Although you probably already know about the northern lights and the midnight sun, did you know that Norway is planning to completely get rid of FM radio? Or that Norway knighted a penguin in 2008? And this is only the tip of the iceberg, here are 25 interesting facts about Norway you can’t afford to miss.
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#1 Norway's universities are free for everybody, even foreigners
#2 In 2000 Norway built the longest tunnel in the world. It is 24.5 km (15.3 miles)
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#3 Between 1814 and 1905 Sweden and Norway were actually one kingdom
#4 It is illegal to advertise to children younger than 12
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#5 King Herald of Norway vowed celibacy for his entire life unless he could marry his true love, the daughter of a cloth merchant. She eventually became queen.
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#6 King Olav V of Norway used public transport and paid for his own tickets
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#7 If you publish a book in Norway, the government will buy 1000 copies of it and distribute them to libraries around the country
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#8 The NRK TV channel in Norway features 18 hours of salmon spawning
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#9 Norway's original name was "Nordweg" meaning "Northern Way"
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#10 Since Sweden ran out of trash it imports trash from Norway and burns it for fuel
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#11 Norway knighted a penguin in 2008
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#12 Known as the "loneliest place on Earth", Bouvet Island is an uninhabited and frozen piece of land half way between Africa and Antarctica. Although many have tried to claim it, today it belongs to Norway.
#13 Norway has the highest gas prices in the world at over $10 per gallon
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#14 Odd and Even are actually popular names for men
#15 Norway is the birthplace of skiing. In fact, the word "ski" is Norwegian for "piece of wood"
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#16 Norway was ranked #1 in the 2014 Prosperity Index for the wealth and well being of its people
#17 Norway donated one billion dollars to help save the Amazon in 2008
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#18 Norway plans to become the first country to completely abandon FM radio in 2017 when it completely changes over to digital
#19 Since the end of WWII only 10 police officers have been killed in Norway
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#20 While IKEA names sofas and bookshelves after places in Sweden and carpets after places in Denmark, it names beds and wardrobes after places in Norway
#21 Except for certain circumstances it is illegal to spay or neuter your dog in Norway
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#22 A large percentage of people (over 8%) eat tacos every single Friday. They call them "fredagstacos"
#23 Norwegian prisoners all have internet in their cells
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#24 Norway actually introduced Japan to salmon sushi in the 80s
#25 Norway's monarch is titled "Norway's King" rather than "King of Norway" to show that he belongs to the country instead of the country belonging to him
