306 Norway. 



accessible much of the interior mountain forest, yet 

 a large part of the inland area still remains inaccessible 

 and trackless. 



More than 75% of the country is waste land and 

 water; only 3% in farms, leaving for the forest area 

 21%, or little over 17 million acres. According to 

 latest data (1907) from this productive area a further 

 2 million acres must be deducted as non-producing. 



The distribution of this forest area is most uneven. 

 The bulk and the most valuable portion of it is found 

 in the south-eastern corner around Christiania in 

 eight counties, in which the forest per cent, exceeds 

 40 to 50, with conifer growth (pine and spruce) up to 

 the 3,000 foot level. Again in the three counties 

 around Trondhjem a large and important forest area 

 is located at the head of the fjords. But the entire 

 western coast and the higher elevations are devoid of 

 valuable forest growth and the northern third of the 

 country (north of the Arctic circle) is mostly heath 

 and moors with only 7% wooded, mainly birch growth 

 of little commercial value. 



The commercially important forest area is, there- 

 fore, locally confined. It is estimated that ojafiihalf 

 of the territory has to impo rt its lumber, on^cjuaxter 

 has sufficient for home consumption, and the excess 

 which permits exportation is confined to the last 

 quarter. This export, mostly in logs and staves, 

 which amounts to nearly 20 million dollars (40% of 

 the total export) half of it woodpulp is estimated to 

 represent only one-fifth or one-sixth of the total cut, 

 which is stated as about 350 million cubic feet, or at 

 the rate of 23 cubic feet on the productive area while 



