A Little Background:
Norway is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy.

The monarch is King Harald V of Norway. The democratically elected head of state is Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, representing the Labor Party.

Norway is often called “The Land of the Midnight Sun” because some of its northern cities experience 24 hours of sunlight in the summer. (A lot of kids would love that!) Unfortunately, they also experience 24 hours of darkness in the winter.

Norway extends into the Arctic Circle so you’d expect it to be very cold there all year round, wouldn’t you? (You’d be right if it was located in the same global position in North America.) However, in the summer temperatures in parts of Norway can reach above 86 degrees Fahrenheit. People wear shorts and swim suits. How can that be?

The Gulf Stream brings warm waters and winds to Norway. The country is also protected by mountain ranges that keep the cold air out. Finally, those long summer days of the strong northern sun help keep inland temperatures warmer than you would expect them to be.

Norwegians love the beauty of nature and enjoy hiking and skiing. Schools even arrange annual ski days.
 

Epcot's Norwegian Village
The cobblestone courtyard in Norway is similar to what you might find in Oslo, Bergen or Alesund. You’ll see a statue here of Grete Waitz. She’s an icon in women’s track and field and has broken many world records. She won a silver medal in the 1984 Olympic Marathon and is a nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon.

More about Norway: