Norway’s Rocky Land
Norway is geographically situated on the Scandinavian peninsula and borders Sweden, Finland and Russia. It is a country characterized by its mountains and fjords, which are bodies of water in a valley, so in between two mountains. The highest peak in Norway is the galdhøpiggen, rising at 2,469 meters above sea level. There are some landmarks that are very strange but entirely made from the earth itself. There is a boulder called “Kjeragbolten,” stuck between two mountains, that makes people think that someone has intentionally placed it there. In reality, it is a result of the ice that covered the entire country during the Ice Age. The ice transported the boulder to its location and “polished” it a little bit, then melted, revealing the surroundings and therefore making it look like it was placed.
Another interesting landscape is another piece of rock that is hanging from a mountain. It is called “Trolltunga” which means the tongue of the troll. It is situated in the western part of the country. The landmark is a very popular tourist destination.
Regarding cities, Norway has some big cities but also a lot of small villages or towns. The capital is Oslo and around one million people live there. It is located in the southeastern part of the country at the end of the Oslofjord which runs out to the north sea. Both the king and the government are located in Oslo, as well as the Nobel committee. The second and third largest counties are Bergen and Stavanger, both on the western coast. These are old cities that date back to Viking times and were useful to be able to trade. If we travel further north, we find the old capital, Trondheim. This city is also especially old as it is possible to see the wooden houses built on stilts. In the extreme north of the country, way above the arctic circle, we find one of the world’s furthest northern cities called Hammerfest with about five thousand habitants. The country is divided into “fylker,” which are made up of several “kommuner.” There are 11 “fylker” and 365 “kommuner.” Norway also has a lot of islands, about 239,057 in total. Some are uninhabited but others have houses with some living there. You may have heard about a safe containing seeds from the entire world. Well, this safe is situated in Svalbard, which is a big island, quite close to the north pole, that belongs to Norway.
In all, Norway is a really beautiful country with magnificent views and landscapes. Its terrain varies from big mountains to peaceful fjords and rivers. There are definitely a lot of different things to see, and I would highly recommend taking a trip there to see for yourselves.
- Bastien Champay - Norway
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