Norway Government 1997

Country name
conventional long form : Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge

Data code NO

Government type constitutional monarchy

National capital Oslo

Administrative divisions 19 provinces (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud,Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland,Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms,Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence 26 October 1905 (from Sweden)

National holiday Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution 17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Legal system mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions;Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state : King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKONMAGNUS (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Thorbjoern JAGLAND (since 25 October 1996)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the king with the approval of the Parliament
elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch; following parliamentary elections,the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usuallyappointed prime minister by the king with the approval of the Parliament

Legislative branch modified unicameral Parliament or Storting which, for certain purposes,divides itself into two chambers (165 seats; members are elected by popularvote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 13 September 1993 (next to be held NA September 1997)
election results : percent of vote by party - Labor 37.1%, Center Party 18.5%, Conservatives15.6%, Christian People's 8.4%, Socialist Left 7.9%, Progress 6%, Left Party3.6%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%; seats by party - Labor 67, Center Party32, Conservatives 18, Christian People's 13, Socialist Left 13, Progress 10,Left Party 1, Red Electoral Alliance 1, unawarded 10
note : for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambersand elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting

Judicial branch Supreme Court or Hoyesterett, justices appointed by the king

Political parties and leaders Labor Party [Thorbjorn JAGLAND]; Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN];Center Party [Anne ENGER LAHNSTEIN]; Christian People's Party [Valgerd HAUGLAND];Socialist Left [Erik SOLHEIM]; Norwegian Communist [Kare Andre NILSEN]; ProgressParty [Carl I. HAGEN]; Liberal [Odd Einar DORUM]; Left Party; Red ElectoralAlliance [Erling FOLKVORD]

International organization participation AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA,ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA,UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTAES,UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Tom-Erik VRAALSON
chancery : 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission : Ambassador Thomas A. LOFTUS
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
telephone: [47] 22 44 85 50
FAX : [47] 22 44 33 63

Flag description red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges ofthe flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in thestyle of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

NOTE: The information regarding Norway on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Norway Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Norway Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.