Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden.
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total:
324,220 km²
land:
307,860 km²
water:
16,360 km²
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total:
2,515 km
border countries:
Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 167 km
Coastline:
25,148 km (continental); 83,281 km (including islands) [1]
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
10 NM
continental shelf:
200 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
4 nm
Climate:
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior; 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
highest point:
Galdhøpiggen 2,469 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
27%
other:
70% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land:
970 km² (1993 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
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-Sulphur 85 , Air Pollution-Sulphur 94 , Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds , Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Major cities/towns (ranked by size):
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 the North Atlantic Ocean; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world.
See Also
