VERY INTERESTING: NORWAY

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about 

Facts About Norway

Impress your friends and family with these remarkable facts and startling truths about the one and only Norway.

The fjords, mountains and northern lights of Norway are known throughout the world. As is the “capitalism with a conscience” philosophy. But other than the obvious, how much do you really know about this Scandinavian country?

Whether you're preparing for a quiz night or you just want to impress your friends with some random knowledge, these Norwegian tidbits are just what you need!

Grab a pen, get comfortable, have your favourite hot drink handy. Here come the Norway facts you never knew you needed to know!

1. The world's longest road tunnel is in Norway

At an astonishing 15 miles (24.5 km) long, the Lærdal Tunnel is the world’s longest. Costing 1 billion Norwegian kroner to build (that's about USD $110 million) the tunnel connects the small communities of Lærdal and Aurland.

Its design is admired all around the world, as it incorporates features to help manage the mental strain on drivers. Every 6km there is a cave to separate sections of road. The lighting varies throughout the tunnel and caves to break routine and provide a varied view.

Having driven through the tunnel myself, I can attest to the importance of the design. It's a tiring drive, and the lighting makes a massive difference. At each end, cameras count the number of cars entering and exiting. This helps ensure a swift response in the event of accident or breakdown.

2. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo

The Norwegian capital has been the proud venue of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony every year (with just a few exceptions) since 1901. The other Nobel prizes in Chemistry, Literature, Physics and Physiology or Medicine are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden.

That's due to the wishes of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist who bequeathed his wealth to create the awards upon his death. No-one's quite sure why he chose Norway for the Peace Prize.

Located between the City Hall and the Aker Brygge development, the Nobel Peace Centre chronicles the fascinating history of the award, and usually has a special exhibition on the current holder of the prize. It opened in 2005. If you've ever in Stockholm, it's worth stopping by the Nobel Centre there too, for the complete story.

3. The world's most remote island is a Norwegian territory

But it may surprise you to learn that it's not in the north! It's actually on the other side of the world. Administered by Norway since 1929, Bouvet Island in the South Atlantic Ocean is Planet Earth's most remote island.

It is located approximately 1,700km north of the coastline of Antarctica and 2,600km away from the South African coast. The closest inhabited land is the British overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha, more than 2,000km away. Tristan is also an extremely remote place, with no airport.

Norway designated the 49km² island and its territorial waters a nature reserve in the 1970s. While no-one lives on the island, Norwegian authorities do maintain an (unmanned) weather station. This means it's easy to check the weather there from Norway, or anywhere else in the world for that matter.

Because of Bouvet's remoteness and the lack of an airport, visiting the island is a no-go. Unless you're a scientist on a research expedition, this is one island you'll likely never get to visit.

4. Norway has a land border with Russia

This one had me scratching my head and checking a map when I first moved to Norway. Although there is just one road crossing, the Norway-Russia land border is actually 120 miles long.

The Storskog crossing on the E105 highway is the northernmost road border crossing in Europe. In September 2017, a new tunnel and bridge opened on the Norway side of the border, decreasing travel time for those crossing the border.

By the way, that's something many people do. Norwegians cross over to buy cheaper fuel for their cars, while Russians cross over to buy better quality goods in Kirkenes.

Much of the border is defined by a river and cuts through dense forest for the majority of the route. Distinctive posts coloured bright yellow on the Norway side and red-green striped on the Russian side mark the border. It's important to pay attention if you're out hiking in these remote areas, because taking even a couple of steps to encircle the posts is illegal.

5. Kirkenes is farther east than all of Finland

In fact, the small Arctic town is as far east as Cairo. This continues to blow my mind when thinking about it and I'm rarely surprised when people doubt it! Don't believe it? Check a map!

At only 9 miles (15 km) from the Russian border, Kirkenes is one of Norway's most interesting places from a social perspective. As it's so close to the border, there is a big Russian influence.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking