Norway Photos

Polar Bear, Svalbard

A young polar bear leaps between drifts of Barents Sea ice in Svalbard, Norway’s Arctic archipelago. Glacial ice covers more than half of the island chain, which lies 400 miles (640 kilometers) north of the Norwegian mainland.

Brünnich’s Guillemots, Svalbard

Brünnich’s guillemots plunge into the ocean near Bjørnøya Island to snatch schooling fish, sometimes reaching depths of 500 feet (150 meters). These stout seabirds breed in Svalbard by the hundreds of thousands, most dispersing to Iceland or Greenland in winter.

Reindeer, Spitsbergen Island

A reindeer races across the sphagnum moss-covered tundra in Hornsund, a fjord on Spitsbergen Island in the Svalbard archipelago.

Geirangerfjord

Ships approach Geiranger village at the head of picturesque Geirangerfjord in western Norway. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Norway’s most popular fjord attracts cruise and land visitors to its dramatic natural beauty and to such sights as the Seven Sisters Waterfall.

Viking Ship

,A replica Viking ship called the Gaia sails under the flags of Norway and Iceland. Sailing advanced ships for their age, Norway’s Viking navigators found Iceland uninhabited during ninth-century voyages and later settled the island,

Nordfjord Valley

A glacier’s ice-blue arms reach into a forested valley in the heart of Nordfjord, a collection of municipalities ranged throughout the mountains, lakes, and fjords of western Norway. Extending to the coast, the diverse and fertile region has been inhabited since the Stone Age

Stave Church, Heddal

.A close view of the façade of Heddal's stave church reveals its intricate woodwork. Built during the Middle Ages and currently in use, it is the largest remaining church of its kind and considered one of Norway’s architectural treasures

Cross-Country Skiing

.Sleds and cross-country skis are commonplace near Lillehammer, host to the 1994 Winter Olympics. Ideal terrain for alpine and cross-country skiing and snowboarding make this eastern town one of Norway’s oldest and most popular destinations for winter sports

Children’s Parade, Oslo

.A children’s parade before the Royal Palace fills Oslo’s main thoroughfare on Constitution Day. Norwegian children play a large part in the spring festivities, many wearing the national dress and carrying flags as they walk with their schools through the community.

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