What Is The Capital City Of Norway?

Oslo is the capital city of Norway as well as its most populated city. Oslo occupies an area of 175 square miles of land and 10 square miles of water. As of 2016, there were 3,500 people per square miles in the city. An elected mayor heads Oslo. Harald Hardrada established the city as a trading center in the year 1040 AD, and by the year 1300 AD, Haakon V elevated Oslo to city status. A wildfire destroyed Oslo in 1624, and after that, the city was moved nearer to the Akershus Fortress. The then King Christian IV of Denmark renamed the City Christiania in his honor. In 1883, Oslo was declared a municipality and name changed to Kristiania before its original Norwegian name was restored in 1925.

Geography And Climate Of Oslo

Oslo is located in the Northwest of Oslofjord, surrounded by green hills and mountains. The city also boasts of 40 islands within and 343 small lakes that provide the city with water. There are two rivers with waterfalls that provide hydroelectric power to some industries. The highest peak of the city is Kirkeberget, standing at 2,064 feet. Over two-thirds of Oslo consists of protected wildlife such as forests, lakes, and mountains that give it the evergreen appearance. During mid summer, daylight may go up to 18 hours and never gets entirely dark. During midwinter, daylight is seen for up to six hours. Summer temperatures average slightly above 68 °F while winters may go as low as −17 °F.

Parks And Recreation Facilities

There are several green parks within and around the city such as the Frogner Park that is famous for its sculpture collections and Bygdøy (Museum Peninsula of Oslo) that is surrounded by sea. Other parks include St., Hanshaugen Park, and Tøyen Park. The most notable Museum is Munch Museum that is under the management of the University of Oslo. There are also several botanical gardens. The Eastern and Northern forests surround Oslo to the point that any part of the city is relatively close to a forest. The city has eight public swimming pools and a few indoor ones.

Economy Of Oslo

Oslo is ranked first among European Cities for its economic potential and second in ease of doing business in Europe. The maritime sector is one of the largest contributors to Oslo’s economy and also employs close to 9,000 workers. Close to 6,000 ships dock here annually. There are also oil and gas industries that anchor Oslo’s economy. The city is ranked as one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in, but also experiences a very high income on average.

Oslo, One Of The World's Best Cities

The Council of Europe's pilot city is Oslo and it is also in the intercultural cities program. Most studies consider Oslo to be a Beta World City and also rank it number one in Europe regarding quality of life. The city is, among other records, one of the fastest growing cities as well as one of the cities with the most trees in Europe. Oslo enjoys very low rates of unemployment, a factor that has seen the city’s population grow rapidly due to a high number of immigrants looking for employment. The city’s immigrant population growth rate is faster than that of Norwegians.