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77-582: The county municipality's most important tasks include secondary education , recreation (sports and outdoor life), and cultural heritage . The county municipality is also responsible for all county roads (including ferry operations) and public transport (including school busses). The county municipality has further responsibility for regional land-use planning , business development , power production , and environmental management . The county also has responsibility for providing dental health services (in 2002, responsibility for hospitals and public medicine

154-449: A commuter boat [or ferry ] in 2020, priced at Norwegian kroner 83 million, is still (as of 2022) causing fear that Finnmark will alone get stuck with paying off the boat (when Finnmark becomes a county in 2024); the expense can lead to budget cuts. The town of Hammerfest is experiencing an economic boom as a consequence of Statoil 's construction of the large land-based LNG site on the island of Melkøya , which gets natural gas from

231-839: A curriculum used and recognized internationally or an alternative approach to teaching – either religious or pedagogical . These schools must be approved by the government and are heavily grant-aided, and cannot select students based on subjectivity, such as skill or intelligence. The Norwegian school system can be divided into three parts: elementary school ( barneskole , ages 6–12), lower secondary school ( ungdomsskole , ages 13–16), and upper secondary school ( videregående skole , ages 16–19). The barneskole and ungdomsskole levels are compulsory, and are commonly referred to as grunnskole ('foundation school'). Elementary and lower secondary school are mandatory for all children aged 6–16. Before 1997, mandatory education in Norway started at

308-542: A few weeks before the final examinations of the final year. The titles of educators in Norwegian schools vary with the degrees they have. Higher education is anything beyond upper secondary school , and normally lasts three years or more. To be accepted to most higher education schools, a student must have attained a general university admissions certificate ( generell studiekompetanse ). This can be achieved by taking general studies while in upper secondary school or through

385-482: A given right. When primary and lower secondary education is completed, upper secondary schooling is entitled to students for enrollment, which prepares students for higher education or vocational studies . The school year in Norway runs from mid-August to late June the following year. The Christmas holiday from mid-December to early January historically divides the Norwegian school year into two terms . Presently,

462-547: A long time. This essentially holds true today. The Sami were for many years victims of the Norwegianization policy, which in essence was an attempt by the government to make them "true Norwegians" and forget about their Sami way of life and religion, which was seen as inferior. As a result, the Sami living at the coast and in the fjords gradually lost much of their culture and often felt ashamed by their Sami inheritance. The Sami in

539-515: A professionally independent agency under the Ministry of Education and Research , assures the quality of higher education in Norway. Where there are more applicants than students admitted, applicants are ranked based on their grades from upper secondary school. To gain access to studies commonly requiring a high GPA, like medicine, law and engineering, many students re-sit their upper secondary school examinations to improve their grades. Higher education

616-502: A rapid population increase in Sör-Varanger, and the muskrat has spread to almost every part of the municipality. Lynx and moose are common in large parts of Finnmark, but rare on the coast. The county's interior parts are part of the great Finnmarksvidda plateau, with an elevation of 300 to 400 m (980 to 1,310 ft), with numerous lakes and river valleys. The plateau is famous for its tens of thousands of reindeer owned by

693-443: A single system. Among the goals of the reform was that all students should have a certain amount of general studies large enough to make them eligible for higher education later, meaning more theory in vocational studies, and that it should be possible to cross over from one education path to another without losing too much credit. In the old system, two years of carpentry would be wasted if one wanted to switch to general studies, but in

770-576: A total coastline of 6,844 kilometres (4,253 mi), including 3,155 kilometres (1,960 mi) of coastline on the islands. As of 2000, nearly 12,300 people, 16.6% of the county's population, lived in the 100-meter belt along the coastline. Knivskjellodden in Nordkapp Municipality (on the island of Magerøya ) is sometimes considered Europe's northernmost point (on an island); Kinnarodden on Nordkinn Peninsula in Lebesby Municipality

847-463: A typical structure named the "2+2 model": after two years of school training (with workshops and a short internship in industry), the student does an apprenticeship for two years in an enterprise or a public institution. The apprenticeship is divided into one year of training and one year of practical work. Some vocational curricula are nonetheless entirely school-based, and others include three years of apprenticeship instead of two. The new reform makes

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924-490: Is the world's most northern fortress. In the 17th century, 88 young women were burned as witches in Vardø, an extremely high number compared to the total population in this area at the time. The first person burned as witch in Vardø in the 17th century was a man. [Vardø archives] Finnmark first became subject to increased colonization in the 18th and 19th century. Norway, Sweden, and Russia all claimed control over this area. Finland

1001-687: Is 914 millimetres (36.0 in) and the wettest season is September until December. The year average temperature difference between Loppa and Karasjok (6 °C) is comparable to the difference between Loppa and London . In the Köppen climate classification , the climate in Karasjok–and most of the lowland areas in Finnmark–corresponds to the Dfc category ( subarctic climate ), while the Loppa climate corresponds to

1078-591: Is a county in northern Norway . By land, it borders Troms county to the west, Finland ( Lapland region ) to the south, and Russia ( Murmansk Oblast ) to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea ( Atlantic Ocean ) to the northwest, and the Barents Sea ( Arctic Ocean ) to the north and northeast. The county was formerly known as Finmarkens amt or Vardøhus amt . Since 2002, it has had two official names: Finnmark ( Norwegian ) and Finnmárku ( Northern Sami ). It

1155-467: Is broadly divided into: There is no formal distinction between vocational and non-vocational higher education. Before the 19th century the main source for higher education of Norwegians was the University of Copenhagen . Norway's first large-scale education institution for people with intellectual disabilities was founded in 1898 by educator Emma Hjorth . Since the 1970s, the government has legislated

1232-558: Is derived from Old Norse Finnmǫrk : The first element is finn(ar) , the Norse name for the Sámi people, and the last element is mǫrk , which means "woodland" or "borderland". In Norse times the name referred to the land of the Sámi people, or any place where Sámi people lived. The coat of arms is black with a gold-colored castle tower—its blazon reads, "Sable, a single-towered castle Or". The design

1309-665: Is eight weeks from the middle of June until the middle of August. They also have Christmas holidays after the first semester ends in December until the second semester begins in January. In addition, in the last week of October, pupils in primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools have fall break, with another week-long break (winter break) in the middle of February. Students at universities or university colleges typically do not have fall and winter breaks. In Norway, there are thirteen national holidays that students are free from school. In

1386-445: Is farther east than Saint Petersburg and Istanbul . On 1 January 2020, Finnmark merged with the neighbouring county of Troms to form Troms og Finnmark county. On 1 January 2024, the counties of Finnmark and Troms were restored after parliament decided on 15 June 2022 to separate them. Four municipalities (of the district's 18) had population increases during Q1 in 2021: Alta, Tana, Berlevåg and Loppa. The name Finnmark

1463-405: Is from 1967 and shows the old Vardøhus Fortress , historically on the eastern border with Russia. Finnmark is Norway's northernmost and easternmost county ( Svalbard is not considered a county). By area, Finnmark is Norway's second-largest county, even larger than the neighboring country of Denmark . With a population of about 75,000, it is also the least populous Norwegian county. Finnmark has

1540-453: Is made up of 35 representatives that are elected by direct election by all legal residents of the county every fourth year. The council is the legislative body for the county. The county council typically meets about six times a year. Council members are divided into standing committees and an executive committee ( fylkesutvalg ), which meet considerably more often. Both the council and executive committee (with at least 5 members) are led by

1617-561: Is part of the Sápmi region, which spans four countries, as well as the Barents Region , and is Norway's second-largest and least populous county. Situated at the northernmost part of continental Europe , where the Norwegian coastline swings eastward, Finnmark is an area "where East meets West" in culture as well as in nature and geography. Vardø Municipality , Norway's easternmost municipality,

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1694-456: Is primarily based on public schools: In 2007, 93% of upper secondary school students attended public schools. Until 2005, Norwegian law held private secondary schools to be illegal unless they offered a "religious or pedagogic alternative", so the only private schools in existence were religious ( Christian ), Steiner/Waldorf , Montessori schools , and Danielsen  [ no ] . The first "standard" private upper secondary schools opened in

1771-506: Is the northernmost point on the European mainland. Honningsvåg in Finnmark claims to be world's northernmost city, and Vardø is the easternmost town in Norway and farther east than Istanbul . The coast is indented by large fjords , many of which (in a strict sense) are false fjords, as they are not carved out by glaciers. Some of Norway's largest sea bird colonies are on the northern coast;

1848-563: Is the only place in the country with a population of muskrats , stemming from their introduction from their native North America into Europe in the early 20th century, which included their release in 293 localities all over Finland from 1919 onward, and then of about 1,000 muskrats on the Kola Peninsula during 1931–36. The animal spread and the observations of first 'possible' muskrats in the river Alta area in Troms were made around 1960, though

1925-595: Is used for training by the Royal Norwegian Air Force and other NATO allies, in conjunction with the nearby Halkavarre shooting range, which allows for practice with precision-guided munitions. Garnisonen i Porsanger is near the Halkavarre training area. There is also the Garnisonen i Sør-Varanger ( Gsv ) in the east, which guards the border with Russia. The town of Vadsø is the administrative centre for

2002-526: The Arctic Circle , Finnmark has midnight sun from the middle of May until late July. Conversely, in two months of the winter, from late November to late January, the county experiences polar nights where the sun is always below the horizon. As a consequence, there is continuous daylight from early May to early August. At midwinter, there is only a bluish twilight for a couple of hours around noon, which can almost reach full daylight if there are clear skies to

2079-996: The Snøhvit undersea gas field. A new oil field was discovered in 2009 just 45 km (28 mi) off shore, close to the Snøhvit field. There is optimism in the eastern part of the county, as the growing petroleum activity in the Barents Sea is expected to generate increased economic activity on land as well. Some snow molds are prevalent and well adapted here, including Sclerotinia borealis and Typhula ishikariensis (especially T. i. group III). Both are pathogens of wheat , and S. b. also affects rye , barley , and some trees. There are eleven airports, but only Alta Airport , Lakselv-Banak Airport , and Kirkenes-Høybuktmoen Airport have direct flights to Oslo . In addition, Lakselv-Banak Airport in Porsanger Municipality

2156-409: The 16th century, settled along the coast. See the articles on Kven people and Vardøhus Fortress for more details. The Sami are the indigenous people of Finnmark, but Norwegians have lived for hundreds of years on the islands' outer parts, where they made up the majority. The Sami people still constitute the majority in Finnmark's interior parts, while the fjord areas have been ethnically mixed for

2233-590: The 1970s and 1980s, the folkeskole was abolished, and the grunnskole ('foundation school') was introduced. Traditionally poorer counties like Finnmark and Hedmark have the highest shares of inhabitants who only have completed the compulsory primary education , with numbers as high as 38%. Under the Independent Schools Act of 2003, private schooling in Norway has become available. However, very few such schools exist in comparison to Norwegian public schools. Private schools must be founded upon

2310-482: The Cfc category. The northeastern coast, from Nordkapp Municipality east to Vardø Municipality , have arctic tundra climate (Köppen: ET), as the average July temperature is below 10 °C (50 °F). Furthermore, elevations exceeding approximately 100 to 200 metres (330 to 660 ft) in coastal areas in western Finnmark and 300 to 500 metres (980 to 1,640 ft) in the interior result in an alpine climate , and in

2387-452: The Sámi, and swarms of mosquitoes in midsummer. Finnmarksvidda makes up 36% of the county's area. Stabbursdalen National Park ensures protection for the world's northernmost Scots pine forest. The Tana River , which partly defines the border with Finland , gives the largest catch of salmon of all rivers in Europe, and also has the world record for Atlantic salmon , 36 kg (79 lb). In

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2464-703: The age of 7. Students often have to change schools when they enter lower secondary school and almost always have to change schools when they enter upper secondary school, as many schools only offer one of the levels. In the first year of primary school, students spend most of their time playing educational games and learning social structures, the alphabet, basic addition and subtraction, and basic English skills. In grades 2–7, they are introduced to mathematics , English , science , religion (focusing not only on Christianity but also on all other religions , their purpose, and their history), aesthetics , and music , complemented by geography , history , and social studies in

2541-577: The annual average is −2.4 °C (27.7 °F), and precipitation is only 366 millimetres (14.4 in) per year with summer as the wettest season. Karasjok has recorded up to 32.4 °C (90.3 °F) in July, giving a possible year amplitude of 84 °C (151 °F) (rare in Europe ). Finnmarksvidda has annual mean temperatures down to −3 °C (27 °F) (Sihcajavri in Kautokeino Municipality ),

2618-578: The area in the 18th century from Meänmaa , and later in the 19th century from Finland , suffering from famine and war. In 1576, the King of Norway established Vardøhus len as a new administrative unit for most northern part of the kingdom. In 1660, it became Vardøhus amt , a subordinate to the large Trondhjems stiftamt , based in Trondheim . In 1787, the island of Senja and the Troms area were transferred from Nordlandenes amt to Vardøhus amt. In 1866,

2695-542: The coldest in mainland Norway (except for higher mountain areas) and even colder than Jan Mayen and Bear Island . Sihcajavri has also recorded 34.3 °C (93.7 °F) on 23 June 1920. Due to the proximity to the ice-free ocean, winters are much milder in coastal areas (and more windy); Loppa Municipality has average January and July temperatures of −2 °C (28 °F) and 11.6 °C (52.9 °F) respectively, with an annual mean of 3.6 °C (38.5 °F), despite being further north. Average annual precipitation

2772-535: The concept: "subjects students may be chosen to sit an exam for." In Norway's schools, there are two semesters. The new academic year begins in the middle of August. The first semester begins in August and ends in December. The second semester begins in January and ends in June. In Norway's school, there are several long vacations. For example, after the academic year ends in June, students in Norway have summer vacation, which

2849-402: The country will determine whether they get accepted to their upper secondary school of choice or not. From eighth grade, students can choose one elective ( valgfag ) and one language. Typical offered languages are German, French, and Spanish as well as additional English and Norwegian studies. Before the educational reform of August 2006, students could choose a practical elective instead of

2926-689: The county is above the tree line , and large parts of the other half is covered with small Downy birch . The lushest areas are the Alta area and the Tana valleys, and in the east is the lowland area in the Pasvik valley in Sør-Varanger Municipality , where the pine and Siberian spruce forest is considered part of the Russian taiga vegetation. This valley has the highest density of Brown bears in Norway, and

3003-674: The county mayor ( Norwegian : fylkesordfører ). The executive committee carries out the executive funitons of the county under the direction of the whole council. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party . Videreg%C3%A5ende skole Education in Norway is mandatory for all children aged from 6 to 16. Schools are typically divided into two divisions: primary and lower secondary schooling. The majority of schools in Norway are municipal , where local governments fund and manage administration. Primary and lower secondary schools are available free of charge for all Norwegian citizens as

3080-542: The county merged into Troms og Finnmark . 18 of those exist as of 2021. People have lived in Finnmark for at least 10,000 years (see Komsa , Pit-Comb Ware culture and Rock carvings at Alta ). The destiny of these early cultures is unknown. Three ethnic groups have a long history in Finnmark: the Sami people , the Norwegian people , and the Kven people . Of these, the Sami probably were

3157-425: The county of Finnmark, although Alta has the largest population. The Finnmark County Municipality was the governing body for the county. The county was generally divided into two districts: West-Finnmark ( Vest-Finnmark ) and East-Finnmark ( Øst-Finnmark ). Until 2006, Statskog , the Norwegian state-owned agency responsible for the management of state owned forest and mountain real estate, owned about 95% of

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3234-607: The east, the Pasvikelva defines the border with Russia . The Finnmarksvidda plateau in the interior of the county has a continental climate with the coldest winter temperatures in Norway: the coldest temperature ever recorded was −51.4 °C (−60.5 °F) in Karasjok Municipality on 1 January 1886. The 24-hour averages for January and July at the same location are −17.1 °C (1.2 °F) and 13.1 °C (55.6 °F),

3311-511: The elementary/middle school curriculum of that subject. In 2009, Norwegian fifteen-year-olds performed better in OECDs Programme for International Student Assessment than other Scandinavian countries, with significant improvement since 2006. In mathematics; however, the top 10% were estimated to lag three years behind the top-scoring students in Shanghai . Secondary education in Norway

3388-633: The end, the dam was built on a much smaller scale than originally intended and the Sami culture was on the government's agenda. The Sami parliament ( Sámediggi ) was opened in Karasjok in 1989. Gjesvær in Nordkapp is mentioned in the Sagas ( Heimskringla ) as a northern harbor in the Viking Age , especially used by Vikings on the way to Bjarmaland (see Ottar from Hålogaland ), and probably also for gathering food in

3465-403: The fall of 2005. Videregående is the equivalent to high school. As of 2017, graduation from videregående skole was at 73%. Prior to 1994, there were three branches of upper secondary schooling: general (language, history, etc.), mercantile (accounting, etc.), and vocational (electronics, carpentry, etc.) studies. The high school reform of 1994 ("Reform 94") merged these branches into

3542-494: The fifth grade. No official grades are given at this level. However, the teacher often writes a comment, analysis, and sometimes an unofficial grade on tests. Tests are to be taken home and shown to parents. There is also an introductory test to let the teacher know if the student is above average or is in need of some assistance at school. When the students enter lower secondary school, at age 12 or 13, they begin being graded on their work. Their grades together with their location in

3619-530: The first actual specimen was not recovered until 1969, when a muskrat was captured alive in Smalfjord  [ no ] in Tana Municipality (Lund & Wikan 1995). In 1970, another specimen was collected from Jarfjorden in Sør-Varanger Municipality in Finnmark (Pedersen 1970). Between 1980 and 1988 there were very few observations of muskrats in Norway (Lund & Wikan 1995). Since 1988 there has been

3696-469: The first people to explore Finnmark. Ohthere of Hålogaland was an adventurous Norwegian (Norseman) from Hålogaland , the area roughly corresponding to today's Nordland county. Around 890 AD, he claimed, according to historical sources (see Ohthere of Hålogaland ) that he lived "north-most of all the Northmen", and that "no one [lived] to the north of him." Later, Norwegians in the 14th century, and Kvens in

3773-555: The grades are often postfixed with + or - (except 6+ and 1-) and it is also common to use grades such as 5/6 or 4/3 indicating borderline grades. However, the grades students get on their final diploma are either 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. At the conclusion of their school careers, upper secondary pupils aspire to graduate with a diploma. This is obtained by those who have passed all their subjects, and lists grades which are "based on teachers' determination of overall achievement marks of their own students." As well as these teacher-assigned grades,

3850-459: The holidays are included in the long break. For example, New Year's day and Christmas are national holidays in Norway, but students have Christmas holidays at that time. Official authorities Reports from international organizations Finnmark Finnmark ( Norwegian: [ˈfɪ̀nːmɑrk] ; Northern Sami : Finnmárku [ˈfinːˌmaːrːhkuː] ; Kven : Finmarkku ; Finnish : Finnmark ; Russian : Финнмарк )

3927-475: The incorporation of IT into the schooling mandatory, and many counties (responsible for the public high schools) offer laptops to general studies students for free or for a small fee. Kunnskapsløftet also makes it harder to switch between electives that are taken in the second and third year in the general studies path. Students graduating upper secondary school are called russ in Norwegian. They often celebrate with parties and festivities, which are held

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4004-514: The interior managed to preserve more of their culture. In the 1970s, instruction of the Sami language started in schools, and a new sense of consciousness started to grow among the Sami; today most are proud of their background and culture. In the midst of this awakening (1979), Norway's government decided to build a dam in Alta to produce hydropower , provoking many Sami and environmentalists to demonstrations and civil disobedience— Alta Conflict . In

4081-568: The island of Senja and the Troms area were separated from Vardøhus to form the new Troms ø amt. In 1919, the name was again changed to Finnmark fylke . In 2002, the Sami language name, Finnmárku , was added as a co-official name for the county. Per Fugelli has said that World War II resulted in many persons acquiring psychiatric disorders ( psykiske senskadene ) which could be from experiencing "bombing, accidents involving mines , burning down of homes, forcible evacuation, illness and starvation during

4158-870: The land in Finnmark county. On 1 July 2006, the Finnmark Estate agency took over the ownership and management of that land in Finnmark. The Finnmark Estate was governed in tandem by the Finnmark County Municipality and the Sami Parliament of Norway . The Sami Parliament of Norway is based in the village of Karasjok . The national government runs the Northern Norway Regional Health Authority which in turn owns and operates two hospitals in Finnmark, located in Kirkenes and Hammerfest . There were 19 municipalities in Finnmark when

4235-454: The languages. Teens born in 1999 and later could once again choose a practical elective known as ( arbeidslivsfag ) or career studies upon starting lower secondary school, thus getting the option to choose two electives. The electives vary significantly between schools, even in the same municipality. A student may take the grade 10 exam in a particular subject early as long as he or she has been granted an exemption from further instruction in

4312-534: The largest are Hjelmsøystauran on the island of Hjelmsøya in Måsøy Municipality and Gjesværstappan in Nordkapp Municipality . The highest point is atop the glacier Øksfjordjøkelen , which has an area of 45 square kilometres (17 sq mi), and is in Loppa Municipality . Both Øksfjordjøkelen and Seiland Glacier are in western Finnmark. The Øksfjord plateau glacier calved directly into

4389-616: The law of 23/5 where a person must be above 23 years of age, have five years of combined schooling and work experience and have passed exams in Norwegian, mathematics, natural sciences, English and social studies. Some degrees also require special electives in second and third grade (e.g. maths and physics for engineering studies.) The majority of higher educational institutions are run by the state and take responsibility for their own instruction, research, and dissemination of knowledge. The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT),

4466-486: The middle of April, there are four days of Easter break. Norway celebrates International Workers' Day on May 1 and its Constitution Day on May 17. Furthermore, Norway also celebrates Ascension Day in May, with the exact date depending on the each year. Ten days after Ascension Day, the country celebrates Pentecost , and Whit Monday the next day. Students do not have to attend school on these national holidays. However, some of

4543-585: The nearby seabird colony. Coastal areas of Finnmark were colonized by Norwegians beginning in the 10th century, and there are stories describing clashes with the Karelians . Border skirmishes between the Norwegians and Novgorodians continued until 1326, when the Treaty of Novgorod settled the issue. The first known fortification in Finnmark is Vardøhus festning , first erected in 1306 by King Haakon V Magnusson . This

4620-400: The new Bologna system was introduced implies that students who had started their studies while the old system still was in effect will graduate with transcripts containing grades from both systems (i.e. both numbers and letters). Lower levels of education use a scale running from 1 through 6, with 6 being the highest and 2 the lowest passing grade. For non-final tests and mid-term evaluations

4697-526: The new system one could keep credit for at least half of it. Since the introduction of the reform Kunnskapsløftet ('the knowledge promise' or 'the lifting of knowledge', the word løfte having two meanings) in the fall of 2006, a student can apply for a general studies ( studieforberedelse ) or a vocational studies ( yrkesfag ) path. Inside these main paths, there are many sub-paths to follow. An upper secondary school usually offers general and vocational curriculum. Vocational studies usually follow

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4774-552: The northeast this merges with the Arctic tundra climate . The climate in sheltered parts of fjord areas (particularly the Altafjorden ) is usually considered the most hospitable: winters are not as cold as in the interior, and summer warmth is comparable. Even if winter temperatures are milder in coastal areas, the coast is more exposed to winter storms, which often complicate or shut down road and air communications. Situated far north of

4851-607: The northern Pacific Ocean but brought to the Barents sea by the Russians, have invaded from the east and are now being exploited commercially (especially in the Varangerfjord ). To prevent the crab from spreading too far south, crab fishing west of Nordkapp is totally unregulated. In more recent years, tourism has grown in importance, with the North Cape (in Nordkapp Municipality ) and

4928-634: The policy that all children should be educated in local schools. Since then, special education has taken place mostly in ordinary schools . The need for special education in school depends on the individual student's abilities and capabilities. Pupils who cannot manage to yield learning outcomes from the typical teaching style have a right to special education . In special education, the Educational/Psychological Service maintains highly qualified specialists, educational psychologists , social welfare workers, and kindergarten teachers, playing

5005-420: The role of safety net in society. The Educational/Psychological Service visits school, provides students with help when needed, and assists their family members. In addition to the society system, special educators play a significant role, particularly in the content of their instructions. According to The Act relating to Universities and Colleges, universities and university colleges must take responsibility for

5082-405: The sea ( Jøkelfjorden ) until 1900, the last glacier in mainland Norway to do so. Finnmark's central and eastern parts are generally less mountainous, and have no glaciers. The land east of Nordkapp is mostly below 300 m (980 ft). The nature varies from barren coastal areas facing the Barents Sea to more sheltered fjord areas and river valleys with gullies and tree vegetation. About half

5159-465: The second term begins in January. Organized education in Norway dates as far back as 2000 B.C . Shortly after Norway became an archdiocese in 1153, cathedral schools were constructed to educate priests in Trondheim , Oslo , Bergen and Hamar . After the Reformation of Norway in 1537, following the unification with Denmark in 1536 , cathedral schools were turned into Latin schools , and it

5236-505: The south. Finnmark is in the Aurora Borealis zone, and because of the dry climate with frequent clear skies, Alta Municipality was early chosen as a location for study of the phenomenon. For this reason, Alta is sometimes called the city of the northern lights. Fisheries have traditionally been the most important way of living along the coast, where the majority of the Norwegian population live. The red king crab , originally from

5313-406: The students' diplomas may feature one or more examination grades. A minority of students will be chosen at random to sit an exam, a concept called trekkfag in Norwegian. The word fag means 'subject', whilst the verb å trekke can be translated as 'to draw, to pick', as one would describe picking a card from a pack. The dictionary translation of trekkfag is given as a description of

5390-472: The students' learning environment. Institutions are expected to create an inclusive and flexible learning environment that represents universal design . Norway has multiple different grading systems, both unique ones and ones that have been based on foreign grading systems. The former most common system of grades used at university level was based on a scale running from 1.0 (worst) through 6.0 (best) with 4.0 or above being considered passing grades. The way

5467-527: The town of Kirkenes on 25 October 1944 (as the first town in Norway), the Red Army did not attempt further offensives in Norway. Free Norwegian forces arrived from Britain and liberated the rest of the county. When war was over, more than 70,000 people were left homeless in Finnmark. The government imposed a temporary ban on residents returning to Finnmark because of the danger of landmines . The ban lasted until

5544-533: The towns of Alta and Hammerfest as the most important destinations. As of 2001, one percent of the work force were employed in the oil industry and the mining industry. There is some mining industry, though exploitation of the iron ores along the Kirkenes–Bjørnevatn Line was paused in 2015 and has not restarted as of 2022. The slate industry in Alta is well known and have sold to customers as far away as Japan . An irregular procurement of

5621-537: The war and liberation. But it was maybe in particular the treatment of Russian prisoners that left marks on the local population." Towards the end of World War II , with Operation Nordlicht , the Germans used the scorched earth tactic in Finnmark and northern Troms to halt the Red Army . As a consequence of this, few houses survived the war, and a large part of the population was forcefully evacuated further south ( Tromsø

5698-423: Was crowded), but many people avoided evacuation by hiding in caves and mountain huts and waited until the Germans were gone, then inspected their burned homes. There were 11,000 houses, 4,700 cow sheds, 106 schools, 27 churches, and 21 hospitals burned. There were 22,000 communications lines destroyed, roads were blown up, boats destroyed, animals killed, and 1,000 children separated from their parents. After taking

5775-408: Was made mandatory for all market towns to have such a school. In 1736 training in reading was made compulsory for all children, but was not effective until some years later, when ambulatory schools ( omgangsskoler ) were also established. In 1827, Norway introduced the folkeskole ('people's school'), a primary school which became mandatory for seven years in 1889 and nine years in 1969. In

5852-406: Was part of Russia at that time and had no independent representative. Finnmark was given the status of an Amt (county) in the 19th century. For a time, there was a vibrant trade with Russia ( Pomor trade ), and many Norwegians settled on the Kola Peninsula (see Kola Norwegians ). The Finnic Kven residents of Finnmark are largely descendants of Finnish -speaking immigrants who arrived in

5929-538: Was transferred from the counties to the new regional health authorities ). Since 1963, the county mayor ( Norwegian : fylkesordfører ) of Finnmark has been the political leader of the county and the chairperson of the county council . Prior to 1963, the County governor led the council which was made up of all of the mayors of the rural municipalities within the county. Here is a list of people who have held this position: The county council ( Norwegian : Fylkestinget )

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