News in Persons

Reine on the Lofoten islands, northwest of Norway and north of the polarcircle. Lofoten is a group of islands in the northern part of Norway. With its postcard looking small fishing villages nestled in fjords, dotting a very rugged coast with abrupt peaks rising directly from the ocean, the archipelago is often described as one of the most scenic parts of Norway. The Kingdom of Norway is a Nordic country on the western side of the Scandinavian peninsula. It has a size of 385,252 square kilometers, and a population of close to 5 million people. Norway shares a long border with Sweden, some 1,619 kilometers in length, and a much shorter one with Finland, about 727 km. It also shares a 196-km border with Russia to the east.

As with its Scandinavian neighbors, Norway is a very wealthy country - the third wealthiest in the world in monetary value. It is also the world's fifth biggest oil exporter, with petroleum accounting for a quarter of its GDP. The Norwegian krone is said to be the strongest currency in the world.