Norway
Norway declared its independence in 1905 when the union with Sweden was dissolved. Despite its neutrality, Norway was not able to avoid occupation by Germany in World War II. In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU, highlighting the populace’s value of independence.
Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes; the country now enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the world. More than half of Norway's exports come from this sector. To counter inflation, there is cross-party agreement to restrict spending of oil revenue. The very considerable surplus is invested for future generations, to contain spending on the extensive welfare system and plan for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted.
The head of state is King Harald V. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg leads the Labor Party, in an alliance with the Socialist and Center parties in October 2005. Elections the previous month had brought defeat for the former center-right government. This is the first Norwegian majority government since the mid-1980s. Stoltenberg promises increased spending on education, health and welfare, and has reversed the tax cuts proposed by the previous adminstration.
He has also given his backing to limited oil exploration in the Arctic.
His government has withdrawn Norway's very small contingent of troops from Iraq but promises to increase the country's profile in UN peacekeeping operations elsewhere.
There are currently no known specific threats to travelers or expatriate personnel in Norway, a stable and well-developed democracy.
In May 2003, Norway was noted by Ayman Al-Zawahri, a leading commander in al-Qaida, as one of the main targets for attack. This threat was taken very seriously by Norwegian authorities: the premier called on citizens to exercise vigilance and security measures were taken in public buildings. In October 2004, an al-Jazeera broadcast reiterated that Norway was among al-Qaeda’s targets. Norwegian authorities stepped up security measures at public buildings, as well as the U.S. and U.K. embassies in Oslo.
