Page last updated on February 23,

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 323,802 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 68
land: 304,282 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 19,520 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,542 km
border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast

Terrain:
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 2.7%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 97.3% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1,180 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
381.4 cu km (2005)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.4 cu km/yr (23%/67%/10%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 519 cu m/yr (1996)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
rockslides, avalanches
volcanism: Beerenberg (elev. 2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano

Environment - current issues:
water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much-indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of the most rugged and longest coastlines in the world