Norway
3.31 Norway gained its independence from Sweden in 1905, a union
which had lasted since 1814. Prior to that Norway had been under Danish rule
since 1300.
3.32 The current population is approximately 4.1 million.
Unlike Norway's Nordic neighbours Sweden and Finland, the population voted in a
referendum in November 1994 not to join the European Union, after an emotional
campaign by both the "yes" and "no" sides. Norway continues to be a member of
EFTA, and has ratified the EEA agreement (European Economic Area agreement).
Norway is a member of NATO, and a staunch supporter and member of the United
Nations.
3.33 The Norwegian Parliament, Stortinget, has 165 seats. At the
last general election these seats were taken by 100 male and 65 female
representatives from eight different political parties.
3.34 In addition
to the elected representatives the parliament is the work place for 320 people.
This figure has been rising steadily over the past twenty years, because of the
increasing service expectations of those using the parliament, according to the
administrative head of the Storting.
3.35 There are fifteen ministries in
Norway with 3628 employees.
3.36 There are 45 foreign embassies,
consulates and delegations in Norway. Most of these are in Oslo but there are a
few consulate representatives in some of the main ports.
3.37 Norway's
national interests abroad are maintained by 500 persons working in 60embassies,
11 consulates general and seven delegations. In addition 600 are stationed in
Oslo at the Foreign Office.
3.38 The Norwegian Trade Council has 300
employees. 150 of these are posted outside Norway in 37 countries, and these
persons have diplomatic status. The Norwegian Trade Council has some offices of
its own; others are represented from national embassies.
3.39 After the
national referenda in Austria, Finland, Sweden and Norway regarding membership
to the European Union, Norway's "No" has seen the country continue as a member
of EFTA. EFTA comprises now of only four member countries and as of November
1994 the secretariat has been reduced. Of the 110 positions in the organisation,
Norwegians hold 43 of them. These jobs are both in the central Brussels
secretariat and ESA (EFTA surveillance agency).
3.40 Up until September
1992 there was only one national television channel produced by NRK (The
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) the state financed broadcasting corporation.
In the autumn of 1992, TV2 came on the air. A commercial station, TV2 was the
first to challenge NRK's monopoly. When the government gave the concession to
TV2 the west coast location of the company's headquarters was important in the
decision, with jobs being created in another part of the country. Many
households access cable television and for those homes TVNorge is the largest
and most significant cable station broadcasting to large parts of the country
from Norwegian soil.
3.41 In the early 1980s laws prohibiting commercial
radio broadcasting were lifted and local radio stations became the norm. NRK's
monopoly of the national airwaves was not broken however until 1994 when P4 was
launched. Broadcasting from Lillehammer, the station is financed commercially.
P4 has one 24 hour channel, NRK broadcast nationally on four
channels.
3.42 The estimated numbers of employees are: Television Radio Joint Staff Total
NRK 985 631 1,386 3,002
TV2 350 350
TVNorge 220* 220
P4 40 40
Total 1,555 671 1,386 3,612
* figure includes 220 freelancers
3.43 There are numerous small
local radio stations scattered around Norway. In Spring 1995 they had 1,500
employees, but in addition to that there are around 10,000 who help out on a
voluntary basis. The Association of Local Radios in Norway estimates that this
group contributes with one thousand man years of unsalaried work.
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