now investigated how our licences were awarded and have not found anyirregularities,” Telenor spokesman Glenn Mandelid told NTB.

Telenor had not yet established itself on the Indian mobile market when the licences were awarded in 2008. Later that year it bought stakes in local firm Unitech, which was awarded the permits. That firm is today called Uninor.

Mandelid said the award system in 2008 was not the same as today’s. “Indian authorities feared the telecoms market would turn into a monopoly so they operated under a ‘first come first served’ principle,” he said.

“The award system was the same from 2000 to 2008 when Unitech got its licence. Since then they have gone over to an auction system.” Telenor has about 13.5 million customers in the country’s highly competitive mobile

market.It has praised its strong market development in the third quarter but said its Indian operations would post and EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) loss of 4.5 billion crowns ($775 million) in 2010.

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Telenor finds no irregularity with India licences India's telecoms regulator has called for 38 mobile licences, including some held by Uninor, to be cancelled amid a political scandal that is shaking the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The regulator said on Thursday that the licences were awarded too cheaply, and may have cost India a potential $31 billion. The accusations have led to the sacking of Telecoms Minister Andimuthu Raja.

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Since then they have gone over to an auction system." Telenor has about 13.5 million customers in the country's highly competitive mobile market.It has praised its strong market development in the third quarter but said its Indian operations would post and EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) loss of 4.5 billion crowns ($775 million) in 2010.

Read more--
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