Flag of Norway

🎨 What the flag means

Norway's flag is red with a dark blue cross outlined in white, a Nordic cross like those of its neighbours. It was designed in 1821 by Fredrik Meltzer, a member of Norway's parliament. He wrote that red, white and blue were colours that stood for freedom. He never explained his final design, so there is no official meaning.

📊 Quick facts

👥 Population

5.6 million (2026)

🏙️ Capital

Oslo717.7 thousand people (2024)

🗣️ Main language

Norwegian BokmålAlso official: Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami

✨ 3 fun facts

1. Norway's rugged coast is cut by huge fjords, long deep inlets of the sea, and dotted with thousands of islands.
2. In northern Norway, the sun never sets in midsummer, and in winter the northern lights can glow across the sky.
3. The Oseberg ship, a real Viking ship buried more than 1,000 years ago, was found in Norway and is kept in Oslo.