Norway: land of the midnight sun: Winter is a dark time in northern Norway. Norwegians look forward to the long days of summer--and the midnight sun.

What is it like to live in Norway? It takes some getting used to. Because the northern part of Norway is above the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set until midnight during the summer--and sunrise comes two hours later. But in winter, there are long hours of darkness.

JS asked Erik Berntzen, 13, about his life in Norway. He was traveling aboard the cruise ship MS Nordnorge with his grandmother.

Erik's voyage began in the Norwegian city of Kirkenes, near the Russian border (see map, p. 10). The ship then rounded Norway's North Cape, finally docking 1,250 miles to the south, in Bergen.

"I had not been in the north before, and I saw many reindeer in the mountains," Erik said. "We have reindeer sometimes for dinner. It's really good with vegetables and brown sauce. We call it reinsteak."

The Sami, traditionally a nomadic people who live in the far north, raise reindeer for a living. Some still travel with their herds between summer and winter pastures.

The Sami have their own culture and language. They live on a treeless plain called a tundra, a word that comes from their language. In the past, the Sami were pressured to give up their language and culture, which they have fought hard to preserve. In 1989, they formed their own parliament.

Above the Arctic Circle

Northern Norway, nicknamed the Land of the Midnight Sun, lies above the Arctic Circle--an imaginary line located at 66 degrees 30 minutes north latitude.

There, the sun's rays never shine directly on Earth's surface. The sun never sets on the longest day of the year, around June 21, and never rises on the shortest day of the year, around December 21.

"In summer, the sun goes down at midnight," Erik said. "It's not so bad, except when [I'm] trying to sleep."

Although Norway is close to the Arctic Circle, its climate is much milder than that of most other regions that far north, especially along the country's west coast. The warm North Atlantic current known as the Gulf Stream keeps nearly all the seaports ice-flee, even in the Arctic.

Majestic Fjords

As the ship steamed south, it passed many islands. Deep waterways called fjords (fyowrds) cut into the mountainous landscape. The fjords were formed in the Ice Age when glaciers (huge masses of ice) receded, carving out valleys.

Norway's fjords are known for their great beauty, but they are a hindrance for anyone traveling by land. "If a fjord blocks the way, we use car ferries to cross over," Erik explained.

In the past, geography separated Norwegians. People living on one side of a fiord or a mountain rarely met their neighbors on the other side. As a result, different dialects (versions) of the Norwegian language developed. "Each city has a dialect," said Jorgen Breistein, 14, who lives near Bergen.

Today, Norway is not so divided, thanks to an amazing number of tunnels and bridges--844 road tunnels, 702 railway tunnels, and 2,807 railway bridges in a land area not quite as large as New Mexico.

Viking Explorers

Norway has always been a seafaring nation. Perhaps it is most famous for the Vikings, who were pirates and warriors. From the 700s to about 1100 A.D., they terrorized much of Europe.

Vikings settled Iceland and the coast of Greenland. The most famous Viking, Leif Ericson, led what was probably the first exploration of North America. About 500 years before Columbus, he sailed from Greenland to the New World.

In the late 1800s, a million Norwegians fled their country in what was called the Great Migration. Escaping hard times, most of the emigrants went to the United States, settling in Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas.

Riches From the Sea

Norway's fishing industry is among the world's largest. In addition to a rich natural supply of cod, herring, mackerel, and salmon, Norway has thousands offish farms.

But its greatest treasures are oil and natural gas from the North Sea. The discovery of oil in 1971 made Norway the world's second-wealthiest nation. (Luxembourg is the wealthiest.)

"Norway is the best country in the whole world to live in," said Erik's grandmother. "It is a rich country because of oil. [The government provides] a lot of social services, but we pay very high taxes."

Jorgen agreed, adding, "There's not much crime, and not much poverty."

Things could change, though, by the time Erik and Jorgen are adults. People are living longer in Norway, as they are in the United States and the rest of Europe. An aging population may place a financial burden on Norway's youth, who will have to pay for social services for the elderly.

Another problem: Norway's once vast oil reserves are dwindling. According to government estimates, in 50 years there will be no oil left to be drilled in the North Sea. This could have serious economic consequences unless other sources of income are developed.

Last Stop

Bergen--Erik's final destination and Jorgen's home--is Norway's second-largest city and a major seaport. It is known for its beautiful harbor and the colorful wooden warehouses on its wharf--a UNESCO World Heritage site (see photo, p. 9).

Like the rest of the country, Bergen is preparing to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Norway's independence. Norway was part of a union with Sweden until 1905.

Entitled "A Voice of Our Own," the independence celebration will extend to the U.S., where 3.5 million Americans claim Norwegian ancestry. Are you, or is someone you know, of Norwegian descent?

NORWAY FACTS TO KNOW

Norway, Sweden, and Denmark make up Scandinavia, a region linked by geography, history, and a Scandinavian-Germanic language. (Finland is not part of Scandinavia. Its people speak a Finnish language linked to Hungarian.)

AREA: 125,050 sq mi, about the size of New Mexico.

POPULATION: 4,600,000; 78% urban.

GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary democracy. King Harald V is head of state: Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik heads the government.

ECONOMY: Norway is a prosperous country, with rich deposits of oil and natural gas. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil.

PER CAPITA GDP*: $37,800.

LITERACY: 99%.

LIFE EXPECTANCY: Males, 77 years; females, 82 years.

* The value of all products produced by a country in a year, divided by the population. (GDP stands for gross domestic product; per capita means per person.)

* OBJECTIVES

Students should understand

* Norway is a European nation that is partly located above the Arctic Circle;

* the natural resources in Norway's waters have helped make it one of the world's wealthiest countries.

* TEACHING STRATEGY

Guide students in locating Norway on a map or globe. Ask students: "How might Norway's geography affect the way its people live?"

* BACKGROUND

Norway is the world's third-largest oil exporter and ranks as Europe's biggest producer of natural gas. Norway recently pledged $180 million in tsunami relief, and in the last few years has forgiven the sizable debts of several African countries. It is one of the few nations to spend at least 0.7 percent of its GDP to assist developing nations, as advocated by the United Nations.

* CRITICAL THINKING

COMPREHENSION: Why is Norway known as the "Land of the Midnight Sun"? (The northern region of Norway lies above the Arctic Circle, an area that experiences nearly 24 hours of sunshine during the summer season.)

NOTING DETAILS: What natural elements have contributed to Norway's wealth? (The oil and natural gas fields that lie off Norway's coast have made it one of the world's wealthiest nations. Norway's waters also provide abundant fish.)

* ACTIVITY

CELEBRATE THE CENTENNIAL: How should Norway celebrate its centennial? Instruct students to research Norway's history and culture. What people, events, and places help identify Norway? Students can write a news story or perform a skit that could be included as part of Norway's centennial celebration.

STANDARDS

SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5-8

* People, places, and environment: How Norway's waters provide valuable resources, such as petroleum, natural gas, and fish.

* Production, distribution, and consumption: How the expected depletion of oil in 50 years might affect Norway's economy.

RESOURCES

PRINT

* Hepso, Mike, Norway (Gareth Stevens Pub., 2003). Grades 5-8.

* Asbjornsen, Peter Christen, Norwegian Folktales (Pantheon, 1982). Grades 5-8.

WEB SITES

* Norway odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/no.html

* Norway Post (newspaper site) norwaypost.com

WORLD: NORWAY, LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN, PAGES 8-10

* Match the clue in the left column with the answer in the right column.

--11. Gulf Stream

--12. Vikings

--13. Sami

--14. 1905

--15. 1971

A. date when Norway became an independent nation

B. pirates and warriors who settled Iceland and Greenland

C. current of the Atlantic Ocean that helps keep Norway's ports ice-free

D. a native people of Norway

E. date when Norway discovered oil and natural gas

11. C

12. B

13. B

14. A

15. E