Misplaced Pages

#881118

105-734: The length and nature of national service depends on the country in question. In some instances, national service is compulsory, and citizens living abroad can be called back to their country of origin to complete it. In other cases, national service is voluntary. Many young people spend one or more years in such programmes. Compulsory military service typically requires all citizens to enroll for one or two years, usually at age 18 (later for university-level students). Most conscripting countries conscript only men, but Norway , Sweden , Israel , Eritrea , Morocco and North Korea conscript both men and women. Voluntary national service may require only three months of basic military training. The US equivalent

210-678: A per-capita basis, Norway is the world's largest producer of oil and natural gas outside of the Middle East. The country has the fourth- and eighth-highest per-capita income in the world on the World Bank 's and IMF 's list, respectively. It has the world's largest sovereign wealth fund , with a value of US$ 1.3 trillion. Norway has two official names: Norge in Bokmål and Noreg in Nynorsk . The English name Norway comes from

315-590: A resistance movement which incorporated civil disobedience and armed resistance including the destruction of Norsk Hydro 's heavy water plant and stockpile of heavy water at Vemork , which crippled the German nuclear programme . More important to the Allied war effort, however, was the role of the Norwegian Merchant Marine , the fourth-largest merchant marine fleet in the world. It was led by

420-610: A calculation (made every eight years) based on their population density. Those members are elected by proportional representation . No party may have a seat unless it wins at least four percent of the vote nationwide. The other 19 members are elected by each constituency at large, one for each constituency. No-one may be a member of the Storting unless they are eligible to vote. Judges of the Supreme Court and most government officials are not eligible for membership. The members of

525-521: A central role in the peaceful separation of Norway from Sweden on 7 June 1905. A national referendum confirmed the people's preference for a monarchy over a republic. However, no Norwegian could legitimately claim the throne, since none of Norway's noble families could claim royal descent . The government then offered the throne of Norway to Prince Carl of Denmark, a prince of the Dano-German royal house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and

630-504: A completely new modern Nynorsk version. The Nynorsk version was compiled by a committee headed by professor Hans Petter Graver . These are based on propositions 21, 22 and 25. Before this, the official name of the Kingdom of Norway ( Bokmål : Kongeriket Norge , Nynorsk : Kongeriket Noreg ) would have been "Kongeriget Norge", as in the modern Danish form if taken literally from the old constitution. The Norwegian constitution has

735-458: A conservative society. Life in Norway (especially economic life) was "dominated by the aristocracy of professional men who filled most of the important posts in the central government". There was no strong bourgeois class to demand a breakdown of this aristocratic control. Thus, even while revolution swept over most of the countries of Europe in 1848, Norway was largely unaffected. Marcus Thrane

840-665: A distant relative of Norway's medieval kings. Following the plebiscite, he was unanimously elected king by the Norwegian Parliament ; he took the name Haakon VII . Throughout the First World War , Norway remained neutral; however, diplomatic pressure from the British government meant that it heavily favoured the Allies . During the war, Norway exported fish to both Germany and Britain, until an ultimatum from

945-457: A distinct national character. The movement covered all branches of culture, including literature ( Henrik Wergeland , Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson , Peter Christen Asbjørnsen , Jørgen Moe ), painting ( Hans Gude , Adolph Tidemand ), music ( Edvard Grieg ), and even language policy, where attempts to define a native written language for Norway led to today's two official written forms for Norwegian: Bokmål and Nynorsk . King Charles III John came to

1050-621: A long eastern border with Sweden , and is bordered by Finland and Russia to the northeast. Norway has an extensive coastline facing the Skagerrak strait, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the Barents Sea . The unified kingdom of Norway was established in 872 as a merger of petty kingdoms and has existed continuously for 1,151–1,152 years. From 1537 to 1814, Norway was part of Denmark–Norway , and, from 1814 to 1905, it

1155-526: A parent and child may not be members at the same time. The Storting may pass a vote of no confidence in any member or in the whole Council, at which point the member or members must resign. The heir to the throne, if over 18, has a seat in the Council but no vote. If the King is absent from the realm or is too ill to carry out his duties, then the heir to the throne (if over 18) may act in his place; afterwards he

SECTION 10

#1732765151882

1260-459: A person (not a member) to supervise the public administration. The Storting has the power to naturalise aliens. Any member of the Storting or member of the Council of State may propose a bill. To become law, a bill must be debated twice, with at least three days between each debate, and then presented to the King for his assent. If the Kings signs it, it becomes law (and it is then published under

1365-535: A political tool to control the government during the 19th century, but no impeachments had been made since 1927. A parliamentary report and a proposition for constitutional amendment was presented in 2004 to change the legal basis of the High Court of the Realm and reduce its political bias. The proposal was passed by a unanimous Storting on 20 February 2007, and came into effect in 2009. The new court of impeachment

1470-466: A relic from the earlier laws of Denmark–Norway , Article 2 in the constitution originally read, "The Evangelical-Lutheran religion remains the public religion of the State. Those inhabitants, who confess thereto, are bound to raise their children to the same. Jesuits and monastic orders are not permitted. Jews are still prohibited from entry to the Realm." In 1851, the last sentence was struck out after

1575-634: A small group had left Norway following their king to Britain. This group included 13 ships, five aircraft, and 500 men from the Royal Norwegian Navy. By the end of the war, the force had grown to 58 ships and 7,500 men in service in the Royal Norwegian Navy, 5 squadrons of aircraft in the newly formed Norwegian Air Force, and land forces including the Norwegian Independent Company 1 and 5 Troop as well as No. 10 Commandos . During German occupation , Norwegians built

1680-605: A sovereign state throughout spring and early summer of 1814. After failing to secure the support of the United Kingdom , war with Sweden became unavoidable. The Swedish Campaign against Norway was short and decisive. However, while badly trained and equipped, the Norwegian Army put up a determined fight, holding the Swedes back at Kongsvinger and securing a tactical victory at the battle of Langnes . This enabled

1785-686: A union between the two countries. In 1397, under Margaret I , the Kalmar Union was created between the three Scandinavian countries. She waged war against the Germans, resulting in a trade blockade and higher taxation on Norwegian goods, which led to a rebellion . However, the Norwegian Council of State was too weak to pull out of the union. Margaret pursued a centralising policy which inevitably favoured Denmark because of its greater population. Margaret also granted trade privileges to

1890-634: A united Norway. Harald's realm was mainly a South Norwegian coastal state. Fairhair ruled with a strong hand and according to the sagas, many Norwegians left the country to live in Iceland, the Faroe Islands , Greenland , and parts of Britain and Ireland. Haakon I the Good was Norway's first Christian king, in the mid-10th century, though his attempt to introduce the religion was rejected. Norse traditions were replaced slowly by Christian ones in

1995-738: A version written in English, provided by the Storting . 17 May, the date of the signing of the constitution, is celebrated as Norwegian Constitution Day with the school children's flag parades. In the capital Oslo, the parade passes the Royal Palace where thousands of schoolchildren wave to the King and Queen . A notable feature of the Norwegian Constitution Day celebration is the virtual absence of any military parades,

2100-573: Is Selective Service . In the United States, voluntary enrollments at the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps are also known as national service. Around 100 AD, Plutarch quoted an early case for national service made by a Roman general sometime around the 5th century BC: With the politic design of preventing intestine broils by employment abroad, and in the hope that when rich as well as poor, plebeians and patricians, should be mingled again in

2205-449: Is accountable for his actions to the King and to the Storting. If the heir is under 18 then the Council exercises the King's powers. The King may pass temporary ordinances about commerce, customs, "all livelihoods" and public administration. These remain in force until the next Storting. The King in Council may pardon criminals after they have been sentenced, except in cases of impeachment . In proceedings on impeachment, he may not pardon

SECTION 20

#1732765151882

2310-571: Is also the second oldest working national constitution in the world, after the Constitution of the United States . In May 2014, the Storting passed the most substantial changes since 1814, particularly by including paragraphs on human rights. Until 1814, Norway was part of the Kingdom of Denmark–Norway . Following the defeat of Napoleon's troops at the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813,

2415-543: Is composed of five regular Supreme Court of Norway judges and six lay judges appointed by the Storting. In May 2012, parliament passed a constitutional amendment, for the second time, to separate church and state. This formally made Norway a secular country with no official religion, although the Church of Norway is still mentioned in the Constitution. Article 12 in the constitution, which stated that more than half of

2520-454: Is little archaeological evidence dating to the early Iron Age (the last 500 years BC). The dead were cremated, and their graves contained few goods. During the first four centuries AD, the people of Norway were in contact with Roman-occupied Gaul ; about 70 Roman bronze cauldrons, often used as burial urns, have been found. Contact with countries farther south brought a knowledge of runes ; the oldest known Norwegian runic inscription dates from

2625-504: The Constitutional Committee , was the assembly's resident expert on foreign constitutions, and played an important part in shaping the language of the constitution. Diriks is credited with formulating §100, concerning freedom of speech , and §102, guarding against unreasonable searches and seizures . The constitution shows a curious mix of radical and traditional values. The principle of separation of powers between

2730-1117: The European Union and the United States . Norway is a founding member of the United Nations , NATO , the European Free Trade Association , the Council of Europe , the Antarctic Treaty , and the Nordic Council ; a member of the European Economic Area , the WTO , and the OECD ; and a part of the Schengen Area . The Norwegian dialects share mutual intelligibility with Danish and Swedish . Norway maintains

2835-612: The French Revolution in 1789, and the subsequent U.S. and French constitutions. The authors, Christian Magnus Falsen and Johan Gunder Adler , were also influenced by the Spanish Constitution of 1812 . A deviation from the republican constitutions of France and the United States was the retention of monarchy . Importing republicanism was seen as an attempt to emulate the French and Americans directly, something

2940-584: The German invasion of France . King Haakon and the Norwegian government escaped to Rotherhithe in London. Throughout the war they sent radio speeches and supported clandestine military actions against the Germans. On the day of the invasion, the leader of the small National-Socialist party Nasjonal Samling , Vidkun Quisling , tried to seize power, but was forced by the German occupiers to step aside. Real power

3045-485: The Labour Party held an absolute majority in the parliament. The government, led by prime minister Einar Gerhardsen , embarked on a programme inspired by Keynesian economics , emphasising state financed industrialisation and co-operation between trade unions and employers' organisations . Many measures of state control of the economy imposed during the war were continued, although the rationing of dairy products

3150-483: The Nordic welfare model with universal health care and a comprehensive social security system, and its values are rooted in egalitarian ideals. The Norwegian state has large ownership positions in key industrial sectors, having extensive reserves of petroleum, natural gas, minerals, lumber, seafood, and fresh water. The petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). On

3255-538: The Old English word Norþweg mentioned in 880, meaning "northern way" or "way leading to the north", which is how the Anglo-Saxons referred to the coastline of Atlantic Norway. The Anglo-Saxons of Britain also referred to the kingdom of Norway in 880 as Norðmanna land . There is some disagreement about whether the native name of Norway originally had the same etymology as the English form. According to

National service - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-532: The Syttende mai (Seventeenth of May) holiday. Norwegian opposition to the decision to link Norway with Sweden caused the Norwegian–Swedish War to break out as Sweden tried to subdue Norway by military means. As Sweden's military was not strong enough to defeat the Norwegian forces outright, and Norway's treasury was not large enough to support a protracted war, and as British and Russian navies blockaded

3465-528: The Treaty of Kiel of January 1814 ceded Norway to Sweden. In response, the Crown Prince of Denmark–Norway and resident viceroy in Norway, Christian Frederik , started a Norwegian independence movement . The most likely goal of the young Crown Prince was reunification with Denmark. His initiative was successful, and a national assembly at Eidsvoll was called. The assembled representatives were elected by

3570-530: The archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of Norway. Bouvet Island , located in the Subantarctic , is a dependency , and not a part of the Kingdom; Norway also claims the Antarctic territories of Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land . The capital and largest city in Norway is Oslo . Norway has a total area of 385,207 square kilometres (148,729 sq mi). The country shares

3675-587: The introduction of Protestantism in 1536, the archbishopric in Trondheim was dissolved; Norway lost its independence and effectually became a colony of Denmark. The Church's incomes and possessions were instead redirected to the court in Copenhagen. Norway lost the steady stream of pilgrims to the relics of St. Olav at the Nidaros shrine, and with them, much of the contact with cultural and economic life in

3780-523: The parliament , the cabinet , and the supreme court , as determined by the 1814 constitution . Norway has both administrative and political subdivisions on two levels: counties and municipalities . The Sámi people have a certain amount of self-determination and influence over traditional territories through the Sámi Parliament and the Finnmark Act . Norway maintains close ties with

3885-474: The union with Sweden . Under this arrangement, Norway kept its liberal constitution and its own independent institutions, though it shared a monarch and foreign policy with Sweden. Following the recession caused by the Napoleonic Wars , economic development of Norway remained slow until 1830. This period also saw the rise of Norwegian romantic nationalism , as Norwegians sought to define and express

3990-445: The 1970s. In 1814 and 1903, the word Lappish ( lappisk ) would have been used. In February 2006, a constitutional amendment was aimed at reverting 16 minor spelling errors to the proper 1903 forms. Different approaches to revise the language throughout the document were suggested: In 2014, when the language in the constitution was officially revised they went with the first approach, which produced an updated Bokmål version and

4095-602: The British government and anti-German sentiments as a result of German submarines targeting Norwegian merchantmen led to a termination of trade with Germany. 436 Norwegian merchantmen were sunk by the Kaiserliche Marine , with 1,150 Norwegian sailors killed. Norway once more proclaimed its neutrality during the Second World War , but was invaded by German forces on 9 April 1940. Although Norway

4200-422: The Council of State are not members of the Storting, but have the right to attend and take part on debate (but not to vote). Members of the Storting are privileged from arrest during their attendance and while travelling to and from the Storting, "unless they are apprehended in public crimes." They are not accountable for the opinions they express in the Storting. The Storting shall meet in the capital every year on

4305-526: The Council's permission, otherwise he automatically forfeits the Crown. It sets out the line of succession , and provides that if the line of succession dies out then the Storting shall elect a new king. It sets out the King's coronation oath. Executive power is vested in the King, but the government is conducted in his name by a Council of State, and all of his decisions must be counter-signed by an official. The Council consists of at least eight members chosen by

National service - Misplaced Pages Continue

4410-580: The Danish kingdom was on the losing side in 1814, it was forced by the Treaty of Kiel to cede Norway to Sweden, while the old Norwegian provinces of Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands remained with the Danish crown. Norway took this opportunity to declare independence, adopted a constitution based on American and French models, and elected the Crown Prince of Denmark and Norway, Christian Frederick , as king on 17 May 1814 – celebrated as

4515-569: The Hanseatic merchants of Lübeck in Bergen in return for recognition of her rule, and these hurt the Norwegian economy. The Hanseatic merchants formed a state within a state in Bergen for generations. The " Victual Brothers " launched three devastating pirate raids on the port (the last in 1427). Norway slipped ever more to the background under the Oldenburg dynasty (established 1448). There

4620-601: The King to avoid an unconditional surrender as he was forced into negotiations with the Swedes, leading to the Convention of Moss . Putting the strategic situation and his own abdication to good use, he persuaded the Swedish crown prince Carl Johan (the former Marshal Bernadotte of France) to let the Norwegians keep their constitution. The Swedish crown prince could have named his terms to Norway, but wanted to appease

4725-407: The King, came increasingly to rest in his Council of State ( statsråd ). Similarly, the King originally had the right to appoint members of the Council, who were answerable to him alone, and they could not be chosen from the members of the Storting . With the establishment of parliamentarism in 1884, the Council was effectively chosen by general election, in that the King appointed only members of

4830-474: The King, including the Prime Minister. Members must be Norwegian citizens who are eligible to vote. More than half the members must be present to conduct business, but if not enough members are present then temporary members may be appointed. In the event of a tied vote, the Prime Minister or, in his absence, the Council's highest-ranking member, has a second and casting vote. Two spouses, two siblings, or

4935-533: The Norwegian coast, the belligerents were forced to negotiate the Convention of Moss . Christian Frederik abdicated the Norwegian throne and authorised the Parliament of Norway to make the necessary constitutional amendments to allow for the personal union that Norway was forced to accept. On 4 November 1814, the Parliament (Storting) elected Charles XIII of Sweden as king of Norway, thereby establishing

5040-464: The Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland had campaigned for the rights of the Jews, and in 1897 also the next to last sentence. Monastic orders were permitted 1897, but the ban on Jesuits was only lifted in 1956. Universal male suffrage was introduced in Norway in 1898 and universal suffrage in 1913 by amendments of the constitution. Some constitutional scholars hold that it may be necessary to change

5145-617: The Norwegian shipping company Nortraship under the Allies throughout the war and took part in every war operation from the evacuation of Dunkirk to the Normandy landings . Every December Norway gives a Christmas tree to the United Kingdom as thanks for the British assistance during the war. Svalbard was not occupied by German troops, but Germany secretly established a meteorological station there in 1944. From 1945 to 1962,

5250-419: The Norwegians and avoid a bloody continuation of the war. Realizing that a forced union with himself as ruler of a conquered and hostile country would be very uneasy, he accepted the Norwegian proposition. Norway then entered into a personal union with Sweden, and the constitution was amended as necessary to form the Union between Sweden and Norway . Notably, while Norway was to keep most of its own institution,

5355-405: The Prime Minister and other members of the Council, and other senior government and military officials. He may appoint his own household officials at his own discretion. He may honour people for distinguished service, but not grant hereditary privileges. The armed forces may not be deployed outside the realm, nor may foreign forces be allowed into the realm (except to defend it from attack), without

SECTION 50

#1732765151882

5460-417: The Seal of the Realm). The King may veto a bill, but his veto may be overridden if the bill is passed in the same form by the next elected Storting. Article 85 states that "Any person who obeys an order the purpose of which is to disturb the liberty and security of the Storting is thereby guilty of treason against the country." Chapter D (Articles 86 to 91) vests the judicial power in a Supreme Court and

5565-410: The Storting's consent. A prince or princess may not marry without the King's consent; contravention of that rule disqualifies them from succession to the throne. They "shall not be personally answerable to anyone other than the King" or a person delegated by him. Article 16 says that the Church of Norway is the Established Church, "and will as such be supported by the State." However it also guarantees

5670-426: The church very much under the control of the elected body. Suffrage was extended, but was still restricted to certain groups of men. All men who were either farmers possessing their own land, civil servants, or urban property owners could vote. With this, about half of all Norwegian men were granted the right to vote. The young king and Norwegian officials tried to find international backing for their bid for Norway as

5775-536: The coast, where the huge ice shelf of the last ice age first melted between 11,000 and 8000 BC. The oldest finds are stone tools dating from 9500 to 6000 BC, discovered in Finnmark ( Komsa culture ) in the north and Rogaland ( Fosna culture ) in the southwest. Theories about the two cultures being separate were deemed obsolete in the 1970s. Between 3000 and 2500 BC, new settlers ( Corded Ware culture ) arrived in eastern Norway . They were Indo-European farmers who grew grain and kept livestock, and gradually replaced

5880-412: The concept a King by the will of the people. The union amendments were revoked after the dissolution of the 91-year union in 1905. The question of a King was again considered, and the Storting elected to offer the throne to the 33-year-old Prince Carl of Denmark, married to Princess Maud of Wales , the daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. By bringing in a king with British royal ties, it

5985-451: The congregations of the state church and by military units throughout Norway. They convened at the Eidsvoll manor on 10 April. The constitution was written during five weeks of the spring of 1814. It was ratified by the assembly on 16 May, and signed the following day. The latter date is now celebrated as the Norwegian Constitution Day . The Norwegian constitution was inspired by the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776 and

6090-405: The constitution if Norway is to enter the European Union , as the first article states that Norway is a "free, independent" country. However, the debate on the EU has been relatively quiescent since the referendum in 1994, so such a change is not likely to occur in the immediate future. The Norwegian High Court of the Realm is warranted by the constitution and was frequently used by the Storting as

6195-405: The constitution was written, a chapter on human rights was added as well as being rewritten into modern Bokmål and Nynorsk . The events and the constitution of 1814 have a central place in Norwegian identity. For this reason, and to keep the text as consistent as possible, changes prior to the language revision in 2014 were written in a language close to the original. In 1814, Danish was still

6300-428: The control of Queen Margaret when the country entered into the Kalmar Union . After Sweden broke out of the Kalmar Union in 1521, Norway tried to follow suit, but the subsequent rebellion was defeated, and Norway remained in a union with Denmark until 1814. This period was by some referred to as the "400-Year Night", since all of the kingdom's intellectual and administrative power was centred in Copenhagen . With

6405-430: The day being almost wholly a civilian celebration. Each autumn the Storting is formally opened by the King. In an election year, the session starts with representatives for each county being formally recognised as the lawful representatives. This happens every fourth year (the Norwegian Constitution does not allow for intra-period snap elections ). After the session is opened and a secretary and president are elected for

SECTION 60

#1732765151882

6510-476: The death of Haakon in 1379, his 10-year-old son Olaf IV acceded to the throne. As Olaf had already been elected to the throne of Denmark in 1376, Denmark and Norway entered a personal union . Olaf's mother and Haakon's widow, Queen Margaret, managed the foreign affairs of Denmark and Norway during Olaf's minority. Margaret was on the verge of achieving a union of Sweden with Denmark and Norway when Olaf IV suddenly died. Denmark made Margaret temporary ruler on

6615-434: The death of Olaf. On 2 February 1388, Norway followed suit and crowned Margaret. Queen Margaret knew that her power would be more secure if she were able to find a king to rule in her place. She settled on Eric of Pomerania , grandson of her sister. Thus at an all-Scandinavian meeting held at Kalmar, Erik of Pomerania was crowned king of all three Scandinavian countries, bringing the thrones of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden under

6720-526: The debate, the youngest member of the cabinet reads The Report on the State of the Realm. The current text of the Constitution (as amended in May 2018) consists of 121 articles, grouped into chapters A to F. Chapter A consists of Articles 1 and 2, which state that Norway is "a free, independent, indivisible and inalienable realm" with "a limited and hereditary monarchy." The state's values are its "Christian and humanist heritage," democracy and "the rule of law and human rights." The mention of humanist values

6825-416: The defendant unless the Storting consents. (He may commute a death sentence without the Storting's consent, but the death penalty is now prohibited by Article 93.) The King is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and he appoints all civil and military officers, after consulting the Council. Royal princes and princesses are disqualified from holding office. The King may, after consulting the Council, dismiss

6930-438: The economy, because of the loans the Hansa had made to the royals and the large debt the kings were carrying. The League's monopolistic control over the economy of Norway put pressure on all classes, especially the peasantry, to the degree that no real burgher class existed in Norway. From the 1040s to 1130, the country was at peace. In 1130, the civil war era broke out on the basis of unclear succession laws , which allowed

7035-500: The end of the century. Throughout the High Middle Ages , the king established Norway as a sovereign state with a central administration and local representatives. In 1349, the Black Death spread to Norway and within a year killed a third of the population. Later plagues reduced the population to half the starting point by 1400. Many communities were entirely wiped out, resulting in an abundance of land, allowing farmers to switch to more animal husbandry . The reduction in taxes weakened

7140-424: The executive, legislative and judicial branches was directly inspired by radical ideas from the US and French systems. The retention of a king, a constitutional church , defined as Evangelical-Lutheran, and the banning of Jesuits , monastic orders, and Jews, which latter were not allowed to travel to Norway, in the face of Republicanism was a traditionalist move; however, the king's power was severely curtailed, and

7245-423: The expense of Sweden and Russia. The famine of 1695–1696 killed roughly 10% of Norway's population. The harvest failed in Scandinavia at least nine times between 1740 and 1800, with great loss of life. After Denmark–Norway was attacked by the United Kingdom at the 1807 Battle of Copenhagen , it entered into an alliance with Napoleon , with the war leading to dire conditions and mass starvation in 1812. As

7350-399: The first weekday of October, unless the King designates another town due to an emergency. The King may also summon the Storting at other times if necessary. Each new Storting is opened by the King, or a person delegated by him, who makes a speech about the state of the realm. The Storting meets in open session, and its decisions are published, unless it decides otherwise. The Storting appoints

7455-438: The hunting-fishing population of the west coast. From about 1500 BC, bronze was gradually introduced. Burial cairns built close to the sea as far north as Harstad and also inland in the south are characteristic of this period, with rock carving motifs that differ from those of the Stone Age , depicting ships resembling the Hjortspring boat , while large stone burial monuments known as stone ships were also erected. There

7560-485: The king's position, and many aristocrats lost the basis for their surplus. High tithes to church made it increasingly powerful and the archbishop became a member of the Council of State . The Hanseatic League took control over Norwegian trade during the 14th century and established a trading centre in Bergen . In 1380, Olaf Haakonsson inherited both the Norwegian (as Olaf IV) and Danish thrones (as Olaf II), creating

7665-419: The king's sons to rule jointly. The Archdiocese of Nidaros was created in 1152 and attempted to control the appointment of kings. The church inevitably had to take sides in the conflicts. The wars ended in 1217 with the appointment of Håkon IV Håkonsson , who introduced clear laws of succession. From 1000 to 1300, the population increased from 150,000 to 400,000, resulting both in more land being cleared and

7770-496: The kings of Sweden and of Denmark were elected to the throne by their respective nobles. Thus Sweden and Norway were united under King Magnus VII. In 1349, the Black Death killed between 50% and 60% of Norway's population and led to a period of social and economic decline. Although the death rate was comparable with the rest of Europe, economic recovery took much longer because of the small, scattered population. Even before

7875-399: The language of the 1903 version, leading to peculiar constructions. The word environment was written with the archaic spelling Milieu , differing from modern Norwegian and Danish miljø ; the modern context of that word was, however, non-existent in the 19th century. The " Sami ethnic group" was " den samiske Folkegruppe ", even though the word Sami ( samisk ) was not common until

7980-516: The late 10th and early 11th centuries. This is largely attributed to the missionary kings Olaf I Tryggvasson and Olaf II Haraldsson (St. Olaf). Olaf Tryggvasson conducted raids in England, including attacking London. Arriving back in Norway in 995, Olaf landed in Moster where he built a church which became the first Christian church in Norway. From Moster, Olaf sailed north to Trondheim where he

8085-413: The lawmakers at Eidsvoll sought to avoid. The choice of monarchy as state form would also facilitate the reunification of Denmark–Norway, something the Crown Prince was not alone in seeking. The king's power was however severely curtailed. His absolute veto over laws was removed. The council of Eidsvoll chose Crown Prince Christian Frederik as king . Christian Adolph Diriks , who was the legal secretary of

8190-519: The ninth century when heading for the Faroe Islands , and eventually came across Vinland , known today as Newfoundland , in Canada. The Vikings from Norway were most active in the northern and western British Isles and eastern North America isles . According to tradition, Harald Fairhair unified them into one in 872 after the Battle of Hafrsfjord in Stavanger , thus becoming the first king of

8295-541: The parliament then elected him king. On 13 November, the Norwegian votes decided on monarchy with a 78.9 percent majority, and Carl was elected King by the Storting, taking the regnal name Haakon VII . In 1942, the national socialist Minister President Vidkun Quisling , reintroduced the Jew clause , but the change was reverted after the war. After World War II and the restoration of peace and constitutional rule, there

8400-459: The party or coalition having a majority in the Storting. Further, the Council became answerable to the Storting, in the sense that a failed vote of confidence would cause the government to resign. This last happened in March 2000, when the governing coalition refused introduction of electrical power stations based on natural gas on environmental grounds, which a majority of the Storting supported. As

8505-523: The period, the King addresses the representatives with the Trontale ('Speech from the Throne') in his capacity as formal head of state. The Trontale summarizes the government's program for the coming year, and while delivered by the King, is written by the sitting government. The Trontale is followed by a general debate, where the opposition states their main points for the year to come. Following

8610-437: The persons in the Council of State had to be members of the state church was also repealed. In the run-up for the 200th anniversary for the Constitution, work was done to see if the Constitution could be amended to be more in tune with the times. In December 2011, a Committee appointed by the Storting put forth its report, suggesting that human rights be put in a separate chapter in the Constitution. In 2014, 200 years after

8715-440: The plague, the population was only about 500,000. After the plague, many farms lay idle while the population slowly increased. However, the few surviving farms' tenants found their bargaining positions with their landlords greatly strengthened. King Magnus VII ruled Norway until 1350, when his son, Haakon, was placed on the throne as Haakon VI . In 1363, Haakon married Margaret , daughter of King Valdemar IV of Denmark . Upon

8820-489: The reign of Charles III John brought some significant social and political reforms. In 1854, women won the right to inherit property. In 1863, the last trace of keeping unmarried women in the status of minors was removed. Furthermore, women were eligible for different occupations, particularly the common school teacher. By mid-century, Norway's democracy was limited; voting was limited to officials, property owners, leaseholders and burghers of incorporated towns. Norway remained

8925-418: The rest of Europe. Eventually restored as a kingdom (albeit in legislative union with Denmark) in 1661, Norway saw its land area decrease in the 17th century with the loss of the provinces Båhuslen , Jemtland , and Herjedalen to Sweden, as the result of a number of disastrous wars with Sweden. In the north, its territory was increased by the acquisition of the northern provinces of Troms and Finnmark , at

9030-514: The right of all inhabitants of the realm to freely exercise their own religion. Article 33 states that Norges Bank is the central bank of Norway. Chapter C (Articles 49 to 85) is about the Storting and the rights of citizens. Legislative power is vested in the Storting, which consists of one house containing 169 members, elected every four years in free and secret elections. All Norwegian citizens who are aged 18 or over are eligible to vote. Article 50 guarantees this right to men and women. However

9135-440: The right to vote may be qualified by law in the case of citizens who are resident overseas, mentally ill or in "a reduced level of consciousness," and the right to vote may be lost by convicted criminals (in circumstances prescribed by law) and by citizens who serve in a foreign government without the Norwegian government's consent. There are 19 parliamentary constituencies. 150 seats are apportioned to each constituency according to

9240-724: The same army and in the same camp, and engage in one common service for the public, it would mutually dispose them to reconciliation and friendship. Norway in Europe  (green and dark grey) Norway ( Bokmål : Norge , Nynorsk : Noreg ), officially the Kingdom of Norway , is a Nordic country in Northern Europe , situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula with a population of 5.5 million as of 2024. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and

9345-543: The subdivision of farms. While in the Viking Age farmers owned their own land, by 1300, seventy per cent of the land was owned by the king, the church, or the aristocracy, and about twenty per cent of yields went to these landowners. The 14th century is described as Norway's golden age , with peace and increase in trade, especially with the British Islands, although Germany became increasingly important towards

9450-582: The third century. By the time of the first historical records of Scandinavia, about the 8th century, several small political entities existed in Norway. It has been estimated that there were nine petty realms in Western Norway during the early Viking Age . Archaeologist Bergljot Solberg on this basis estimates that there would have been at least 20 in the whole country. In the Viking period, Norwegian Viking explorers discovered Iceland by accident in

9555-452: The throne of Norway and Sweden in 1818 and reigned to 1844. He protected the constitution and liberties of Norway and Sweden during the age of Metternich . As such, he was regarded as a liberal monarch. However, he was ruthless in his use of paid informers, secret police and restrictions on the freedom of the press to put down public movements for reform—especially the Norwegian national independence movement. The Romantic Era that followed

9660-498: The traditional dominant view, the first component was originally norðr , a cognate of English north , so the full name was Norðr vegr , "the way northwards", referring to the sailing route along the Norwegian coast, and contrasting with suðrvegar "southern way" (from Old Norse suðr ) for (Germany), and austrvegr "eastern way" (from austr ) for the Baltic . The earliest traces of human occupation in Norway are found along

9765-434: The two countries were to share a common monarch and a common foreign policy. On 7 October, an extraordinary session of the Storting convened, and king Christian Frederik delegated his powers to the parliament and abdicated on 10 October. The Storting adopted the constitutional amendments on 4 November and on the same day unanimously elected Charles XIII king of Norway, rather than acknowledging him as such, thus reinforcing

9870-499: The universal written language in Norway. The current two official varieties of written Norwegian, Bokmål and Nynorsk (until 1929 called Riksmål and Landsmål respectively), were not developed until the late 19th century. Additionally, in 1903, the constitution underwent a very slight linguistic revision, changing the spelling of some words where orthography had changed since 1814 but still using conservative 19th century Danish. All amendments prior to 2014 have attempted to imitate

9975-631: Was a Utopian socialist who in 1848 organised a labour society in Drammen . In just a few months, this society had a membership of 500 and was publishing its own newspaper. Within two years, 300 societies had been organised all over Norway, with a total membership of 20,000 drawn from the lower classes of both urban and rural areas. In the end, the revolt was easily crushed; Thrane was captured and jailed. In 1898, all men were granted universal suffrage , followed by all women in 1913. Christian Michelsen , Prime Minister of Norway from 1905 to 1907, played

10080-604: Was adopted on 16 May and signed on 17 May 1814 by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll . The latter date is the National Day of Norway ; it marks the establishment of the constitution. It is the fourth oldest written single-document national constitution in Europe after the Constitution of Poland , the French constitution of 1791 , and the Spanish Constitution of 1812 . The document

10185-404: Was hoped that Norway could court Britain's support. Additionally, Prince Carl was related on his father's side to Norway's medieval kings. Prince Carl, however, was well aware of a surge of republicanism in Norway and of the constitutional situation of the Norwegian throne. He insisted that he would accept the crown only if the Norwegian people expressed their will for monarchy by referendum and if

10290-500: Was in a personal union with Sweden. Norway was neutral during the First World War , and in the Second World War until April 1940 when it was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany until the end of the war. Harald V of the House of Glücksburg is the current King of Norway . Jonas Gahr Støre has been Prime Minister of Norway since 2021. As a unitary state with a constitutional monarchy , Norway divides state power between

10395-419: Was lifted in 1949, while price controls and rationing of housing and cars continued until 1960. Constitution of Norway Bokmål : Kongeriket Norges Grunnlov The Constitution of Norway (complete name: The Constitution of the Kingdom of Norway ; Danish : Kongeriget Norges Grundlov ; Norwegian Bokmål : Kongeriket Norges Grunnlov ; Norwegian Nynorsk : Kongeriket Noregs Grunnlov )

10500-549: Was made due to the popularity of secular humanism in Norway and the importance of secular ethics to millions of Norwegians. Chapter B is about the King (or Queen), the royal family, the Council of State and the Church of Norway . It consists of Articles 3 to 48. It states that the King must "at all times profess the Evangelical-Lutheran religion." He may not leave the state for longer than six months without

10605-419: Was much debate on how to handle the events of the previous five years. None of this led to any changes in the constitution; it had withstood the test of hard times. While radical in its day, the constitution of 1814 was a product of its age. As Norwegian democracy developed, some parts of it began to look increasingly dated. For example, the executive power, which in the constitution is consistently attributed to

10710-408: Was one revolt under Knut Alvsson in 1502. Norway took no part in the events which led to Swedish independence from Denmark in the 1520s. Upon the death of King Haakon V in 1319, Magnus Eriksson , at just three years old, inherited the throne as King Magnus VII. A simultaneous movement to make Magnus King of Sweden proved successful (he was a grandson of King Magnus Ladulås of Sweden), and both

10815-634: Was proclaimed King of Norway by the Eyrathing in 995. One of the most important sources for the history of the 11th century Vikings is the treaty between the Icelanders and Olaf II Haraldsson, king of Norway circa 1015 to 1028. Feudalism never really developed in Norway or Sweden, as it did in the rest of Europe. However, the administration of government took on a very conservative feudal character. The Hanseatic League forced royalty to cede to them greater and greater concessions over foreign trade and

10920-455: Was unprepared for the German surprise attack (see: Battle of Drøbak Sound , Norwegian Campaign , and Invasion of Norway ), military and naval resistance lasted for two months. Norwegian armed forces in the north launched an offensive against the German forces in the Battles of Narvik , but were forced to surrender on 10 June after losing British support which had been diverted to France during

11025-582: Was wielded by the leader of the German occupation authority, Josef Terboven . Quisling, as minister president , later formed a collaborationist government under German control . Up to 15,000 Norwegians volunteered to fight in German units, including the Waffen-SS . Many Norwegians and persons of Norwegian descent joined the Allied forces as well as the Free Norwegian Forces . In June 1940,

#881118