Norway, a land of natural resources, oil and gas, agriculture and prosperous capitalist welfare state and social democracy

Norway is a great reference for numerous countries across the world.  In effect, Norway with its market of + 5 million consumers ranks as the second-wealthiest country in the world in monetary value, with the largest capital reserve per capita of any nation.

The Norwegian economy is billed as an example of a mixed economy, a prosperous capitalist welfare state and social democracy country featuring a combination of free market activity and large state ownership in certain key sectors.

The state income derived from natural resources includes a significant contribution from petroleum production.

The egalitarian values of Norwegian society have kept the wage difference between the lowest paid worker and the CEO of most companies as much less as in comparable western economies.

The state has large ownership positions in key industrial sectors. Norway is a major shipping nation and has the world's 6th largest merchant fleet, with 1,412 Norwegian-owned merchant vessels.

Norway, together with Iceland and Liechtenstein, participates in the European Union's single market through the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement.

Norway is a highly integrated member of most sectors of the EU internal market. Norway has also acceded to the Schengen Agreement and several other intergovernmental agreements among the EU member states.

The country is richly endowed with natural resources including petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals.

Norway is the first country which banned cutting of trees (deforestation), in order to prevent rain forests from vanishing.

Agriculture is a significant sector, in spite of the mountainous landscape. Norway is the fifth-largest oil exporter and third-largest gas exporter in the world, but it is not a member of OPEC.

The investment choices of the Norwegian fund are directed by ethical guidelines; for example, the fund is not allowed to invest in companies that produce parts for nuclear weapons.

Norway contains significant mineral resources, and in 2013, its mineral production was valued at US$1.5 billion (Norwegian Geological Survey data). The most valuable minerals are calcium carbonate (limestone), building stone, nepheline syenite, olivine, iron, titanium, and nickel.

Due to the low population density, narrow shape and long coastlines of Norway, its public transport is less developed than in many European countries, especially outside the major cities.

All domestic passenger trains except the Airport Express Train are operated by NorgesStatsbaner (NSB).

The most important national routes are part of the European route scheme. National and county roads are managed by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.

Norway has the world's largest registered stock of plug-in electric vehicles per capita.

Of the 97 airports in Norway, 52 are public, and 46 are operated by the state-owned Avinor.

The central gateway to Norway by air is Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. Located about 35 kilometres (22 mi) northeast of Oslo, it is hub for the two major Norwegian airlines: Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and for regional aircraft from Western Norway.

There are departures to most European countries and some intercontinental destinations.

 A direct high-speed train connects to Oslo Central Station every 10 minutes for a 20 min ride.