Flags fly for Sami National Day

Norway has the largest indigenous Sami population in the Nordic countries, and thousands of them were celebrating what’s known as Samefolkets Dag on Monday. Others call it the Sami people’s National Day, since the first Sami convention was held on February 6, 1917. There are an estimated 40,000 Sami people in Norway, compared to 17,000 [...]

South Pole parties mixed pride, PR

Norwegian officials made the most of the 100th anniversary of Roald Amundsen’s arrival at the South Pole on Wednesday, with the king, the crown prince and the prime minister strategically placed to hail December 14, 1911 as “a proud day for Norway.” The celebrations reflected pride and public relations (PR), as Norwegian interest in both [...]

Aker chose ‘The Tromsø Solution’

The northern city of Tromsø was celebrating after industrial firm Aker Solutions chose what it called “The Tromsø Solution” for its Arctic base of operations. The company’s new engineering office for offshore activity in the northern areas may employ as many as 300 persons within five years. Tromsø was chosen over such rival locations as [...]

‘Ambitious goals’ for Northern Areas

The so-called Nordområdene (Northern Areas) have long been at the top of Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre’s agenda. On Friday, he and three fellow ministers traveled north to Bodø to roll out their strategy for Norway’s northern counties and surrounding territory, both offshore and across national borders. It involves what Støre called a “completely clear [...]

Sami-Norwegian conflict turns hostile

Hostilities were rising in the northern Norwegian city of Tromsø this week, after a conflict over official use of the Sami language descended into vulgar threats against the local association representing the indigenous Sami people. The conflict also involves Sami clothing, and, say some, threatens the entire Sami culture. Tensions have been high for years [...]

Svalbard sovereignty not under threat

The response was loud and clear after a major Norwegian newspaper reported earlier this week that a new report from the European Union (EU) was challenging Norway’s sovereignty over Svalbard. “Misleading,” claimed other top EU officials, and Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre also denied any conflicts. “Svalbard is just as much a part of Norway [...]

Norway now bigger in the Barents

Norway officially expanded its territory in the Barents Sea this week, when its newly agreed offshore border with Russia took effect just over a year after a breakthrough in lengthy negotiations with the Russians was announced. Now a Russian researcher thinks Norway can tap into more oil and gas resources than it’s enjoyed in the [...]

Smooth sailing for Norway and Russia

Relations seem better than ever between Norway and Russia, following a few recent conflicts over salmon imports, human rights, business trouble for Telenor and Russian fighter jets buzzing the coast. Now the two countries seem to think it’s in both their interests to promote peace and harmony, and not only in the northern areas they [...]

Mari Boine to sing in English

Norway’s indigenous star Sami singer, Mari Boine, is branching into new directions and now plans a new album with English lyrics. She also may start up a new band, as she continues to break musical barriers. Boine, who has won royal decoration and international fame for her clear voice and emotional music from the vast [...]

Svalbard suddenly in royal spotlight

Norway’s Arctic archipelago of Svalbard was suddenly getting a lot of extra attention this week, when Prince Harry of Wales landed at Longyearbyen to take part in a polar expedition comprised of war veterans. Called “Walking with the Wounded,” the expedition is under the Norwegian leadership of Inge Solheim but made up of British soldiers [...]

Cold War defense included plans to sacrifice Finnmark in the north

The Norwegian government would have been prepared to give up the northern region of Finnmark in the event of an invasion by the Soviet Union, according to claims made in a new book released this week by a Cold War-era general. Retired Major-General Gullow Gjeseth, now age 71, has revealed previously unknown military proposals regarding [...]

Warmest waters ever around Svalbard

Norwegian and other international researchers have uncovered a major increase in sea temperatures around Norway’s northern archipelago of Svalbard. Their measurements shows that the sea areas are now warmer than they’ve been for 2,000 years. Data from the University of Tromsø in northern Norway shows that the average summer temperature in the Gulf Stream west [...]

Firm strikes gold on Svalbard

After several months analyzing more than three tons of material excavated from Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic, Canadian and Swedish experts have determined there’s gold up north. Store Norske Gull AS, a Norwegian gold mining company and subsidiary of Store Norske AS, was established in 2003 to explore potential gold reserves on Svalbard. [...]

Kiting in the last rays of sunlight

The sun has now set for the year over Norway’s Arctic areas, but before it disappeared, folks flocked out to soak up a few final rays, so to speak. This man near Tromsø opted for a strenuous, adventurous approach. The mountainous area with its summit on Fløya offers not only a panoramic view over Tromsø, but [...]

US bucks Norway’s views on Svalbard

New research shows that the US, often called Norway’s most important ally, won’t support Norway’s policies for its claims to the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. The US is far more interested in protecting its own interests in the area, with an eye to oil and defense issues. Torbjørn Pedersen, a senior researcher at the University [...]

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