Issue No. 2 Country by Country: Norway is number 1

Country by Country: Norway is number 1.

You may be wondering why I’m starting my country by country virtual tour with Norway.  Well Lotus Travel Essentials is all about finding the best of everything travel related and according to the 2013 Human Development Report commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme, Norway is the best place to live in all of the 196 UN recognised States.  And if you’re looking for some comparison, the UK ranks 26th and the United States of America ranks 3rd just after Australia.

According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Norway has a population of around 5 million, that’s just 16 people per square kilometre, compared to the UK’s 262.  This means that you can expects lots of spectacular countryside to explore.

With just a short two hour flight from the UK what else can we expect if we visit Norway? Well, sharing the same latitude as Siberia, Alaska and Greenland, we’re not going to be expecting tropical weather anytime soon but according to www.visitnorway.com  temperatures in July and August can surprisingly reach 25-30°C and sea temperatures can reach 18°C making swimming a popular pastime, so don’t forget your swimsuit.

Borgund Stave Church , Lærdal.

So what is there to do in Norway?  Well, the staggeringly beautiful countryside suggests that activities should be kept firmly outside and skiing, hiking, cycling and kayaking are all here for your enjoyment.  But if you want to take things at a more leisurely pace, why not take a coastal cruise of the fjords.   Or for a more spiritual experience, why not visit the medieval Borgund Stave Church located in Borgund, Lærdal. (photo right).

I think that we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that Norway’s national sport is skiing with alpine ski resorts and cross country skiing throughout the country.  The ski season here, lasts from November to the end of April and even into early May so if you visit Norway in the winter months you must give skiing a go.

If you are looking for something a little different, why not visit the Nordic Light festival held annually in Kristiansund.  Attracting some of the most famous photographers from across the world, this is surely not to be missed if you are a keen photographer.

In April 2012, the Earth Institute,
Columbia University, published the World Happiness Report, commissioned for the United Nations Conference on Happiness. According to the report the third happiest country in the world was Norway.  The report stated that political instability and civil disturbances has a major influence on the happiness of a country.  No surprise then that according to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Norway rated 165th out of 165 for political instability.

Perhaps then, Norway is worth a visit to see what all the fuss is about…?

Thanksfor reading, see you next week and in the meantime, I hope that you can take sometime to check out LotusTravelEssentials.co.uk happy & safe travelling.