Norway

Country of the north of n. Europe, occupying with Sweden the Scand in avian peninsula; area 124,445 sq. m. The peninsula may be broadly characterized as an inclined plateau, having its crest line on the w., near the Norwegian coast, and sloping gently s.e. toward the Baltic. The coast of N. is broken with fiords and islands, and affords many deep harbors. Agriculture is the principal industry. The value of lumber exported 1890 was $10,000,000. The product of the fisheries in 1891 was $7,020,982. Manufactures are of minor importance. Commerce is large and steadily increasing, with shipbuilding. It has 971 m. of railway. The capital is Christiania. N. forms one joint kingdom with Sweden. Its constitution is democratic. The storthing or legislature meets annually. Suffrage is restricted by a small property qualification. The laws pa ed by the storthing must be ratified by the king, A Norwegian Wedding. but if pa ed three times become laws without his sanction. The state religion is Luther an: Danish is the language in general use. The early history of N. is mythical. Christianity was introduced ab. 990 under Olof I. The petty chieftains who had hitherto ruled the country were brought into subjection by Olof II. 1015-30. In 1391 Magnus VIII. of Sweden was elected king. His grandson, Olof IV., was elected king of Denmark, and in 1397 the three Scand in avian kingdoms became united under his sway. The union of N. with Denmark continued till 1814, when, by the treaty of Kiel, N. was re IMG:content-1593.png:[merged small][graphic][merged small] the French 1216; largely peopled by Flemish weavers 1336, and by Dutch refugees 1558-1600. It has a fine cathedral and extensive manufactures. Pop., 1893, 104,184.