A northern star that continues to shine
Norway is one of the most prosperous nations in Europe and, while for the present it prefers independence to signing up for the European Union, it continues to make its mark in the world, notching up achievements in everything from sports to technology. It also regularly appears at the top of surveys designed to find the most peaceful and liveable country in the world.
An election in the autumn of last year brought a centre-left coalition to power and the country is thriving economically. The unemployment rate, hovering at a mere 3 per cent, is the lowest in the region.
A mild recession early last year was quickly brushed aside and the economy is forecast to grow approximately 2 per cent this year. The national wealth fund, which invests surplus revenues from exports of gas and North Sea oil in stocks and bonds, is estimated to be in excess of US$400 billion, or about US$85,000 per citizen, despite the recent global economic downturn.
Besides fishing, Norway's other major industries are shipping, food processing, shipbuilding, the metal industry, chemicals, and pulp and paper products from its extensive forests.
On the international scene, Foreign Policy Magazine ranked Norway last in its Failed States Index for 2009, judging Norway to be the world's most well-functioning and stable country, while the Worldwide Press Freedom Index, co-ordinated by Reporters Without Borders, put Norway first equal together with Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Ireland. Norway was also rated the second most peaceful country in the world last year, after New Zealand, in a survey by Global Peace Index.
So, Norwegians - who receive free education and benefit from a heavily subsidised health care system - have many reasons to feel contented.
And the national sporting prowess simply serves to give the Norwegian ego an extra boost. Thomas Rogne, a 19-year-old defender who previously played for minor Norwegian team Stab?k, hit the headlines last month when he was signed by Scottish Premier League football club Celtic.
Rogne, who has also played for his country's under-21 team, has been described as 'the best young talent to come out for Norway in the past 10 years'.
With the Winter Olympics due to take place in Vancouver this month, hopes are high for 24-year-old cross-country skier Petter Northug, who picked up three gold medals at last year's Nordic World Ski Championships at Liberec in the Czech Republic.
Fans expect Northug to win at least half of the six cross-country events, relying on his trademark explosive finish that has powered him to the winner's podium in numerous races in the past. And it's not just men - 19-year-old snowboarder Helene Olafsen, who specialises in snowboard cross, halfpipe and slopestyle, is second in the world rankings, and forecast to have a glittering career ahead of her.
And, when it comes to technology, Norway is a world leader. Bach Technology was founded in Norway in 2007, with subsidiaries in China and Germany, and it specialises in providing applications for the digital music industry. As co-inventor of the hugely popular MP3 technology, it is now aiming to create another mini-revolution with a newly evolved music file format, which is dubbed MusicDNA. The device will allow music lovers to download tracks and extra content, such as news updates, lyrics and images of the singers. The new format - which is expected to be able to prevent wide-scale piracy - will also allow publishers and retailers to update customers with news about forthcoming tours and similar events.
Film is another prominent feature of Norway's entertainment industry and, while the country has lagged slightly as far as international cinema is concerned, its recent success traces its origins to the 1987 Oscar nomination for Nils Gaup's Pathfinder. Berit Nesheim's The Other Side of Sunday was also nominated for an Oscar in 1997, and in the past 10 years the Norwegian movie industry has grown significantly, producing 20 feature films every year.
The most recent success, Max Manus, opened at Norwegian theatres in 2008, recounting the tale of the eponymous second world war resistance hero who had a series of successful sabotage operations against the German occupation. The movie became the highest grossing Norwegian movie ever, pulling in more than US$11 million.
And, with one of the highest basic hourly wages in the world - averaging 120 kroner or HK$157 - despite high taxation, Norwegian workers still have a reasonable disposable income to spend on fun and games. In a country that is indisputably adores music, one of the highlights is the Oya Festival that is held each summer, featuring more than 200 bands, 30 clubs, and four outdoor stages.
Plus as this is ultra-green Norway, organic waste from the festival is used to run buses in Oslo, and eco-friendly lighting equipment uses a fraction of the energy required by conventional systems.