A beautifully illustrated, English language introduction to Norwegian society, history and culture . in short, a thorough digest of all things Norwegian.

Beautiful landscapes, winter sports, and Vikings; these keywords sum up the image most people around the world have of Norway. North Sea oil and the welfare state; salted cod and smoked salmon; whaling and seal hunting; the Nobel Peace Prize and The Oslo Agreement; Ibsen.s A Dollhouse and Edvard Munch.s Scream... the list could go on. And when it comes to presentations of our country available in the English-speaking world, the lists do go on: most books on the subject tend to be little more than superficial inventories of evocative images and keywords. Norway was conceived as an answer to the demand for a varied, in-depth portrait of the nation. For visiting tourists, businesspeople and diplomats, this volume offers a fascinating introduction to an unfamiliar land and its people. And it will prove no less valuable to the many Norwegians, at home or abroad, who wish to extend their acquaintance with the familiar. The substantial task of developing and compiling the work.s main components was initiated two years ago by an editorial board led by Tove Bull and Harald Norvik, with the active participation of HRH the Crown Prince, Haakon. A selection of the country.s most prominent writers, public figures and analysts then joined forces to compose a rich and well-balanced portrait of the nation. Their articles cover a broad range of topics: from politics and economics, to sports and cuisine; from environmental issues and education, to customs, folklore, and questions of faith. The work is primarily a presentation of Norway as it enters the year 2005, but the historical influences that played a part in the shaping of the nation have also been dealt with exhaustively. Portraits of historical figures precede each chapter. One chapter includes a statistical overview of the country; another deals with visual arts over the past few centuries; yet another presents an anthology of classic and contemporary poetry.