Oslo is the oldest of the Scandinavian capitals, and its history goes back to 1000 years ago, when the first settlements were built at the inlet of the Oslo fjord.
After the Great Fire that destroyed the city in 1624, the Danish King Christian IV, decided to rebuild the city in brick and stone, and named it Christiania. Three hundred years later, in 1925, the citizens decided to rename their city Oslo.

Oslo is a pleasant city with over 500 000 inhabitants. The city is characterized by a mix of old and new architecture, parks, hills, museums, monuments, lakes, forests and the fjord. It is a vibrant city, excellent for shopping, cultural and sports activities. Oslo has a wide range of good restaurants and a lively nightlife.

The city has become an attractive tourist- and conference city, with a large selection of excellent hotels and congress venues.

Geography:

The geographical area of Oslo is 450 km2, and only 1/3 of the area is developed. The city centre is surrounded by woods, lakes and 40 islands in the fjord.

Climate

Average mean temperatures in:
November-March: -3 C
April-May: 8 C
Jun-Jul-Aug: 16 C
Sep-Oct: 8 C
Hours of sunshine per month in Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep: 240 hrs

Population

510 000 inhabitants

Employment

360 000 people have Oslo as their place of work. The City of Oslo employs approximately 43  000 people.

Business and Industry

Shipping industry
Information technology, telecommunications and multimedia
Offshore and engineering activities
Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals

To find out more about Oslo, please check out some of the following web-sites:

• VisitOSLO A/S (tourism and congress information) : www.visitoslo.com

• Norwegian Tourism Board: www.visitnorway.com

• Information about Norway: www.norway.org

• Oslo Teknopol: www.oslo.technopole.no

• Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry: www.nho.no