Forest Conditions. 261 
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 only 
3% in farms, leaving for the forest area 21% or hardly 
20 million acres. 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 Chris- 
tiania 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, therefore, 
locally confined and comprises probably not more than 
one-half of the whole stated forest area. It is estimated 
that one-half of the territory has to import its lumber, 
one-quarter has sufficient for home consumption, and 
the excess which permits exportation is confined to the 
last quarter. This export, which amounts to around 
18 million dollars (40% of the total export) is esti- 
mated to represent only one-fifth or one-sixth of the total 
cut, which is stated as about 500 million cubic feet, 
while the annual growth is estimated at less than 350 
million, showing considerable overcutting. 
Scotch Pine is the principal timber, with Norway 
Spruce, more or less localized; oak, ash, basswood and 
