Coastline: 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands
2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor
indentations 16,093 km)
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 4 nm
International disputes: territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen
Maud Land); maritime boundary dispute with Russia over portion of
Barents Sea
Climate: temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic
Current; colder interior; rainy year-round on west coast
Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Glittertinden 2,472 m
Natural resources: petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites,
nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 27%
other: 70%
Irrigated land: 950 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues: water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and
adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution
from vehicle emissions
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law
of the Sea
Geographic note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world; Norway and Turkey only NATO members having a land boundary with Russia