International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH,
UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San
Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63
Flag description:
red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges
of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Economy Norway
Economy - overview:
The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).
The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
its oil production and international oil prices; in 1999, oil and
gas accounted for 35% of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia
export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU
during a referendum in November 1994. The government has moved ahead
with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life
worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two
decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway
has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government
Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more
than $43 billion. GDP growth was a lackluster 1% in 2002 and 2003
against the background of a faltering European economy.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $149.1 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $33,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 30.8%
services: 67.3% (2000)