Top 11 Places to Visit [Number 1]…

June 21, 2006 | 3:42 PM

NORWAY
And the grand prize goes to Norway, for being my number one destination for 2006. Who knows when I’ll get there, but for now, I can dream. You can read a lot about Norway by clicking here.

Here are a few of my favorite facts about Norway:

In 1349, the Black Death wiped out between 1/3 and 2/3 of the Norwegian population, causing a recession. During this recession, the Norwegian royal line died out in 1387. Royal politics at the time resulted in several personal unions between the Nordic countries, eventually bringing the thrones of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden under the control of Queen Margrethe. The country entered into the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Sweden. Sweden declared its independence in 1523, but Norway remained under the Danish crown until 1814.

Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government.

The northern part of the country is also known as the Land of the Midnight Sun because of its location north of the Arctic Circle, where for part of each summer the sun does not set, and in winter much of its land remains dark for long periods. In summertime in the southern part of Norway, the sun is only away for a few hours.

Norse mythology the first Norwegian religion, and origined a rich culture. After the christening in the 11th century, there has been few other religions than Christianity in Norway. Since the 1960s, Norway has become more multicultural due to immigration.

In 2004, oil and gas accounted for 50% of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway, which is not a member of OPEC.

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