Facts about Norway
System of government: Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy
Head of government: Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg
Area: 385,155 square kilometres
Population: 5,003,000 inhabitants (as of 1 April 2012)
Capital city: Oslo
Languages: Norwegian bokmål, Norwegian nynorsk and Sami
Religion: Church of Norway (Protestant Christianity)
Currency: Norwegian kroner (NOK) 1 krone = 100 øre
Time zone: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) +1 hour
National day: 17 May
Weather
The weather in Norway is much milder than one would expect. Because of the Gulf Stream, temperatures along the coast of Norway are 5-8°C higher than at comparable latitudes elsewhere.
Fjords
Norway is famous for its fjords, two of which, the Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord, feature on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Sognefjord, the longest of them all, and the Hardangerfjord, famed for its cherry and apple trees, are among the most visited. Discover the marvels of Fjord Norway by organising your meeting in one of Norway's most popular fjord destinations: Bergen, Ålesund, Stavanger or Haugesund. You can also discover the fjords on board the legendary Hurtigruten, the Norwegian Coastal Express.
Northern lights
The northern lights are a common natural phenomenon in Northern Norway, and are most commonly observed above the Arctic Circle between late autumn and early spring. Take your event to Tromsø, Alta or the Lofoten Islands and offer a truly great nature experience to your delegates. Or go hunting the lights onboard Hurtigruten, the Norwegian Coastal Express.
Midnight sun
The sun does not set in summer over the Arctic Circle, meaning visitors to Northern Norway enjoy 24 hours of daylight this time of year.
Winter activities
Norway is a real winter wonderland, and there is no shortage of winter activities to choose from for those looking to organise an exciting incentive programme. These include skiing (Alpine, cross-country or Telemark) and snowboarding, but also snowkiting, ice climbing, ice fishing, ice skating, dog sledding, reindeer sledding, king crab safaris, and more. Seeing the northern lights, and staying at an ice or snow hotel, are also high on many visitors' list of things to do. The UNESCO-listed town of Røros is a particularly picturesque winter destination.