e approval
of the Parliament

Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting
which, for certain purposes, divides itself into two chambers (165
seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 15 September 1997 (next to be held 10
September 2001)

election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 35%,
Center Party 7.9%, Conservative Party 14.3%, Christian People's
Party 13.7%, Socialist Left Party 6%, Progress Party 15.3%, Liberal
Party 4.4%, other parties 1.6%; seats by party - Labor Party 65,
Center Party 11, Conservative Party 23, Christian People's Party 25,
Socialist Left Party 9, Progress Party 25, Liberal Party 6, other
parties 1

note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two
chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
or Lagting

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by
the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Odd Roger ENOKSEN];
Christian People's Party [Kiell Magne BONDEVIK]; Conservative Party
[Jan PETERSEN]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars
SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party
[Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Knut VOLLEBAEK

chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000

FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870

consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and
San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Robin Chandler DUKE

embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo

mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707

telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50

FAX: [47] (22) 43 07 77

Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that
extends to the edges of the flag; the v