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Norway
Oslo
THE CITY OF OSLO
Oslo is the capital of Norway and with its 520.000 inhabitants also the country’s largest city. Oslo lies in the southeastern part of Norway, at the beginning of the Oslofjord. 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. There are 40 islands within the city limits, the largest being Malmøya (0.56 km²), and scores more around the Oslofjord. Oslo has 343 lakes, the largest being Maridalsvannet (3.91 km²). This is also a main source of drinking water for large parts of the western part of Oslo, mainly Vestre Aker and Nordre Aker. The highest point is Kirkeberget, at 629 m.
Bergen
THE CITY OF BERGEN
Bergen is Norway's second largest city with a population of roughly 250.000 in 2008. The city is located in the county of Hordaland on the south-western coast of Norway. It is a major shipping centre. Industries include shipbuilding, engineering, steel, electrical equipment, off-shore oil services, and fish processing.
Often called the ‘gateway to the fjords’, Bergen is a major centre for tours of the fjords of Norway's west coast. Bergen is a perfect launch point for exploring western Norway's stunning fjords and glaciers, including Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord.
Longyearbyen
THE CITY OF LONGYEARBYEIN SPITSBERGEN
Longyearbyen is the largest settlement on Spitsbergen and has a population of about 2.000 people. It is also the administrative centre of Svalbard. Longyearbyen ranks among the world’s northernmost towns. It is located on the western coast of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, on the southern side on Adventfjorden. The city was named after the American Mining entrepreneur John M. Longyear who founded it in 1906. The town is a coal-mining hub and the chief port and administrative centre for the isolated island group. There is an airport close by. During the Second World War Longyearbin was damaged by Nazi warships.
Kirkenes
THE CITY OF KIRKENES
Kirkenes is a small town in the Norwegian county of Finnmark. It is the capital of Sør-Varanger Municipality. Kirkenes is situated between two time zones: Helsinki and Moscow. In Kirkenes, which lies in the municipality of Sør-Varanger, people speak Norwegian, Sami, Finnish and Russian
The city is best known as the endpoint of the Hurtigruten. Kirkenes is the terminus of E6. The shortest distance by road to the Russian border is 47 km. Until 1826 Kirkenes and the immediate surroundings were part of a joint Russian-Norwegian district called Piselvnes. After a church was built in 1862 the name was changed to Kirkenes.