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Location
Hordaland fylke (county), west coast of Norway.

Dialling code
47. There are no regional or city dialing codes in Norway.

Population
242,152 (city), 369,101 (metropolitan area) (2006).

Time zone
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; Scandinavian/European round two-pin plugs are standard.

Average January temperatures
1ºC (34ºF).

Average July temperatures
14ºC (57ºF).

Annual rainfall
2,250mm (88 inches).

Language
Introduction
One hundred and fifty years ago, Norwegians spoke Danish. There are now two official languages, Bokmål and Nynorsk, which have equal status and are used in public administration, schools, churches and the media.

Bokmål, a Norwegian form of Danish, is the more popular of the two official languages, being spoken by 95% of the population. Nynorsk, created in the 1850s from spoken Norwegian and Old Norse, is spoken by about 20% of the population. Of the seven additional languages spoken in Norway, two are gypsy and five are Finn (often referred to by the derogatory term Lapp) languages. The two official languages are mutually comprehensible, but the Finn languages are not related to Norwegian and cannot be understood by those who have not learnt one of them.

English is widely spoken in Bergen and German, French and Spanish may also be understood.

Phrases

Yes - Ja
No - Nei
Hello - Hei
Goodbye - Hadet
Please - Vær Så Snill (Vaer Saa Snill)
Thank you - Takk
My name is ... - Mitt navn er ... / Jeg heter ...
How are you? - Hvordan går det? (gaar)
I am very well - Jeg har det bra / Det går bra (gaar)
I feel ill - Jeg føler meg syk (foeler)
How much does it cost? - Hvor mye koster det?
Do you speak English? - Snakker du Engelsk?
I do not understand - Jeg forstår ikke (Forstaar)
Where is ...? - Hvorer ...?
Entrance - Inngang
Exit - Utgang
Danger - Fare
Open - Åpen (Aapen)
Closed - Stengt
Toilets - Toalett
Doctor - Doktor
Hotel - Hotell
Restaurant - Restaurant
Beer - Øl (Oel)
Wine - Vin
Menu - Meny
Today - I Dag
Tomorrow - I Morgen
Monday - Mandag
Tuesday - Tirsdag
Wednesday - Onsdag
Thursday - Torsdag
Friday - Fredag
Saturday - Lørdag (Loerdag)
Sunday - Søndag (Soendag)
One - En
Two - To
Three - Tre
Four - Fire
Five - Fem
Six - Seks
Seven - Syv
Eight - Åtte (Aatte)
Nine - Ni
Ten - Ti
Twenty - Tyve / Tjue
Thirty - Tredve / Tretti
Forty - Førti (Foerti)
Fifty - Femti
Sixty - Seksti
Seventy - Søtti (Soetti) / Sytti
Eighty - Åtti (Aatti)
Ninety - Nitti
One Hundred - Ett Hundre
One Thousand - Ett Tusen


Cost of Living:

1 Norwegian Kroner (Kr1) = £0.10; US$0.17; C$0.14; A$0.20; €0.11
Currency conversion rates as of January 2009

Special Events:

Borealis (Bergen Contemporary Music Festival)
March
Various venues
Website: www.borealisfestival.no

Piggtrådfestivalen (Barbed Wire Festival)
April
Hard rock and metal festival.
Hulen
Website: www.piggtraad.net

Bergenfest Fest
Late April-early may
Music festival.
Various venues
Website: www.bergenfest.no

Bergen Gay Pride
May
Parade throughout the city.
Website: www.bergengaypride.com

Norwegian National Holiday (Constitution Day)
May
Parades and entertainment.

Night Jazz Festival
May
City center
Website: www.nattjazz.no

Bergen International Festival
Late May-early June
General arts event.
City center
Website: www.fib.no

Lost Weekend
Late July-August
Big music festival on the island of Askøy just outside Bergen.
Website: www.lost-weekend.net

Bergen Food Festival
Mid-September
City center
Webite: www.matfest.no
 
Raptus (Bergen Comics Festival)
September
Grieghallen
Website: www.raptus.no

BIFF (Bergen International Film Festival)
Late October
City center
Website: www.biff.no

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