History of Norway in Timeline

Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It includes Jan Mayen and Svalbard, with dependencies like Bouvet Island, and claims in Antarctica. With a population of 5.6 million, its capital is Oslo. Norway covers 385,207 square kilometers, sharing borders with Sweden, Finland, and Russia. It has a long coastline along the Skagerrak strait, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the Barents Sea.

1900: First participation at the Olympic Games

In 1900, Norway first participated at the Olympic Games.

1902: Death Penalty Abolished

In 1902, Norway abolished the death penalty for regular criminal acts.

1903: Nobel Prize in Literature for Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

In 1903, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

1904: Absent from the Olympic Games

In 1904, Norway did not participate at the Olympic Games due to sparse attendance.

June 1905: Peaceful Separation from Sweden

In June 1905, Norway peacefully separated from Sweden, an event in which Prime Minister Christian Michelsen played a central role.

1905: Personal Union with Sweden Ends

In 1905, Norway's personal union with Sweden came to an end.

1907: Christian Michelsen's Term as Prime Minister Ends

In 1907, Christian Michelsen's term as Prime Minister of Norway came to an end.

1913: Universal Suffrage for Women

In 1913, all women in Norway were granted universal suffrage.

1920: Nobel Prize in Literature for Knut Hamsun

In 1920, Knut Hamsun was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for the book Markens grøde ("Growth of the Soil").

Growth of the Soil

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1928: Nobel Prize in Literature for Sigrid Undset

In 1928, Sigrid Undset was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, known for Kristin Lavransdatter.

1938: FIFA World Cup participation

In 1938, the Norway men's national football team participated in the FIFA World Cup.

April 1940: Invasion and Occupation by Nazi Germany

In April 1940, Norway was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. This occupation lasted until the end of the war.

April 1940: German Invasion of Norway

On 9 April 1940, Norway, which had proclaimed its neutrality during the Second World War, was invaded by German forces, marking the start of the Norwegian Campaign and the Battle of Drøbak Sound.

June 1940: Norwegians Join Allied Forces

In June 1940, following their king to Britain, a small group of Norwegians left Norway to join the Allied forces, forming part of the Free Norwegian Forces. This group included 13 ships, five aircraft, and 500 men from the Royal Norwegian Navy.

1944: Germany Establishes Secret Meteorological Station in Svalbard

In 1944, Germany secretly established a meteorological station in Svalbard.

1945: Labour Party Gained Majority in Parliament

From 1945, the Labour Party held an absolute majority in the parliament and embarked on a programme emphasizing state financed industrialisation and co-operation between trade unions and employers' organisations.

1947: Norway Receives Marshall Plan Aid

In 1947, Norway began receiving Marshall Plan aid from the United States.

1948: Distancing from Communists and Strengthening Ties with US

In 1948, the Labour Party distanced itself from the Communists and strengthened its foreign policy and defense policy ties with the US.

April 1949: Founding Member of NATO

On 4 April 1949, Norway was one of the founding nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1949: Norway Becomes a Founding Member of NATO

In 1949, Norway became a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1949: Rationing of Dairy Products Lifted

In 1949, the rationing of dairy products was lifted in Norway.

1950: Academy Award for Kon-Tiki

In 1950, the Norwegian documentary film Kon-Tiki won an Academy Award.

1960: First Eurovision Participation

In 1960, Norway first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest.

1960: End of Price Controls and Rationing of Housing and Cars

In 1960, price controls and rationing of housing and cars ended in Norway.

1962: Application for EU Accession

In 1962, Norway issued an application for accession to the European Union (EU) and its predecessors.

1962: End of Labour Party Absolute Majority

In 1962, the Labour Party's absolute majority in parliament came to an end.

1966: Norwegian Companies Drilled Oil Wells

Between 1966 and 2013, Norwegian companies drilled 5,085 oil wells, mostly in the North Sea.

1967: Application for EU Accession

In 1967, Norway issued an application for accession to the European Union (EU) and its predecessors.

1967: Discovery of Oil at the Balder Field

In 1967, oil was discovered at the small Balder field, though production only began in 1999.

1969: Discovery of Petroleum Resources at Ekofisk Field

In 1969, the Phillips Petroleum Company discovered petroleum resources at the Ekofisk field west of Norway.

1972: Referendum Fails on Joining the European Union

In 1972, Norway was invited to join the European Union, but a referendum failed by a narrow margin.

1972: Rejection of EU Membership Proposal

In 1972, Norwegians rejected proposals to join the European Union (EU) in a referendum.

1972: Referendum Rejects EU Accession

In 1972, the Norwegian electorate rejected the treaty of accession in a referendum.

1973: Foundation of Statoil

In 1973, the Norwegian government founded the State oil company, Statoil (now Equinor).

1975: Peak in Industrial Employment

Around 1975, both the proportion and absolute number of workers in industry peaked in Norway.

1975: Release of The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix

In 1975, The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix, an animated feature film directed by Ivo Caprino, was released and became the most widely seen Norwegian film of all time.

1979: Death Penalty Abolished for High Treason

In 1979, Norway abolished the death penalty for high treason in war and war crimes.

1980: Boycott of the Summer Olympics in Moscow

In 1980, Norway boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow, joining the American-led boycott.

1980: Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Filming

In 1980, Norway was used as a filming location for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

1981: Conservative Party Government Led by Kåre Willoch

In 1981, a Conservative Party government led by Kåre Willoch replaced the Labour Party and introduced policies of tax cuts, economic liberalisation, and deregulation.

1985: Eurovision Win for Bobbysocks

In 1985, Bobbysocks won the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway.

1987: Oscar Nomination for Pathfinder

In 1987, Nils Gaup's Pathfinder, the story of the Sámi, was nominated for an Oscar.

1987: UEFA European Women's Championship title

In 1987, the Norway women's team won one of its two UEFA European Women's Championship titles.

1990: Recognition of ILO Convention 169

In 1990, Norway became the first country to recognise ILO-convention 169 on indigenous people recommended by the UN.

1990: Constitutional Amendment on Primogeniture

In 1990, the Norwegian constitution was amended to grant absolute primogeniture to the Norwegian throne, meaning that the eldest child, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession.

1991: Climate Normals Average Base Year

From 1991, is the start year for climate normals averages.

1991: Precipitation Average Base Year

From 1991, is the start year for precipitation averages.

1991: Harald V Ascends the Throne

Harald V of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg ascended to the Norwegian throne in 1991.

1992: Establishment of Musikkens Dag

In 1992, Fredrik Carl Størmer established the music festival Fête de la Musique, which was renamed Musikkfest Oslo. From its first year, "Musikkens Dag" gathered thousands of people and artists in the streets of Oslo.

1992: Application for EU Accession

In 1992, Norway issued an application for accession to the European Union (EU) and its predecessors.

1993: Legalisation of Civil Union Partnerships

In 1993, Norway became the second country to legalise civil union partnerships for same-sex couples.

1993: UEFA European Women's Championship title and FIFA ranking

In 1993, the Norway women's team won one of its two UEFA European Women's Championship titles. Also, Norway achieved its highest FIFA ranking, second, in 1993.

1994: Membership in the European Economic Area

After the 1994 referendum, Norway maintained its membership in the European Economic Area (EEA), granting the country access to the internal market of the Union, on the condition that Norway implements the Union's pieces of legislation which are deemed relevant.

1994: Second Referendum Fails on Joining the European Union

In 1994, Norway was again invited to join the European Union, but a referendum failed by a narrow margin for the second time.

1994: Rejection of EU Membership Proposal

In 1994, Norwegians rejected proposals to join the European Union (EU) in a referendum.

1994: FIFA World Cup participation

In 1994, the Norway men's national football team participated in the FIFA World Cup.

1994: Referendum Rejects EU Accession

In 1994, the Norwegian electorate rejected the treaty of accession in a referendum.

1995: Eurovision Win for Secret Garden

In 1995, Secret Garden won the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway.

1995: FIFA Women's World Cup win

In 1995, the Norway women's national team won the FIFA Women's World Cup. Norway also achieved its highest FIFA ranking, second, for the second time in 1995.

1995: Establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund

In 1995, the Norwegian government established the sovereign wealth fund ("Government Pension Fund – Global") to be funded with oil revenues.

1996: Formation of Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost

In 1996, the Norwegian Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost was formed.

1997: Oscar Nomination for The Other Side of Sunday

In 1997, Berit Nesheim's The Other Side of Sunday was nominated for an Oscar.

1998: FIFA World Cup participation

In 1998, the Norway men's national football team participated in the FIFA World Cup.

1998: European Championship

In 1998, the women's handball national team won the European Championship.

1999: Formation of Foreningen Forn Sed

In 1999, Foreningen Forn Sed was formed and has been recognised by the Norwegian government.

1999: Start of Oil Production at Balder Field

In 1999, oil production began at the Balder field.

1999: World Championships

In 1999, the women's handball national team won the World Championships.

2000: Olympic Football Tournament win and European Championship participation

In 2000, the Norway women's national team won the Olympic Football Tournament. The men's national football team also participated in the European Championship in 2000.

2000: Annual Charge for Public Healthcare

Public healthcare in Norway is free after an annual charge of around 2000 kroner for those over 16.

2004: European Championship

In 2004, the women's handball national team won the European Championship.

2005: Jens Stoltenberg Becomes Prime Minister

From 2005, Jens Stoltenberg led Norway as prime minister for eight years.

2005: Labour Party in Power

In 2005, the Norwegian Labour Party came into power following the election, forming a Red–Green Coalition with the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party.

2006: Fastest Growing Religious Communities

From 2006, the fastest-growing religious communities in Norway were Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Oriental Orthodox Christianity.

2006: Norwegian Americans

In 2006, according to the US Census Bureau, almost 4.7 million persons identified as Norwegian Americans.

2006: European Championship

In 2006, the women's handball national team won the European Championship.

2007: Passenger Traffic Through Airports

In 2007, a total of 41,089,675 passengers passed through Norwegian airports, of whom 13,397,458 were international.

2007: State Ownership in Equinor

In 2007, the government controlled its petroleum resources through state ownership in major operators in the oil fields, with approximately 62% ownership in Equinor.

2007: State's Loss at European Court of Human Rights

In 2007, the state's loss in a battle at the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg did not settle the matter of separation of church and state in Norway.

2008: European Championship

In 2008, the women's handball national team won the European Championship.

January 2009: Legalisation of Same-Sex Marriage

On 1 January 2009, Norway became the sixth country to legalise same-sex marriage.

2009: Roman Catholic Church Membership

According to 2009 government statistics, other Christian denominations in Norway total about 4.9% of the population, the largest of which is the Roman Catholic Church, with 83,000 members.

2009: Mobilization Plans for Armed Forces

According to 2009 mobilisation plans, full mobilisation produces approximately 83,000 combatant personnel in the Norwegian Armed Forces.

2009: Eurovision Win for Alexander Rybak

In 2009, Alexander Rybak won the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway with his song Fairytale.

2009: First Place in UNDP Human Development Index

Norway reclaimed first place in the world in the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) in 2009.

2010: Eurobarometer Poll Results

According to the 2010 Eurobarometer Poll, 22% of Norwegian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", 44% responded that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 29% responded that "they don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force".

2010: Religious Affiliation Statistics

In 2010, 10% of the population of Norway was religiously unaffiliated, while another 9% were members of religious communities outside the Church of Norway.

2010: Endangered and Vulnerable Species

In 2010, 2,398 species were listed as endangered or vulnerable in Norway, with the grey wolf, the Arctic fox, and the pool frog among the critically endangered.

2010: Red List of Species

In 2010, the red list of species in Norway encompassed 4,599 species.

2010: European Championship

In 2010, the women's handball national team won the European Championship.

2010: World's Most Democratic Country

Since 2010, Norway has been classified as the world's most democratic country by the Democracy Index.

2010: OECD Ranks Norway Third in Intergenerational Earnings Elasticity

The OECD ranks Norway third in intergenerational earnings elasticity according to a 2010 study.

2011: Fastest Growing Religious Communities

From 2006 to 2011, the fastest-growing religious communities in Norway were Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Oriental Orthodox Christianity, which grew in membership by 80%.

2011: State Revenues from Petroleum Industry

In 2011, 28% of state revenues were generated from the petroleum industry in Norway.

2011: Hinduism in Norway

In 2011, Hinduism was practiced by slightly more than 5,900 adherents in Norway, or 1% of non-Lutheran Norwegians.

2011: Terrorist Attacks by Anders Behring Breivik

In 2011, Norway was struck by two terrorist attacks by Anders Behring Breivik, targeting the government quarter in Oslo and a summer camp on Utøya island, resulting in 77 deaths and 319 wounded.

2011: World Championships

In 2011, the women's handball national team won the World Championships.

2011: Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost Membership

In 2011, the Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost fellowship had about 300 members.

May 2012: Church of Norway Autonomy

In May 2012, the Norwegian parliament voted to grant the Church of Norway greater autonomy, a decision which was confirmed in a constitutional amendment on 21 May 2012.

October 2012: Registered Roman Catholics

In October 2012, the Aftenposten (Evening Post) reported there were about 115,234 registered Roman Catholics in Norway.

2012: Oscar Nomination for Kon-Tiki

In 2012, the adaption of Kon-Tiki was nominated for an Oscar for the best foreign language film.

2012: Rule Regarding Cabinet Members' Church Membership Removed

In 2012, the rule requiring the Prime Minister to have more than half the members of cabinet be members of the Church of Norway was removed.

2012: Summer Olympics Championship

In 2012, the women's handball national team won the Summer Olympics championship.

2012: Parliamentary Officials and the Church

Until 2012, parliamentary officials were required to be members of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Norway.

September 2013: Right-Wing Parties Elected

In September 2013, Høyre and Fremskrittspartiet were elected based on promises of tax cuts, increased spending on infrastructure and education, improved services, and stricter immigration rules. Erna Solberg became prime minister, the second female prime minister and the first conservative prime minister since Jan P. Syse.

2013: Magnus Carlsen becomes world chess champion

In 2013, Magnus Carlsen, a Norwegian, became the world chess champion.

2013: Drafting Women into the Armed Forces

In 2013, Norway became the first country in Europe and NATO to draft women as well as men into the Armed Forces.

2013: Mineral Production Value

In 2013, Norway's mineral production was valued at US$1.5 billion (Norwegian Geological Survey data).

2013: Calculated Size of Wisting Central

In 2013, Wisting Central was calculated size at 65–156 million barrels of oil and 10 to 40 billion cubic feet (0.28 to 1.13 billion cubic metres), (utvinnbar) of gas.

2013: Conservative Government Wins Election

In 2013, the Norwegian parliamentary election brought a more conservative government to power, with the Conservative Party and the Progress Party winning 43% of the electorate's votes.

2013: Immigrant Shares in Cities

In 2013, the cities with the highest share of immigrants in Norway were Oslo (32%) and Drammen (27%).

2013: UN's Human Development Index Ranking

Norway was awarded first place according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI) for 2013.

2013: OECD Ranks Norway Fourth in Better Life Index

The OECD ranks Norway fourth in the 2013 equalised Better Life Index.

March 2014: Plug-in Electric Vehicles per Capita

In March 2014, Norway became the first country where over 1 in every 100 passenger cars on the roads is a plug-in electric.

2014: European Championship

In 2014, the women's handball national team won the European Championship.

2014: Football Popularity

In 2014–2015 polling, football ranked far behind biathlon and cross-country skiing in terms of popularity as spectator sports in Norway.

2014: Norway Bans Deforestation

Norway was the first country to ban deforestation, with a view to preventing its rain forests from vanishing. The country declared its intention at the UN Climate Summit in 2014.

June 2015: Norway Annexes Antarctic Area

On 12 June 2015, Norway formally annexed an unclaimed area between Queen Maud Land and the South Pole.

2015: Football Popularity

In 2014–2015 polling, football ranked far behind biathlon and cross-country skiing in terms of popularity as spectator sports in Norway.

2015: World Championships

In 2015, the women's handball national team won the World Championships.

June 2016: Potential Ban on Gasoline and Diesel Vehicles

According to a report by Dagens Næringsliv in June 2016, the country would like to ban sales of gasoline and diesel powered vehicles as early as 2025.

2016: Host of the Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer

In 2016, Norway hosted the Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, becoming the first country to host both Winter regular and Youth Olympics.

2016: Tourism contribution to GDP

In 2016, tourism in Norway contributed to 4.2% of the gross domestic product.

January 2017: Church of Norway Becomes Separate Legal Entity

As of January 1, 2017, the Church of Norway became a separate legal entity, no longer a branch of the civil service.

January 2017: Church Independence

On 1 January 2017, Norway made the church independent of the state, but retained the Church's status as the "people's church".

2017: World Happiness Report Ranking

In 2017, Norway ranked first on the World Happiness Report.

2017: Government Pension Fund Value Surpasses US$1 Trillion

In 2017, the Government Pension Fund controlled assets surpassed a value of US$1 trillion (equal to US$190,000 per capita), about 250% of Norway's 2017 GDP.

2017: Lowered Spending Limit for Sovereign Wealth Fund

In 2017, the budgetary rule (Handlingsregelen), which limits spending over time to no more than the real value yield of the fund, lowered to 3% of the fund's total value.

2017: Centre-Right Government Re-elected

In 2017, the centre-right government led by Erna Solberg won re-election in the Norwegian parliamentary election.

2017: Re-election of Center-Right Government

In the 2017 Norwegian parliamentary election, the centre-right government of Prime Minister Erna Solberg won re-election.

January 2018: Men's and Women's national team achievements at the World Championships

As of January 2018, the Norway men's national bandy team had captured one silver and one bronze at the World Championships, while the women's national team had secured five bronzes.

2018: Islam Membership Statistics

In 2018, Islam was the largest non-Christian religion in Norway, with 166,861 registered members.

2018: Participation in the CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup

In 2018, Norway's women's national team competed in the CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup.

2019: Norway's Tourism Ranking

In 2019, Norway was ranked 20th in the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index

Norway had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 6.98/10, ranking it 60th globally out of 172 countries.

2020: Climate Normals Average End Year

2020 is the end year for climate normals averages.

2020: Precipitation Average End Year

2020 is the end year for precipitation averages.

2020: Participation in the CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup

In 2020, Norway's women's national team competed in the CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup.

October 2021: New Centre-Left Cabinet Takes Office

On 14 October 2021, Norway's new centre-left cabinet under Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, leader of the Labour Party, took office.

2021: Jonas Gahr Støre Becomes Prime Minister

In 2021, Jonas Gahr Støre became the Prime Minister of Norway.

2021: Norwegian Ancestry in Canada

In the 2021 Canadian census, 466,500 Canadian citizens identified as having Norwegian ancestry.

2021: Left-Wing Opposition Wins Election, Jonas Gahr Støre Becomes Prime Minister

The 2021 Norwegian parliamentary election saw a big win for the left-wing opposition in an election fought on climate change, inequality, and oil; Labour leader Jonas Gahr Støre was sworn in as prime minister.

2022: Increased Immigration from Ukraine

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there was an increase in immigrants from Ukraine to Norway.

2023: Disability Benefit Recipients

As of 2023, 10.6% of the population aged 18–67 receive a disability benefit.

2023: Last Place in Failed States Index

Foreign Policy magazine ranks Norway last in its Failed States Index for 2023, judging Norway to be the world's most well-functioning and stable country.

2023: End of Magnus Carlsen's reign as world chess champion

In 2023, Magnus Carlsen's reign as world chess champion ended.

2023: Railway Transportation Statistics

In 2023, the Norwegian railways transported 78,220,000 passengers, 3,153 million passenger-kilometres, and 32,230,000 tonnes of cargo for 3,928 million tonne-kilometres.

2023: Total Fertility Rate

In 2023, the total fertility rate (TFR) in Norway was estimated at 1.40 children born per woman, below the replacement rate of 2.1.

2023: Higher Education Tuition Fees

In 2023, tuition fees for all students from outside EU/EEA and Switzerland was implemented in Norway for higher education.

2024: Norway Ranked 21st in Global Innovation Index

In 2024, Norway was ranked 21st in the Global Innovation Index and has produced fourteen Nobel laureates across various disciplines.

2024: Norway Ranks First in World Press Freedom Index

In 2024, Reporters Without Borders ranked Norway in first place out of 180 countries in its World Press Freedom Index.

2024: Church Membership

In 2024, about 61.7% of Norwegians were members of the Church of Norway. In the same year, approximately 50.4% of all newborns were baptised and about 47.6% of all 15-year-olds were confirmed in the church.