What is the capital of Norway?
Norway is a stunning place, brimming with culture and history. This is a place best-known for it’s amazing natural landscapes, fantastic fjords, and delightful saunas. However, there are still a lot of people out there who don’t know much about Norway and its ways.
For instance, have you ever been in the middle of a general knowledge quiz, and discovered that you don’t actually know what Norway’s capital city is called?
You’re not alone.
If you haven’t grown up in Scandinavia, and you didn’t pay that much attention in your geography class, it’s easy to forget that Norway’s capital city is Oslo.
Here’s everything you need to know about Norway’s capital.
What’s the capital of Norway?
The capital city of Norway is Oslo, formerly known as Christiania, and Kristiania.
This is the largest city in Norway, and it lies at the top of the Oslo Fjord, which happens to be in the Southeast of Norway.
Interestingly, the original site of Oslo was in a different location, east of the Aker River.
Oslo was founded by King Harald Hardraade during the year of 1050, and the original site was destroyed by a fire in 1624.
After that, the king Christian IV of Norway and Denmark built a new town under the walls of the Akershus Fortress built by King Harald.
This location, first called Christiania, eventually became the new Oslo.
It wasn’t until 1925 that the Norwegians renamed Christiania as Oslo, soon after the second world war. The city also incorporated the nearby town of Aker, and in the decades to come, a lot of different residential areas and towns started to pop up to the west and east.
Today, Norway’s capital is the heart of the country’s industry, trade, banking, and shipping economies, and the Oslo Harbour is the largest in the country.
There’s also a range of leading cultural institutions to discover in Oslo, from the Concert Hall, to the Norwegian Opera, to the New Theatre.
Fans of art can see the National Museum of Art, Design, and Architecture here, which features famous paintings by Edvard Munch.
Norwegian capital fact file
Despite a lot of rapid growth over the years, Oslo is considered by many to be an area in the midst of early urbanization. Unlike other capitals around the world, this place isn’t as cluttered or busy as most.
Oslo also has an exceptional environment for winter sports like cross-country skiing, and it’s where the Philharmonic Society holds the majority of their concerts too.
- Size: About 454 km squared
- Population: 697,549 as of 2020
- Time zone: Central European Standard time
- Climate: Humid continental
- Currency: Norwegian kroner
Norway’s capital is a unique place. Although the country sits in the North, and is exposed to the oceanic climate, humid and quite warm weather often prevails.
The Gulf Stream often stops coastal areas from suffering from poor winter temperatures, although Oslo can receive a decent amount of snow during the winter.
Oslo is a capital city that’s easy to fall in love with, thanks to its amazing natural environment, and ability to showcase beautiful experiences like the Northern Lights.
The location is home to the National Gallery of Norway, Karl Johans Gate, and the Royal Palace of Norway too.
Norway also contributes to the beauty of other locations around the world — particularly at certain times of the year.
You may already know all about the Norwegian fir Christmas tree, but did you know that the people of Oslo are responsible for one of the most important trees in the UK? Every year, the people of Oslo donate one of their trees to the Trafalgar Square decorations in London.
The gift is in gratitude to the assistance of the UK in the second World War.
What is Norway’s capital like today?
Home to some of the greatest sights in Norway, Oslo is the name of both the capital city, and the province in which it is located. The city is just beginning to find its urban roots and is a cultural melting pot for people from all over the world.
Interestingly, Oslo has a bigger percentage of immigrants than any other region in Norway, with around 25% of the city’s population born somewhere outside of the county.
With immaculate streets to explore, and amazing architecture to discover, Norway is a wonderful place to visit if you’re looking for a chance to expand your horizons.
This is a city where you’ll see people from all different walks of life living in harmony together with those from different ethic origins, and the amount of foreign language in the country is high.
Living in Oslo can be quite expensive, however, though like many regions throughout Scandinavia, there are also plenty of opportunities to make money here. Income tax is around 25%, but the residents don’t seem to mind, as they believe that tax is a good thing.