Oslo is the capital of Norway, and as such is the seat of Norway's national government.
According to the Norse legends, Oslo was founded around 1049, by King Harald Hardrеde.
About 50 percent of the population of Norway lives within a radius of 74.6 miles of downtown Oslo.
The Oslofjord has many public beaches and recreational areas, which are very popular in the summer months.
Initially revenues from the road tolls funded the public-road network, but since 2002, it mainly finances new developments for the public transport system in Oslo.
The gross domestic product of Oslo totaled Ђ33.876 billion in 2003, which amounted to 17 percent of the national GDP.
The population of Oslo is currently increasing at a record rate of nearly two percent annually (17 percent over the last 15 years), making it the fastest-growing Scandinavian capital.
The variety in Oslo's architectural cityscape does however provide for some striking, and often hauntingly beautiful sights.
The tram system, Oslotrikken, is made up of six lines that criss-cross the inner parts of the city and extend out towards the suburbs.
The main office of the national broadcasting company NRK is located at Marienlyst in Oslo, near Majorstuen.
The newspapers Aftenposten, Verdens Gang, Dagbladet, Dagsavisen, Morgenbladet, Vеrt Land, Nationen, and Klassekampen are published in Oslo.
Close to 6,000 ships dock at the Port of Oslo annually with a total of six million tons of cargo and over five million passengers.
Public ferries run daily to and from the islands scattered in the Oslo harbor basin.
According to a report compiled by the Swiss bank UBS in the month of August 2006 Oslo and London were the world's most expensive cities.
Det Norske Veritas, headquartered at Hшvik outside Oslo, is one of the three major maritime classification societies in the world, with 16.5 percent of the world fleet to class in its register.
The public transportation system in Oslo is managed by the municipal transport company Oslo Sporveier.
The metro system, known as the T-bane, connects the eastern and western suburbs and comprises six lines which all converge in a tunnel beneath downtown Oslo.
Oslo has a hemiboreal/humid continental climate (according to the Kцppen climate classification system).
Total pay packets were the biggest in Oslo along with Copenhagen and Zurich, but residents of the Nordic cities lose out when tax is taken into account.
Oslo's centrality in the political, cultural, and economical life of Norway continues to be a source of considerable controversy and friction.
The fact that the University of Oslo was founded as late as 1811 had an adverse effect on the development of the nation.
A century later, Norway was the weaker part in a personal union with Denmark, and Oslo's role was reduced to that of provincial administrative center, with the kings residing in Copenhagen.
Oslo is also home of the Norway Cup—the world's biggest football tournament for youth from all over the world.
The Mayor of Oslo is the head of the City Council and the highest-ranking representative of the city.
All public transport in Oslo operates on a common ticket system, allowing free transfer within a period of one hour with a regular ticket.
Oslo had two ice hockey teams in the highest division in the previous season, Vеlerenga Ishockey and Furuset I.F., the former winning the cup and league double in 2007.
Constituting both a municipality and a county of Norway, the city of Oslo is represented in the Storting by 17 Members of Parliament.
The fjord, which is nearly bisected by the Nesodden peninsula opposite Oslo, lies to the south; in all other directions Oslo is surrounded by green hills and mountains.
According to the Norse sagas, Oslo was founded around 1049, by King Harald Hardrеde.
In 2004, 160 million journeys were made using public transport, of which 85 percent was handled by Oslo Sporveier's own subsidiaries and 15 percent by private bus and ferry operators under cost-based contracts.
After it was destroyed several times by fire, King Christian IV of Denmark (and Norway) in 1624, ordered Oslo rebuilt at a new site across the bay, near Akershus Fortress and given the name Christiania.
The city of Oslo has a current annual growth exceeding 10,000 people, which makes it one of the fastest growing cities in Europe.
Two football (soccer) clubs from Oslo, Vеlerenga and Lyn, play in the Norwegian Premier League.
TVNorge (TVNorway) is also located in Oslo, while TV2 (based in Bergen) and TV3 (based in London) operate branch offices in central Oslo.
Norway celebrates its national day on May 17, as Norwegians dress up in their most beautiful clothes and walk down the main streets of Oslo in huge parades waving Norwegian flags.