Hydro Porsgrunn Industripark, Norway Photo: Gisle Nomme/ © Norsk Hydro

Historical milestones

The earliest signs of human settlement in Norway date back to 9000 BC. Norway was united to one kingdom 900 AD and got its own constitution in 1814.

9000 BC - 8000 BC		Earliest signs of human settlement.

8000 BC - 4000 BC		Old Stone Age, hunters and fishermen, rock carvings.

4000 BC - 1500 BC		New Stone Age, early agriculture, livestock.

1500 BC - 500 BC		Bronze Age, agricultural tools, jewellery, glass, weapons.

500 BC - 800 AD		Iron Age, iron ploughs and scythes.

800 AD - 1050 AD		Viking Age, longships, trade and conquest, runic inscriptions, voyages of discovery, Leif Eiriksson discovers America and Vikings.

900 AD		Norway united into one kingdom.

1030		Christianity adopted in Norway.

1130		Start of High Middle Ages, population growth, and consolidation of power both of church and crown.

1100 – 1200		Monarchy controls the church, slavery abolished.

1350		The Black Death reduces the population by almost two-thirds.

1380 – 1397		Union with Denmark through royal intermarriage.

1397 – 1536		The Kalmar Union with both Denmark and Sweden. Strong conflicts within the union.

1536		Norway ceases to be an independent kingdom and becomes a dependency under Denmark. Religius reformation.

1814		The Norwegian Constitution adopted, based on the American Declaration of Independence. Still Norway fails to be an independent nation.

1814 – 1905		Union with Sweden.

1905		Full Norwegian independency. Haakon VII crowned king of Norway.

1913		Universal suffrage for women introduced.

1914		Norway, Sweden and Denmark agree to remain neutral during World War I.

1925		The capital of Norway changes name from Christiania to Oslo.

1920		Norway joins the League of Nations.

1929		Norway suffers considerably as a result of the world economic depression.

1939		Norway declares its neutrality at the outbreak of World War II.

1940		German forces invade Norway on 9 April. A government-in-exile is set up in London. Vidkun Quisling proclaims himself head of government in Norway.

1945		German forces in Norway surrender on 8 May. Quisling is executed for treason. Norway becomes a charter member of the United Nations (UN).

1949		Norway joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

1952		Winter Olympics in Oslo.

1957		Death of Haakon VII - Olav V crowned king.

1959		Norway becomes founder member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

Late 1960s		Oil and gas deposits discovered in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

1970s		Explotation of oil and gas deposits begins. By the early 1980s they constitute nearly one-third of Norway's annual export earnings.

1972		In a referendum, Norwegians reject the Labour government's recommendation on European Economic Community (EEC) membership. The government resigns.

1973		Norway signs a free trade agreement with the EEC.

1981		Gro Harlem Brundtland becomes Norway's first female Prime Minister.

1986		The International Whaling Commission imposes a temporary ban on whaling. Norway registers objections.

1991		Death of Olav V - Harald V becomes king.

1993		Norway brokers peace negotions between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which lead to the Oslo Accords. Norway resumes commercial whaling despite international moratorium.

1994		Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.

1994		Norwegians again reject membership of the European Union (EU) in a referendum.

1995		Norway becomes the second-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia.

2000		The government of Kjell Magne Bondevik resigns over questions on how Norway should generate its power. He is succeeded by Labour leader Jens Stoltenberg.

2001		The Conservatives, Christian People's Party and Liberals agree to form a coalition government with Kjell Magne Bondevik as prime minister.

2005		Prime Minister Bondevik loses general election to the centre-left alliance led by Labour leader Jens Stoltenberg.

2007		The financial crisis gradually hits Norway as it hits the rest of the world.

2008		A new national opera house opens in Oslo. The famous Old Holmenkollen Ski Jump is demolished.

2009		American president Barack Obama receives the Nobel Peace Prize.

2010		The New Holmenkollen Ski Jump opens.