Oslo Norway

Description: Oslo is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of 709,037 in 2022, while the city’s greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022, and the metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1,546,706 in 2021.

Population: 709,037

Demographics: According to the Norwegian census, 70% of the residents of Oslo are ethnically Norwegian. While the majority of the population is Norwegian, there are still many immigrants. In fact, almost 30% of the population were born to immigrants or are immigrants themselves. The biggest ethnic minority in Oslo are Pakistanis, followed by people from Sweden, Somalias, and Poland. The large population of immigrants directly affects the religious affiliations as well. There are around 63% of the population that belong to the Church of Norway.

History: During the Viking Age, the area that includes modern Oslo was located in Viken, the northernmost province of Denmark. Control over the area shifted between Danish and Norwegian kings in the Middle Ages, and Denmark continued to claim the area until 1241. According to the Norse sagas, Oslo was founded around 1049 by Harald Hardrada. Recent archaeological research, however, uncovered Christian burials which could be dated to prior to AD 1000, evidence of a preceding urban settlement. This called for the celebration of Oslo’s millennium in 2000 rather than 2049. Over the years, fires destroyed significant parts of the city multiple times, as many of the city’s buildings were built entirely of wood. In the 18th century, after the Great Northern War, the city’s economy boomed with shipbuilding and trade. The strong economy transformed Christiania into a trading port. In 1814 the former provincial town of Christiania became the capital of the independent Kingdom of Norway, when the union with Denmark was dissolved and replaced by a personal union with Sweden. Several state institutions were established and the city’s role as a capital initiated a period of rapidly increasing population. The city and municipality used the name Kristiania until 1 January 1925 when the name changed to Oslo. Oslo was the name of an eastern suburb – it had been the site of the city centre, until the devastating 1624 fire. King Christian IV of Denmark ordered a new city built with his own name; Oslo remained a poor suburb outside the city border. In the early-20th century, Norwegians argued that a name memorializing a Danish king was inappropriate as the name of the capital of Norway, which became fully independent in 1905.

Elevation: 1 m

Climate: Humid continental climate. Average annual temperature in Oslo is 6 C (43 F), the average for July is 18 C (64 F), the average for January is -3 C (27 F).

Attractions: Fram Museum, Vigeland Park, Norsk Folkemuseum, Viking Ship Museum, Oslofjord, Bygdoy Peninsula

Airports: Oslo Airport OSL

Distance To City Centre: 50 km

Commute Length: 45 min

Average Cost: 90 EUR

Traffic Hours: 6:30 am – 9 am, 3 pm – 5 pm