﻿loir 



NORWAY. 



NORWAT. 



UMS 



TCiy faw •xoeptions, bigh and bore rooks rise above n Uiousand feot; 

 tbay art flanked however by the only habitable ]i|aofg along the 

 weateni coart, and they abound in fish. The fiords of CbiUtiauia and 

 Troudbjem are an exoopUon, being surrounded by fertile tracts of 

 oouudenble extent The other inlets, whidh are remarkable for their 

 extent, are the following, from south to north. 



Bukke Fiord is wide at its eutnuicc, and penetrates by two of its 

 branohes more than fifty miles iuliin J. Hardanger Fiord is about 

 Mvent^ miles long; Sugne Fiord, which h narrow, and 120 miles long, 

 tedEoning to its extremity the Lyater Kiurd, is surrounded by the 

 highest region of the Notrska FieUen. There is a ^reat number of 

 narrow deep fiords between Sogne Fiord and Trondhjem Fionl, and 

 of bays farther north. The largest and widest occur at the northern 

 extremity, where the Porsanger Fiord is above one hundred ullles long 

 and twenty miles wide on the average. The Loxe Fiord, Tana Fiord, 

 and Tannger Fiord are considerable, but of less extfut The fiords, 

 with their continuous screen of precipitous clifia, the number and 

 aingidar forms of the rocks and inlands, the frequent appearance of 

 perpetual snow, and the close approach of glaciers to the ssa, super- 

 added to noble cascades and luxuriance of vegetation, form the most 

 distingiiishiog features of Norwegian scenery iu summer. The deep 

 valleys, which may be considered as a prolongation of the fiords, abound 

 every where with running waters, formed by small bti-eama that trickle 

 or leap down from the edges of the Fjelds or great table-like tops of 

 the mouut.iiu3. The most remarkable waterfalls are enumerated in 

 the article NounsKA Fieu.zk. 



Numerous lakes occur in the southem districts of Norway, on the 

 eastern declivity of the Norraka Fiellcn. Many of them are more 

 than 2000 feet above the Eea-levol, and all of them are very deep. 

 Lake Fiimund, near the boundary of Sweden, is 2260 feet above the 

 sea-level, and extends in length more than seventy miles, with an 

 average width of more than three miles. From its f<uuthem extremity 

 issues a river, which, under the name of Klar Elf, f^lU into Lake 

 W'enem in Sweden. 



The climate differs considerably in the different districts of a country 

 which extends over 13 degrees of latitude, and on both sides of the 

 polar circle, and also rises in the largest part of its surface to a mean 

 elevation exceeding 2000 feet above the sea. Norway, says Professor 

 Forbes, enjoys an average climate superior to that of any other oon- 

 tinent.ll country in the same latitude. The harbour of Bergen is not 

 oflener frozen than the Seine at Paris, while the harbours of Liibeck 

 and Copenhagen ai-e frequently blocked up with ice. Drift ice, which 

 ia occasionally seen o£f the coast of North America in 41° N. hit., is 

 unknown on any part of the Norwegian coast, though it extends to 

 71° N. lat The infiuence of the sea and the Gulf Stream seem to 

 cause this comparative moderation of the climate in the west of Nor- 

 way. The eastern side of the Scandinavian peninsula has a continental 

 and much colder climate. Between 60° and 62° N. lat. the snow line 

 near the coast is about 4300 feet high; towards the centre of the 

 country it rises to 5300 feet. In 67° N. lat. the line falls iu the interior 

 ♦o 8700 feet, ond on the coast to 2900 feet. On the west side of the 

 Sulitelma the snow line is 3410 feet, and on the cist or Lapland side 

 8520 feet high. The mean temperature of Christiania ia 42° Fahr., or 

 not quite 8 degrees less than that of London. It is probable that in the 

 ▼alleys near Cape Lindesuacs, where the beech grows to a stately tree, 

 the mean tempemtnre is higher. At Bergen it is 46° 7', and even at 

 Trondhjem it is 40°. The difference in the mean temperature between 

 Christiania and Bergen may be chiefly attiibuted to the difference of 

 temperature of the winter, which is severe on the eastern declivity 

 of the Norraka Fiellen and the adjacent countries, but very mild along 

 the western coast, for the reason aliove given, and on account of the 

 pnivailiug western winds and frequent fogs. This is evident from the 

 following table : — 







Mean 



rcmpcralurc. 







In Winter. 



Spring. 



Summer. 



Antamn. 



Christiania . 



. + 25 



+ 38 



■I- 60 



+ 42 



Ucrgen 



. . + 88 



+ 45 



+ 58 



+ 48 



Trondhjem . 



. + 24 



+ 35 



+ 61 



+ 40 



North Cape 



. . -l- 24 



+ 80 



+ 42 



+ 82 



The mean tem|>etature of North Cape is 82°, or the freezing point, 

 Ijol the winter is not more severe than at Trondhjem. The greatest 

 cold at North Cape is felt when north-costcrly winds blow, but the sea 

 ia always open, and the drift-ice from Spitzbergen does not approach 

 the coast. Tlio violence of the wuids however reudera this spot nearly 

 uninhabitable. Mure thau two-thinla of the year are boisterous, and 

 in autumn and winter the storms are incessant, and rage with incredible 

 fury. On the approach of winter the snow-storms frequently hwt for 

 many dys and weeks. They are preceded by hcai^ fogs, which 

 ndranee from the ocean in immenie masses, like impenetrable walls 

 or moving bodiea of water; but they occur only during westerly 

 winds. Tlie weather ia fine and clear when the wind blows from the 

 east. The longeat day hisU from the 1 6th of May to the 29th of July, 

 which is two months and a fortnight ; the long(>sl niglit, from the 

 10th of November to the 2Cth of January, which is two month.i aud 

 ten days. During the long nights the aurora boieiilis ehiuua with un- 

 common brightness, so that the fishermen arc enabled to carry on their 

 prdinoty occupation ju^ as well as by daylight. (Von Buch.) C-ilcs 



are very frequent -along the whole of the western coast. Thunder- 

 storms are as common there in winter as in summer, but north of 66° 

 thunder-storms do not occur. No traces of volcanic action are known 

 to exist, except that lava occurs on an island not far from Bergen, aud 

 on a moimtain in the Bukke Fiord fire is said to appear sometimes. 

 Earthquakes occur, though Rirely. 



Protluctiotu. — The forests constitute the principal wealth of Norway. 

 Beech occurs only south of 59i N. lat. ; oak, elm, and lime-trees tm far 

 north as 63°; apples, cherries, and prunes are found as far as 04°, 

 but they do not ripen every year. Gooseberries and hazel-nuts extend 

 to 05° N. lat, aud so far oats, peas, beana, and flax are cultivated where 

 the ground admits of it. Hemp and rye are grown to 66° N. lat, and 

 the ash and spruce-fir reach this poiut Pines grow as far as 07° N. 

 lat, but north of 67° only birch and juniper grow, and only barley 

 and potatoes are cultivate<L Kxtensive forests of fir aud piue cover 

 the eastern declivity of the Norrska Fiollou, and a great part of the 

 billy and rocky country eantof tlio range; and it ia from these regions 

 that the greatest part of tho timber is brought to the sea. On the 

 lower country along the Cay of Troudbjem, aud in the valley of the 

 river Namsen, there are also great forests of fir and pine. Though 

 agriculture is not neglected, the produce of the crops is not sufficient 

 for home consumption. 



Cattle and goats are numerous, but sheep ore rare. The horses are 

 of a small size in tho southern districts, but larger to the north of 

 Trondhjem : they are strong and hardy. Bears, wolves, foxes, gluttons, 

 ermines, as well aa rein-deer, elks, deer aud hares abound. The lem- 

 ming exists in great numbers, and in its migrations destroys every 

 plant in its way. Different kinds of sea-fowl abound along tho 

 northern coasts, and their eggs constitute the principal food of tho 

 inhabitants of some districts during a part of the year. In these parts 

 the eider-duck is numerous, and tho feathers are of great value for 

 beds ; a small quantity of them are exported. The sea furuishes the 

 principal means of subsistence to the inhabitants of Uu western 

 coasts ; cod and herrings are most abundant, and this fishery gives 

 occupation to many families. [Berqex.] Salmon abounds, and is 

 finer thau in any other coimtry in the world. Lobsters ai>e foimd iu 

 the greatest abundance on both sides of Cape Lindesnaes. The geolo- 

 gical structure and mineral productions are given under NoiiiisKi. 

 Fiellen. Salt is made from sea-water at some places along the 

 Skager-rack, but not in sufiicieut quantity for home cousuuiption. 



Jnhabitanl^. — The Norwegians are of Teutonic origin, and speak a 

 language which differs very little from the Swedish. In the most 

 northern districts, north of 69° N. lat, there are many families of 

 Finlanders and Laplanders : the former are here called Quans, and the 

 latter Finnera. The QuUns cultivate barley and iwtitoes, and rear 

 cattle. Tho Finners are mostly fishermen, except a certain number 

 of families who live on their herds of rein-deer. 



Political Division, Population, Manvfactwes, <tc. — Norway was 

 from an early period divided into four bishoprics — Christiania, Chris- 

 tiansand, Bergen, and Trondhjem. Under the Danish dominion a civil 

 governor, called Stifthauptmann, was appointed for every bishopric. 

 The bishopric of Trondhjem has been divided into two, Troudbjem 

 and Nordland ; but both continue to constitute one civil administratiou. 

 Norway is subdivided into 17 districts, the areo and population of 

 which are as follows : — 



Districts. 



Area In Square Miios. 



ropoUUon in 1849. 



Smsalehnencs . 



1,663 



7-,-:32 



Aggcrhuiu . . . . 



2,004 



1;"J,432 



Itedcmarkcns . . . 



10,303 



87,118 



Christians . . . . 



10,396 



102,730 



liu«kcru(l» 



4,740 



83,918 



larisberg and Laurvigs . 



886 



c3,o;o 



1 Bradsbetff* 



S,38S 



72,H91 



Nedenaes . . . . 



4,003 



53,932 



Mandali 



2,060 



01,918 



' SlBTsnger . . . . 



3,521 



78,210 



8. Bergenhuus • 



5,761 



lin.OS'J 



K. Bcrgcnhuns . . . 



C,7IS 



77,978 



Itonudala 



6,001 



81,314 



8. Trondbj^m . . . 



7,1S9 



69,329 



1 N. Trondbjcin 



8,769 



00,570 



1 Nordlanda 



14,550 



65,512 



. Hnnmrkens . 



27,180 



43,938 



ToUl . 



121,720 



1,328,471 



Lesa than half the population gain their subsistoneo by culti- 

 vating tho ground ; tho remainder employ themselves chiefly iu the 

 fisheries, forests, and mince. Saw-mills, the erection of which is 

 much facilitated by the rapid course of the various rivers, are very 

 numerous. There are also several iron- and copper-works, potaah- 

 foctoriea, glass-works, powder-mills, nail-forges, and salt-manufactories. 

 Linens and coarse woollen-cloths arc ma<lo by tho country people for 

 their own use. In Christiania and Trondhjem there are some manu- 

 factories of cloth, cotton stuffs, and tobacco; there are also a few 

 sugarrefiuerios and tanyards. Ship-buildiuj; is carried on in most 

 of the towns along the coast 



