The term Kven (a.k.a. Kveeni, Kvaen, Cwen, Quen, Quain, Qwaen) refers to the northern Scandinavian people, who are of a pre 20th century Finnish origin. In modern terminology, however, only those of Finnish background living in Northern Norway are called Kvens. The towns and communities around the Varanger Fjord in notheastern Norway still today possess the most visible and strong Kven (Cwen) culture, traditions and population anywhere. In many ways, the Varanger ...

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Cwen, Cwen - The people, Cwen - History, Cwen - Wars in Cwenland, Cwen - Varangian and other Viking connections, Cwen - Cwens today - the Finns of Northern Norway, Cwen - Tornedalians - the Finns of Northern Sweden, Cwen - Bjarms - the Finns of Northwestern Russia, Cwen - Cwenland languages today, Cwen - Historical usage of the term

Read more here: » Cwen: Encyclopedia II - Cwen - The people

There exist different theories on the pre-history of the farming Finnic peoples. According to earlier established theories, agricultural Finnic peoples were believed to have inhabited parts of what are now the Baltic countries before the first millennium. Perhaps due to the Germanic and Slavic migration period, or for other reasons, they were thought to have migrated into the inland of present-day Finland and Karelia in the first millennium. Since the 1970´s, this theory has been considered obsolete: serious indications of such migration do ...

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Finnic, Finnic - History

Read more here: » Finnic: Encyclopedia II - Finnic - History

Data from Statistics Norway Vardø is a city and municipality in the county of Finnmark in the extreme northeast of Norway. Vardø - Geography and Climate. Vardø is the easternmost town in Norway, and is actually east of Istanbul. The eastern part of Finnmark is in the same time zone as the rest of the country, even if it is more than an hour at odds with daylight hours. The port of Vardø, on the Barents Sea, remains ice-free all year round thanks to the effect of the warm North Atlantic dri ...

Including:

• Vardø - Geography and Climate
• Vardø - Economy and Tourism
• Vardø - The Globus II Radar
• Vardø - History

Read more here: » Vardø: Encyclopedia - Vardø

Data from Statistics Norway Vadsø (Vesisaari in Finnish) is a city and municipality in the county of Finnmark, Norway. The municipality of Vadsø includes the former municipality of Nord-Varanger. It forms the southern coast of the Varanger Peninsula, which is largely covered by birch forests on this more sheltered side (as opposed to the northern side). In the 1500s the settlement consisted of a fishing village and a church, located on the island of Vadsøya. The settlement later moved to the mainland. To ...

Including:

• Vadsø - History

Read more here: » Vadsø: Encyclopedia - Vadsø

Data from Statistics Norway Alta is a municipality and town in the county of Finnmark, Norway. Alta Norway - Geography. The municipality covers 3845 km²., in the west of the county, mostly situated along the Altafjord, taking in large tracts of woodlands, as well as parts of the High Plateau of Finnmarksvidda. The river Altaelva has carved out one of the largest canyons in Europe on it's way from the plateu down to the fjord. Most people live in the town of Alta, stretching alon ...

Including:

• Alta Norway - Geography
• Alta Norway - History
• Alta Norway - Communications and Economy

Read more here: » Alta Norway: Encyclopedia - Alta Norway

Kautokeino is located in the Arctic highlands of Northern Norway. During five weeks of summer, the sun doesn't set, and during six weeks of winter, the sun doesn't rise. Average precipitation is 360 mm/year, which is one of the lowest precipitation in the country. It is also claimed that this is comparable to parts of the Sahara desert, with the major difference being that with the lower temperatures and greater vegetati ...

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Kautokeino, Kautokeino - Geography, Kautokeino - Climate, Kautokeino - History, Kautokeino - Cultural events, Kautokeino - Institiutions, Kautokeino - Notable people from Kautokeino

Read more here: » Kautokeino: Encyclopedia II - Kautokeino - Climate

In the 9th century Norway consisted of a number of petty kingdoms. According to tradition, Harald Fairhair gathered the small kingdoms into one and in 872 with the battle of Hafrsfjord, he established a feudal state. The Viking age (8th to 11th centuries) was one of national unification and expansion. The Norwegians settled on Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and parts of the British Islands and attempted to settle at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada (it is the Vinland of The Saga of Eric the Red). Norwegians founded th ...

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Norway, Norway - History, Norway - Politics, Norway - Subdivisions, Norway - Geography, Norway - Economy, Norway - Demographics, Norway - Culture, Norway - Miscellaneous topics, Norway - International rankings

Read more here: » Norway: Encyclopedia II - Norway - History

In the 9th century Norway consisted of a number of petty kingdoms. According to tradition, Harald Fairhair gathered the small kingdoms into one and in 872 with the battle of Hafrsfjord, he established a feudal state. The Viking age (8th to 11th centuries) was one of national unification and expansion. The Norwegians settled on Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and parts of the British Islands and attempted to settle at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada (it is the Vinland of The Saga of Eric the Red). Norwegians founded th ...

See also:

Norway, Norway - History, Norway - Politics, Norway - Counties, Norway - Geography, Norway - Economy, Norway - Demographics, Norway - Culture, Norway - Miscellaneous topics, Norway - International rankings

Read more here: » Norway: Encyclopedia II - Norway - History

Finnmark is the northern- and easternmost county of Norway (Svalbard is not considered a county). In area, Finnmark is Norway's largest county, and is larger than Denmark. However, with a population of only 74,000, it is also the least populated. Knivskjellodden in Nordkapp municipality (on Magerøya island) is the northernmost point of Europe; Kinnarodden at Nordkyn is the northermost point on the European mainland. Vardø is the easternmost town in Norway and wester ...

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Finnmark, Finnmark - Geography and Nature, Finnmark - Climate, Finnmark - Administration and Economy, Finnmark - History, Finnmark - Demographics, Finnmark - Municipalities

Read more here: » Finnmark: Encyclopedia II - Finnmark - Geography and Nature

Kirkenes (Kirkkoniemi in Finnish) is a town of about 6000 inhabitants in the extreme northeastern part of Norway, in the province of Finnmark, situated by Bøkfjorden, a fjord branch of the Varanger Fjord, which is a vast bay off the Barents Sea, near the border with Russia. The town is situated some 300 miles (approximately 500 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle. The Midnight sun shines from May 17th to July 21st. The corresponding winter darkness extends from November 21st to January 21st. In spite of being ...

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Kirkenes, Kirkenes - Geography and climate, Kirkenes - People, Kirkenes - Economy and Tourism, Kirkenes - History, Kirkenes - Trivia

Read more here: » Kirkenes: Encyclopedia II - Kirkenes - Geography and climate

Troms has a very rugged and indented coastline facing the Norwegian Sea. However, the large and mountaineous islands along the coast provides an excellent sheltered waterway on the inside. Starting in the south, the largest islands are: northeastern part of Hinnøya (the southern part is in Nordland), Grytøy, Senja, Kvaløya, Ringvassøya, Reinøy, Vannøy and Arnøy. There are several large fjords that stretches quite far inland. Starting in the south, the largest fjords are Vågsfjorden, Malangen, Balsfjorden, Ullsfjorden, Lyngen (the municipality has it's name from the fjord) and Kvænangen (fjord). The largest lake is Alteva ...

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Troms, Troms - Geography, Troms - Economy, Troms - History, Troms - Municipalities

Read more here: » Troms: Encyclopedia II - Troms - Geography

Vardø is the easternmost town in Norway, and is actually east of Istanbul. The eastern part of Finnmark is in the same time zone as the rest of the country, even if it is more than an hour at odds with daylight hours. The port of Vardø, on the Barents Sea, remains ice-free all year round thanks to the effect of the warm North Atlantic drift. Vardø is usually referred to as Norway's only mainland town in the Arctic climate zone, although this is not strictly correct since the town is located on an island about 2 km off the northeastern coast of the Varanger Peninsula. July 24-hr average temperature is only 9.1°C ...

See also:

Vardø, Vardø - Geography and Climate, Vardø - Economy and Tourism, Vardø - The Globus II Radar, Vardø - History

Read more here: » Vardø: Encyclopedia II - Vardø - Geography and Climate

The Rock carvings at Alta, dating from circa 4200 BC to 500 BC, are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. In additon, the Komsa culture was named after the Komsa mountain in Alta municipality, where the first archeological remains were discovered. The Finnic Cwen (a.k.a. Quen or Kven) residents of Alta are largely descendants of Finnish immigrants who arrived to the area during the 19th century - or before - from Finland. In World War II, the German battleship Tirpitz used Altafjord as a harbor, and was dama ...

See also:

Alta Norway, Alta Norway - Geography, Alta Norway - History, Alta Norway - Communications and Economy

Read more here: » Alta Norway: Encyclopedia II - Alta Norway - History

The municipality covers 3845 km²., in the west of the county, mostly situated along the Altafjord, taking in large tracts of woodlands, as well as parts of the High Plateau of Finnmarksvidda. The river Altaelva has carved out one of the largest canyons in Europe on it's way from the plateu down to the fjord. Most people live in the town of Alta, stretching along the inner part of the fjord, enjoying a sheltered climate: Summer temperatures are often comparable to southern parts of Norway, and lowland areas in Alta is mostly shelt ...

See also:

Alta, Norway, Alta, Norway - Geography, Alta, Norway - History, Alta, Norway - Communications and Economy

Read more here: » Alta, Norway: Encyclopedia II - Alta, Norway - Geography

The Rock carvings at Alta, dating from circa 4200 BC to 500 BC, are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. In additon, the Komsa culture was named after the Komsa mountain in Alta municipality, where the first archeological remains were discovered. The Finnic Cwen (a.k.a. Quen or Kven) residents of Alta are largely descendants of Finnish immigrants who arrived to the area during the 19th century - or before - from Finland. In World War II, the German battleship Tirpitz used Altafjord as a harbor, and was dam ...

See also:

Alta, Norway, Alta, Norway - Geography, Alta, Norway - History, Alta, Norway - Communications and Economy

Read more here: » Alta, Norway: Encyclopedia II - Alta, Norway - History

Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. The Royal House is a branch of the princely family of Glücksburg, originally from Schleswig-Holstein in Germany. [1] The functions of the King, Harald V, are mainly ceremonial, but he has influence as the symbol of national unity. Although the constitution of 1814 grants important executive powers to the King, these are almost always exercised by the Council of State in the name of the King (King's Council, or cabinet). The reserve powers vested in the Mon ...

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Norway, Norway - History, Norway - Politics, Norway - Subdivisions, Norway - Geography, Norway - Economy, Norway - Demographics, Norway - Culture, Norway - Miscellaneous topics, Norway - International rankings

Read more here: » Norway: Encyclopedia II - Norway - Politics

Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called fylker (singular fylke) and 431 kommuner (singular kommune). Fylke and kommune are officially translated to English as county and municipality. The fylke is the intermediate administration between state and municipality. Note: The 19 fylker might be replaced with 5 - 9 larger regions by 2010. The counties of Norway are: Akershus Aust-Agder Buskerud Finnmark Hedm ...

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Norway, Norway - History, Norway - Politics, Norway - Subdivisions, Norway - Geography, Norway - Economy, Norway - Demographics, Norway - Culture, Norway - Miscellaneous topics, Norway - International rankings

Read more here: » Norway: Encyclopedia II - Norway - Subdivisions

Famous Norwegians include the playwrights/novelists Baron Ludvig Holberg and Henrik Ibsen, explorers Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen, and Thor Heyerdahl, expressionist painter Edvard Munch and the romanticist composer Edvard Grieg. The playwright/novelists Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Knut Hamsun and Sigrid Undset have all won the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1903, 1920 and 1928 respectively. Norwegians celebrate their national day on May 17, Constitution Day. Many people wear bunad (traditional costumes) and most participate in or watch ...

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Norway, Norway - History, Norway - Politics, Norway - Subdivisions, Norway - Geography, Norway - Economy, Norway - Demographics, Norway - Culture, Norway - Miscellaneous topics, Norway - International rankings

Read more here: » Norway: Encyclopedia II - Norway - Culture

The county is mainly mountainous; but with some surprisingly lush valleys, however much of the interior supports livestock raising as only means of agriculture. Along the coast and on the islands, fishing is dominant. The city of Tromsø, in the north central part, is the county seat and an Arctic seaport, and seat of the world's northernmost university. Harstad is the regional centre for the southern part of the county. The Norwegian armed forces is a vital employer in Troms, having the seat of the 6th army division as well as several air force bases, helicopter wings ...

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Troms, Troms - Geography, Troms - Economy, Troms - History, Troms - Municipalities

Read more here: » Troms: Encyclopedia II - Troms - Economy

There were settlements along the coast of more southern areas of North Norway in the bronze age, possibly reaching as far north as southern part of Troms (Harstad-area), although there are very little evidens of bronze actually being used; this northern area might have gone straight from stoneage to iron age wrt use of tools. There are substantially more archeological evidens of a norse iron-based culture in the late roman age (200 - 400 AD), reaching as far north as Karlsøy (near todays Tromsø [1]), but not further northeast. The N ...

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Troms, Troms - Geography, Troms - Economy, Troms - History, Troms - Municipalities

Read more here: » Troms: Encyclopedia II - Troms - History