Oslo (formerly Christiania) is the capital and largest city in Norway. The city was founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway. In 1624 the town was largely destroyed by a fire.

The Danish-Norwegian king Christian IV rebuilt and changed the name of the city to Christiania. The diocese of Oslo is one of the five original dioceses in Norway, who originated around the year 1070. Oslo is the cultural, scientific, economic and governmental centre of Norway.

Oslo is the centre of Norwegian trade, banking, industry, and shipping. Oslo Harbour is the largest, as well as the busiest, in the country. The leading industries are the production of consumer goods and the electrotechnical and graphic industries.

The important Norwegian fur auctions are held at Økern, to the northeast. Oslo is also the junction of road, rail, and airway networks of the country. Oslo is an important centre of maritime knowledge in Europe and is home to approximately 980 companies and 8,500 employees within the maritime sector, among which are some of the world's largest shipping companies, shipbrokers, and insurance brokers.

The metropolitan area of Oslo has a population of 1.4 million as of 2009; of whom, 876,391 live in the urban area. Furthermore, the city's population currently increases at a record rate of over 2 per cent annually, making it Scandinavia's fastest-growing capital.

Similar to 0 things you like: