Play

Oslo

Capital of NorwayOslo sits at the northern end of the Oslofjord in southeastern Norway. On its other sides it is surrounded by green hills and mountains, and about two-thirds of its area is protected forest, hills and lakes.

Why it's the capital

King Haakon V, who ruled from 1299 to 1319, was the first king to live permanently in Oslo, and the city has been regarded as Norway's capital since his reign.

Fun facts

  1. After a fire in 1624, King Christian IV rebuilt the city near Akershus Fortress and named it Christiania; the old name Oslo came back on 1 January 1925.
  2. Every year on 10 December, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded at Oslo City Hall.
  3. Frogner Park has a large collection of sculptures by Gustav Vigeland.

Finding it on the globe

Follow the long Oslofjord north from the Skagerrak strait to its top end. Oslo lies almost due west of Stockholm, at about the same latitude.

Sources: Wikipedia: Oslo, Wikipedia: Oslofjord, Wikipedia: Oslo City Hall