The People
The only significant minority group consists of the Sami (Lapps), who inhabit the extreme north. The greater part of the population lives along the southern and western coasts. Slightly more than one-fourth of the people live in sparsely populated areas.
Norway has two official languages. One is the traditional literary and commercial language called riksmål, or bokmål, which developed during the era of Danish, domination and which is based grammatically on Danish, although pronounced differently. The other is Neo-Norwegian, created out of Norwegian dialects by Ivar Aasen in the mid-19th century. Agreement has not been reached on whether a common language amalgamating the two should be permitted to develop naturally or arbitrarily devised. Many dialects are still used in rural areas. The Sami maintain their own language, a Finno-Ugric tongue. English is widely spoken in the cities.
The official church of Norway is the Evangelical-Lutheran, to which about 96 per cent of the population belongs. Of the remaining denominations, the largest are the United Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
Schooling is free and compulsory from ages 7 to 16. Elementary education is divided into a lower stage (barneskolen), which lasts six years, and an upper stage (ungdomsskolen), which lasts three years. Beyond the ungdomsskoen are the gymnas, secondary schools that provide a course lasting one to three years. A student who completes three years may enter a university or other institution of higher learning. There is virtually no illiteracy.
The University of Oslo (originally Royal Frederick University) was founded in 1811. Other schools include the universities of Bergen, Tromsö, and Trondheim, and the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration at Bergen, the Veterinary College of Norway at Oslo, and the Oslo, School of Architecture.
In the Viking era Norwegian accomplishments in art and literature matched in vigor the feats of conquest and exploration. The period of Danish rule, from the 14th to the 19th century, was one of cultural stagnation. With the reconstitution of kingdom of Norway under the Swedish monarchy (1814) came a resurgence of art, letters, and science.
Surviving examples of medieval culture include the artifacts found in Viking burial mounds, and the early churches. The mounds have produced Viking ships, carved dragon's-head prows, and elaborately carved furniture. Fine gold spurs and arms inlaid with silver have been found also. Most distinctive architecturally are the stave (wooden) churches, built in the 11th and 12th centuries. Rising in steep-roofed tiers to a pinnacle, their gables ornamented with dragon's heads, they are uniquely Norwegian in appearance.
The revival of the arts in the 19th century was led by the poet Henrik Wergeland. Artists of major importance rose to prominence during the century—Ibsen in drama Grieg in music, Munch in painting, and Vigeland in sculpture. Scientists included Niels Henrik Abel, mathematician; Armauer Hansen, discoverer of the leprosy bacillus; and Michael Sars, biologist. Norwegians who have won Nobel Prizes include Sigrid Undset and Fridtjof Nansen.
The Bergen International Festival of Music, Drama, and Folklore, held each year during May and June, is a major international event.
Skiing may be considered the national sport of Norway, with ice skating next in popularity. Holmenkollen Ski Week, held in Oslo each March, is an international meet. The Winter Festival—with fairs, processions, and concerts—is held in connection with it.
Although summer is short, Norway's extensive coastline offers abundant opportunity for water sports. Sailing is traditional, and is a favorite activity. The Hankö International Regattas, an annual yachting event, take place on the Oslo fjord in July. The International Sea Fishing Festival at Stavanger is in August. Rifle-shooting, track and field, and gymnastics are widespread organized sports. Soccer is the most popular spectator game.
Many festivals are held in Norway. The Sun Pageant, greeting the return of the sun, takes place at Rjukan on March 9. In June Tromsö celebrates 24-hour sunshine with Polar Day. On Midsummer Eve, June 23, there are folk dancing and bonfires at Oslo and Lillehammer, and processions and ritual dances at Voss.
