History of Norway in Timeline

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

1900: Olympic Games participation

In 1900, Norway first participated at the Olympic Games.

1902: Death penalty abolished for regular criminal acts

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

1903: Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature

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

1904: Olympic Games absence

In 1904, Norway did not participate in the Olympic Games.

June 1905: Peaceful separation of Norway from Sweden

In June 1905, Christian Michelsen, Prime Minister of Norway, played a central role in the peaceful separation of Norway from Sweden.

1905: Personal Union with Sweden

In 1905, Norway was in a personal union with Sweden.

1907: Christian Michelsen Prime Minister

In 1907 Christian Michelsen ended his service as prime minister.

1913: Universal Suffrage for Women

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

1920: Knut Hamsun awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature

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: Sigrid Undset awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature

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

1938: FIFA World Cup participation

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

April 1940: Invasion and Occupation by Nazi Germany

In April 1940, Norway, which had been neutral, was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

April 1940: German Invasion of Norway

On 9 April 1940, Norway, which had proclaimed its neutrality, was invaded by German forces, initiating the Norwegian Campaign.

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, including 13 ships, five aircraft, and 500 men from the Royal Norwegian Navy.

1944: Germany Establishes Meteorological Station in Svalbard

In 1944, during World War II, Germany secretly established a meteorological station in Svalbard, though the area was not occupied by German troops.

1945: Labour Party Holds Absolute Majority

From 1945, the Labour Party held an absolute majority in the parliament and embarked on a programme inspired by Keynesian economics, emphasising state financed industrialisation.

1947: Marshall Plan Aid from the US

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

1948: Distancing from Communists

In 1948, the Labour Party distanced itself from the Communists after their seizure of power in Czechoslovakia.

April 1949: Norway founding member of NATO

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

1949: 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: Kon-Tiki won an Academy Award

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

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1960: Norway's first participation in the Eurovision Song Contest

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

1960: Price Controls and Rationing Continued Until 1960

Price controls and rationing of housing and cars continued in Norway until 1960.

1962: End of Labour Party's Absolute Majority

By 1962, the Labour Party no longer held an absolute majority in the parliament.

1962: Norway issues application for accession to the EU

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

1966: Norwegian companies drilled oil wells

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

1967: Norway issues application for accession to the EU

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, but 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: Norwegians rejected proposals to join the European Union

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

1972: Referendum against joining the European Union

In 1972, Norway declined to join the European Union after a referendum failed by a narrow margin.

1972: Norwegian electorate rejected the treaties of accession to the EU

In a referendum in 1972, the Norwegian electorate rejected the treaties of accession to the European Union (EU).

1973: Founding 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: The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix released

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.

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1979: Death penalty abolished for high treason

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

1980: Summer Olympics boycott

In 1980, Norway boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow.

1980: Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back filmed in Norway

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

1981: Conservative Party Government

In 1981, a Conservative Party government led by Kåre Willoch replaced the Labour Party with a policy of stimulating the stagflated economy with tax cuts.

1985: Bobbysocks won the Eurovision Song Contest

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

1987: Pathfinder was nominated for an Oscar

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

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1987: UEFA European Women's Championship title

In 1987, the women's team secured one of their UEFA European Women's Championship titles.

1990: Norway recognises ILO-convention 169

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

1990: Norwegian constitution amended to grant absolute primogeniture

In 1990, the Norwegian constitution was amended to grant absolute primogeniture to the Norwegian throne.

1991: Harald V Ascends to the Throne

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

1991: Climate Statistics

The climate statistics for Norway from 1991 show exceptional temperature anomalies in coastal locations.

1991: Climate Normals Update

The updated 1991 climate normals show that a small strip of land along the coast east of North Cape, including Vardø, no longer has a tundra/alpine/polar climate.

1992: Musikkens Dag established in Oslo

In 1992, Fredrik Carl Størmer established the music festival "Musikkens Dag" (now Musikkfest Oslo) in Oslo.

1992: Norway issues application for accession to the EU

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

1993: Norway legalises civil union partnerships for same-sex couples

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

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

In 1993, the women's team secured one of their UEFA European Women's Championship titles. In 1993, Norway achieved its highest FIFA ranking of second.

1994: Norway maintains 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.

1994: Norwegians rejected proposals to join the European Union

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

1994: Referendum against joining the European Union

In 1994, Norway declined to join the European Union after a referendum failed by a narrow margin.

1994: FIFA World Cup participation

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

1994: Norwegian electorate rejected the treaties of accession to the EU

In a referendum in 1994, the Norwegian electorate rejected the treaties of accession to the European Union (EU).

1995: FIFA Women's World Cup win and FIFA ranking

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

1995: Secret Garden won the Eurovision Song Contest

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

1995: Norwegian government established 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: Norwegian Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost formed

In 1996, the Norwegian Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost was formed.

1997: The Other Side of Sunday was nominated for an Oscar

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

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1998: FIFA World Cup participation

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

1998: Women's handball national team won the European Championship

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

1999: Foreningen Forn Sed formed

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

1999: Start of Oil Production at the Balder Field

In 1999, production began at the Balder oil field.

1999: Women's handball national team won the 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 women's national team won the Olympic Football Tournament. In 2000, the men's national football team participated in the European Championship.

2000: Public healthcare in Norway is free after an annual charge

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

2004: Women's handball national team won the European Championship

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

2005: Jens Stoltenberg Becomes Prime Minister

In 2005, Jens Stoltenberg led Norway as prime minister.

2005: Labour Party in power in Red–Green Coalition

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

2006: Almost 4.7 million persons identified as Norwegian Americans

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

2006: Fastest-growing religious communities were Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christianity

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

2006: Women's handball national team won the European Championship

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

2007: Passenger traffic through Norwegian airports

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

2007: Government controls petroleum resources through state ownership

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: Loss at the European Court of Human Rights

In 2007, the state lost a battle at the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg regarding the public school subject Christianity.

2008: Women's handball national team won the Summer Olympics championships

In 2008, the women's handball national team won the Summer Olympics championships and European Championship.

January 2009: Norway legalises same-sex marriage

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

2009: Roman Catholic Church had 83,000 members

According to 2009 government statistics, the Roman Catholic Church in Norway had 83,000 members.

2009: Mobilisation plans

According to 2009 mobilisation plans, full mobilisation produces approximately 83,000 combatant personnel.

2009: Alexander Rybak won the Eurovision Song Contest

In 2009, Alexander Rybak won the Eurovision Song Contest with his song "Fairytale", achieving the biggest margin of victory ever and becoming an international hit.

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2009: Norway reclaims 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 on belief in God

According to the 2010 Eurobarometer Poll, 22% of Norwegian citizens believed in God, 44% believed in some sort of spirit or life force, and 29% did not believe in any sort of spirit, God, or life force.

2010: 10% of the population was religiously unaffiliated

In 2010, 10% of the population in 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.

2010: Women's handball national team won the European Championship

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

2010: 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

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

2010: Red List of Species

The red list of 2010 encompasses 4,599 species in Norway.

2011: Fastest-growing religious communities were Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christianity

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: Percentage of state revenues generated from the petroleum industry

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

2011: Hinduism introduced to Norway

In 2011, Hinduism, introduced to Norway by Indian immigrants, had slightly more than 5,900 adherents, or 1% of non-Lutheran Norwegians.

2011: Terrorist Attacks in Norway

In 2011, Norway suffered two terrorist attacks by Anders Behring Breivik, resulting in 77 deaths and 319 wounded.

2011: The Norwegian Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost had about 300 members

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

2011: Women's handball national team won the World Championships

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

May 2012: Norwegian parliament voted to grant the Church of Norway greater autonomy

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

October 2012: Approximately 115,234 registered Roman Catholics in Norway

In October 2012, the Aftenposten reported there were approximately 115,234 registered Roman Catholics in Norway, estimating that the total number of people with a Roman Catholic background may be 170,000–200,000 or higher.

2012: Norwegian parliament voted to grant the Church of Norway greater autonomy

In 2012, the Norwegian parliament voted to grant the Church of Norway greater autonomy. Until 2012, parliamentary officials were required to be members of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Norway.

2012: Kon-Tiki nominated for an Oscar for the best foreign language film

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

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2012: Removal of Church Membership Rule for Cabinet

In 2012, the rule that more than half the members of the cabinet had to be members of the Church of Norway was removed.

2012: Women's handball national team won the Summer Olympics championships

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

September 2013: Høyre and Fremskrittspartiet elected

In September 2013, Høyre and Fremskrittspartiet were elected, promising tax cuts, increased spending on infrastructure and education, improved services, and stricter immigration rules. Erna Solberg became prime minister.

2013: Magnus Carlsen, world chess champion

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

2013: Norway drafts women as well as men

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

2013: Value of mineral production

In 2013, Norway's mineral production was valued at US$1.5 billion.

2013: Calculated sizes of the Wisting Central and Castberg Oil Fields

In 2013, the calculated size of Wisting Central was 65–156 million barrels of oil and 10 to 40 billion cubic feet of gas. The calculated size of the Castberg Oil Field was at 540 million barrels of oil, and 2 to 7 billion cubic feet of gas.

2013: Cities with the highest share of immigrants were Oslo and Drammen

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

2013: Norway awarded first place according to the UN's Human Development Index

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

2013: Conservative Government Comes to Power

The 2013 Norwegian parliamentary election brought a more conservative government to power.

2013: OECD ranks Norway fourth

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

March 2014: Norway has a high percentage of plug-in electric vehicles

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

2014: Norway declares intention to ban deforestation

At the UN Climate Summit in 2014, Norway declared its intention, alongside Great Britain and Germany, to ban deforestation, with a view to preventing its rain forests from vanishing.

2014: Football ranked far behind biathlon and cross-country skiing in terms of popularity as spectator sports

In 2014, football ranked far behind biathlon and cross-country skiing in terms of popularity as spectator sports. The women's handball national team won the European Championship.

June 2015: Norway annexes unclaimed Antarctic area

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

2015: Women's handball national team won the World Championships

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

June 2016: Norway considers banning gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2025

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

2016: Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer

In 2016, Norway hosted the Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer.

2016: Tourism contributed to 4.2% of GDP

In 2016, tourism in Norway contributed to 4.2% of the gross domestic product, with every one in fifteen people throughout the country working in the tourism industry.

January 2017: Church of Norway Becomes Separate Legal Entity

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

January 2017: Norway made the church independent of the state

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

2017: Norway ranked first on the World Happiness Report

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

2017: Spending from the fund is constrained

In 2017, spending from the fund is constrained by 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: Government Pension Fund assets surpass US$1 trillion

In 2017, the Government Pension Fund controlled assets surpassed a value of US$1 trillion, about 250% of Norway's 2017 GDP.

2017: Centre-Right Government Re-elected

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

January 2018: Bandy World Championship results

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

2018: Islam had 166,861 registered members

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

2018: Beach Volleyball Continental Cup

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

2019: Norway ranked 20th in the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report

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: Beach Volleyball Continental Cup

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

2020: Climate Statistics

The climate statistics for Norway from 2020 show exceptional temperature anomalies in coastal locations.

2020: Climate Normals Update

The updated 2020 climate normals show that a small strip of land along the coast east of North Cape, including Vardø, no longer has a tundra/alpine/polar climate.

October 2021: New centre-left cabinet takes office

On 14 October 2021, Norway's new centre-left cabinet under Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre 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: 466,500 Canadian citizens identified as having Norwegian ancestry

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

2021: Left-Wing Opposition Win & Jonas Gahr Støre becomes Prime Minister

In the 2021 Norwegian parliamentary election, the left-wing opposition won, and Labour leader Jonas Gahr Støre was sworn in as prime minister.

2022: Increased immigration from Ukraine due to Russian invasion

In 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there was increased immigration to Norway from Ukraine.

2023: Percentage of population receiving a disability benefit

As of 2023, 10.6% of the population aged 18–67 receive a disability benefit and 30% of the labour force are employed by the government.

2023: Foreign Policy magazine ranks Norway last in its 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 came to an end.

2023: Railway transport figures in Norway

In 2023, the railways in Norway 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 (TFR) was estimated at 1.40 children born per woman

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

2023: Tuition fees for all students from outside EU/EEA and Switzerland was implemented

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

2024: Norway ranked 21st in the Global Innovation Index

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

2024: Norway's population was 5,585,044

In 2024, Norway's population reached 5,585,044 people in the fourth quarter, with a median age of 40 years.

2024: Norway ranked first in World Press Freedom Index

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

2024: 61.7% of Norwegians were members of the Church of Norway

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

2024: Approximately 931,081 individuals were immigrants

In 2024, approximately 931,081 individuals (16.8% of the population) in Norway were immigrants, with 41.5% having a Western background and 58.5% having a non-Western background.

2024: Infant mortality rate was 2.1 per 1,000 live births

In 2024, the infant mortality rate in Norway was 2.1 per 1,000 live births among children under the age of one, with the lowest infant mortality rate for boys ever recorded in Norway.