History of Norway

At the end of the Ice Age the territory of modern Norway was settled by the first tribes. The country’s so-called Golden Age, which influenced greatly the further history and formed unique national culture, was the Viking Age. Traveling throughout Europe, the Vikings settled along the way. There exists such an opinion that Eric's Icelandic son, Leif Eriksson, was the first to explore the coast of North America on his voyage from Norway to Greenland. Oslo became the industrial and commercial center of Norway in the 13th century. It continued to prosper until the mid-14th century, when the epidemic of plague began.

Denmark colonized Norway and such situation lasted for more than 400 years. Then the country was absorbed by Sweden. In 1814 the Norwegians got thick and tired of enslavement, adopted their own constitution but the struggle for independence was suppressed by a Swedish army. At last Norway became a sovereign country in 1905. Prince Carl of Denmark was selected to be king. During World War II Norway stayed neutral, it tried to keep the same position during the world War II, but was occupied by the Nazis in 1940. As an answer to the active resistance the Nazis army destroyed practically every town and village in northern Norway. Thanks to rich natural resources such as North Sea oil and natural gas the country prospered in the 1970s. Since that time Norway achieved one of the highest standards of living in the world. The Land of the Midnight Sun attracts tourists by its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.