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97-566: Most of the municipality lies on the island of Karmøy . The island is connected to the mainland by the Karmøy Tunnel and the Karmsund Bridge . It is known for its industries, as well as for fishing . Karmøy is also well known in Norway for its beautiful heather moors and the white sand surfing beaches. The 230-square-kilometre (89 sq mi) municipality is the 294th largest by area out of

194-561: A constitution . However, no foreign powers recognized the Norwegian independence but supported the Swedish demand for Norway to comply with the treaty of Kiel. After a short war with Sweden , the countries concluded the Convention of Moss , in which Norway accepted a personal union with Sweden, keeping its Constitution, Storting and separate institutions, except for the foreign service. The union

291-467: A puppet state , dissolving the Norwegian Council of State. The Reformation was also imposed in 1537 , strengthening the king's power. All church valuables were sent to Copenhagen and the forty percent of the land which was owned by the church came under the control of the king. Danish was introduced as a written language, although Norwegian retained distinct dialects. Professional administration

388-634: A labor shortage in the agriculture, which again resulted in increased use of machinery and thus capital. The government stimulated the process through the creation of the Mortgage Bank in 1851 and the State Agricultural College eight years later. The 19th century saw a large increase of road construction and steamship services commenced along the coast. The first railway, the Trunk Line between Christiania and Eidsvoll opened in 1854, followed

485-534: A new absolute monarchy and advised him instead to convoke a constituent assembly to draw up a liberal constitution and decide the form of government. Representatives from the entire country were elected to meet at Eidsvoll Manor. The 112 members of the Constituent Assembly gathered and, after six weeks of discussion, concluded the work on the Constitution of Norway on 17 May 1814. Power would be split between

582-485: A period of reconstruction under public planning. Oil was discovered in 1969 and by 1995 Norway was the world's second-largest exporter. This resulted in a large increase of wealth. From the 1980s Norway started deregulation in many sectors, and in 1989–1990 experienced a banking crisis. By the 21st century, Norway became one of the world's most prosperous countries with oil and gas production accounting for 20 percent of its economy. By reinvesting its oil revenues, Norway had

679-420: A series of legal reforms, such as increasing the voting rights to about half of all men, settling the language conflict by establishing two official written standards, Riksmål and Landsmål , introduced juries , seven years of compulsory education and, as the first European country, universal suffrage for men in 1889. The 1880s and 1890s saw the rise of the labor movement and trade unions became common;

776-587: A series of wars between Denmark–Norway and Sweden. The Kalmar War between 1611 and 1613 saw 8,000 Norwegian peasants conscripted. Despite lack of training, Denmark–Norway won and Sweden abandoned its claims to the land between Tysfjorden and Varangerfjord . With the Danish participation in the Thirty Years' War in 1618–48, a new conscription system was created in which the country was subdivided into 6,000 legd , each required to support one soldier. Denmark–Norway lost

873-475: A ten-hour working day and worker protection laws. Waterfalls for hydroelectricity became an important resource in this period and the government secured laws to hinder foreigners from controlling waterfalls, mines and forests. Large industrial companies established in these years were Elkem , Norsk Hydro and Sydvaranger . The Bergen Line was completed in 1909, the Norwegian Institute of Technology

970-479: A year later by the first telegraph line. Export industry commenced with steam-powered sawmills in the 1860s, followed by canned herring, wood pulp and cellulose . From 1850 to 1880 the Norwegian shipping industry enjoyed a large boom, stimulated by the abolishing of the British Navigation Acts . By 1880 there were 60,000 Norwegian seamen and the country had the world's third-largest merchant marine . As

1067-472: Is a recent creation. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee . On 1 January 1965, Karmøy municipality was created upon the merger of two towns and parts of five municipalities into one large municipality with 23,217 residents. The areas that were merged were: The municipality is named after the island of Karmøy ( Old Norse : Kǫrmt ), since

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1164-574: Is also a medieval church, St. Olav's church of Avaldsnes , located on this coast. Visnes , a village in the northwest of Karmøy was once the site of an important copper mine. This mine was source of the copper used for the Statue of Liberty in New York City . In the 18th century, two girls from Uyea in Shetland rowed to Haaf Gruney to milk some of the cows grazing there. Unfortunately, their return

1261-479: Is connected to the mainland by the Karmsund Bridge in the north and the Karmøy Tunnel in the central part. Haugesund Airport, Karmøy is located on the island at the western terminus of the European route E134 highway. History of Norway Chronological history The history of Norway has been influenced to an extraordinary degree by the terrain and the climate of the region. About 10,000 BC, following

1358-531: Is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Haugaland og Sunnhordland District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal . The municipal council ( Kommunestyre ) of Karmøy is made up of 45 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show

1455-465: Is located on the large island of Karmøy , but it also includes the mainland peninsula between the Karmsundet strait and Førresfjorden , plus the island of Feøy and several other small islands. The natural and cultural landscape is highly heterogeneous, encompassing chalk-white sands, moorland , and several piers around the island. The landscape in the north is mainly agricultural, while large parts of

1552-548: Is the largest island in Rogaland county. The island is separated from the mainland by the Karmsundet strait. The Boknafjorden lies to the south and southeast of the island. The Sirafjorden lies to the west, separating Karmøy from the islands of Utsira and Feøy . The island of Karmøy is the location of the towns of Kopervik , Skudeneshavn , and Åkrehamn . The island has a population of about 33,101 people (2014). The island

1649-609: The Anglo-Dutch Wars contained Norwegians. Norway benefitted from the many European wars of the 18th century. As a neutral power it was able to expand its share of the shipping market. It also supplied timber to foreign navies. Throughout the period, Bergen was the largest town in the country; its population of 14,000 in the mid 18th century was twice the size of Christiania (later Oslo) and Trondheim combined. Eight townships with privileges existed in 1660—by 1800 this had increased to twenty-three. During this period up to two-thirds of

1746-478: The Black Death spread to Norway and within a year killed nearly two-thirds of the population. Later plagues halved the population by 1400. Many communities were entirely wiped out, resulting in an abundance of land, allowing farmers to switch to more animal husbandry . The reduction in taxes weakened the king's position, and many aristocrats lost their surplus income, reducing some to mere farmers. High tithes made

1843-456: The Earls of Lade and was able to unify the country after the decisive Battle of Hafrsfjord (circa 870–900). He set up the basics of a state administration with stewards seated at the most important estates of vanquished or exiled chieftains. Iceland , then uninhabited, was discovered by Norwegians during the late 9th century. By 930 the island had been divided among 400 Norse chieftains. Håkon

1940-570: The Fairhair dynasty and the Earls of Lade in alliance with Danish kings. Led by Erik the Red , a Norwegian-born man, a group of Icelanders settled on Greenland in the 980s. Erik's son, Leif Ericson , came across Newfoundland in ca. 1000, naming it Vinland . Unlike Greenland, no permanent settlement was established there. Several Viking ships in burial mounds have been found and placed in museums, including

2037-727: The Hanseatic League . Norway entered the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Sweden in 1397. After Sweden left the union in 1523, Norway became the junior partner in Denmark–Norway . The Reformation was introduced in 1537 and absolute monarchy imposed in 1661. In 1814, after being on the losing side of the Napoleonic Wars with Denmark, Norway was ceded to the king of Sweden by the Treaty of Kiel . Norway declared its independence and adopted

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2134-520: The Kalmar Union was created between the three Scandinavian countries. She waged war against the Hanse, resulting in a trade blockade and higher taxation on Norwegians, which resulted in a rebellion . However, Norway and its Council of State was too weak to secede from the union. Margaret pursued a centralising policy which inevitably favoured Denmark, because it had a greater population than Norway and Sweden combined. Margaret also granted trade privileges to

2231-534: The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions was established in 1899 and the Norwegian Employers' Confederation the following year. The Labor Party had its first parliamentary members elected in 1903. The women's issue became increasingly dominant through the 1880s and they were gradually permitted to take secondary and tertiary education. Norwegian support of the union decreased towards the end of

2328-525: The Oseberg and Gokstad ships. In October 2018, Norwegian archaeologists headed by the archaeologist Lars Gustavsen announced the discovery of a buried 20 m long Gjellestad Viking ship in Halden Municipality . An ancient well-preserved Viking cemetery for more than 1000 years was discovered using ground-penetrating radar. Archaeologists also revealed at least seven other previously unknown burial mounds and

2425-462: The Oslofjord . Gradually, between 1,500 BC and 500 BC, agricultural settlements spread to the entire south Norway, while the inhabitants of the regions north of Trøndelag continued to hunt and fish. The Neolithic period started in 4,000 BC. The Migration Period caused the first chieftains to take control and hilltop forts to be constructed. From the 8th century Norwegians started expanding across

2522-550: The Royal Navy hindered export by ship and import of food. Sweden invaded Norway the following year, but after several Norwegian victories a cease-fire was signed in 1809. After pressure from Norwegian merchants license trade was permitted with corn from Denmark to Eastern Norway in exchange for Norwegian timber export to Great Britain. Following the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, the Treaty of Kiel signed on 14 January 1814 ceded Norway to

2619-567: The 13th century about twenty percent of a farmer's yield went to the king, church and landowners. The 13th century is described as Norway's Golden Age , with peace and increase in trade, especially with the British islands, although Germany became increasingly important towards the end of the century. Throughout the High Middle Ages the king established Norway as a sovereign state with a central administration and local representatives. In 1349,

2716-566: The 17th century through exports especially to England. To avoid deforestation, a royal decree closed a large number of sawmills in 1688; because this mostly affected farmers with small mills, by the mid 18th century only a handful of merchants controlled the entire lumber industry. Mining increased in the 17th century, the largest being the silver mines in Kongsberg and the copper mines in Røros . Fishing continued to be an important income for farmers along

2813-403: The 1890s, especially following the 1897 Swedish abolition of the free trade agreement and the lack of a Norwegian foreign minister. Negotiations of independence commenced, but were not effective because of shifting governments and the Swedish threat of war. With the four-party Michelsen's Cabinet appointed in 1905, Parliament voted to establish a Norwegian consular service. This was rejected by

2910-592: The 1930s. A short-lived Labor Government reigned in 1928, but did not establish a sound parliamentary support until the 1935 Nygaardsvold's Cabinet , based on an alliance with the Agrarian Party. During the 1920s and 1930s, Norway established three dependencies , Bouvetøya , Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land , annexed Jan Mayen and secured sovereignty of Svalbard through the Svalbard Treaty . Norway's first civil airport, Stavanger , opened in 1937. From

3007-434: The 356 municipalities in Norway. Karmøy is the 25th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 42,903, making it one of the largest in the region. The municipality's population density is 195.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (506/sq mi) and its population has increased by 4.3% over the previous 10-year period. The island itself is the 4th most populated island in all of Norway. The municipality of Karmøy

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3104-569: The Constitution accordingly, and then abdicate. The parliament was convened in Christiania on 7 October, and the necessary amendments were resolved on 4 November 1814. On the same day, king Charles XIII of Sweden was elected king of Norway, thereby establishing the Union. The Napoleonic Wars sent Norway into an economic crisis, as nearly all the merchants had gone bankrupt during the blockade. Recovery

3201-531: The Good – the son of Harald Fairhair, raised in England – assumed the crown in 930 and established two large things , assemblies in which the king met with the free men to make decisions: Gulating for Western Norway and Frostating for Trøndelag . He also established the leidang, a mobilization army/navy. Haakon made an unsuccessful attempt to introduce Christianity in Norway. After his death in 960, war broke out between

3298-595: The Hanseatic merchants of Lübeck in Bergen in return for recognition of her right to rule, and these hurt the Norwegian economy. The Hanseatic merchants formed a state within a state in Bergen for generations. Even worse were the pirates, the " Victual Brothers ", who launched three devastating raids on the port (the last in 1427). Norway slipped ever more into the background under the Oldenburg dynasty ( established 1450 ). There

3395-627: The Ice Program researchers discovered a 1,500-year-old Viking arrowhead dating back to the Germanic Iron Age and locked in a glacier in southern Norway caused by the climate change in the Jotunheimen Mountains. The arrowhead made of iron was revealed with its cracked wooden shaft and a feather, is 17 cm long and weighs just 28 grams. The Viking Age was a period of Scandinavian expansion through trade, raids and colonization. One of

3492-538: The Isles . Norwegian Vikings settled on the east coast of Ireland circa 800 and founded the island's first cities, including Dublin . Their arrival caused the petty Gaelic kings to ally, and by 900 they had driven out the Norwegians. The mid-9th century saw the largest chieftains of the petty kingdoms engaged in major power struggle. Harald Fairhair began the process of unifying Norway when he entered an alliance with

3589-568: The Netherlands. Christian returned but his army was defeated and he spent the rest of his life in prison. When Frederick died and a three-way war of succession broke out between the supporters of his eldest son Christian (III), his younger Catholic brother Hans and the followers of Christian II. Olaf Engelbrektsson again tried to lead a Catholic Norwegian resistance movement. Christian III triumphed and Engelbrektsson went into exile and, in 1537, Christian demoted Norway from an independent kingdom to

3686-611: The Norwegian farms as a slave workforce. Whenever the men were engaged in warfare and voyages, the homestead was run by those remaining at home, supervised by the wife. The lack of suitable farming land in Western Norway caused Norwegians to travel to and colonize sparsely populated areas of Shetland , Orkney, the Faroe Islands and the Hebrides , the latter of which became the Kingdom of

3783-548: The Norwegian merchant marine was largely used in support of the British, resulting in Norway being classified as The Neutral Ally . Half the Norwegian fleet was sunk and 2,000 seamen were killed by the German Atlantic U-boat Campaign . Some merchants made huge profits from trade and shipping during the war, resulting in an increased division between the classes. The interwar period was dominated by economic instability caused among other by strikes, lock-outs and

3880-600: The Swedish governor-general Baltzar von Platen resigned after he used force against demonstrators in the Battle of the Square . The first half of the century was dominated by the ca. 2,000 officials, as there were few bourgeois and no aristocracy following an 1821 decision to abolish nobility. From the 1832 election , farmers became more conscious of electing themselves, resulting in a majority of farmers in Parliament. This resulted in rural tax cuts and higher import tariffs, shifting

3977-702: The all-time low −16.6 °C (2.1 °F) was set in January 2010 (extremes since 2003). The wettest time of year is autumn and winter, while April–July is the driest season. Haugesund Airport is situated in Karmøy municipality and has been recording since 1975. The municipality is divided into 79 circuits, grouped into 10 areas: Karmøy Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services , senior citizen services, welfare and other social services , zoning , economic development , and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality

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4074-453: The amendment in three successive parliaments. The 1882 election saw the first two parties, the Liberals and Conservatives , run for election, and subsequently the majority succeeded at impeaching the cabinet. In 1884, King Oscar II appointed majority leader Johan Sverdrup as prime minister , thus establishing parliamentarism as the first European country. The Liberal Party introduced

4171-402: The arms have a red field (background) and the ordinary is a fret (a diamond interwoven with a cross). The ordinary has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The design is canting , as the central diamond shape stands for karm (which is Norwegian for a "frame"). The island forms a border (or frame) against

4268-727: The arrival of the Corded Ware culture , which brought new weapons, tools and an Indo-European dialect , from which later the Norwegian language developed. The Bronze Age began around 1800 BC and involved innovations such as ploughing fields with ards , permanent farms with houses and yards, especially in the fertile areas around the Oslofjord, Trondheimsfjord , Mjøsa and Jæren . Some yields were so high that it allowed farmers to trade furs and skins for luxury items, especially with Jutland . About 1000 BC, speakers of Uralic languages arrived in

4365-491: The church more powerful, and the archbishop became a member of the Council of State . The Hanseatic League took control of Norwegian trade in the 14th century and established trading posts in most Norwegian port cities, such as Oslo and Bergen , which had the largest German colony. In 1380, Olaf Haakonsson inherited both the Norwegian and Danish thrones, creating a union between the two countries. In 1397, under Margaret I ,

4462-653: The church's influence on the king also becoming an issue in the civil wars. The wars ended in 1217 with the appointment of Håkon Håkonsson , who introduced clear succession laws. He also managed to subject Greenland and Iceland to Norwegian rule; the Icelandic Commonwealth thus came to an end after the Age of the Sturlungs civil war resulted in a pro-Norwegian victory. The population increased from 150,000 in 1000 to 400,000 in 1300, resulting both in more land being cleared and

4559-543: The coast, but from the 18th century dried cod started being salted, which required fishermen to buy salt from merchants. The first important period of Norwegian shipping was between 1690 and 1710, but the advantage was lost with Denmark–Norway entering the Great Northern War in 1709. However, Norwegian shipping regained its strength towards the end of the century. Many Norwegians earned a living as sailors in foreign ships, especially Dutch ones. The crews in both sides of

4656-643: The coat of arms. The Church of Norway has eight parishes ( sokn ) within the municipality of Karmøy. It is part of the Karmøy prosti ( deanery ) in the Diocese of Stavanger . There are several finds from the Stone Age , Bronze Age and Iron Age . Large burial mounds, stone monuments, and many other ancient monuments are found on the island. Karmøy is the site of the Storhaug, Grønhaug, and Flagghaugen burial mounds. Karmøy

4753-489: The construction of simple fortifications. A plague hit southern Norway in the 6th century, with hundreds of farms being depopulated. Most were repopulated in the 7th century, which also saw the construction of several fishing hamlets and a boom in trade of iron and soapstone across the North Sea . Some chieftains were able to control most of the trade and grew in power throughout the 8th century. In February 2020, Secrets of

4850-502: The country from 1848, resulting in Marcus Thrane establishing the first trade unions and demanding that equality before the law be independent of social class. Parliament passed a series of laws abandoning economic privileges and easing domestic trade during the 1840s and 1850s. Population increase forced the clearing of new land, although some of the growth came in the cities. The population of Christiania reached 40,000 in 1855. By 1865

4947-474: The country was at peace. In 1130, a civil war era broke out over succession to the throne , which allowed all the king's sons to rule jointly by dividing Norway into portions for each to rule. At times there were periods of peace, before a lesser son allied himself with a chieftain and started a new conflict. The Archdiocese of Nidaros was created in 1152 in an attempt to control the appointment of kings. The church inevitably took sides in these conflicts, with

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5044-506: The country's audited national income was transferred to Copenhagen. In the last decades of the century, Hans Nielsen Hauge started the Haugean movement, which demanded the right to preach the word of God freely. The University of Oslo was established in 1811. Denmark–Norway entered the Napoleonic Wars on France's side in 1807. This had a devastating effect on the Norwegian economy as

5141-553: The current and historical composition of the council by political party . The mayors ( Norwegian : ordfører ) of Karmøy: Norsk Hydro is a large aluminium smelter operator located on the island of Karmøy. The power supply of this facility is done by three overhead power lines, which cross the Karmsundet strait on 143.5-metre (471 ft) tall pylons. These pylons are the tallest electricity pylons in Norway. Bauer-Nilsen design and produce high-pressure hydraulics located at Karmøy. Karmøy has sister city agreements with

5238-647: The entire coastline. The Stone Age is evidenced by the Komsa culture in Troms and Finnmark and the Fosna culture further south. The Nøstvet culture took over from the Fosna culture ca. 7000 BC, when a warmer climate led to increased forestation and new species of mammals for hunting. The oldest human skeleton ever discovered in Norway was found in shallow water off Sogne in 1994 and has been carbon dated to 6600 BC. About 4000 BC people in

5335-629: The first coast-to-coast railway, the Røros Line connected the capital to Trondheim in 1877. Norway joined the Scandinavian Monetary Union in 1875 and introduced the Norwegian krone with a gold standard , along with the metric system being introduced. Annual parliamentary sessions were introduced from 1869 and in 1872 ministers were, through a constitutional amendment, required to meet in Parliament to defend their policies. The king, despite having no constitutional right to do so, vetoed

5432-503: The first raids was against Lindisfarne in 793 and is considered the beginning of the Viking Age. This was possible because of the development of the longship , suitable for travel across the sea, and advanced navigation techniques. Vikings were well equipped, had chain mail armor, and were well trained. In addition to gold and silver, an important purpose from the raids was the capture and trading of thralls , which were brought to

5529-434: The following places: Karm%C3%B8y (island) Karmøy (locally called Karmøyne or Karmøynå ) is an island in the northwestern part of Rogaland county, Norway . The 176.8 square kilometres (68.3 sq mi) island makes up the majority of the municipality of Karmøy , along with the islands of Feøy , some smaller surrounding islands, and part of the mainland south of the municipality of Haugesund . It

5626-426: The harvest, although the number of farms per legd decreased from four to two in the 1670s. Confirmation was introduced in 1736; as it required people to read, elementary education was introduced. The entire period saw mercantilism as the basis for commerce, which involved import regulations and tariffs , monopolies and privileges throughout the county granted to burghers. The lumber industry became important in

5723-418: The inland south are heather moors . The island has many white, sandy beaches facing the North Sea , attracting surfers as one of the top spots for windsurfing in Norway. Towns and villages are mostly located along the coast. The three towns in Karmøy are all on the island, the administrative center Kopervik is on the east side, Åkrehamn is on the west side, while Skudeneshavn is on the southern tip. On

5820-575: The introduction of the water-driven saw in the early 16th century. Norway had huge resources of timber but did not have the means to exploit much of it in the Middle Ages as only hand-tools were available. The new saw mills which sprang up in the fjords changed this. In 1544 a deal was struck with the Netherlands (then part of the Holy Roman Empire ) and the Dutch controlled the export of Norwegian timber for

5917-420: The island rather than in the town of Haugesund proper. The Geitungen Lighthouse lies at the southern end of the municipality, marking the entrance to the Boknafjorden . Karmøy has an oceanic climate (Cfb), also known as marine west coast climate, with rainy winters and warm or mild summers, and a long frost-free season for the latitude. The all-time high 31.2 °C (88.2 °F) was recorded July 2019, and

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6014-492: The issue would be decided at a thing , a sacred place where all free men from the surrounding area would assemble and could settle disputes and determine sanctions for crimes, such as paying fines in food. The last century BC saw a widespread cultural development. The Norse adapted letters and created their own alphabet, runes . Trading with Romans also took place, largely furs and skins in exchange for luxury goods. Some Scandinavians also served as Roman mercenaries . Some of

6111-399: The king and on 7 June Parliament unanimously approved the dissolution of the union . In the following dissolution referendum , only 184 people voted in favor of a union. The government offered the Norwegian crown to Denmark's Prince Carl, who after a plebiscite became Haakon VII . The following ten years, Parliament passed a series of social reforms, such as sick pay , factory inspection,

6208-429: The king of Sweden. Christian Frederik , heir to the Danish and Norwegian crowns, had since 1813 been viceroy of Norway. He spearheaded the Norwegian resistance against the Kiel Treaty and planned to claim the throne as the legitimate heir. He traveled to Trondheim to gain support for his person, and then assembled twenty-one prominent citizens at Eidsvoll Manor on 16 February 1814 to discuss his plans. They rejected

6305-482: The king – a position to which Christian Frederik was appointed – and the Parliament of Norway . The Swedish army under Crown prince Carl Johan of Sweden invaded Norway in late July; at the armistice Convention of Moss on 14 August Norway accepted to enter a personal union with Sweden on equal terms, while Sweden accepted the Norwegian Constitution and separate institutions in both states. King Christian Frederik agreed to convoke an extraordinary parliament to revise

6402-402: The mainland part of Karmøy, the village of Norheim is contiguous with the neighboring town of Haugesund . To the south of Norheim is the village of Vormedal while the village of Kolnes is in the northeastern part of mainland Karmøy. Other villages in Karmøy include Avaldsnes , Eike , Ferkingstad , Sævelandsvik , Sandve , Veavågen , and Visnes . Haugesund Airport is also located on

6499-418: The majority of the municipality is located on this island. The first element is derived from the word karmr which means "bargeboard", likely in the sense of a "sheltering island". The last element, øy which means " island ", was added later. The coat of arms was granted on 18 April 1975. The official blazon is " Gules , a fret argent " ( Norwegian : I rødt et sølv gitterkryss ). This means

6596-467: The monetary policy causing deflation to compensate for too much money having been issued during the war and thus hindering investments. Especially fishermen were hit hard in the period, while farmers retained market prices through organizing regulations. Unemployment peaked at ten percent between 1931 and 1933. Although industrial production increased by eighty percent from 1915 to 1939, the number of jobs remained stable. The Norwegian School of Economics

6693-424: The most powerful farmers became chieftains . They functioned as priests and accepted sacrifices from farmers which were again used to pay soldiers, creating a hird . Thus they were able to rule an area of several clans and tribes. The chieftains' power increased during the Migration Period between 400 and 550 as other Germanic tribes migrated northwards and local farmers wanted protection. This also resulted in

6790-458: The next 150 years. Amsterdam was built on piles from Norway. Tree-felling was done in the winter when farm-work was impossible and it was easy to get the felled trees across the snow to the rivers. In the spring, the logs floated down the rivers to the saw mills by the sea. By the mid-16th century the power of the Hanseatic League in Bergen was broken; though German craftsmen remained, they had to accept Danish-Norwegian rule. The 17th century saw

6887-550: The north and assimilated with the indigenous population, becoming the Sami people . According to Ante Aikio the formation of the Sámi language was completed in its southernmost area of usage (central Scandinavia, South Sápmi) by 500 AD. A climate shift with colder weather started about 500 BC. The forests, which had previously consisted of elm , lime , ash and oak , were replaced with birch , pine and spruce . The climate changes also meant that farmers started building more solid structures for shelter. Knowledge of ironworking

6984-467: The north started using slate tools, earthenware , skis, sleds and large skin boats. The first farming, and thus the start of the Neolithic period, began ca. 4000 BC around the Oslofjord , with technology from southern Scandinavia. The break-through occurred between 2900 and 2500 BC, when oats , barley , pigs, cattle, sheep and goats became common and spread as far north as Alta . This period also saw

7081-488: The population reached 1.7 million; the large increase was largely caused by better nutrition from herring and potatoes, a sharp decrease of infant mortality and increased hygiene. Emigration to North America started in 1825, with the first mass emigration commencing in the 1860s. By 1930, 800,000 people had emigrated, the majority settling in the Midwestern United States . The population decrease resulted in

7178-462: The ratio of self-owning farmers from twenty to fifty percent, largely through sales of crown land to finance the lost wars. Crofts became common in the absolutism period, especially in Eastern Norway and Trøndelag, with the smallholder living at the mercy of the farmer. There were 48,000 smallholders in 1800. Compared to Denmark, taxes were very low in Norway, typically at four to ten percent of

7275-690: The remnants of five longhouses with the help of the radar survey. Christianization and the abolition of the traditional Asatru reflected in Norse mythology was first attempted by Håkon the Good , and later by Olav Tryggvason , but he was killed in the Battle of Svolder in 1000. Olav Haraldsson , starting in 1015, made the things pass church laws, destroyed heathen hofs , built churches and created an institution of priests. Many chieftains feared that Christianization would rob them of power as Goðar in traditional Norse paganism , and had Olaf banished from Norway in 1028. When he tried to return in 1030, he

7372-456: The retreat inland of the great ice sheets, the earliest inhabitants migrated north into the territory which is now Norway . They traveled steadily northwards along the coastal areas, warmed by the Gulf Stream . They were hunter-gatherers whose diet included seafood and game, particularly reindeer as staple foods. Between 5,000 BC and 4,000 BC the earliest agricultural settlements appeared around

7469-461: The sea and protects the inland areas from its forces. The cross in the design symbolizes the local Avaldsnes Church that was the royal chapel here during the Middle Ages . The island is said to be a central location and medieval kings would often choose to stay there to be able to "get everywhere in haste" if needed. The arms were designed by Magnus Hardeland. The municipal flag has the same design as

7566-489: The seas to the British Isles and later Iceland and Greenland . The Viking Age also saw the unification of the country. Christianization was completed during the 11th century and Nidaros became an archdiocese . The population expanded quickly until 1349 (Oslo: 3,000; Bergen: 7,000; Trondheim: 4,000) when it was halved by the Black Death and successive plagues . Bergen became the main trading port, controlled by

7663-415: The start of World War II in 1939, Norway maintained a strict neutrality. Both Britain and Germany realized the strategic location; both made plans to invade Norway, regardless of Norwegian opposition. The Germans struck first and invaded Norway on 9 April 1940 in the so called operation "Weserübung" . After furious battles with Norwegian and British forces, Germany prevailed and controlled the country until

7760-465: The subdivision of farms. While in the Viking Age all farmers owned their own land, by 1300 seventy percent of the land was owned by the king, the church, or the aristocracy. This was a gradual process where farmers would borrow money in meagre times, often not being able to repay them. However, tenants always remained free men and the large distances and often scattered ownership meant that Norwegian farmers enjoyed much more freedom than continental serfs. In

7857-536: The tax burden to the cities. They also passed the Local Committees Act , which established elected municipal councils from 1838. Cultural expression from the 1840s to the 1870s was dominated by the romantic nationalism , which emphasized the uniqueness of Norway. The textile industry started in the 1840s, which was followed up with mechanical workshops to build new machinery as the British embargo hindered import of textile machinery. An economic crisis hit

7954-529: The war and was forced to cede Jämtland and Härjedalen to Sweden. The Second Northern War in 1657 to 1660 resulted in Bohuslän being ceded to Sweden. King Frederick III elevated himself to absolute and hereditary king of Denmark and Norway in 1661, eliminating the power of the nobles. A new administrative system was introduced. Departments organized by portfolio were established in Copenhagen, while Norway

8051-461: The world's largest sovereign wealth fund in 2017. Norway's coastline rose from glaciation with the end of the last glacial period about 12,000 BC. The first immigration took place during this period as the Norwegian coast offered rich opportunities for sealing , fishing, and hunting. These early inhabitants were nomadic , and by 9300 BC they were already settled as far north as Magerøya . Increased ice receding from 8000 BC led to settlement along

8148-502: Was dissolved in 1905. From the 1880s to the 1920s, Norwegians such as Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen carried out important polar expeditions. Shipping and hydroelectricity were important sources of income for the country. The following decades saw a fluctuating economy and the rise of the labor movement. Germany occupied Norway between 1940 and 1945 during the Second World War , after which Norway joined NATO and underwent

8245-609: Was a revolt under Knut Alvsson in 1502. Norwegians had some affection for king Christian II , who resided in the country for several years. Norway did not take any part in the events which led to Swedish independence from Denmark in the 1520s . Sweden was able to pull out of the Kalmar Union in 1523, thus creating Denmark–Norway under the rule of a king in Copenhagen . King Frederick I favoured Martin Luther 's Reformation , but it

8342-486: Was also the source of the name of the kingdom, at the time when the first king of the unified Norway, Harald Fairhair , lived on Karmøy . (See History of Norway .) Avaldsnes is located on the northeastern coast of the island. King Augvald who has given his name to this ancient site is mentioned in the Old Norse sagas as having his home here. Later the residence of Harald Fairhair and other kings are mentioned. There

8439-579: Was difficult because of export tariffs and the country experienced high inflation. The Norwegian speciedaler was established as a currency by the Bank of Norway when it was established in 1816, financed through a silver tax which lasted until 1842. Under threat of a coup d'état by Carl Johan, Norway reluctantly paid the debt stated in the Treaty of Kiel, despite never having ratified it. Constitution Day on 17 May became an important political rally every year; in 1829

8536-418: Was divided into counties , each led by a district governor, and further subdivided into bailiwicks. About 1,600 government officials were appointed throughout the country. Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve was the most famous viceroy of Norway (1664–1699). The population of Norway increased from 150,000 in 1500 to 900,000 in 1800. By 1500 most deserted farms were repossessed. The period under absolutism increased

8633-516: Was established in 1936. Norway had nine governments between 1918 and 1935, nearly all minority and lasting an average eighteen months. The Agrarian Party was established in 1920, although this period saw a rise of support for the Conservatives. The Labor Party split in 1921, with the left wing establishing the Communist Party . Although strong during the 1920s, they were marginalized through

8730-494: Was established the following year and women's suffrage was introduced in 1913—as the second country in the world. From the 1880s to the 1920s, Norwegians carried out a series of polar expeditions. The most important explorers were Fridtjof Nansen , Roald Amundsen and Otto Sverdrup . Amundsen's expedition in 1911 became the first to reach the South Pole. Norway adopted a policy of neutrality from 1905; during World War I

8827-416: Was formally established after the extraordinary Storting adopted the necessary amendments to the Constitution and elected Charles XIII of Sweden as king of Norway on 4 November 1814. Industrialization started in the 1840s, and from the 1860s large-scale emigration to North America took place. In 1884 the king appointed Johan Sverdrup as prime minister, thus establishing parliamentarism. The union with Sweden

8924-465: Was introduced from the Celts , resulting in better weapons and tools. Iron Age tools allowed for more extensive clearing and farming, and thus more areas were cultivated as the population grew with the increased harvests. A new social structure evolved: when sons married, they would remain in the same house; such an extended family was a clan . They would offer protection from other clans; if conflicts arose,

9021-452: Was known for sailing in the old times. The eddic poem Grímnismál says that Thor , the weather god, wades the Karmsundet strait every morning on his way to Yggdrasil , the tree of life. The ocean outside Karmøy is dangerous, filled with underwater currents and rocks. Thus the ships were forced into the narrow Karmsundet . Chieftains and kings controlled the ships passing up and down the coast and demanded taxes. The Karmsundet strait

9118-412: Was marred by a strong storm, and eventually they found their tiny boat blown to Karmøy. The Uyea girls ended up marrying Karmøy men, and their descendants still live there. The Dyrland family of Karmoy are believed to be the family that the two girls married into after they arrived on Karmøy. Sivert Dyrland was a member of the Norwegian government in the early 20th century. The majority of the municipality

9215-451: Was met by the locals in the Battle of Stiklestad , where Olaf was killed, in accordance with the law. The church elevated Olaf I to sainthood , and Nidaros (today Trondheim ) became the Christian centre of Norway. Within a few years the Danish rule had become sufficiently unpopular that Norway again united under a Norwegian king, Magnus Olavson the Good, in 1035. From the 1040s to 1130

9312-452: Was not popular in Norway, where the Church was the sole remaining national institution and the country was too poor for the clergy to be very corrupt. Initially, Frederick agreed not to try to introduce Protestantism to Norway but in 1529 he changed his mind. Norwegian resistance was led by Olav Engelbrektsson , Archbishop of Trondheim , who invited the old king Christian II back from his exile in

9409-564: Was now needed and power shifted from the pincial nobility to the royal administration: district stipendiary magistrates were appointed as judges and the sheriffs became employees of the crown rather than of the local nobility. In 1572 (or 1556), a viceroy was appointed for Norway with a seat at Akershus Fortress in Oslo. In 1628 the Norwegian Army was founded, and professional military officers were employed. The Norwegian economy improved with

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