ABSTRACT
Introduction A small and homogeneous nation on the periphery of Europe, Norway has a population of 4.5 million. The people of Norway traditionally wrung their living from activities connected with the sea and farming until the devel opment of hydroelectric power at the turn of the century. Since the discovery of vast oil reserves in the North Sea in the 1970s, Norway has been among the most affluent nations in the world with a high standard of living and a well-developed and comprehensive system of public welfare.
