ABSTRACT
Mainland Norway measures about 1800 kilometers from north to south. Thousands of islands are scattered along the coast, which is deeply indented by fjords. Most of the interior is covered by mountains and plateaus. The country is sparsely populated with about 4.3 million inhabitants, corresponding to an average of thirteen people per square kilometer. The country is usually regarded as a "welfare state" and, in comparison with many other western countries, the socioeconomic differences in the population are relatively limited.
