A Nordic country occupying over 325,000 sq kms of the western edge of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Norway shares its landward border with Sweden, Finland and Russia and its coastal boundaries are washed by the waters of the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Skagerrak in the south and west and the Barents Sea in the north. Having such an elongated shape, Norway's most significant geographical feature is its 25,000 kms of coastline, much of which is broken up by the vast number of fjords formed at the end of the last ice age, and with an inland landscape dominated by mountains, glaciers and lakes, the topography of Norway is as varied and diverse as it is ancient and spectacular.

Benefiting from the influences of the Gulf Stream and prevailing westerlies, Norway experiences a more temperate climate than would normally be expected at such a northern latitude, particularly along the coast and in southern regions of the country where farms, fields and forests litter the hills and valleys from the Vestlandet - or the 'west country' - across to Austlandet in the east, and sunny beaches are as common as snow-capped mountains anywhere in South Norway. Oslo, the largest city in the country, can also be found nestling conveniently amongst this rich and varied landscape, so investigating the urban culture of Norway's capital can easily give you the perfect excuse for a return visit if you've already experienced fishing and watersports in the fjords of Horderland or skiing on the pistes of Telemark, not to mention an ideal opportunity to discover more about the history of Norway and the fascinating blend of fact and legend that revolves around its ancient Viking origins.

Where extremes in temperature are possible throughout Norway from the height of summer to the depths of winter, the hours of daylight never vary during the seasons when the sun stays out permanently from mid May to the end of July in the far north and even the south never becomes truly dark during the same period. On the down side, winters are marked by long, cold, dark nights, but with the prospect of witnessing the Aurora Borealis as well as enjoying some of the finest conditions and facilities to be found in Europe for skiing, holiday chalets in Norway prove to be a popular choice at any time of the year. South Norway boasts the warmest temperatures and displays possibly the greatest natural diversity in the entire country - home to a good cross-section of mountains, lakes, fjords and beaches, this is a vast area with equally outstanding potential for outdoor activity or adventure holidays throughout every season.

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