Norway, due to the fact that there is a polar day from May to July, is sometimes called the "Land of the Midnight Sun". This, of course, is a mysterious and somewhat romantic name, but it does not cause a strong desire to come to this country. However, Norway is not only the "Land of the Midnight Sun". First of all, Norway is the Vikings, fjords of amazing beauty, some of which are included in the list World heritage UNESCO, and, of course, prestigious ski resorts.

Geography of Norway

Norway is located in the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. In the northeast, Norway borders Finland and Russia, in the east - with Sweden. In the northeast, Norway is washed by the Barents Sea, in the southwest by the North Sea, and in the west by the Norwegian Sea. The Skagerrak strait separates Norway from Denmark.

The total territory of Norway, including the islands of Svalbard, Jan Mayen and Bear in the North Arctic Ocean, is 385,186 square kilometers.

Mountains occupy a significant part of the territory of Norway. The highest of them are Mount Gallhoppigen (2469 m) and Mount Glittertinn (2452 m).

There are many rivers in Norway, the longest of which are Glomma (604 km), Logen (359 km), and Otra (245 km).

Norway is sometimes referred to as the "land of the lake". This is not surprising, given that there are several hundred lakes in it. The largest of them are Mjosa, Rösvatn, Femunn, and Hornindalsvatnet.

Capital

The capital of Norway is Oslo, which is now home to more than 620 thousand people. Oslo is believed to have been founded in 1048 by the Norse king Harald III.

Official language of Norway

The official language in Norway is Norwegian, which consists of two dialects (Bokmål and Nynorsk). Most often, Norwegians speak bukol, but Nynorsk is popular for some reason among Norwegian Internet users.

Religion

More than 80% of Norwegians are Lutherans (Protestants) belonging to the Church of Norway. However, only about 5% of Norwegians go to church every week. In addition, 1.69% of Norway's residents are Muslim and 1.1% are Catholics.

Government of Norway

Norway is a constitutional monarchy in which the King is the head of state, according to the 1814 Constitution.

The executive power in Norway belongs to the King, and the legislative power belongs to the local unicameral parliament - the Storting (169 deputies).

The main political parties in Norway are the liberal-conservative Progress Party, the Social Democratic Norwegian Labor Party, the Christian Democratic Party and the Socialist Left Party.

Climate and weather

Norway is at the same latitude as Alaska and Siberia, but this Scandinavian country has a much milder climate. In late June - early August, the weather in Norway is warm and the days are long. At that time average temperature air reaches + 25-30C, and the average sea temperature is + 18C.

The warmest and most stable weather is always observed on south coast Norway. However, even in the north of Norway in summer the air temperature can exceed + 25C. However, in the central regions and in the north of Norway, the weather changes frequently.

In winter, most of Norway tends to be a snowy paradise. In winter in Norway, the air temperature can even drop to -40C.

Sea in Norway

In the northeast, Norway is washed by the Barents Sea, in the southwest by the North Sea, and in the west by the Norwegian Sea. The Skagerrak strait separates Norway from Denmark. The total coastline of Norway is 25,148 km.

Average sea temperature in Oslo:

• January - + 4C
• February - + 3C
• March - + 3C
• April - + 6C
• May - + 11C
• June - + 14C
• July - + 17C
• August - + 18С
• September - + 15C
• October - + 12C
• November - + 9C
• December - + 5C

Norway's real gem is the Norwegian fjords. The most beautiful of these are Naeroyfjord, Sognefjord, Geirangerfjord, Hardangerfjord, Lysefjord, and Aurlandsfjord.

Rivers and lakes

Norway has many rivers, the longest of which are Glomma in the east (604 km), Logen in the southeast (359 km), and Otra in Serland (245 km). The largest Norwegian lakes are Mjosa, Rösvatn, Femund, and Hornindalsvatnet.

Many tourists come to Norway to fish. In Norwegian rivers and lakes in a large number salmon, trout, whitefish, pike, perch and grayling are found.

History of Norway

Archaeologists have proven that people in the territory of modern Norway lived as early as 10 millennium BC. But true story Norway began in the era of the Vikings, whose cruelty is still legendary on the coast of Great Britain.

In 800-1066, the Norse Vikings became known throughout Europe as brave warriors, ruthless invaders, cunning traders and inquisitive navigators. The history of the Vikings ended in 1066 when the Norse king Harald III died in England. After him, Olaf III became king of Norway. It was under Olaf III that Christianity began to spread rapidly in Norway.

In the XII century, Norway captured part of British isles, Iceland and Greenland. This was the time of the greatest prosperity of the Norwegian kingdom. However, the country was greatly weakened by competition from the Hanseatic League and the plague epidemic.

In 1380, Norway and Denmark formed an alliance and became one country. The union of these states lasted for more than four centuries.

In 1814, Norway, according to the Treaty of Kiel, began to belong to Sweden. However, Norway did not submit to this and the Swedes invaded its territory. In the end, Norway agreed to be part of Sweden if they were left with a constitution.

Throughout the 19th century, nationalism grew in Norway, and this led to the 1905 referendum. According to the results of this referendum, Norway became an independent state.

During the First World War, Norway remained neutral. Second world war Norway also declared its neutrality, but it was still occupied by German troops (for Germany, this was a strategic step).

After the end of World War II, Norway suddenly forgot about its neutrality and became one of the founders of the NATO military bloc.

Norwegian culture

The culture of Norway differs markedly from the cultures of other peoples of Europe. The fact is that this Scandinavian country is located far from such European cultural centers like Florence, Rome and Paris. However, tourists will be pleasantly impressed by the Norwegian culture.

Music, dance and folklore festivals are held annually in many Norwegian cities. The most popular of these is the Bergen International Cultural Festival (music, dance, theater).

It cannot be said that the Norwegians made a huge contribution to world culture, but the fact that he was significant is undoubtedly. The most famous Norwegians are the polar explorers Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen, the composers Varg Vikernes and Edvard Grieg, the artist Edvard Munch, the writers and playwrights Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun, and the traveler Thor Heyerdahl.

Norwegian cuisine

The main products of Norwegian cuisine are fish, meat, potatoes and other vegetables, cheese. A favorite traditional Norwegian snack is pölse (potato flatbread with sausage).

• Fenalår - dried lamb.
• Fårikål - lamb stew with cabbage.
• Pinnekjøtt - salted ribs.
• Roast from wild elk or deer.
• Kjøttkaker - fried beef meatballs.
• Laks og eggerøre - smoked salmon omelet.
• Lutefisk is a baked cod.
• Rømmegrøt - sour cream porridge.
• Multekrem - cloudberry cream for dessert.

The traditional alcoholic drink in Norway is Aquavit, the strength of which is usually 40%. The production of aquavita in Scandinavia dates back to the 15th century.

Norway landmarks

Norwegians have always been distinguished by the fact that they are very careful about their history. Therefore, we advise tourists in Norway to see:

Cities and resorts

The largest Norwegian cities are Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger.

Norway is famous for its magnificent ski resorts... Various ski championships are held in Norway every winter. The ten best ski resorts in Norway include, in our opinion, the following:

1. Trysil
2. Hemsedal
3. Hafjell
4. Geilo
5. Tryvann
6. Norefjell (Norefjell)
7. Oppdal
8. Hovden
9. Kvitfjell
10. Kongsberg (Consberg)

Souvenirs / shopping

Tourists from Norway are advised to bring a genuine Norwegian wool sweater, toy trolls, modern tableware, wooden kitchen utensils, silverware, ceramics, dried lamb, brown goat cheese, and Norwegian vodka - aquavit.

Opening hours of institutions

The Bahamas are located in the west of the Atlantic Ocean, at the latitude of the Northern Tropic, near the American continent (100 km from the Florida Peninsula).

These are about 700 islands, with a total area of ​​13.9 thousand square kilometers, and only 30 of them are inhabited. Most of the islands are coral reefs. From the east, the Bahamas are washed by the warm Gulf Stream. The islands are elevated in relation to sea level from a few meters to about 60 meters. Highest point - 63 m, located on Cat Island. The relief of the islands is flat. On the shores facing the ocean, a series of marine terraces can be traced. On west coast many salty lagoons as well as karst lakes and bogs. In some places along the coast there is a strip of sandy beaches. There are no rivers in the archipelago.

CLIMATE

The climate here is subtropical, very mild. The influence of the warm current of the Gulf Stream, as well as the constantly blowing southeast wind from the equator (trade wind), affects. Throughout the year, the average monthly temperatures are not lower than +20 degrees. The coldest time is in January, when at night the temperature drops to +17 degrees, in the daytime it reaches +25 degrees. The hottest time of the year is July and August. The average minimum temperature at this time drops to +24 degrees, the maximum reaches +32 degrees. The driest months are February and March, where the monthly rainfall is about 40 mm. The wettest time of the year is from May to October, where monthly precipitation ranges from 150 to 220 mm. At this time, tropical hurricanes are possible, typical for everything Caribbean... Water temperature in coastal parts from August to October it warms up to +30 degrees, in the rest of the months it is kept at the level of +25 ... + 27 degrees.

Best time to visit:
The most favorable time to visit the Bahamas is from November to May. At this time, the least amount of precipitation falls and it is not so hot.

TYPES OF TOURISM

Beach vacation.

Most tourists go to the Bahamas to simply lie on sandy beaches stretching for hundreds of kilometers and protected from cold winds by coral reefs, swim in the clear waters of the ocean, and enjoy the greenery of coconut trees. Most popular resorts located on the islands of New Providence, Paradise and Grand Bahama.

Diving.

Diving is suitable for divers of all skill levels. Visibility - 18-37 m. Most of the islands offer divers shallow reefs from 3 m to 15 m, as well as reefs at great depths from 30 m. life from Caribbean to the Atlantic. The Gulf Stream is a barrier that protects the Bahamas from Florida's river sediment and runoff. Thanks to him and the ocean trenches, in the depths of which sediments are deposited, and excellent visibility is provided. You can get acquainted with various types of underwater inhabitants on the Bahamas Bank, rising from the depths of the ocean in some places up to 6 m from the surface. These are sharks, dolphins, rays, reef fish, angelfish, moray eels.

Scuba divers are also attracted here by the so-called "blue holes". These places get their name from the fact that they appear dark blue when viewed from above. A mass of underwater tunnels, passages and coral reefs, as well as sunken ones from the time Civil War The ships, which are inhabited by lobsters and octopuses, allow a combination of reef diving and cave diving, and are also of interest to underwater photographers. On the islands located further south, due to more high temperatures, night diving is common, you can admire sleeping sharks.

The best season for diving on the islands is November - May.

Popular places active rest are: the islands of Andros, Berry, Bimini - fishing, described by E. Hemingway ("Islands in the Ocean"); the islands of Abakos, Eluthera - diving in coral reefs; Exuma Islands, Long Island - sailing trips; Inagua Island - Swimming with dolphins and watching exotic iguanas and pink flamingos.

Fishing - thanks to the Gulf Stream, catches are record high.

The excursion program is not of great interest. The main attractions of the Bahamas are sandy beaches, tropical vegetation and rich underwater world. Among the sights of the capital of the country, one can distinguish the parliament building and the courthouse, the Government House (built in 1801) - the official residence of the governor-general. Tourists are also attracted by the "sea gardens", Fort Charlotte (1789), Fort Fincastle (1793), Botanical Garden Adastra Gardens, featuring many tropical and subtropical plants, Jambi Village is a reconstruction of an 18th century British settlement.

The Bahamas is a major gambling center. All casinos are open 24 hours a day. The largest casino in the Caribbean is also located here.

VISAS, ENTRANCE RULES, CUSTOMS REGULATIONS

Russian citizens need a visa to visit the Bahamas.

Tourists traveling in transit can stay in the Bahamas without a visa for 3 days, if they have a ticket to the country of destination.

The visa is issued at the British Consulate General. There is a fee of around £ 70 for this.

To obtain a visa, you must provide:

- completed and signed questionnaires;

-a valid passport. It must be valid for at least 6 months after the visa is issued;

-2 photos 3x4;

-confirmation of booking , or an invitation.

- documents confirming the availability of funds.

From Russian tourists a written customs declaration is not required. Customs duty is not subject to: personal belongings of 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, or 1 pound (~ 0.450 kg) of tobacco, 1 liter of alcoholic beverages.

The import of Bahamian dollars is prohibited, the export must not exceed $ 70.

WHAT TO SEE

organized for tourists are mainly associated with acquaintance with the islands of the archipelago, with their pristine nature, animals and flora as well as the rich underwater world of the Atlantic Ocean.

In addition, you can get to know the capital of the Bahamas, Nassau, at the sightseeing in the city. This is the historical part of the city, where Fort Charlotte and Parliament Square, old buildings and buildings are located recent years, v includes a walk through the straw market. You can visit the Atlantis complex - one of the largest open-air aquariums.

Excursions to the Adastra Gardens Botanical Gardens, Garden of the Grows, Rand Memorial Park, Preacher's Cave and an excursion to the International Bazaar in Freeport are of great interest.

A trip to an artificial coral island will leave a lot of impressions, because this is a real marine reserve.

Good for relaxation along the coastal waters and lagoons of New Providence. Arrivals to uninhabited nearby islands are provided, where you can swim, sunbathe, snorkel, etc.

HISTORY

Back in 1492. great navigator Christopher Columbus discovered the Bahamas. At that time they were inhabited by the Arawak Indians. However, the Spaniards took them out and used them as labor. Until the 17th century, the islands were deserted, only pirates found this place an excellent shelter. In 1787. The Bahamas became a British colony. Black slaves were brought here. For three centuries, the territory was fully owned by the British Empire. In 1964, the Bahamas received internal self-government. On July 10, 1973, the independence of the Bahamas was proclaimed as part of the Commonwealth, led by Great Britain. Bahamas are a member of a number of international organizations: the UN, the Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community.

EMBASSY

Bahamas, Embassy in Moscow
Smolenskaya emb. ten

Tel .: (+7 095) 956-7200

Fax: (+7 095) 956-7420

Bahamas, embassy website: http://www.britemb.msk.ru/

Bahamas, Russian Embassy in :
Immigration Department: P.O. Box N-831, Nassau, The Bahamas.

RELIGION

The majority of believers are Protestants, including Baptists, Anglicans, Methodists, approx. 19% are Roman Catholics, part of the population adheres to African cults.

TRANSPORT

In the capital of the Bahamas - Nassau - there is a shuttle . , a motorcycle, a scooter and even a bicycle can be rented. For rent vehicle(except for a bicycle) you must have a driver's license with you. The driving experience must be at least one year, and the driver's age must be at least 21 years. Traffic on the islands is left-hand. Ferries and boats run between the islands.

FLORA AND FAUNA

The islands are dominated by tropical vegetation. There are red and iron trees, colorful orchids and jasmine.

The Bahamas is famous for its beautiful flamingo birds. Many reptiles live here. The coastal waters are full of a variety of fish species. Turtles lay eggs here.

MINERALS

The Bahamas is home to the world's largest aragonite deposit.

BANKS

Banks are open throughout the working week: from Monday to Thursday until 15:00, on Friday until 17:00.

MONEY

The official currency is the Bahamian dollar. In value, it is equal to the US dollar.

1 Bahamian dollar = 100 cents. There are banknotes in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 dollars and coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 15, 25 and 50 cents and 1, 2 and 5 dollars.

It is better to change currency in banks. It is advisable to take American dollars with you on your trip, they have free circulation here.

POLITICAL STATE

On July 10, 1973, the independence of the Bahamas was proclaimed as part of the Commonwealth, led by Great Britain. According to the 1973 constitution, the head of state is the Queen of Great Britain, who is represented by the Governor General. Legislative power is exercised by a bicameral parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Assembly. The government is headed by the prime minister - usually the leader of the party with the majority in parliament.

POPULATION

In 2003, 297.48 thousand people lived in the Bahamas, more than half of them on New Providence. The main part of the Bahamian nation is blacks and mulattos, which make up more than 3/4 of the total population. There are diasporas of people from Haiti, Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The proportion of Europeans and North Americans is small. This is mainly a contingent of wealthy elderly citizens from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, who settled in the Bahamas after retirement.

Language:
The official language of the Bahamas is English. Almost the entire population of the country speaks it.

KITCHEN

Most of the menu of Bahamian cuisine is occupied by dishes from all kinds of seafood. From the first courses, fish soup from sea bass, delicious turtle soup, and conch clam chowder are in demand. In general, conch shellfish are used to prepare both first courses and salads, pies, snacks and main courses. There are even confectioners. Another sea dweller whose meat is widely used in Bahamian cuisine is the spiny lobster. Dishes from it are not cheap.

But the local menu is famous not only for seafood delicacies. They love the dish of peas and rice with a spicy sauce. From the cuisines of other countries, the chefs borrowed dishes from various types of meat.

A local delicacy is guava pudding. This is a favorite dessert. The selection of fruits is also varied.

Rum is the most popular beverage. All kinds of cocktails are made from it.

CONNECTION

Telephone, facsimile, telegraph and telex communication is possible with the whole world.

The international dialing code of the Bahamas is 1242.

EMERGENCY PHONES

The general telephone number for the police and fire brigade is 919.

Ambulance in Nassau - 322-21-21.

USEFUL GOODIES
To use electrical appliances brought with you from Europe, as well as to recharge the cameras, an adapter is required, which is almost impossible to buy in the Bahamas. Therefore, it is better to worry about this in advance.

Spearfishing is prohibited in the Bahamas, but sport fishing is allowed, which must be paid for.

THE SHOPS
The center of trade is the world famous Bay Street. Here you can purchase software favorable price famous brands watches, jewelry, porcelain, crystal, leather bags, perfumery. All these goods are duty free.

TIPS
Service personnel in it is customary to tip about 1-2 Bahamian dollars per day. In restaurants, their size ranges from 15 to 20% of the amount indicated on the invoice.

NATIONAL FEATURES
The traditional culture of the Bahamas is far removed from the heavily American-influenced urban centers of Nassau and Freeport. The island folk art is reflected in a large number of fairy tales, natural medicine, music and religious rites brought here by slaves from Africa. Despite the fact that the Bahamas does not yet give birth to writers gaining worldwide fame, and visual art is also developing slowly, the islands have formed a distinctive musical culture. In this Several traditional forms of music have evolved with a characteristic guitar sound, accordion and rattles made from Poinsiana tree pods.

Bahamian children enjoy playing basketball. They literally live on a basketball court, and most townships have their own small basketball court with makeshift baskets. The Bahamas are following the American basketball (and baseball) teams with great zeal.

ELECTRICITY
127V, 50Hz;

HEALTH CARE
No vaccinations are required to enter the Bahamas, but a medical ... Rendering medical care in urgent cases free of charge. The doctors are highly qualified. Hospitals are located in Nassau, Freeport and Out Island.

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is an island archipelago with 30 inhabited islands out of 700. The Bahamas is 90 km from Florida in Atlantic Ocean... In the Caribbean, these islands are in the very north. The islands of Abakos, Andros, Aklins, Exumas, Berri, Biminis and some others are considered the largest in the archipelago. The total area of ​​the state is approximately 14 thousand square meters. km. The capital is Nassau. it The largest city country, which is at the same time its cultural and commercial center.

Population of the Bahamas

The number of inhabitants of the Bahamas is approximately 366 thousand people. Blacks and mulattos make up over 80% of the population.

Nature in the Bahamas

Hundreds of kilometers of white sand beaches, 2500 coral reefs, clear coastal waters heated by the Gulf Stream have long been associated by most vacationers with the concept of "luxury vacation". The unspoiled nature of most of the islands attracts crowds of tourists. Inagua Island is home to rare pink flamingos and iguanas.

Climatic conditions

The Bahamas has a humid subtropical climate. The rainy season begins in May and lasts until October. Thanks to the mild wind from the equator, the winter is very warm with a temperature of + 15 ° C, and in summer, due to the trade winds, the temperature does not exceed + 32 ° C. The warm Gulf Stream, washing the Bahamas from the west, warms the sea water up to about + 25 ° C throughout the year.

Language

In the Bahamas, the only official language is English. The entire population of the country speaks it fluently.

Kitchen

The cuisine in the Bahamas is fruit and all kinds of fish, crab and seafood dishes. The main ingredient in most dishes is the conch shellfish. It is a well-known aphrodisiac and is widely used here. In the Bahamas, they like to cook very spicy dishes, combining them with lime juice. And coconuts are even used in ice cream.

Currency of the Bahamas

The national currency is the Bahamian dollar. In relation to the US dollar, it is equivalent, and therefore the US currency is also freely used in the Bahamas.

Religion

In the Bahamas, the island population is Christian, but membership in other religious denominations is not condemned, thanks to the complete freedom of religion.

Holidays

Boxing Day is celebrated in the Bahamas on December 26. This very solemn and vibrant event is considered traditional for everyone. former colonies Britain. The holiday is very colorful, in the form of a colorful carnival, which begins at midnight on Bay Street.

Major resorts in the Bahamas

The most visited resorts in the Bahamas are located on the Paradise Islands, Grand Bahama and New Providence. Grand Bahama Island has a golf course, tennis courts, spear fishing and diving. Swimming with dolphins can be arranged on Inagua Island.

sights

In the center of the capital of the Bahamas is the famous Parliament Square, where in the 19th century the buildings of Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Colonial Administration were built around the statue of Queen Victoria.

Nassau Underwater Aquarium, Retreat Gardens, the beautiful Cable Beach are perfect for nature lovers. Not far from the center of the capital is Fort Charlotte, which was built back in 1788. Tourists will not be left indifferent by the labyrinth, which resembles the destroyed Atlantis. The unique tunnel passing under water and striking with the beauty of the underwater world has no analogues in the world. Sea Gardens is a place where you can get acquainted with the rich flora and fauna of the underwater world. Hand-made souvenirs created by local craftsmen from clay, straw and shells are very popular all over the world.

But the main attraction of the islands is unique nature... Walking to the reefs, visiting natural areas where flamingos live, observing the underwater world of the Atlantic will be an entertaining pastime for all tourists.