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Norway
Year of entry to EU: Not a member
Political system: Constitutional monarchy
Capital city: Oslo
Total area: 386 958 km²
Population: 4,5 million
Currency: Norwegian Kroner
Norway is a long and narrow country stretching from the southernmost point at Lindesnes at 58° north and the northernmost point at Nordkapp at 71°north. Due to this the climate is very varied. Additionally, the country is very varied, from islands and the fjords on the coast, ragged mountain areas and mountain platous, steep valleys and more open, undulating areas.
Typical Norwegian farm
There are 53 200 farms in Norway, occupying 10,4 million daa of land, only 2.6 percent of the total area of the country. 63 percent of the farmed land is grassland and 32 % is grain and oil seed production. 3,4 percent of the farmed land is organic.
Of 38 389 farm units with animals 15 900 are with dairy cows. In comparism, there are 22 357 units with beef cattle, 17 700 units with sheep and 570 units with goats. Having a combination of two or more types at the same farm unit, for instance beef cattle and dairy cattle, is not unusual. Also, due to the economy in farming, half of the farmers now have an additionall income to the farm.
Dairy cattle in Norway Norway has it’s own meat and milk cow called Norwegian Red (NRF), based on the older and more local breeds. Abut 95 % of the farms use this breed. Optimizing this dual breed, making it one of the most fertile breeds in the world, has been possible due to the strong import restrictions on meat. The average milk yield from a NRF-cow is 6115 litres. There are 264 600 dairy cows in Norway, distributed on 16 600 farms averaging 17 cows each.
Page updated 8.1.2007 |
