Franklin Roosevelt statue

Take a moment to admire the Franklin Roosevelt statue before you, and soak in the view of Oslo’s harbour and fjord. If you’re wondering why there’s a statue of the American president here, it was unveiled in 1950 after his famous “Look to Norway” speech, in which he praised the bravery of Norwegian resistance fighters during World War II. Norway is officially a neutral country. While that neutrality proved effective during the First World War, it was broken by the Nazi invasion during the second. By 1942, Norway found itself under a collaborationist regime, but not without fierce resistance. This experience left Norwegians much more wary of the idea of neutrality. While Norway has consistently declined to join the European Union, it was one of the founding members of NATO and the United Nations. The debate over EU membership still rages on in the country, with public opinion being 50/50. That said, Norway is a member of the European Economic Area and also part of the Schengen Zone.