During theViking Age, the area was part ofViken. Oslo was founded as a city at the end of the Viking Age in 1040 under the nameÁnslo, and established as akaupstad or trading place in 1048 byHarald Hardrada. The city was elevated to abishopric in 1070 and a capital underHaakon V of Norway around the year 1300.Personal unions withDenmark from1397 to 1523 and again from1536 to 1814 reduced its influence. After being destroyed by a fire in 1624, during the reign ofKing Christian IV, a new city was built closer toAkershus Fortress and namedChristiania in honour of the king. It became amunicipality (formannskapsdistrikt) on 1 January 1838. The city functioned as the capital of Norway during the 1814–1905union between Sweden and Norway. From 1877, the city's name was spelledKristiania in government usage, a spelling that was adopted by the municipal authorities in 1897, although 'Christiania' was also used. In 1925, the city, after incorporating the village retaining its former name, wasrenamed 'Oslo'. In 1948, Oslo merged withAker, a municipality which surrounded the capital and which was 27 times larger, thus creating the modern, much larger Oslo municipality.
Oslo is theeconomic andgovernmental centre of Norway. The city is also a hub of Norwegian trade, banking, industry and shipping. It is an important centre for maritime industries andmaritime trade in Europe. The city is home to many companies within the maritime sector, some of which are among the world's largest shipping companies, shipbrokers and maritime insurance brokers. Oslo is a pilot city of theCouncil of Europe and theEuropean Commission intercultural cities programme.
Oslo is considered aglobal city and was ranked "Beta World City" in studies carried out by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network in 2008.[17] It was ranked number one in terms of quality of life among European large cities in the European Cities of the Future 2012 report byfDi magazine.[18] A survey conducted byECA International in 2011 placed Oslo as the second most expensive city in the world for living expenses afterTokyo.[19] In 2013, Oslo tied with theAustralian city ofMelbourne as the fourth most expensive city in the world, according to theEconomist Intelligence Unit (EIU)'s Worldwide Cost of Living study.[20] Oslo was ranked as the 24th most liveable city in the world by Monocle magazine.[21]
Oslo's population was increasing at record rates during the early 2000s, making it the fastest growing majorcity in Europe at the time.[22] This growth stems for the most part from internationalimmigration and related high birth rates, but also from intra-national migration. By 2010 the immigrant population in the city was growing somewhat faster than theNorwegian population,[23] and in the city proper this had become more than 25% of the total population if the children of immigrant parents were included.[24]
The municipality of Oslo has a population of 717,710 as of 1 January 2024.[25] The urban area extends far beyond the boundaries of the municipality into the surroundingcounty ofAkershus (municipalities ofAsker,Bærum,Lillestrøm,Enebakk,Rælingen,Lørenskog,Nittedal,Gjerdrum,Nordre Follo); being, to a great degree suburbs of Oslo making up approximately 500,000 of the population of thegreater Oslo region. The total population of thisagglomeration was 1,546,706 in 2023.[15] The city centre is situated at the end of theOslofjord, from which point the city sprawls out in three distinct "corridors"—inland north-eastwards, and southwards along both sides of the fjord—which gives theurbanized area a shape reminiscent of an upside-down reclining "Y" (on maps, satellite pictures, or from high above the city).
To the north and east, wide forested hills (Marka) rise above the city giving the location the shape of a giantamphitheatre. The urbanmunicipality (bykommune) of Oslo and county (fylke) of Oslo are two parts of the same entity, making Oslo the only city in Norway where two administrative levels are integrated. Of Oslo's total area, 130 km2 (50 sq mi) is built-up and 9.6 km2 (3.7 sq mi) is agricultural. The open areas within the built-up zone amount to 22 km2 (8.5 sq mi).[26]
The city of Oslo was established as a municipality on 3 January 1838 (seeformannskapsdistrikt). It was separated from the county ofAkershus to become a county of its own in 1842. The rural municipality ofAker was merged with Oslo on 1 January 1948 (and simultaneously transferred from Akershus county to Oslo county). Furthermore, Oslo shares several important functions with Akershus county.
Boroughs as defined in January 2004 by the city council[27][note]
In addition isMarka (1,610 residents, 301.1 km2), that is administered by several boroughs; andSentrum (1,471 residents, 1.8 km2) that is partially administered by St. Hanshaugen, and in part directly by the city council. As of 27 February 2020, there were 2,386 residents who were not allocated to a borough.
The nine municipalities directly included in the Urban area of Oslo.[29]
After being destroyed by a fire in 1624, during the reign ofKing Christian IV, a new city was built closer toAkershus Fortress and named Christiania in the king's honour. The old site east of the Aker river was not abandoned, however, and the village of Oslo remained as a suburb outside the city gates. The suburb called Oslo was eventually included in the city proper. In 1925 the name of the suburb wastransferred to the whole city, while the suburb was renamed"Gamlebyen", literally "the Old town", to avoid confusion.[30][31][32]The Old Town is an area within the administrative districtGamle Oslo. The previous names are reflected in street names like Oslo gate (Oslo street)[33]and Oslo hospital.[34]
The origin of the nameOslo has been the subject of much debate. It is almost certainly derived fromOld Norse and was—in all probability—originally the name of a large farm atBjørvika, while the meaning of that name is disputed. Modern linguists generally interpret the originalÓslo,Áslo orÁnslo as either "meadow at the foot of a hill" or "meadow consecrated to theGods", with both considered equally likely.[35]
Erroneously, it was once assumed thatOslo meant "the mouth of the Lo river", a supposed previous name for theriver Alna. Not only has no evidence been found of a river "Lo" predating the work wherePeder Claussøn Friis first proposed this etymology, but the very name is ungrammatical in Norwegian: the correct form would have beenLoaros (cf.Nidaros).[36] The nameLo is now believed to be aback-formation arrived at by Friis in support of his [idea about] etymology forOslo.[37]
Oslo is one of very few cities in Norway, besidesBergen andTønsberg, that does not have a formalcoat of arms, but which uses a city seal instead.[38] The seal of Oslo shows the city'spatron saint,St. Hallvard, with his attributes, themillstone andarrows, with a naked woman at his feet. He is seated on a throne with lion decorations, which at the time was also commonly used by theNorwegian kings.[39]
Oslo has various nicknames and names in other languages. The city is sometimes known as "The Tiger City" (Norwegian:Tigerstaden), probably inspired by an 1870 poem byBjørnstjerne Bjørnson which referenced then-Christiania in central Oslo. The nickname is mostly used by Norwegians from out of town, and rarely by people from the Oslo region.[40]
During theViking Age, the area that includes modern Oslo was located inViken, the northernmost province ofDenmark. Control over the area shifted between Danish and Norwegian kings in the Middle Ages, and Denmark continued to claim the area until 1241.
According to the Norsesagas, Oslo was founded around 1049 byHarald Hardrada.[41] Recent archaeological research, however, uncovered Christian burials which could be dated to prior to AD 1000, evidence of a preceding urban settlement.[42] This called for the celebration of Oslo's millennium in 2000 rather than 2049.[citation needed]
In 1174,Hovedøya Abbey was built. The churches and abbeys became major owners of large tracts of land, which proved important for the city's economic development, especially before the Black Death.
At the end of the 12th century,Hanseatic League traders fromRostock moved into the city and gained major influence in the city.
During theMiddle Ages, Oslo reached new heights during the reign ofHaakon V of Norway (1299–1319). He was the first king to reside permanently in the city, and it has been regarded as the capital city of Norway since his reign. He also started the construction of theAkershus Fortress and the OsloKongsgård.
The Black Death came to Norway in 1349 and, like other cities in Europe, the city suffered greatly. The churches' earnings from their land dropped so much that the Hanseatic traders dominated the city's foreign trade in the 15th century.
In 1380, Norway was the weaker part in apersonal union with Denmark, and Oslo's role was reduced to that of provincial administrative centre, with the monarchs residing inCopenhagen.
Over the years, fires destroyed significant parts of the city multiple times, as many of the city's buildings were built entirely of wood. After the fourteenth calamity, in 1624, which lasted for three days,Christian IV of Denmark decided that the old city should not be rebuilt again. His men built a network of roads on the other side of the bay in Akershagen nearAkershus Castle. He demanded that all citizens move their shops and workplaces to the newly built city of "Christiania", named in his honour.[44] The part of the city built starting in 1624 is now often calledKvadraturen [Wikidata] because of its orthogonal layout in regular, square blocks.[45]Anatomigården is a historic timber framing house located on the north side of Christiania Torv; it was built in 1640.
The transformation of Christiania went slowly for the first hundred years. However, outside of the city atVaterland,Grønland, and theold town of Oslo, a new, unmanaged part of the city arose populated by citizens of lower class status.[citation needed]
In the 18th century, after theGreat Northern War, the city's economy boomed with shipbuilding and trade. The strong economy transformed Christiania into a trading port.[citation needed]
The Royal Frederick University (now theUniversity of Oslo) was founded in 1811; the fact that it was founded this late reportedly had an adverse effect on the development of the nation.[47]
Royal Palace, Oslo (2015)
In 1814 the former provincial town of Christiania became the capital of the independent Kingdom of Norway, when the union with Denmark was dissolved and replaced by apersonal union with Sweden. Several state institutions were established and the city's role as a capital initiated a period of rapidly increasing population. The government of this new state needed buildings for its expanding administration and institutions. Several important buildings and landmarks were erected in the 19th century, including theRoyal Palace (1825-1848), theStock Exchange (1826-1828), theBank of Norway (1828), theStorting (1861-1866), theNational Theatre (1899), and severalUniversity buildings. Among the world-famous artists who lived here during this period wereHenrik Ibsen andKnut Hamsun (the latter was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature).
Large areas of the surroundingAker municipality were incorporated in 1839, 1859, and 1878. The 1859 expansion includedGrünerløkka,Grønland, andOslo. At that time the area calledOslo (nowGamlebyen or Old Town) was a village or suburb outside the city borders east of Aker river.[48] The population increased from approximately 10.000 in 1814 to 230.000 in 1900. In 1850, Christiania overtookBergen and became the most populous city in the country. Christiania expanded its industry from 1840, most importantly aroundAkerselva. There was a spectacular building boom during the last decades of the 19th century, with many new apartment buildings and renewal of the city center, but the boom collapsed in 1899.
The city and municipality used the nameKristiania until 1 January 1925 when the original name ofOslowas restored.[49] This was because Norway became fully independent in 1905, and Norwegians argued that a name memorializing a Danish king (Christian IV of Denmark) was inappropriate as the name of the capital of their country.[50]
Oslo, 2022
The municipality developed new areas such asUllevål garden city (1918–1926) andTorshov (1917–1925).City Hall was constructed in the former slum area ofVika from 1931 to 1950. In 1948, Oslo merged withAker, a municipality which surrounded the capital and was 27 times larger, thus creating the modern, vastly enlarged Oslo municipality. At the time, Aker was a mostly affluent, green suburban community, and the merger was unpopular in Aker.[51] Other suburbs, such asLambertseter, began to be developed in the 1950s.Aker Brygge was constructed on the site of the formershipyard,Akers Mekaniske Verksted, from 1982 to 1998.
Norway wasinvaded by Germany on 9 April 1940. Efforts to stop the invasion, most notably thesinking of theBlücher, delayed the occupation of Oslo for several hours which allowedKing Haakon to escape the city. Oslo remained occupied throughout the war until Germany capitulated in 1945. During this time, the occupying troops were harried by saboteurs in acts of resistance. On 31 December 1944, allied bombers missed their intended target and hit a tram, resulting in 79 civilian deaths.[52]
On 25 June 2022, two people were killed and 21 others injured ina mass shooting. An Iranian-born Norwegian citizen was subsequently charged with "aggravated terrorism".[53][54]
The city has continued to expand. For a few years, new large scale housing areas and infrastructure projects are being built and planned across the city, notably inHasle,[55]Helsfyr,[56]Bjørvika,[57]Nydalen[58] andSinsen, this is increasing the density in and aroundRing 2 andRing 3. TheFornebu line on the metro is under construction as of 2024, and further subway lines crossing the inner city are being planned.[59]
Satellite image of Oslo, July 2018A map of the urban areas of Oslo in 2005. The grey area in the middle indicates Oslo's city centre.
Oslo occupies an arc of land at the northernmost end of theOslofjord. Thefjord, which is nearly bisected by theNesodden 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 beingMalmøya (0.56 km2 or 0.22 sq mi), and scores more around the Oslofjord. Oslo has 343 lakes, the largest beingMaridalsvannet (3.91 km2 or 1.51 sq mi). This is also a main source of drinking water for large parts of Oslo.
AlthoughEastern Norway has a number of rivers, none of these flow into the ocean at Oslo. Instead Oslo has two smaller rivers:Akerselva (draining Maridalsvannet, which flows into the fjord inBjørvika), andAlna. The waterfalls in Akerselva gave power to some of the first modern industry of Norway in the 1840s. Later in the century, the river became the symbol of the stable and consistent economic and social divide of the city intoan East End and a West End; the labourers' neighbourhoods lie on both sides of the river, and the divide in reality follows Uelands street a bit further west. River Alna flows through Groruddalen, Oslo's major suburb and industrial area. The highest point is Kirkeberget, at 629 m (2,064 ft). Although the city's population is small compared to most European capitals, it occupies an unusually large land area, of which two-thirds areprotected areas of forests, hills and lakes. Its boundaries encompass manyparks and open areas, giving it an airy and green appearance.[citation needed]
Oslo has ahumid continental climate (Köppen climate classification:Dfb)[60] or, if the originalKöppen winter threshold −3 °C (27 °F) is used, anoceanic climate (Cfb) bordering on ahumid continental climate in the 1991–2020 base period. Oslo has some of the warmest summers of Norway and fairly cold winters.[61] Oslo receives a fair amount of precipitation during the year.[60] The driest seasons are winter and spring, and the wettest are summer and autumn. Because of the city's northern latitude, daylight varies greatly, from more than 18 hours in midsummer, when it never gets completely dark at night (no darker thannautical twilight), to around 6 hours in midwinter.[62]
The warmest month on record is July 1901 with mean 22.7 °C (72.9 °F), and the all-time high 35 °C (95 °F) was also recorded in July 1901.[63] The warmest month in more recent years is July 2018 with mean 22.2 °C (72.0 °F) and average daily high 29 °C (84.2 °F). The record summer of 2018 also recorded the warmest May and May all-time high with 31.1 °C (88.0 °F) on 30th, and 2018 was even the sunniest year on record with 2133 sunhours.[64][65][66] On27 July 2018, the temperature in Oslo rose to 34.6 °C (94.3 °F), the hottest recorded since 1937, when weather recordings started at Blindern. In January, on average three out of four days are below freezing (0 °C [32 °F]) and one out of four days is colder than −10 °C (14 °F) (1961–1990).[67] The coldest temperature recorded is −29.6 °C (−21.3 °F), on 21 January 1841, while the coldest recorded at Blindern is −26 °C (−14.8 °F) in January 1941. The coldest temperature more recently was on 6 January 2024, where the temperature reached -23.1 °C (-17 °F) at Oslo-Blindern, which is the coldest measured temperature since January 1987. The coldest month on record is January 1941 and also January 1947 with mean −12.9 °C (8.8 °F) and average daily low −16.7 °C (1.9 °F). The average date for the last overnight freeze (low below 0 °C, 32.0 °F) in spring is 23 April[68] and average date for first freeze in autumn is 17 October[69] giving a frost-free season of 176 days (1981–2010 average for Blindern). Oslo sits right on the border betweenhardiness zones 7a and 7b.
Oslo Gardermoen airport is located 35 km northeast of Oslo and has ahumid continental climate (Köppen climate classification:Dfb) bordering on asubarctic climate (Köppen climate classification:Dfc).[70]
Climate data for Oslo (Blindern) 1991-2020 (94 m, extremes 1937-present)
Oslo has many parks and green areas within the city core, as well as outside it.
Frogner Park is a large park located a few minutes' walk away from the city centre. This is the biggest and best-known park in Norway, with a large collection of sculptures byGustav Vigeland.
Bygdøy is a large green area, commonly called the Museum Peninsula of Oslo. The area is surrounded by the sea and is one of the most expensive districts in Norway.[73]
Ekebergparken Sculpture Park is a sculpture park and a national heritage park with a panoramic view of the city atEkeberg in the southeast of the city.
St. Hanshaugen Park is an old public park on a high hill in central Oslo. "St. Hanshaugen" is also the name of the surrounding neighbourhood as well as the larger administrative district (borough) that includes major parts of central Oslo.[74]
Tøyen Park stretches out behind the oldMunch Museum, and is a vast, grassy expanse. In the north, there is a lookout point known as Ola Narr. The Tøyen area also includes theBotanical Garden and Museum belonging to the University of Oslo.[75]
Oslo (with neighbouring Sandvika-Asker) is built in a horseshoe shape on the shores of the Oslofjord and limited in most directions by hills and forests. As a result, any point within the city is relatively close to the forest. There are two major forests bordering the city:Østmarka (literally "Eastern Forest", on the eastern perimeter of the city), and the very largeNordmarka (literally "Northern Forest", stretching from the northern perimeter of the city deep into the hinterland).
Sognsvann is a lake in Oslomarka, located at the land border, just north of Oslo. Sognsvann was drinking water for Oslo from 1876 to 1967.
The lake's altitude above sea level is 183 metres. The water is in a popular hiking area. Near the water itself, it is great for barbecues, swimming, beach volleyball and other activities.
The municipality operates eight public swimming pools.[76]Tøyenbadet is the largest indoor swimming facility in Oslo and one of the few pools in Norway offering a 50-metre main pool. Another in that size is the outdoor poolFrognerbadet.
Oslo's cityscape is being redeveloped as a modern city with various access-points, an extensive metro-system with a new financial district and a cultural city. In 2008, an exhibition was held in London presenting the award-winningOslo Opera House, the urban regeneration scheme of Oslo's seafront,Munch/Stenersen and the new Deichman Library. Most of the buildings in the city and in neighbouring communities are low in height with only thePlaza,Posthuset and the highrises at Bjørvika considerably taller.[77]
Oslo's architecture is very diverse. The architectCarl Frederik Stanley (1769–1805), who was educated inCopenhagen, spent some years in Norway around the turn of the 19th century. He undertook some minor commissions for wealthy patrons in and around Oslo, but his major achievement was the renovation of theOslo Katedralskole, completed in 1800.[78] He added a classical portico to the front of an older structure, and a semicircular auditorium that was sequestered by Parliament in 1814 as a temporary place to assemble, now preserved atNorsk Folkemuseum as a national monument.
When Christiania was made capital of Norway in 1814, there were practically no buildings suitable for the many new government institutions. An ambitious building program was initiated, but realised very slowly because of economic constraints. The first major undertaking was theRoyal Palace, designed byHans Linstow and built between 1824 and 1848. Linstow also plannedKarl Johans gate, the avenue connecting the Palace and the city, with a monumental square halfway to be surrounded by buildings forUniversity, theParliament (Storting) and other institutions. Only the university buildings were realised according to this plan.Christian Heinrich Grosch, one of the first architects educated completely within Norway, designed the original building for theOslo Stock Exchange (1826–1828), the local branch of theBank of Norway (1828),Christiania Theatre (1836–1837), and the first campus for theUniversity of Oslo (1841–1856). For the university buildings, he sought the assistance of the German architectKarl Friedrich Schinkel. German architectural influence persisted in Norway, and many wooden buildings followed the principles ofNeoclassicism. In Oslo, the German architectAlexis de Chateauneuf designedTrefoldighetskirken, the first neo-gothic church, completed by von Hanno in 1858.
A number of landmark buildings, particularly in Oslo, were built in theFunctionalist style (better known in the US and Britain as Modernist), the first beingSkansen restaurant [no] (1925–1927) byLars Backer, demolished in 1970. Backer also designed the restaurant at Ekeberg, which opened in 1929.Kunstnernes Hus art gallery byGudolf Blakstad andHerman Munthe-Kaas (1930) still shows the influence of the preceding classicist trend of the 1920s. The redevelopment ofOslo Airport (by the Aviaplan consortium) at Gardermoen, which opened in 1998, was Norway's largest construction project to date.
Oslo is the capital of Norway, and as such is the seat of Norway's national government. Most government offices, including that of thePrime Minister, are gathered atRegjeringskvartalet, a cluster of buildings close to the national Parliament, theStorting.
The combined municipality and county of Oslo has had aparliamentary system of government since 1986. The supreme authority of the city is the City Council (Bystyret), which has 59 seats. Representatives are popularly elected every four years. The city council has fivestanding committees, each having its own areas of responsibility.
The largest parties in the City Council after the 2015-elections were the Labour Party and the Conservatives, with 20 and 19 representatives respectively. After 2015, thecity government was a coalition of the Labour Party, the Green Party and the Socialist Left. With support from the Red Party, the coalition maintained a workable majority in the city council. Following the local elections of 2019, thecentre-left coalition remained in government until the 2023 local elections.
After the Conservative Party's substantial gains in the 2023 election, they formed an alliance with the Liberal Party. With confidence and support from the Christian Democrats and the Progress Party, this alliance was able to form a government.[80]
TheMayor of Oslo chairs the city council and is the highest ranking representative of the city. Because of Oslo's parliamentary system, its mayor fulfills different needs than that of many other cities. Therefore, one of the mayor's most important roles is that of the ceremonial head of the city and its public face, similar to that of the President of the Storting at the national level. The Mayor of Oslo is Anne Lindboe.[81]
TheGoverning Mayor of Oslo is the head of the City government. The post was created with the implementation of parliamentarism in Oslo and is similar to the role of the prime minister at the national level. The governing mayor isEirik Lae Solberg.[80]
Office buildings and apartments inBjørvika, part of the redesign of former dock and industrial land in Oslo known as theBarcode ProjectBørsen, the building ofOslo Stock Exchange
Oslo has a varied and strong economy and was ranked number one among European large cities in economic potential in thefDi Magazine report European Cities of the Future 2012.[18] It was ranked 2nd in the category of business friendliness, behind Amsterdam.
Oslo is an important centre of maritime knowledge in Europe and is home to approximately 1980 companies and 8,500 employees within the maritime sector. Some of them are the world's largest shipping companies,shipbrokers, andinsurance brokers.[82]Det Norske Veritas, headquartered atHøvik outside Oslo, is one of the three major maritimeclassification societies in the world, with 16.5% of the world fleet to class in its register.[83] The city's port is the largest general cargo port in the country and its leading passenger gateway. Close to 6,000 ships dock at thePort of Oslo annually with a total of 6 million tonnes of cargo and over five million passengers.
TheGDP of Oslo totaled €64 billion (€96,000 per capita) in 2016, which amounted to 20% of the national GDP.[84] This compares withNOK253 billion (€23 billion) in 1995 (adjusting for 2016 inflation). The metropolitan area, barMoss andDrammen, contributed 25% of the national GDP in 2003 and was also responsible for more than one quarter oftax revenues. In comparison, total tax revenues from the oil and gas industry on theNorwegian Continental Shelf amounted to about 16%.[85]
Oslo is one of themost expensive cities in the world.[86] As of 2006[update], it is ranked tenth according to the WorldwideCost of Living Survey provided byMercer Human Resource Consulting[87] and first according to theEconomist Intelligence Unit (EIU).[86] The reason for this discrepancy is that the EIU omits certain factors from its final index calculation, most notably housing. In the 2015 update[88] of the EIU's Worldwide Cost of Living survey, Oslo now ranks as the third most expensive city in the world.[89] Although Oslo does have the most expensivehousing market in Norway, it is comparably cheaper than other cities on the list in that regard. Meanwhile, prices ongoods and services remain some of the highest of any city. Oslo hosts 2654 of the largest companies in Norway. Within the ranking of Europe's largest cities ordered by their number of companies Oslo is in fifth position. A whole group of oil and gas companies is situated in Oslo.
According to a report compiled bySwiss bankUBS in the month of August 2006,[90] Oslo and London were the world's most expensive cities.
Oslo is acompact city. It is easy to move around by public transportation and rentable city bikes accessible to all in many places in the city centre. In 2003, Oslo received The European Sustainable City Award and in 2007 Reader's Digest ranked Oslo as number two on a list of the world's greenest, most livable cities.[91][92]
The City of Oslo has set the goal of becoming a low carbon city, and reducinggreenhouse gas emissions 95% from 1990 levels by 2030.[93] The climate action plan for the Port of Oslo includes implementing a low-carbon contracting process, and installingshore power for vessels which are docked.[94][95]
By October 2022, Oslo had an extensive network of bicycle lanes and tram lines, most of its ferry boats had been electrified, and the city was "on course to become the first capital city in the world with an all-electric public transport system", including e-buses.[96]
Kristiania University College (Høyskolen Kristiania), a merger of many smaller independent colleges in Oslo, now offers education on bachelor's master's and PhD level in a broad range of subjects.[97]
Norwegian Defence University College (Forsvarets høgskole)
Norwegian Police University College (Politihøgskolen – PHS)
Oslo Academy of Fine Arts (Statens kunstakademi)[101]
The level of education and productivity in the workforce is high in Norway. Nearly half of those with education at tertiary level in Norway live in the Oslo region, placing it among Europe's top three regions in relation to education.In 2008, the total workforce in the greater Oslo region (5 counties) numbered 1,020,000 people. The greater Oslo region has several higher educational institutions and is home to more than 73,000 students. The University of Oslo is the largest institution for higher education in Norway with 27,400 students and 7,028 employees in total.[102]
Oslo has a large and varied number ofcultural attractions, which include several buildings containing artwork fromEdvard Munch and various other international artists but also severalNorwegian artists. Several world-famous writers have either lived or been born in Oslo. Examples areKnut Hamsun andHenrik Ibsen. The government has recently invested large amounts of money in cultural installations, facilities, buildings and festivals in the City of Oslo.Bygdøy, outside the city centre is the centre for history and the Norwegian Vikings' history. The area contains many parks and seasites and many museums. Examples are theFram Museum,Vikingskiphuset and theKon-Tiki Museum. Oslo hosts the annual Oslo Freedom Forum, a conference described byThe Economist as "on its way to becoming a human-rights equivalent of the Davos economic forum."[103] Oslo is also known for giving out theNobel Peace Prize every year.
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Karl Johans gate, 2017
Grønland, the central areas around Youngstorget and Torggata,Karl Johans gate (the main pedestrian thoroughfare),Aker Brygge andTjuvholmen, Sørenga, and the boroughs ofFrogner,Majorstuen,St. Hanshaugen /Bislett, andGrünerløkka all have a high concentration of cafes and restaurants. There are several food markets, the largest being Mathallen Food Hall at Vulkan with more than 30 specialty shops, cafés, and eateries.[104]
As of March 2018 six Oslo restaurants were mentioned in theMichelin Guide.Maaemo is the only Norwegian restaurant ever to have been awarded three Michelin stars. Statholdergaarden, Kontrast, and Galt each have one star. Only two restaurants in Oslo have a BIB gourmand mention: Restaurant Eik and Smalhans.[105]
Due to its proximity to theNorth Sea, fish and seafood are a staple component of cuisine in Oslo. Many restaurants also servegame meat year round.[106]
Oslo houses several major museums and galleries. TheMunch Museum containsThe Scream and other works byEdvard Munch, who donated all his work to the city after his death.[107] The city council is planning a new Munch Museum which is most likely to be built inBjørvika, in the southeast of the city.[108] The museum will be namedMunch/Stenersen.[108] 50 different museums are located around the city.[109]
Folkemuseet is located on theBygdøy peninsula and is dedicated toFolk art, Folk Dress,Sami culture and theviking culture. The outdoor museum contains 155 authentic old buildings from all parts of Norway, including aStave Church.[110]
TheVigeland Museum located in the largeFrogner Park, is free to access and contains over 212 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland including an obelisk and the Wheel of Life.[111]Another popular sculpture is Sinnataggen, a baby boy stamping his foot in fury. This statue is very well known as an icon in the city.[112] There is also a newer landscaped sculpture park,Ekebergparken Sculpture Park, with works by Norwegian and international artists such asSalvador Dalí.[113]
TheViking Ship Museum features threeViking ships found at Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune and several other unique items from the Viking Age.[114] The museum is currently closed for renovation, but will open again in 2026.[115][116] The new museum will be called Museum of the Viking Age, and has plans to feature more viking items than at the old location.[115][117]
TheOslo City Museum holds a permanent exhibition about the people in Oslo and the history of the city.[118]
The National Museum holds and preserves, exhibits and promotes public knowledge about Norway's most extensive collection of art.[122] The museum shows permanent exhibitions of works from its own collections but also temporary exhibitions that incorporate work loaned from elsewhere.[122] The National Museums exhibition avenues are the National Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Museum, the Museum of Decorative Arts and the National Museum of Architecture.[122] A new National Museum in Oslo will open in 2020 located atVestbanen behind theNobel Peace Center.[123]
The Nobel Peace Center is an independent organisation opened on 11 June 2005 by theKing Harald V as part of the celebrations to mark Norway's centenary as an independent country.[124] The building houses a permanent exhibition, expanding every year when a newNobel Peace Prize winner is announced, containing information of every winner in history. The building is mainly used as a communication centre.[124]
Many festivals are held in Oslo, such as Oslo Jazz festival, a six-dayjazz festival which has been held annually in August for the past 25 years.[125] Oslo's biggestrock festival is Øyafestivalen or simply "Øya". It draws about 60,000 people to theTøyen Park east in Oslo and lasts for four days.[126]The Oslo InternationalChurch Music Festival[127] has been held annually since 2000. The OsloWorld Music Festival showcases people who are stars in their own country but strangers in Norway. The OsloChamber Music Festival is held in August every year and world-class chamber musicians and soloists gather in Oslo to perform at this festival. The Norwegian Wood Rock Festival is held every year in June in Oslo.
TheNobel Peace Prize Ceremony is headed bythe Institute; the award ceremony is held annually inThe City Hall on 10 December.[128] Even thoughSami land is far away from the capital, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History marks the Sami National Day with a series of activities and entertainment.
The World Cup Biathlon inHolmenkollen is held every year and here male and female competitors compete against each other in Sprint, Pursuit and Mass Start disciplines.[129]
Other examples of annual events in Oslo are Desucon, a convention focusing on Japanese culture[130] andFærderseilasen, the world's largest overnight regatta with more than 1100 boats taking part every year.[131]
Norway's principal orchestra is theOslo Philharmonic, based at theOslo Concert Hall since 1977. Although it was founded in 1919, the Oslo Philharmonic can trace its roots to the founding of theChristiania Musikerforening (Christiania Musicians Society) byEdvard Grieg andJohan Svendsen in 1879.[132]
Oslo houses over 20 theatres, such as the Norwegian Theatre and theNational Theatre located at Karl Johan Street. TheNational Theatre is the largest theatre in Norway and is situated between the royal palace and the parliament building,Stortinget.[133]The names ofLudvig Holberg,Henrik Ibsen andBjørnstjerne Bjørnson are engraved on the façade of the building over the main entrance. This theatre represents the actors and play-writers of the country but the songwriters, singers and dancers are represented in the form of a newly openedOslo Opera House, situated inBjørvika. The Opera was opened in 2008 and is a national landmark, designed by the Norwegian architectural firm,Snøhetta. There are two houses, together containing over 2000 seats. The building cost 500 million euro to build and took five years to build and is known for being the firstOpera House in the world to let people walk on the roof of the building. The foyer and the roof are also used for concerts as well as the three stages.[134]
Most great Norwegian authors have lived in Oslo for some period in their life. For instance,Nobel Prize-winning authorSigrid Undset grew up in Oslo, and described her life there in the autobiographical novelElleve år (1934; translated asThe Longest Years; New York 1971).
The playwrightHenrik Ibsen is probably the most famous Norwegian author. Ibsen wrote plays such asHedda Gabler,Peer Gynt,A Doll's House andThe Lady from the Sea. TheIbsen Quotes project completed in 2008 is a work of art consisting of 69 Ibsen quotations in stainless steel lettering which have been set into the granite sidewalks of the city's central streets.[135]
Due to the cold climate and proximity to major forests bordering the city, skiing is a popular recreational activity in Oslo. TheTryvann Ski Resort is the most used ski resort in Norway.[137] The most successfulice hockey team in Norway,Vålerenga Ishockey, is based in Oslo.Manglerud Star is another Oslo-team who play in thetop league.
In 2018 Oslo is named one of Lonely Planet's Top Ten Cities. The travel guide's best-selling yearbook Best in Travel has selected Oslo as one of the ten best cities in the world to visit in 2018, citing the Norwegian capital's "innovative architecture and unmissable museums alongside cool bars, bistros and cafés".[139]
Oslo is commonly regarded as one of the safest capitals in Europe.[140][141] TheOslo Police District received 72,102 reported crimes in 2020, and crime is generally on the decrease in the city.[142][143] The category of reported crime that's decreasing the quickest in Oslo is property theft.[143] 11.6% of all crimes in Norway are reported to be within Oslo's six central boroughs, as of 2020.[144]
Oslo Police District is Norway's largest police district with over 2,300 employees. Over 1,700 of those are police officers, nearly 140 police lawyers and 500 civilian employees. Oslo Police District has five police stations located around the city at Grønland, Sentrum, Stovner, Majorstuen and Manglerud. TheNational Criminal Investigation Service is located in Oslo, which is a Norwegian special police division under theNMJP.PST is also located in the Oslo District. PST is a security agency which was established in 1936 and is one of the non-secret agencies in Norway.
The2022 Oslo shooting happened on 25 June 2022. The attack was a shooting at a pub known to be associated with the queer environment of Oslo, and the attack was targeted towards theLGBTQ movement. Two people were killed, and a further 21 injured.[146] Due to safety concerns, thepride parade in Oslo planned for 26 June was quickly cancelled.[147]
Oslo has Norway's most extensive public transport system, managed byRuter.[148] This includes the five-lineOslo Metro,[149] the world's most extensive metro per resident; the six-lineOslo Tramway;[150] and the eight-lineOslo Commuter Rail.[151] The tramway operates within the areas close to the city centre, while the metro, which runs underground through the city centre, operates to suburbs further away; this includes two lines that operate to Bærum, and theRing Line which loops to areas north of the centre.[152] Oslo is also covered by a bus network consisting of 52 city lines, as well as regional buses to the neighboring county of Akershus.[153]
Many of the motorways pass through the downtown and other parts of the city in tunnels. The construction of the roads is partially supported through atoll ring.[163] The major motorways through Oslo areEuropean Route E6 andE18. There are threering roads in Oslo; the innermost 2 being city streets and the outermost,Ring 3, being anexpressway.[164][165]
Oslo has made an effort since the late 2000s in restricting private car use, as well promoting the use ofelectric vehicles above fossil-fueled vehicles. In 2018, Oslo banned all non-resident cars from its downtown areas.[166][167] Oslo has been called the electric vehicle capital of the world, as 41% of all registered cars in the municipality are fully electric.[168][169] In September 2021, the number of electric vehicles entering Oslo's toll ring was higher than the number of fossil-fueled vehicles.[170] The high amount of electric vehicles in Oslo can be attributed to cheaper tolls, no vehicle import tax, noVAT, free parking, and access tobus lanes throughout the city.[171][168]
Number of minorities (1st and 2nd gen.) in Oslo county by country of origin in 2023[175]
Nationality
Population (2023)
Pakistan
22,330
Somalia
17,455
Poland
16,070
Sweden
11,266
Iraq
8,278
India
7,731
Morocco
6,938
Iran (Incl. Kurdistan province)
6,808
Vietnam
6,570
Philippines
6,565
Turkey
6,423
Sri Lanka
6,394
Russia
4,739
Eritrea
4,609
Afghanistan
4,469
The population of Oslo was by 2010 increasing at a record rate of nearly 2% annually (17% over the last 10 years), making it the fastest-growing Scandinavian capital.[176] In 2015, according toStatistics Norway annual report, there were 647,676 permanent residents in the Oslo municipality, of which 628,719 resided in the city proper. There were also 1,019,451 in the city's urban area[3][172][177] and an estimated 1,710,000 in the Greater Oslo Region, within 100 km (62 mi) of the city centre.[16]
According to the most recent census 432,000 Oslo residents (70.4% of the population) were ethnically Norwegian, an increase of 6% since 2002 (409,000).[178] Oslo has the largest population of immigrants and Norwegians born to immigrant parents in Norway, both in relative and absolute figures. Of Oslo's 624,000 inhabitants, 189,400 were immigrants or born to immigrant parents, representing 30.4 percent of the capital's population. All suburbs in Oslo were above the national average of 14.1 percent. The suburbs with the highest proportions of people of immigrant origin were Søndre Nordstrand, Stovner and Alna, where they formed around 50 percent of the population.[179]
In 2013, 40% of Oslo's primary school pupils were registered as having afirst language other than Norwegian orSami.[184] The western part of the city is predominantly ethnic Norwegian, with several schools having less than 5% pupils with an immigrant background.[citation needed] The eastern part of Oslo is more mixed, with some schools up to 97% of immigrant background. In the borough ofGroruddalen in 2008 for instance, the ethnic Norwegian population decreased by 1,500, while the immigrant population increased by 1,600.[185]
As of 2022, immigrants of non-Western origin and their children enumerated 164,824, and made up an estimated 24% of Oslo's population.[186][186]
Immigrants of Western origin and their children enumerated 71,858, and made up an estimated 10% of the city's population. Immigrants made up a total of 35% of Oslo's population in 2022.[186][186][187]
Oslo has numerous religious communities. In 2019, 48.7% of the population were members of theChurch of Norway, lower than the national average of 69.9%.[190] Members of other Christian denominations make up 8.4% of the population. Islam was followed by 9.5%[191] and Buddhism by 0.6% of the population. Adherents of other religions formed 1.1% of the population. Life stance communities, mainly theNorwegian Humanist Association, were represented by 2.8% of the population. 28.9% of the Oslo population were unaffiliated with any religion or life stance community.[188][189]
^regionaldepartementet, Kommunal- og (9 May 2003)."St.meld. nr. 31 (2002–2003)".Regjeringen.no (in Norwegian).Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved22 December 2017.
^Juletrær til utlandArchived 14 October 2014 at theWayback Machine Ordføreren, Oslo kommune (Municipality of Oslo Website, Mare's office), published November 2013, accessed 67 April 2014.
Ebert, Bettina (2018). "A skewed balance? Examining the display and research history of the medieval collection at the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo".Journal of the History of Collections.30 (1):139–151.doi:10.1093/jhc/fhx021.hdl:10852/75244.
Kolbe, Laura (2008). "Symbols of civic pride, national history or European tradition? City halls in Scandinavian capital cities".Urban History.35 (3):382–413.doi:10.1017/S0963926808005701. – covers Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo.
Liden, Hans-Emil (1977). "Urban Archaeology in Norway".European towns: their archaeology and early history. pp. 83–102.
Streeton, Noëlle L. W. (2018). "Perspectives (Old and New) on Late Medieval Church Art in Norway: Questioning the Hegemony of Lübeck Workshops".Scandinavian Studies.90 (1):50–77.JSTOR10.5406/scanstud.90.1.0050.
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