Editing Geography of Norway (section)

==Physical geography==
{{Unsourced section|date=December 2023}}[[File:Terrain of Norway with red snow.jpg|thumb|upright|Satellite image of southern Norway, higher areas shown in red. [[Sognefjord]] and [[Hardangerfjord]] are visible in the west, and [[Oslofjord]] is seen in the southeast. [[Trondheimsfjord]] (some white clouds) is in the north, with [[Hitra (island)|Hitra]] and [[Frøya (island)|Frøya]] islands at the mouth.]]
[[File:View from a ridge between Segla and Hesten, Senja, Norway, 2014 August.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|View from a ridge between Segla and Hesten, [[Senja (island)|Senja]], Norway]]

[[File:Knivsflå (2007-06-17).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Waterfalls are common along the western part of the mountain chain, here represented by The Seven Sisters in [[Geiranger]]]]

===Overview===
{{see also|Paleic surface}}

Mainland Norway comprises an extensive range of natural variation, given its moderate size, including both terrestrial, marine, limnic and snow and ice ecosystems. Norway has a high mineral and bedrock diversity, and high diversity of landforms. Major landscape types include inland hills and mountains, inland valleys, inland plains, coastal plains, coastal fjords and coastal hills and mountains.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Simensen|first1=Trond|last2=Erikstad|first2=Lars|last3=Halvorsen|first3=Rune|date=2021|title=Diversity and distribution of landscape types in Norway|journal=Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography|volume=75|issue=2|language=en|pages=79–100|doi=10.1080/00291951.2021.1892177|doi-access=free|url=https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/10852/85686/2/ErikstadDiversityNorwGeogrJournal2021hybrid.pdf}}</ref> Glaciated; mostly high plateaus and [[List of mountains in Norway by height|rugged mountains]] broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra only in the extreme northeast (largely found on the [[Varanger Peninsula]]). Frozen ground all year can also be found in the higher mountain areas and in the interior of [[Finnmark]] county. [[Largest Glaciers of Norway|Numerous glaciers]] are also found in Norway.

The highest point is [[Galdhøpiggen]] at {{Convert|2,469|m|feet}}, and the lowest point is the [[Norwegian Sea]] at 0{{Nbsp}}m.

===Mainland===

==== Scandinavian Mountains ====
The [[Scandinavian Mountains]] are the most defining feature of the country. Starting with [[Setesdalsheiene]] north of the [[Skagerrak]] coast, the mountains are found in large parts of the country and intersect the many fjords of [[Vestlandet]]. This region includes [[Hardangervidda]], [[Jotunheimen]] (with [[Galdhøpiggen]] at {{convert|2469|m}} [[metres above sea level|a.s.l.]]), [[Sognefjell]], and [[Trollheimen]] in the north, with large glaciers, such as [[Jostedalsbreen]], [[Folgefonna]], and [[Hardangerjøkulen]]. The mountain chain swings eastwards south of Trondheim, with ranges such as [[Dovrefjell]] and [[Rondane]], and reaches the border with Sweden, where they have become mostly gently sloping plateaus.  The mountains then follow the border in a northeasterly direction and are known as ''Kjølen'' (the "keel"). The mountains intersect many fjords in [[Nordland]] and [[Troms]], where they become more alpine and create many islands after they meet the sea. The Scandinavian mountains form the [[Lyngen Alps]], which reach into northwestern [[Finnmark]], gradually becoming lower from [[Altafjord]] towards the [[North Cape (Norway)|North Cape]], where they finally end at the [[Barents Sea]].

The Scandinavian Mountains naturally divide the country into physical regions; [[valley]]s surround the mountains in all directions.

==== Southern coast ====
In [[southern Norway]], the southern Skagerrak and [[North Sea]] coast is the lowland south of the mountain range, from Stavanger in the west to the western reaches of the outer part of the [[Oslofjord]] in the east. In this part of the country, valleys tend to follow a north–south direction. This area is mostly hilly, but with some very flat areas such as [[Lista]] and [[Jæren]].

[[File:Tønsberg Raet kornåker.JPG|thumb|Landscape with grainfield in [[Tønsberg]], southeastern Norway.]]

==== Southeast ====
The land east of the mountains (corresponding to [[Østlandet]], most of [[Telemark]], and [[Røros Municipality]]) is dominated by valleys running in a north–south direction in the eastern part, and in a more northwest–southeast direction further west, the valleys terminating at the Oslofjord. The longest valleys in the country are here—[[Østerdal]] and [[Gudbrandsdal]]. This region also contains large areas of lowland surrounding the Oslofjord, as well as the [[Glomma]] River and Lake [[Mjøsa]].

{{multiple image |align=right |direction=horizontal |total_width=400
 |image1=Бухта контрабандистов.jpg |caption1=Cliffs along the Lysefjord in southwest Norway
 |image2=Preikestolen view left.png |caption2=[[Lysefjorden]] seen from [[Prekestolen]] in the district of [[Ryfylke]] in [[Western Norway]]
}}

==== Western fjords ====
The land west of the mountains (corresponding to [[Vestlandet]] north of Stavanger) is dominated by the mountain chain, as the mountains extend, gradually becoming lower, all the way to the coast. This region is dominated by large fjords, the largest being [[Sognefjord]] and [[Hardangerfjord]]. [[Geirangerfjord]] is often regarded as having the ultimate in fjord scenery. The coast is protected by a chain of [[Skerry|skerries]] (small, uninhabited islands—the Skjærgård) that are parallel to the coast and provide the beginning of a protected passage for almost the entire {{convert|1,600|km}} route from [[Stavanger (city)|Stavanger]] to [[North Cape (Norway)|Nordkapp]]. In the south, fjords and most valleys generally run in a west–east direction, and, in the north, in a northwest–southeast direction.

==== Trondheim region ====
The land north of [[Dovre Municipality]] (corresponding to [[Trøndelag]] county, except [[Røros Municipality]]) comprises a more gentle landscape with more rounded shapes and mountains, and with valleys terminating at the [[Trondheimsfjord]], where they open up onto a large lowland area. Further north is the valley of [[Namdalen]], opening up in the [[Namsos (town)|Namsos]] area. However, the [[Fosen]] peninsula and the most northern coast ([[Leka Municipality]]) is dominated by higher mountains and narrower valleys.

==== Northern fjords ====
The land further north in [[Northern Norway]] (corresponding to Nordland, [[Troms]], and northwestern [[Finnmark]]) is again dominated by steep mountains going all the way to the coast and by numerous fjords. The fjords and valleys generally lie in a west–east direction in the southern part of this area, and a more northwest–southeast direction further north. The [[Saltfjellet]] mountain range is an exception, as the valley runs in a more north–south direction from these mountains. This long, narrow area includes many large islands, such as [[Lofoten]], [[Vesterålen]], and [[Senja (island)|Senja]].

{{Wide image|Raftsundet panorama, 2010 09.jpg|800px|[[Raftsundet]] in September, Northern Norway}}

==== Far northeast ====
The interior and the coast east of [[North Cape (Norway)|Nordkapp]] (corresponding to [[Finnmarksvidda]] and eastern Finnmark) is less dominated by mountains, and is mostly below {{convert|400|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The interior is dominated by the large [[Finnmarksvidda]] plateau. There are large, wide fjords running in a north–south direction. This coast lacks the small islands, or [[skerry|skerries]], typical of the Norwegian coast. Furthest to the east, the [[Varangerfjord]] runs in an east–west direction and is the only large fjord in the country whose mouth is to the east.

===Arctic islands===

==== Svalbard ====
[[File:Svalbard landscape.jpg|thumb|Svalbard tundra]]Further north, in the [[Arctic Ocean]], lies the [[Svalbard]] archipelago, which is also dominated by mountains that are mostly covered by large glaciers, especially in the eastern part of the archipelago, where glaciers cover more than 90%, with one glacier, [[Austfonna]], being the largest in Europe. Unlike on the mainland, these glaciers [[Ice calving|calve]] directly into the open ocean.

==== Jan Mayen ====
To the far northwest, halfway towards [[Greenland]], is [[Jan Mayen]] island, where the only active volcano in Norway, [[Beerenberg]], is found.

===Antarctic islands and claim to Antarctica===
Norway has several [[territorial claims in Antarctica]] and on its islands. [[Bouvet Island]] is located in the [[South Atlantic Ocean]] at [[54th parallel south|54°S]] and mostly covered by glaciers, this island is one of the most remote in the world, inhabited only by [[Pinniped|seals]] and birds. [[Peter I Island]] is located in the South [[Pacific Ocean]] at [[69th parallel south|69°S]] and [[90th meridian west|90°W]], this island is dominated by glaciers and a volcano. As with Bouvet Island, this island is regarded as an external [[Dependent area|dependency]], and not part of the kingdom. [[Queen Maud Land]] is Norway's continental claim in Antarctica. The large, [[Circular sector|sectorial]] area stretches to the [[South Pole]] and is completely dominated by the world's largest [[ice sheet]] and with some [[nunatak]]s (bare rock) penetrating above the ice. The [[Troll Research Station]] is operated by the [[Norwegian Polar Institute]] and is located on a snow-free mountain slope, the only station in Antarctica not to be located on the ice.